'An Evening with George Smiley' (2017) [Highlight] John le Carré

Broadcast on 7th of September 2017, live from London's Royal Festival Hall, a celebration of one of the world's greatest writers as he shares the secrets behind the creation of his most beloved character - George Smiley.

This is just the Highlight. The full show was about 120 minutes. Unfortunately it is not available to buy on DVD or Blu Ray (or on any streaming service).

From his extraordinary Cold War novels - such as 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' and 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' - to his powerful descriptions of the arms trade in 'The Night Manager', and the War on Terror in 'A Most Wanted Man', the writing of John le Carré has come to define the last half century.

In this one-off event, the author discusses the full breadth of his career, and reflects on the continuing story of his most famous creation, the tubby, bespectacled spy, George Smiley. Coinciding with the publication date of his new novel, 'A Legacy of Spies', the event will include readings from the book by the author. The novel sees the return of some of le Carré's most iconic Cold War characters, including George Smiley and his trusted lieutenant, Peter Guillam, as their past comes back to claim them in the present.

With a rare question and answer session, it was a wonderful opportunity to experience one of the foremost chroniclers of our age, direct and in his own words. In support of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the leading emergency medical humanitarian aid organisation, John le Carré donated his speaker's fee to this charity.