Andrew Marr.
Talk about A-List. Andrew Marr going on a Stewart Purvis London Walk and writing about it.
Yes, that Andrew Marr.
The famous journalist, broadcaster and one of the sharpest observers of modern Britain.
And that Stewart Purvis – Stewart Purvis CBE – the equally distinguished, now retired newsman.
The two of them together on a London Walk, it reminded me of that legendary scene in Michael Mann’s classic L. A. crime film Heat. The famous diner scene. The first time Al Pacino and Robert De Niro properly share the screen. A symphony of elite professionalism, that scene.
As for what Andrew Marr wrote about the walk, well, I was also reminded of what Picccasso could do with a pencil or a paintbrush. Just a few strokes and there’s a masterpiece before your eyes.
These strokes.
First, the title.
A little stroke of genius: “Getting Carré-d away.”
Stewart’s Hampstead Spies Walk takes in John le Carré’s house — and Marr, unerringly, lands the perfect pun to announce it.
Second stroke – just as deft.
Andrew Marr sums Stewart up in six quiet words: “the Channel 4 News founder.”
Third stroke: “The walk was a delight, partly because Stewart had come with photocopies of once-secret files and recordings of some of the spies’ voices.” Now that’s irresistible.
And then – the master stroke – “You can get quite a lot of this from the internet – but what struck me was how much more emotional and vivid a story is when you are standing in front of it, rather glancing at a screen.” That’s not just good. It’s defining.
But as long as we’re at it, let’s roll out the whole piece. It’s in Andrew Marr’s At Large column in the current issue – the March 13-March 19th, 2026 issue of the New Statesman.
It’s brief and utterly to the point.
“Getting Carré-d-away
I spent a happy, dank Saturday morning walking around Hampstead with 30 or so others, led by Stewart Purvis, the Channel 4 News founder. He was giving us a tour of the history of spies in the area – from the modernist flats where KGB handlers hung out, snaring Kim Philby and the like, to john le Carré’s home, and the house where a list of eminent Britons to be arrested and shot, come the revolution, was compiled. The walk was a delight, partly because Stewart had come with photocopies of once-secret files and recordings of some of the spies’ voices. You can get quite a lot of this from the internet – but what struck me was how much more emotional and vivid a story is when you are standing in front of it, rather than glancing at a screen. The Purvis tours, which are not expensive, take place every month or so.”
Thank you very much Andrew Marr.
And just one addendum, for anyone who doesn’t know.
Those three initials after Stewart’s name – CBE.
That’s a gong.
An honour from the Palace, in recognition of serious achievement.
Commander of the British Empire.
There’s a whole ladder of these things – and they don’t come much higher than CBE.
Next stop… a knighthood.
Which is exactly where our next stop takes us… to arguably the greatest knight of the realm of them all.
Sir Isaac Newton.
He died on March 20th.
A man who didn’t just change Britain – he changed how we understand the universe.
Gravity. Light. Motion.
The invisible rules that govern everything – from the fall of an apple to the sweep of the stars.
And, as it happens, a London story as well.
That’s tomorrow.
Ok – valediction time.
London calling.
London Walks connecting.
This… is London.
This is London Walks.
Streets ahead.
Story time.
History time.
So until tomorrow – here’s to no end of great Londoning.
See you on the morrow.