Editor Alexander Chancellor Total circulation
(December 2016) 45,612 Year founded 1992 | Frequency Every four weeks Founder Richard Ingrams | |
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Company Oldie Publications Ltd. | ||
The Oldie a British monthly magazine written for older people "as a light-hearted alternative to a press obsessed with youth and celebrity", according to their website. The magazine was launched in 1992 by Richard Ingrams, who for 22 years was the magazine's editor following 23 years in the same post at Private Eye. In June 2014, after Ingrams's dispute with the magazine's publisher led to his departure, Alexander Chancellor became the editor. The circulation continues to rise.
Contents
History and outline
The magazine was founded in 1992 by Richard Ingrams, previously editor of Private Eye, together with Alexander Chancellor. The magazine aimed to contrast with youth culture. The Independent on Sunday described it as "The most original magazine in the country". The Oldie magazine is owned by Oldie Publications Ltd.
It carries general-interest articles, humour and cartoons. Its contributors include James Le Fanu, John Sweeney, Thomas Stuttaford, Virginia Ironside, Stephen Glover and Raymond Briggs. It is sometimes regarded as a haven for "grumpy old men and women"—an image it has played up to over the years with such slogans as "The Oldie: Buy it before you snuff it", and its lampooning of youth subculture and what it sees as the absurdities of modern life. It was the first mainstream publication to break the Jimmy Savile sex scandal.
Despite being called The Oldie, the magazine often stresses that it is not an age-specific publication, and has many readers in their twenties, thirties and forties. It has similarities to Punch, Viz, The Spectator, Private Eye, and The New Yorker.
Oldie of The Year Awards
The Oldie of the Year Awards (TOOTY) is the magazine's annual awards ceremony, hosted by Terry Wogan until 2014, and Gyles Brandreth since then, and held at Simpson's-in-the-Strand. The awards celebrate lifetime achievement, as well as "oldie" achievements and/or notoriety over the previous year, the whole ceremony being very much tongue-in-cheek. Past winners include Olivia de Havilland, Ian Paisley, David Hockney, Eileen Atkins, Stanley Baxter, and Moira Stuart. At the magazine's 2011 awards, Prince Philip was named Consort of the Year; Oldie of the Year was Barry Humphries. In 2015, Oldie of the year was Ken Dodd.
The Oldie monthly Literary Lunches are also held in London (at Simpson's-in-the-Strand). Guests over the years have included Michael Palin, Clive James, Maureen Lipman, Colin Dexter, and P. D. James.