Viggo Mortensen, Alex Wheatle, William Hill Sports Book of the Year episode artwork

EPISODE · Dec 4, 2020 · 42 MIN

Viggo Mortensen, Alex Wheatle, William Hill Sports Book of the Year

from Front Row · host BBC Radio 4

Viggo Mortensen joins us live to talk about his new film, Falling, his debut as a director, which he also wrote. It's the story of a conservative father moving from his rural farm to live with his gay son's family in Los Angeles. We’ve been hearing from figures from the creative industries about their Lockdown Discovery, something that has given them great pleasure or solace during the two lockdowns. Today, the novelist Alex Wheatle, aka the Brixton Bard, who has been working with Steve McQueen on his Small Axe series of dramas and who is the subject of this week’s film, reveals his Lockdown Discovery.Would it be Christmas without A Christmas Carol? Even in 2020, there are still many live productions going on. A new film version by siblings Jacqui and David Morris combines voices of Simon Russell Beale, Daniel Kaluuya and Carey Mulligan with dance performances of Russell Maliphant and others. Sarah Crompton and Tobi Kyeremateng review the film and the phenomenon of Dickens’ story – is it particularly resonant this year? And they’ll consider the new National Theatre at Home subscription service as well as making their own cultural picks of the week.The winner of this year’s William Hill Sports Book of the Year is The Rodchenkov Affair: How I Brought Down Putin’s Secret Doping Empire. Grigory Rodchenkov was the head of Russian sport’s doping programme, and this is his detailed account of how he blew the whistle on what's been described by the World Anti-Doping Agency as the biggest sporting scandal in world history. Rodchenkov had to flee Russia and is still in hiding in the US. His editor Drummond Moir discusses the story and the challenges this presented.Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Timothy Prosser Studio Manager: Emma Harth

Viggo Mortensen joins us live to talk about his new film, Falling, his debut as a director, which he also wrote. It's the story of a conservative father moving from his rural farm to live with his gay son's family in Los Angeles. We’ve been hearing from figures from the creative industries about their Lockdown Discovery, something that has given them great pleasure or solace during the two lockdowns. Today, the novelist Alex Wheatle, aka the Brixton Bard, who has been working with Steve McQueen on his Small Axe series of dramas and who is the subject of this week’s film, reveals his Lockdown Discovery.Would it be Christmas without A Christmas Carol? Even in 2020, there are still many live productions going on. A new film version by siblings Jacqui and David Morris combines voices of Simon Russell Beale, Daniel Kaluuya and Carey Mulligan with dance performances of Russell Maliphant and others. Sarah Crompton and Tobi Kyeremateng review the film and the phenomenon of Dickens’ story – is it particularly resonant this year? And they’ll consider the new National Theatre at Home subscription service as well as making their own cultural picks of the week.The winner of this year’s William Hill Sports Book of the Year is The Rodchenkov Affair: How I Brought Down Putin’s Secret Doping Empire. Grigory Rodchenkov was the head of Russian sport’s doping programme, and this is his detailed account of how he blew the whistle on what's been described by the World Anti-Doping Agency as the biggest sporting scandal in world history. Rodchenkov had to flee Russia and is still in hiding in the US. His editor Drummond Moir discusses the story and the challenges this presented.Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Timothy Prosser Studio Manager: Emma Harth

NOW PLAYING

Viggo Mortensen, Alex Wheatle, William Hill Sports Book of the Year

0:00 42:09

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

One Man Went To Row PepperDawesMedia Follow the journey, from training to finish line, of a man from Derby, UK who is going from having only ever rowed on a machine to rowing 3000 miles solo across the Atlantic...just after his 70th birthday! Guardians Of Innocence Guardians Of Innocence Guardians of Innocence is a powerful and informative podcast designed to equip parents, teachers, and communities with the knowledge and tools needed to protect children from the growing threat of trafficking. Each episode dives deep into the tactics traffickers use to target vulnerable children—both online and in real life—and provides actionable advice on how to recognize the warning signs.Through expert interviews with cyber safety professionals, law enforcement, and survivors, we uncover the latest grooming methods, share real-world stories, and empower listeners to become vigilant guardians of innocence in their own families and communities.Guardians of Innocence is more than just a podcast; it’s a call to action to safeguard our children, raise awareness, and foster a united front against trafficking.Listen. Learn. Protect. Song Against Songs, The by G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936) LibriVox LibriVox volunteers bring you 9 recordings of The Song Against Songs by G. K. Chesterton. This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for October 16, 2011.Chesterton was a large man, standing 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and weighing around 21 stone (130 kg; 290 lb). His girth gave rise to a famous anecdote. During World War I a lady in London asked why he was not 'out at the Front'; he replied, 'If you go round to the side, you will see that I am.' On another occasion he remarked to his friend George Bernard Shaw: "To look at you, anyone would think a famine had struck England". Shaw retorted, "To look at you, anyone would think you have caused it". P. G. Wodehouse once described a very loud crash as "a sound like Chesterton falling onto a sheet of tin."( Summary from Wikipedia ) Tim May on Ohio State Football Lettermen Row Tim May brings decades of experience to his work covering Ohio State football. The award-winning journalist retired from his post at the Columbus Dispatch after the 2018 season but remains a fixture around the Buckeyes and continues to loom as an authority on the program. Each week, Tim interviews interesting guests on the topic of Ohio State and College football.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Front Row?

This episode is 42 minutes long.

When was this Front Row episode published?

This episode was published on December 4, 2020.

What is this episode about?

Viggo Mortensen joins us live to talk about his new film, Falling, his debut as a director, which he also wrote. It's the story of a conservative father moving from his rural farm to live with his gay son's family in Los Angeles. We’ve been hearing...

Can I download this Front Row episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!