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"I wanted it to be a page-turner": Sir Tony Robinson talks imposter syndrome and 'The House of Wolf'

Author
九一星空无限talk ZB,
Publish Date
Sat, 22 Nov 2025, 2:13pm
Photo / Paul Marc Mitchell | Supplied
Photo / Paul Marc Mitchell | Supplied

"I wanted it to be a page-turner": Sir Tony Robinson talks imposter syndrome and 'The House of Wolf'

Author
九一星空无限talk ZB,
Publish Date
Sat, 22 Nov 2025, 2:13pm

Sir Tony Robinson is one of the world鈥檚 most recognisable history presenters. 

After four career-defining series of British sitcom 鈥楤lackadder鈥, he fronted 20 seasons of the archaeological dig show 鈥楾ime Team鈥.  

His humorous hooks and accessible presentation has helped to demystify history and inspire passion in a whole new generation.  

Robinson has written over 30 children鈥檚 books, 鈥楳aid Marian and Her Merry Men鈥, 鈥楾he Worst Jobs in History鈥, and 鈥楾ony Robinson's Weird World of Wonders!鈥 just a few of the titles.  

His latest work, 鈥楾he House of Wolf鈥, is his first foray into fiction directed at an older audience, covering the Anglo-Saxons, Alfred the Great, and the making of England in the 9th century. 

Writing for adults is quite different to writing for children, and Robinson said it scared him 鈥渞igid鈥 when he first started. 

鈥淚 had massive imposter syndrome鈥, he told Jack Tame. 

鈥淚t's ridiculous, isn't it, like I've been on the stage for 60 odd years, and yet when it came to writing a book, terror gripped me.鈥 

His subject matter is also a bit of a balancing act, as weaving historical fact with the narrative one wants to convey can sometimes be a challenge. 

鈥淚 did go quite bonkers writing it,鈥 Robinson told Tame. 

Upon finishing the first draft, his publisher sent it off to reviewers, journalists, and some historical novelists 鈥 people Robinson respected.  

鈥淚 was in even more terror,鈥 he revealed. 

鈥淎nd then after six weeks, the writer Dan Jones, who wrote a stormingly popular historical novel called 鈥楨ssex Dogs鈥, he wrote a review of it really, and it was so fulsome. 

鈥淚mmediately, all that paranoia that I鈥檇 had dispelled completely.鈥  

鈥楾he House of Wolf鈥 is now out, and fans will be able to see him live on stage in 2026 in 鈥楢n Audience with Sir Tony Robinson鈥. He鈥檒l be performing at Auckland鈥檚 Bruce Mason Centre on February 17th, and at Christchurch鈥檚 Isaac Theatre Royal on February 18th.  

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