Influential with Katty Kay
Ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the BBC’s Katty Kay sits down with some of the most legendary athletes from previous Olympic games for in-depth conversations about their lives, sports, and what it takes to succeed at the highest level. Katty’s informal, unscripted interview style reveals the people behind the personas that have redefined the world of sport.
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Influential with Katty Kay on BBC Select
Series 3
Episode 1: Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields on her journey from child star to resilient adult while navigating fame.
Brooke Shields sits down with Katty Kay to discuss her journey from child star to resilient adult. She reflects on her early fame, the influence of her mother, and the challenges she faced growing up in the spotlight. Shields shares insights on what it’s like to age as an actress, the pressures of maintaining a public persona, and the freedom and confidence she has found in her later years.
Episode 2: Derek Jacobi
Derek Jacobi on his storied acting career, the importance of luck, and the joy of theater.
Actor Derek Jacobi sits down with Katty Kay to discuss his storied career, spanning over 60 years. He reflects on his most iconic roles, including in Gladiator and I, Claudius. Jacobi shares his insights into the importance of luck in his career, the support of his parents, and the challenges of being a gay actor at a time when homosexuality was criminalized.
Episode 3: Vera Wang
Vera Wang on fashion, skating, and her journey from Vogue editor to bridal industry icon.
Vera Wang sits down with Katty Kay to discuss her journey from aspiring Olympic figure skater to iconic fashion designer. She reflects on her early career at Vogue, her transition to Ralph Lauren, and the creation of her own bridal line. Wang discusses the influence of her upbringing, the challenges she faced, and her philosophy on fashion and design.
Episode 4: Wynton Marsalis
Katty Kay talks with musician Wynton Marsalis about fame, jazz, and integrity in music.
Wynton Marsalis chats to Katty Kay. From a young, aspiring musician in New Orleans to one of the most celebrated figures in both jazz and classical music, Marsalis reveals how early fame and the challenges that came with it, including skepticism from older musicians and the difficulty of mastering jazz to how his upbringing and the influence of his father, Ellis Marsalis, shaped his career.
Episode 5: Ann Patchett
Author Ann Patchett on writing, resilience, and the unexpected joy of owning a bookstore.
Bestselling author Ann Patchett sits down with Katty Kay to discuss her journey from aspiring writer to bestselling author. They reflect on Patchett’s early career, the resilience needed to succeed, and the unexpected joy of owning a bookstore in Nashville. Patchett shares insights into her writing process, her philosophy on optimism, and how she tries to avoid letting technology impact her life.
Episode 6: Yotam Ottolenghi
Yotam Ottolenghi on his journey from academia to culinary fame, and the power of food.
Chef Yotam Ottolenghi sits down with Katty Kay to discuss his journey from an aspiring academic to becoming a world-renowned chef. He reflects on his upbringing in Jerusalem, the influence of his parents, and his early career in journalism. The pair discuss the communal power of food, its role in bringing people together, and the importance of simplicity and comfort in cooking.
Episode 7: Ken Burns
Documentarian Ken Burns on his career, filmmaking style, and his view on American history.
Ken Burns, the celebrated documentarian behind some of the most iconic historical films, chats to Katty Kay about his life and work. From a quiet life in rural New Hampshire to the unexpected impact of fame, Burns shows how perspective shapes his storytelling; behind-the-scenes at his meticulous documentary process and his latest project, a series marking 250 years since the American Revolution.
Series Two
Episode 1: Magic Johnson
Katty Kay sits down for a conversation with basketball legend Magic Johnson.
Katty visits California to sit down with basketball legend Magic Johnson for a conversation about his life, career, and memories of competing in the 1992 Olympics. They also discuss Mr. Johnson’s work as an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and his post-basketball career as a billionaire businessman.
Episode 2: Lindsey Vonn
Katty Kay sits down for a conversation with Olympic skiing legend Lindsey Vonn.
Katty visits Miami to sit down with Lindsey Vonn, one of the most decorated skiers in history, fora conversation about her historic career, how she deals with injury, and what her life has been like after the Olympics.
