Ludlow Live News 2026

Summary

Rex Factor – Ludlow Live News 2026 (April 22, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this lively and characteristically humorous episode, Graham Duke and Ali Hood announce their upcoming Rex Factor live show in Ludlow for August 2026. The hosts share fond memories of previous events, preview the upcoming show's theme—the contenders for the English throne in 1066—and discuss other exciting activities and historical talks at the Ludlow History Festival. Bursting with personal anecdotes, banter, and passionate history fandom, the episode serves as both an invitation and a teaser for what promises to be another memorable Rex Factor live event.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Announcement of the Live Show

• Live Show Details

  • Date & Time: Friday 21st August 2026, 7:00 PM ([02:06])
  • Venue: Ludlow Assembly Rooms
  • Event: Part of the broader Ludlow History Festival

• About the Town

  • Ali and Graham extol Ludlow as a “beautiful market town” with rich history and a great atmosphere, encouraging fans to combine the show with sightseeing and local culture ([12:01], [13:21]).

• Recap of Past Live Shows

  • 2024: “Six Wives of Henry VII,” which Ali almost missed due to “an inexplicable gardening accident and a chest infection” ([05:05], [05:23]).
  • 2025: “Battle of the Champions”—the three Rex Factor series champions went head to head ([05:29]).

---

Upcoming Show: "Battle for 1066 – Who Should Have Been King?"

• Premise

  • The show will coincide with the end of Rex Factor’s first “Nearly Monarch” Saxons miniseries.
  • Focus: Who should have been king in 1066? The four contenders are examined:
    • Harold Godwinson
    • William the Conqueror
    • Harald Hardrada
    • Edgar the Ætheling

• Audience Participation

  • Graham: “The final decision on who should have been king in 1066 will be up to the audience on the night” ([07:53]).

    • Attendees can vote based on claim, conquest, star quality, or perceived ruler potential.

  • Graham: “Will it be about … who you think has the best claim? Is might right by conquest? … or even who you think might actually have been the better ruler of England?” ([07:53])

• Ali’s Allegiance

  • Ali insists Edgar the Ætheling should win: “Well, I think the answer to all those is Edgar the Etheling. So save your time and your money.” ([08:28])
  • Commentary on English history’s tendency to be “set in stone as starting in 1066 with someone who’s, let’s face it, nickname is the Bastard, but instead was Edgar Etheling…” ([06:42])

• Character Banter

  • Ali jokes about Edgar “hanging out with P.G. Wodehouse” ([06:42]), and calls him “a Worcester without a Jeeves” ([07:19]).
  • A further humorous aside: “Well, blow me over with a feather. Look, can you hear those ducks?” ([04:06])

---

Ludlow History Festival Events

• Other Notable Talks

  • Matt Lewis & Annie Garthwaite: Richard, Duke of York & Cecily Neville ([03:32])
  • Mariana Cotter: History through Landscapes
  • Michael Heseltine: “The Michael Heseltine” ([03:57])
  • History of Feminism
  • “History of Propaganda in Blackadder’s Britain”—incorporates both the television show and real history ([04:27])

• Festival Atmosphere

  • The hosts praise the prior year’s weather, the castle setting, and meeting the “Rex fans, the G Mans, the G Man families… Just so lovely, wasn’t it? The whole shebang.” ([01:54])

---

Practical & Personal Details

• Tickets

  • Price: £14 for adults, £8 (“under 25s”—student or youth discount) ([10:25])
  • Where: https://ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk and the official Rex Factor website, links to be provided as available ([10:54], [11:40]).

• Post-Show Traditions

  • Q&A after the main show, “like three or four hours Q&A in the pub afterwards, if I don’t send everyone to two different pubs.” ([09:27])
  • Ali admits having sent fans to the wrong pub last year ([09:51]).

• Other Musings

  • Musings on moving to Ludlow, the beauty of Shropshire, and memories of Ely Cathedral’s evensong on a rainy night ([12:09]).
  • Ali shares, “I even went swimming in the river last year,” illustrating the idyllic town and festival experience ([14:01]).

• Show Recording

  • The show will be recorded as a podcast; potential for video this year due to better setup ([14:18]).

