Lord Jeffrey Archer declared "I shall not be retiring" but added "the clever thing in life is when to get out" in one of his final interviews before his sudden death at 86.
Final novel released posthumously
The last novel of the former politician turned bestselling writer is published on Tuesday, just hours after news of his death was announced by his publisher.
Lord Archer previously said Adam & Eve, a historical fiction novel set during the Second World War, would be his final book. It is released 50 years after his debut – Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less – was published in 1976.
Reflecting on why the book would be his last in an interview with BBC Breakfast last week, he said: "I think everybody would like to run their last 100 metres at the Olympics and win the gold medal, but there's always a time. I think the clever thing in life is when to get out."
Denied retirement
However, he robustly denied he was retiring, and showed off his fitness by getting up and down from his chair several times, joking: "That's one of the big exercises of the day."
He added: "I shall not be retiring" but conceded retiring from novel writing was "semi-retirement" adding: "You've caught me. I'll be pathetic." When it was suggested he might return to novel-writing, he said: "No, sir. But you can interview me when I do."
Lord Archer, who was a Conservative MP for five years before serving as the party's deputy chairman, had been celebrating the publication of the book with famous friends the day before his death.
Celebrations and tributes
Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth interviewed him on stage at the Leicester Square Theatre on October 4 in front of a sold-out crowd. He wrote on Instagram: "Just yesterday I did a show with Jeffrey Archer to celebrate his new novel – he said it was to be his last. He was in the most wonderful, ebullient form & had such a great reception from a packed house. He was funny, engaging & self-deprecating – a great storyteller to the last."
He added: "I can't believe that Jeffrey Archer – who was always so alive – is suddenly dead. We had a wonderful day together yesterday – as anyone who was there will tell you, he was in brilliant form on stage yesterday celebrating the publication of his 50th and final best-selling novel."
Lord Archer had a successful career as a novelist alongside politics and was made a life peer in 1992 as Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare, becoming the Conservatives' choice to fight for the party in the first London mayoral election. But his campaign ended when his political career crashed in 2001 after he was imprisoned for four years for perjury and perverting the course of justice.
Political legacy
An Old Bailey jury found that he had lied in a libel action he had brought against The Star newspaper 13 years earlier, in which he was awarded £500,000 in damages. He was released early in 2003 and returned to the House of Lords until he retired in 2024.
Reflecting on his time in prison, he told BBC Breakfast last week: "I learnt a lot and got three books out of it, so I can't complain. I learned how privileged and lucky I was, and the British people are very forgiving. God bless them."
Archer was due to be at the Cheltenham Festival on Saturday to discuss his final book. He and his wife, Dame Mary Archer, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this year. They have two sons and five grandchildren.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Lord Archer's death was "devastating", adding he complimented her speech opening the Tory conference in their last text message exchange, less than a day before his death. The Conservative leader told BBC Breakfast: "At 8am yesterday, he sent me a message saying 'a great outfit, great speech, no need to reply', and I read it and I smiled. I was absolutely shocked in the evening when I heard that he'd passed away. It is devastating news. He was 86. He lived a very colourful life but he was someone who was very much loved by the Conservative family, I'm glad that I saw him recently. I had a copy of the book which he's just written, so I will make sure that I read it. But I'm really sad that he's gone. We will miss him very much."
Asked about his historical perjury conviction, Mrs Badenoch said she hoped the Tory grandee "will be remembered for" his charity work and as a "great storyteller". She added: "Obviously, he did have those other parts of his life, which many people do recall. But, you know, he did serve his time. He made amends and he wanted to do a lot of good in the world."
