Jeffrey Bernard's Desert Island Discs

[@castelodeossos3947]

'...Beethoven, although he's a miserable, sad, cantankerous companion, but I love him...' Must be the most profound/honest Desert Island Discs episode ever, with an absolute gem of an ending. Makes everyone else seem dull, if not phoney.

[@helenalldridge1145]

I'm fascinated by this man, never knew him but played the interview out of intrigue and after I thought despite all his demons what an interesting man he is and goodness how handsome he was when he was younger. Bless him. Xxx

[@liammarshall1759]

I too have been fascinated by Jeffrey since "discovering" him during the lockdown. He had flaws, but who doesn't. If nothing else he was certainly an original, surely being the 1st man to make a living for being an alcoholic

[@normafrye8460]

Jeffrey’s brother, Oliver, was a good friend of mine. Listening to Jeffrey for the first time is quite sensational since their voices are so alike. I could be speaking to Oliver again. How I wish. I, also love the sound and responses of Jeffrey.

[@owengreene382]

How wounderful it was, listing to Jeffrey. But i couldn't help a tinch of emotion, as he life seamed to be heading to the river, to sleep with the fishes. He had a beautiful hippnotic melancholic voice. Simpler to another eloquently clasy individual, Barry Humphries. I have love to have met both men in a pup. Preferably, an Irishpup!!

[@124Outdoor]

He managed four more years than he thought - and far more than we all thought....

[@steveellis9004]

Queer thing about hindsight. An incredible mind.

[@markhayward7400]

I once bought Jeffrey Bernard a drink in the Coaches and Horses pub in Soho. A very large vodka, no tonic, if I remember correctly. After I had handed it to him, he told me to 'sod off'. I would have expected nothing less 😂. He was a very great writer, in my opinion, not least in the remorseless way he chronicled his own weaknesses and decline.

[@Darjeelingla]

Unpredictable, astonishing interview. I knew nothing about this Jeff character. Apparently I’m not British. Mesmerizing.

[@henrygingercat]

Very poignant; a hell raiser who couldn't get it up any longer shows himself to be a highly intelligent, sensitive and cultured human being. I suspect for many his main accomplishment was to allow us more timid souls a vicarious thrill of la vie Boheme without us succumbing to liver damage.

[@brexitannia9703]

We all eventually see ourselves out.. Just enjoy your life simple as, ABC

[@jeremyhaines4481]

A very Interesting Interview

[@stevenmorley1639]

I enjoy the Coach and Horses , very much. Its still sociable and has interesting characters. A true essence for a Pub.

[@liammarshall1759]

I went in 2 months ago, ordered a large Vodka and Soda... £8 !!! You'd think the drink that helped put the pub on the map would be subsidized or something

[@Jlipnicki]

@@liammarshall1759 Drinking anywhere other than Spoons has become a luxury.

[@illuminant1129]

Wonderful. Even those of us who are fans of Jeff - from his Low Life Column - would have been taken aback by his eminently cultured selection. I would have put money on - say - Bille Holiday or Frank Sinatra, rather than, in effect, eight classical pieces. Sue Lawley should also be commended here as she brought out the best in Jeff, without being overbearing in any way.

[@sarahjones-jf4pr]

illuminant CAN YOU NOT TELL THAT JEFFREY WAS AN EDUCATED MAN THE FACT THAT HE WAS A "SENSITIVE" DOES NOT MEAN THAT HE WOULD NOT BE CAPABLE OF FULL APPRECIATION OF THE CLASSICS HIS WRITINGS INDICATE HIS KEEN INTELLIGENCE AND AWARENESS OF LIFE, DO NOT DEMEAN HIS APPRECIATION OF ORCHESTRAL WORKS.

[@martinmcdonald4207]

I bought the `Jeffery Bernard is unwell` for my father back in the late eighties, he looked at me like i had two heads!. Sir Peter O`Toole is more Bernard than Bernard to a degree, the bar and endless supply of gin and tonic made it all the better!

[@rudehamster275]

Vodka & Soda, darling. Vodka & Soda. Jeff hated gin. Bloody loathed it.

[@lewisgreen2957]

He must have had an amazing constitution to reach 65…

[@tancreddehauteville764]

I felt very sad after listening to this. Clearly this man was intelligent, exquisitely articulate and cultured - he could have given so much to the world, maybe even become an actor, like his friend Peter O'Toole. A wasted life, what a tragedy. He had the temperament of a misunderstood genius, but perhaps without the genius, or at least the ability to display it. If we could have interviewed Beethoven (another alcoholic) in the last two years of his life, I would bet that he would have spoken and sounded just like Bernard, except with a German accent.

[@liammarshall1759]

I'd hardly say wasted. He contributed soo much to the world with his writing.

[@tancreddehauteville764]

@@liammarshall1759 Yes, but he was obviously capable of so much more.

[@trevorbailey1486]

@@tancreddehauteville764 Liam is right. Without his sacrifice, we'd not be living the Soho Boho life vicariously. We'd be that bit more boring than we are. (Am I presumptious to say 'we'? Read 'Toads' by Philip Larkin before making up your mind.)

[@jeremyhaines3847]

Very interesting interview

[@paulhussey1113]

Jeffery might be dead. But he will always be unwell ..

[@adriaanboogaard8571]

Right off when he talks about his lifestyle it reminds of some song lyrics that go Faster horses younger women older whiskey and more money. That's a entertaining life but costly and yet they say the good die young.

[@bookaufman9643]

It's a bit distressing that I find Jeffrey Bernard to be far too relatable to myself. Especially the bed about narcissism mixed with self loathing. I did drink pretty heavily for a decade or two but I was never an alcoholic just a guy who drank too much. I put it away pretty easily and I'm not above having a drink now and then but I don't do it because I don't have the slightest urge. Unfortunately I was a heavy drug user for many years of my life and like Jeffrey Bernard I went through some pretty wonderful women who could only tolerate it for so long. I recently saw a documentary about him where he was later in life and had lost his foot and was incredibly depressed. I understand that all too well although I still have both of my feet. It's difficult when your life has been hectic and your addictions ruined relationships. It's also difficult to look back at those years and feel anything but a strong sense of regret and a strong feeling of what might have been. I think we would have been friends had we known each other but I'm not good with difficult drunks and I don't know how he would have behaved when he was deep into the bottle. I've had heavy drinking friends and it's been about 50-50 on those who seem to become more joyful as they drank and those who became intolerable. Sometimes it's a bit of both.

[@TheSnowballEarth]

c.25:00 "I'll tell you what, Jeff. I don't care who she is. I've shit better Rosenkavaliers than this one!"

[@salvadormarley]

No Duran Duran???

[@freebornjohn2687]

I need a high powered hunting rifle