• Costume Plea

  • Ali: “If anyone has got any sort of hose and a doublet that I could borrow for the couple of hours beforehand, I’d be very, very appreciative…” ([14:52])

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[That] weather-wise, that was my favourite weekend of the year.” – Ali ([01:48])
• “The Rex fans, the G Mans, the G Man families…it was just so lovely, wasn’t it? The whole shebang.” – Ali ([01:54])
• “The final decision on who should have been king in 1066 will be up to the audience on the night.” – Graham ([07:53])
• “Well, I think the answer to all those is Edgar the Etheling. So save your time and your money.” – Ali ([08:28])
• “He’s a Worcester without a Jeeves.” – Graham (on Edgar Ætheling) ([07:19])
• “Last time Ali did send everybody to the wrong pub.” – Graham ([09:51])
• “If anyone has got any sort of hose and a doublet that I could borrow for the couple of hours beforehand, I'd be very, very appreciative…” – Ali ([14:52])
• “Ludlow’s a beautiful market town…Shropshire described by Betjeman as the loveliest town in England.” – Graham ([12:01])
• “[Arthur Tudor]’s the resting place…a future nearly monarch for the series…” – Graham ([13:44])

---

Important Timestamps

• 01:00 – Show starts with hosts Graham and Ali
• 02:06 – Ludlow live show announcement (date, venue, festival association)
• 03:32 – Preview of other festival events (other speakers and topics)
• 05:05 – Recap of previous Ludlow live shows
• 05:38 – This year’s theme: Battle for 1066
• 07:53 – Discussion of audience deciding who should have been king
• 09:27 – Live show format, Q&A, and pub mingling tradition
• 10:25 – Ticket pricing and ordering info
• 12:01 – Ludlow and Shropshire described, local color
• 13:44 – Arthur Tudor’s tomb noted as a local historical site
• 14:18 – Plans for recording/filming the show and how to access it

---

Conclusion & How to Join

Fans are warmly encouraged to attend the third annual Rex Factor Ludlow live show, enjoy the beautiful town, and take part in a joyful, historical debate on one of England’s great turning points. Tickets and further details are available at the Ludlow Assembly Rooms site and the Rex Factor podcast page. The event blends humor, thoughtful history, audience involvement, and of course, the hosts' unique camaraderie and warmth.

Don’t miss: Friday, August 21st, 7:00 PM, Ludlow Assembly Rooms: The Battle for 1066—your chance to decide who should have worn the crown!

---

For tickets: ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk or rexfactorpodcast.com
For past show recordings and updates, check the official Rex Factor podcast feed.

Transcript

[Home Depot Announcer]

It's time to bring on the blooms at the Home Depot with spring Garden Deals. Find savings on hanging baskets and flowers to brighten your backyard or any space that needs instant color. Then get everything you need to plant and protect them with low prices guaranteed on soil and mulch. Dig into spring garden deals for four days at the Home Depot now through May 10th. Exquisite supply. See homedepot.com pricematch for details.

[Ross Dress for Less Promoter]

Girl, winter is so last season and now spring's got you looking at pictures of tank tops with hungry eyes. Your algorithm is feeding you cutoffs. You're thirsty for the sun on your shoulders that perfect hang on the patio sundress those sandals you can wear all day and all night. And you've had enough of shopping from your couch. Done. Hoping it looks anything like the picture when you tear open that envelope. It's time for a little in person spring treat. It's time for a trip to Ross. Work your magic.

[Graham Duke]

Welcome to Rex Factor.

[Ali Hood]

This week Ludlow Live News 2026

[Graham Duke]

with

[Ali Hood]

your hosts, Graham Duke and Ali Hood.

[Graham Duke]

Hello, hello and welcome to Rex Factor. Reviewing all the nearly monarchs of England and the United Kingdom, from Ethelwold to Albert Victor, the people who or should have been the monarch but for the intervention of fate. Today, however, we are taking a little bit of a sidestep to tell you the exciting news that we are once again going to be doing a live show in Ludlow and if it's anything

[Ali Hood]

like last year, weather wise, that that was my favourite weekend of the year.

[Graham Duke]

It was spectacular.

[Ali Hood]

Oh, gorgeous. I mean, not, not just the weather, but the location, the castle, the Rex fans, the G Mans, the G Man families. It was just so lovely, wasn't it? The whole shebang.

[Graham Duke]

It was a perfect weekend. So we are going to be at the Ludlow assembly rooms on Friday 21st August at 7 o' clock pm. It's part of a history festival in Ludlow, so that's taking place across the whole summer. So it's also going to be a Regency ball. Unfortunately that clashes with us.

[Ali Hood]

I can't believe that GR I literally was telling you about how I'd like to do that and you said, oh yeah, there's one going on where you are in the place that you're talking about at the same time as you're busy.

