Voice coach to Laurence Olivier becomes ‘UK’s oldest podcaster’

Laurence Olivier’s former voice coach said it was “enjoyable” to be able to share his stories on working with the stars as he starts a podcast series at the age of 100.

George Hall, dubbed the “UK’s oldest podcaster”, taught at the Royal Academy of Music for 30 years and worked with stars of stage and screen including Olivier, Doctor Who‘s Christopher Ecclestone and Rufus Sewell.

Now, the Brighton-based centenarian has started a five-part podcast series talking about his life and work, even as he continues to teach budding students.

Mr Hall said: “It was a surprise to be described as possibly the UK’s ‘oldest’ podcaster but it is very enjoyable.

“It is very interesting and enjoyable to know that my stories about various theatre and TV actors are being remembered in the podcasts.”

Mr Hall studied at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 1949 alongside actress Dame Joan Plowright and later became a voice coach for her husband, Lord Olivier.

In the first podcast episode, he tells the story of Dame Joan asking Mr Hall to keep their then-secret relationship at the time under wraps from the press, and claims Lord Olivier was “going through a phase of being absolutely obsessed about colonic irrigation”.

Mr Hall continues to give weekly Zoom lectures on the history of music to post-graduate students at the Royal Academy of Music and says he encourages people to “try new things”, particularly starting a podcast.

Other podcast episodes include sitting down with Blackadder’s Sir Tony Robinson to speak about his early theatre memories, and speaking to presenter Fern Britton and Only Fools and Horses actress Tessa Peake-Jones.