Chris Riddell

Chris Riddell

From The Island of Brilliant! by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Nadia Shireen

June 6, 2026 · 59 min · Episode 41

About this episode

Chris Riddell joins Frank and Nadia for an engaging interview about his work and creative insights.

He's behind some of the most celebrated and beloved books of recent times - Goth Girl, The Edge Chronicles, Ottoline and a gazillion more - and he's also, it turns out, the captain of the Mellow Submarine! Which is excellent news for Frank and Nadia, as it means that Chris Riddell (for it is he) is able to swing on by for a piercing, no-holds-barred interview about wine gums among other things. Always keen to get his bearings, he whips out his trust pen and pad to sketch the first official cartographic sketch of the island, revealing coves to our two resident coves that they never knew existed. The big shock comes in the form of an orchard, the result of a certain someone palming them off with a bushel of apples some time ago. It's a joy to have Chris run aground for awhile, why not pull up some driftwood and have a listen?

People in this episode

Hosts: Frank Cottrell Boyce, Nadia Shireen

Guest: Chris Riddell

Topics covered

  • interview
  • children's literature
  • illustration
  • creative process
  • storytelling

Keywords

  • Chris Riddell
  • Goth Girl
  • The Edge Chronicles
  • Ottoline
  • children's books
  • illustration
  • interview

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Goth Girl, The Edge Chronicles, Ottoline

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