[Graham Duke]

I mean, I think it technically starts like two hours before us, but goes on for four hours. So you could sort of attempt to go to the first bit and then kind of 90s sitcom style, try to be between the two and fulfilling all of your obligations.

[Ali Hood]

I mean, if. If that's setting anyone up for failure, that's me. But also that you know how much I'm tempted by that. When you say you just squeeze it in a free song. But I'd be up because then I'd be in all the get up, wouldn't I? For the game.

[Graham Duke]

All the get up. Yeah. I mean, it wouldn't as well discuss. Wouldn't be quite on theme for what we'll be discussing, but nevertheless, it would be historical.

[Ross Dress for Less Promoter]

Yeah.

[Ali Hood]

Well, how much is it?

[Graham Duke]

Because I don't know how much they are. We'll talk about us.

[Ali Hood]

I'm promoting the wrong gig, aren't I?

[Graham Duke]

We're very reasonable. I mean, you won't have to pay for our one as well. So we're free from your perspective.

[Ali Hood]

That's what I mean. I'm talking about the wrong gig. We should. Don't go to that. Don't go to that thing that I'd clearly prefer to be out. Come to Grace.

[Graham Duke]

Other things you can do at Ludlow, which don't clash with us, but are also worth doing. Matt Lewis and Annie Garthwaite. We talk about Richard, Duke of York, another nearly monarch. And Cecily Neville. I think that's the week after us.

[Ali Hood]

Oh, bloody hell. Graham hit me up and shot me down.

[Graham Duke]

They've got Mariana Cotter on History Through Landscapes. Michael Heseltine. I think just on Michael.

[Ali Hood]

The Michael Hesseltine.

[Graham Duke]

The Michael Hasseltine.

[Ali Hood]

He's not still alive.

[Graham Duke]

Yes, he's still alive. And I'm sure very worth seeing in Ludlow.

[Ali Hood]

Well, blow me over with a feather. Look, can you hear those ducks?

[Graham Duke]

No. Zoom's quite good at recognizing other people talking. And I assume also ducks talking.

[Ali Hood]

Ducks talking. Look, they're giving it.

[Graham Duke]

Oh, yeah, they're right in front of you.

[Ali Hood]

Claiming. Claiming dominance of that particular table. How do I go back? Right.

[Graham Duke]

Also the history of feminism and history of propaganda in Blackadder's Britain.

[Ali Hood]

You're gonna have to tell me more about that one.

[Graham Duke]

It's got a bit of Blackadder and a bit of real history as well.

[Ali Hood]

That sounds brilliant.

[Graham Duke]

Lots of good stuff. And of course, rex factor. So ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk, you can buy tickets to Rex Factor and indeed all those other shows.

[Ali Hood]

Should we go to another show when we're there?

[Graham Duke]

I think the only. I'm. I don't think we'll still be. We. My bit will still be around for this. But the Blackadder one, I think is on the Sunday afternoon. So if you were still there on a Sunday afternoon, you could do that.

[Ali Hood]

Well, it's going to be less fun without you.

[Graham Duke]

Anyway, that's all the other fun stuff. But of course, the main event is Rex Factor live in Ludlow. So this is our third Ludlow live show. We've previously done the Six Wives of Henry vii, which Ali almost missed due to an inexplicable gardening accident and a chest infection.

[Ali Hood]

At the same time.

[Graham Duke]

Yes, same time, same place.

[Ali Hood]

I was fully healthy last year, though.

[Graham Duke]

You were fully healthy last year, which was the Battle of the Champions, the three series champions of Rex Factor going head to head.

[Ali Hood]

Yeah, nice one. That was brilliant.

[Graham Duke]

So what will this year's show be? Well, as it happens, we will be finishing our first nearly monarch miniseries on the Saxons by the time we get to August. So we've decided to keep it timely and we're going to be doing the battle of 1066 and consider who we think should have been the monarch in 1066.

[Ali Hood]

I already know the answer to that, though.

[Graham Duke]

Well, I guess it will depend on what your criteria is, because as I'm sure we all know, the first man to become king, well, after Edward the Confessor, who was the king at the start of the year. But the first man to become king in 1066 was Harold Godwinson. The man who did become king, ultimately was William the Conqueror. Clues. In the name oft forgotten third wheel was the Viking Harald Hardrada, who failed to become Harold the Conqueror. And there is also the fourth forgotten wheel, which I guess sort of turns the torturous analogy from a bike into a car, which is Edgar the Etheling, who's ignored by.

