Charlie Mackesy

In a sea of beauty hacks, home inspo and brunch snaps, Bryony Gordon's first guest of this new series of Mad World might seem an unlikely Instagram star. But artist Charlie Mackesy’s poignant and heartfelt illustrations have taken the platform by storm - and have earned him over a million followers.

His debut book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, is billed as a vehicle for ‘hope in uncertain times’, and after a year of true uncertainty, he tells The Telegraph's Bryony Gordon that giving that glimmer of hope to his readers is worth more than any plaudits.

Plus Charlie talks about how he’s struggling to feel connected to others, why he sees drawing as a form of therapy, and how grief for a lost friend reared its head in an unusual form as a teenager. And if the conversation doesn't leave you feeling just that little bit calmer, the soothing sounds of nature outside Charlie's barn certainly will.

Read Bryony's columns: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/bryony-gordon/ |

For 30 days' free access to The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/madworld |

Follow Bryony on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryonygordon/ |

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse, by Charlie Mackesy: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/111/1117718/the-boy--the-horse--the-fox-and-the-mole/9781529105100.html |

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