The world-famous author hints at a new Sharpe book, trying to join the British Army, Sean Bean, The Last Kingdom, what he hopes to write one day, and his love of the UK Armed Forces
BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service) spoke with internationally renowned author Bernard Cornwell for the award-winning SITREP podcast.
BFBS’ Sian Grzeszczyk Melbourne and former Director of RUSI and SITREP’s defence analyst Professor Michael Clarke were granted rare interview access to Cornwell, creator of Napoleonic Wars Rifleman Richard Sharpe and Uhtred, the unforgettable hero of The Last Kingdom series.
The conversation, which includes questions submitted by the BFBS audience ranges from Cornwell’s lifelong admiration for the UK Armed Forces to the creation of his legendary Sharpe series and critically acclaimed The Last Kingdom, offering rare insight into his creative process and personal reflections.
On The Armed Forces
- Expresses deep admiration for the UK Armed Forces
- Says that the armed forces fight for those who can’t fight for themselves, and he hopes to show that appreciation through his work
- Feels his novels would lose their purpose if readers didn’t recognise that respect for the services
On Trying To Join The Army
- Reveals he attempted to enlist three times but was rejected due to poor eyesight
- Was offered a post in the Pay Corps but declined, as he had hoped for a more active military role
On Modern Day Conflicts
- Admits he avoids writing about present day warfare, believing there is too much real-life material to capture authentically
On Visiting The Falklands Next Year
- Plans to visit the Falklands next year and is fascinated to see where the UK troops did so magnificently
On The Sharpe Series
- Shares his amusement at a real-life military anecdote in which British soldiers paid French pickets to buy brandy, securing their return by taking the picket’s musket
- Believes readers can learn about the character, spirit and humour of the British Army through Sharpe’s world
- Confirms that Sharpe is his favourite character creation – he could be walking the dog and still hears his voice
On Writing
- Draws inspiration from imagination and memories, such as diaries and letters when writing about historical events of how people thought, spoke and behaved
- Explains he’s a storyteller, not a historian, though he wants a story’s background to be authentic, the storyline is more important to him so if that requires him playing merry hell with history then he will, though he will also be transparent about it
- Jokes that the word “bastard” appears 3,429 times in the series and says the fixation on the word came from Sean Bean, who successfully says it with much venom
- Sharpe learned to read within only five days
- Sometimes he gets to the last chapter of a book and doesn’t know how it will end
On Future Projects
- Suggests an interest in potentially writing about the Spanish Armada one day
- Hints that in 3-4 years he may write another Sharpe book
On The Last Kingdom
- Confirms he is exploring Uhtred’s middle years, describing the challenge of returning to a character’s earlier life
This episode promises fascinating insights into history, storytelling, the armed forces, and one of the most iconic British authors of our time.
Watch and listen to the full SITREP podcast interview here: Writing the Battlefield with Bernard Cornwell, creator of Sharpe and Uhtred | BFBS Sitrep podcast