[Ali Hood]

Oh, he's who.

[Graham Duke]

I think he's ignored by most of the official histories, but he's the one who actually has a blood claim to the throne, which the other three do not.

[Ali Hood]

But also culturally, I mean, this isn't the show, but this is a. Maybe a snapshot. Imagine the Britain that we'd have that wasn't for some reason, set in stone as starting in 1066 with someone who's, let's face it, nickname is the Bastard, but instead was Edgar Ethling, who seemed to be. I mean. I mean, he would hang out with P.G. wodehouse, I think.

[Graham Duke]

Yes. In. In your historical. The way that you've got him Mandate.

[Ali Hood]

Yeah, completely.

[Graham Duke]

He's a Worcester without a Jeeves.

[Ali Hood]

Oh, I love that. But tell you what, I've been. That new book you've been making me read with all those nasty, violent Men.

[Graham Duke]

Yes.

[Ali Hood]

I tell you what, he's not. He's not that. This is the purpose of Rex Factor, isn't it? He's not that third wheel. He's. He's a proper person, this hard, radical chap. It's a proper army. It always seems like it was just something that went off up north and put that to bed. Then, right, now, let's face the real deal.

[Graham Duke]

Yeah, well, exactly. So that's what we're going to be doing. We're going to be comparing the four contenders. We'll do it in our usual way, but obviously we'll also do a certain amount of focus on the question of what their actual claim to the throne is. But the final decision on who should have been king in 1066 will be up to the audience on the night. So, you know, you can decide in your own way. Will it be about, you know, who you think has the best claim? Is it, you know, right. Is might right by conquest? Is it about, you know, a certain factor? Is it the star quality or even who you think might actually have been the better ruler of England?

[Ali Hood]

Well, I think the answer to all those is Edgar the Etheling. So save your time and your money.

[Graham Duke]

Probably not the answer to the sort of writer's might battling us by conquest.

[Ali Hood]

No, we can't have that. We can't have that. We can't have that. There's too much this going on.

[Graham Duke]

That's not how we decide who gets to rule.

[Ali Hood]

Yeah. Oh, dear.

[Graham Duke]

You know my views, Janet to Graham.

[Ali Hood]

Yeah, it's weird when you think that that is progressive.

[Graham Duke]

Well, anyway, it won't be our decision, Ali. It will be the decision of those who come to see us. So, Friday 21st August, 7 o' clock PM, Ludlow Assembly Rooms. Come along, hear the case and decide who gets to be king in 1066.

[Ali Hood]

How long's it on for our show?

[Graham Duke]

Yeah, well, I think it says on the thing that it's 75 minutes. We've usually been a bit more than that, so I assume they don't kick us out at 75 minutes.

[Ali Hood]

Like an hour or so and then half an hour Q and A Joby. Yeah, but then like three or four hours Q& A in the pub afterwards, if I don't send everyone to two different pubs.

[Graham Duke]

Well, yes, exactly. So, yes, last time we had a lovely time. We chat to people after the show there and then. And then, yeah, off to the pub, drinks with people afterwards. But yes, last time Ali did send everybody to the wrong pub.

[Ali Hood]

I don't know how I did that, because I think there's only one pub open. There was a whole chat about. Really? There's only one option.

[Graham Duke]

Yeah. But I think you did find a different pub name and you gave.

[Ali Hood]

Yes. Which was shut. And I think that's where this Regency Ball is that everyone?

[Graham Duke]

The pub wasn't shut, but there was like. I think there's like a folk night on or something like that.

[Ali Hood]

Oh, yes.

[Graham Duke]

Anyway, anything Ali tells you on the night, take with a pinch of salt. But something better.

[Ali Hood]

Yeah. Look for an official.

[Graham Duke]

Yeah. Tell you where to go. So, Friday 21st August, 7:00pm, Ludlow Assembly Rooms. Tickets are £14 for adults. I was going to say £8 for children, but on the website it says under 25s.

[Ali Hood]

Really? Oh, that's good.

[Graham Duke]

Yeah.

[Ali Hood]

So you get like a student discount or something, or like, just because you're not an adult after 16, you're still very much trying to. Yeah. Elihood approves of this message, so you

[Graham Duke]

can order tickets from the Ludlow assembly rooms website. So. Ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk at the moment, the link for us is Show Rex Factor. I think last year the address changed after we put out the link. So we will also have a link to it on our website. So go to our website if you're not sure about where to find the Ludlow ones. Now, we might not mention it in the next couple of episodes that we're doing a live show in Ludlow and that's just because we've already recorded and edited our episode. So we'll try and stick something into those retrospectively. But if we don't mention it next time, that's not because we're not doing it or we've forgotten about it, it's just because we. We're just too organized. We've got a website, rexfactorpodcast.com.

