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Celia Imrie

October 13, 2026 · 53 min

Show notes

Today I’m joined by the iconic Celia Imrie. Celia is, of course, one of Britain’s best-loved actresses, with an extraordinary career spanning more than five decades. From her unforgettable collaborations with Victoria Wood, to Bridget Jones’s Diary, Calendar Girls, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and, more recently, The Thursday Murder Club. She's one of those performers who has been part of our lives for as long as I can remember.


But what you might not know about Celia is that she is a completely insatiable traveller. She's happiest when she's on the move, whether that's aboard a glamorous ocean liner, travelling across America by train or setting off on an adventure somewhere entirely unexpected - because as you’ll soon discover, Celia doesn’t fly, so this makes for a particularly interesting episode.


Her lifelong love of travel is at the heart of her new book, The Elegant Hustler: Adventures from a Life on the Move, which is out now, a collection of stories from a life spent exploring the world.


Destination recap


  • Middleton-on-Sea, West Sussex, England
  • Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
  • Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
  • Delhi, India
  • Melbourne, Australia
  • Sydney, Australia
  • Los Angeles, California, USA
  • Washington, D.C., USA
  • Toronto, Canada
  • Singapore
  • Paris, France
  • Sainte-Chapelle, Paris, France
  • Nice, France
  • Hôtel Negresco, Nice, France
  • Villeneuve-Loubet, France
  • Menton, France
  • Monte Carlo, Monaco
  • Isle of Wight, England
  • Southampton, England
  • Queen Mary 2, Cunard, Southampton to New York
  • New York City, USA
  • Coast-to-coast railway journey, USA
  • San Luis Obispo, California, USA
  • Los Angeles, California, USA
  • Ice hotel, Norway
  • Japan
  • China


The Elegant Hustler: Adventures from a Life on the Move, which is now.


If you’d like to find out who’s joining me next Tuesday, come and follow me on Instagram and TikTok. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you.


I’ll be back on Sunday with another episode of Unpacked, this time with Design & Travel Editor, Amira Hashish,


With thanks to...


Airbnb - Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.co.uk/host.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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