Irvine Welsh on Men in Love and how the Sick Boys rule the world

The fifth book to feature the characters first presented in Trainspotting – Renton, Spud, Sick Boy and Begbie – Men in Love offers an immediate sequel to Welsh’s debut novel. 

As the 1980s move into the 1990s, this much-loved but much-flawed quartet leave heroin behind and instead seek joy in the emerging rave culture on a journey through Edinburgh, London, Amsterdam and Paris.

In this conversation – which took place here at our Queen Elizabeth Hall in July 2025 – Welsh discusses the creative process and inspirations behind his latest book with the journalist and broadcaster Miranda Sawyer. During their talk they touch on love as a universal positive, the idolisation of billionaires without consequences, and Welsh being ‘the worst franchise builder in the world’.

This recording also includes Welsh giving a live reading from Men in Love and answering questions about the book, its characters and his broader work, from the audience.