[Ali Hood]

have you said that every time in episodes?

[Graham Duke]

Yes, yes. For quite a while. Yeah. It just washes over. There's certain bits where it just.

[Ali Hood]

Yeah, yeah. That's like, you know, I'm getting my game face on when you're doing that. Really? Okay.

[Graham Duke]

So, yeah. So hopefully you can come and join us. As Ali was saying, Ludlow's a beautiful market town as well. So Shropshire described by Betjeman as the loveliest town in England.

[Ali Hood]

I. I mean, really, I was. I was really looking at rental properties, as in let's up sticks and move over there. But last year, I think with all these sort of things, you need to go and Spend Thursday morning on December 2nd and spend a half an hour standing in the. In the markets growing. Come on show. Put your money where their mouth is. Mind you, that was. That was the only time I think I enjoyed Ely Cathedral was when in on a even song on like a Thursday in. I remember thinking it was February, March or something and you could hear the rain hammering down on the cathedral and there was maybe two people there and I felt about as close to the past as I possibly could and sort of maybe, maybe spiritual, I suppose. Closest I got to it. But I've had the same sort of feeling when I was left alone at the British Museum. Can wander through the mummies. So maybe it's just a space thing. Oh, there's a robin.

[Graham Duke]

So as we said, Ludlow, definitely a great place to come and visit

[Ali Hood]

and it's not good. It's not December 2nd.

[Graham Duke]

Yeah, it won't be December 2nd. It will be a lovely day in August. It's got a magnificent castle, room, ruins, lots of lovely shops and cafes and restaurant, beautiful countryside. It's also the resting place of a future nearly monarch for the series, Arthur Tudor.

[Ali Hood]

Is it resting place as well, or did you just die there?

[Graham Duke]

I want. Yeah, resting place. Yeah, because I went to see. Went to see him last year.

[Ali Hood]

Did you? I wonder why I didn't do that. Where was it?

[Graham Duke]

It's a. It's a church near that pub. The pub, yeah.

[Ali Hood]

Well, I did go in there. I must have done that. I just don't remember. And I tell you what, I even went swimming in the river last year.

[Graham Duke]

Oh yes, yeah, that.

[Ali Hood]

I mean that's the levels of idyll we're chatting about here. All for 20 quid or whatever it is.

[Graham Duke]

Exactly, yeah. If you can't make it on the night. We have been able to record the show to release as a podcast for the last couple of years. We haven't previously filmed it, but now that we've got our new setup with our sort of podcast, iPhones for the videos, we might be able to stick those on stage and iPhones get a video on that as well. But yeah, otherwise that's it from us today. Do come and see us. Ludlow assembly rooms Friday 21st August 7pm battle for 1066 go to their website or go to our website to get links for the tickets and yeah, that's it.

[Ali Hood]

And if anyone has got any sort of hose and a doublet that I could borrow for the couple of hours beforehand, I'd be very, very appreciative and

[Graham Duke]

if we could work in a toilet break or an interval or sort of something somewhere. My dancing club might require me to step out. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ali Hood]

All right. Lovely to see you, G man.

[Graham Duke]

Yeah, thank you for listening. I'm not 100 sure what the next episode is because I can't quite figure out when I'll get this edited. So it might be Aethelwold and the first Nearly Monarch, more likely, probably because that's coming out quite soon. Ethelweild will be our next episode, but do come and see us in Ludlow and yeah, yeah, see you then.

[Ali Hood]

Say hi there.

[Ross Dress for Less Promoter]

Some Follow the Noise Bloomberg follows the money. Because behind every headline is a bottom line, whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings. There's a money side to every story. And when you see the money side, you understand what others miss. Get the money side of the story. Subscribe [e-mail]

[Columbia Sportswear Announcer]

you can't reason with the sun. Trust us, we've tried. This summer, it's time to put that angry ball of fire on mute. Columbia's Omnishade technology is engineered to protect you from the sun's harsh rays that can burn and damage your skin. The sun is relentless, but so is our gear. Level up your [e-mail] to spend more time outside and less time slathering on aloe lotion. You're welcome. Columbia Engineered for whatever.