Episode 3: Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Katty Kay meets Olympic track and field legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
Katty Kay talks to Olympic legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who has held the Olympic record for women’s long jump and heptathlon for nearly 40 years. The pair discuss Joyner-Kersee’s early beginnings, her rise to Olympic success, and what inspired her to return to her hometown and support the children of her community.
Episode 4: Aly Raisman
Katty Kay sits down with two-time Olympic gymnast Aly Raism.
Katty Kay visits Boston to meet Aly Raisman, a two-time Olympic gymnast for Team USA. The pair discuss Raisman’s historic career, life after gymnastics, & her work as an advocate for survivors of sexual abuse.
Series One:
Episode 1: Wendell Pierce
Katty Kay meets actor Wendell Pierce, known for his roles in TV hits like The Wire.
Katty travels to Louisiana to sit down with actor Wendell Pierce, who is known for his roles in hit TV series like The Wire, Suits, and Jack Ryan. In addition to discussing his work as an award-winning actor, Pierce tells Katty about his relationship to the city of New Orleans and the devastating effect Hurricane Katrina had on him and his family.
Episode 2: Ina Garten
Katty Kay meets American cook and author Ina Garten, who’s known as the Barefoot Contessa.
Ina Garten-also known as the Barefoot Contessa-is an iconic American cook, author, and television personality. Katty visits Garten’s home in New York for a conversation about success, failure, and how Garten became one of the most influential figures in the culinary world.
Episode 3: Anthony Fauci
Katty Kay meet’s Dr. Fauci, The USA’s top doctor during the Covid-19 and AIDS crises.
Katty talks with Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was America’s top doctor during the Covid-19 pandemic, about why he left the government and decided to become a university professor. Dr. Fauci also tells Katty about his work leading the US response to the AIDS crisis and opens up about how recent threats to his security have affected his day to day life.
Episode 4: Ken Follett
Katty Kay meets Ken Follett, the author of bestsellers like ‘The Pillars of the Earth.’
Katty travels to the UK to visit Ken Follett, who is the author of dozens of bestselling novels such as ‘The Pillars of the Earth’ & ‘Eye of the Needle.’ Ken and Katty discuss his approach to writing, how he views his success, and what it was like growing up in a house where he wasn’t allowed to watch television or movies.
Episode 5: Hugh Bonneville
Katty Kay meets actor Hugh Bonneville, known for roles in Downton Abbey, and Paddington.
Katty travels to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London to meet Hugh Bonneville, the actor who is best known for his iconic roles in Downton Abbey, Notting Hill, and Paddington. Bonneville talks about getting his start in Shakespeare, the surprising popularity of Downton Abbey, and what he’s learned from working alongside other great actors.
Episode 6: Misty Copeland
Katty Kay meets Misty Copeland, a barrier crushing dancer at the American Ballet Theatre.
Katty travels to New York City to meet up with Misty Copeland, the iconic ballerina who became the first African- American woman to achieve the role of Principal Dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. The two of them spoke on stage at Lincoln Center about Copeland’s status as a trailblazer, how she copes with injuries and setbacks, and what she hopes to achieve in the next phase of her career.
Episode 7: Michael Lewis
Katty Kay meets Michael Lewis, bestselling author of ‘Moneyball’ and ‘The Blind Side.’
Katty visits a bookshop with author Michael Lewis who is known for bestselling books such as ‘Moneyball’, ‘The Blind Side’, ‘The Big Short’, and ‘Going Infinite’. Lewis tells Katty about how he got his start as an author, his favorite interview techniques, and whether there are any topics that he feels intimidated to write about.
Episode 8: Jane Wurwand
Katty Kay meets businesswoman Jane Wurwand, the founder of skincare company Dermalogica.
Katty heads to California to speak with Jane Wurwand, who founded the skincare company Dermalogica. Jane tells Katty what it was like to create a business from scratch, how she got the confidence to start a company despite not going to university, and what lessons from her childhood helped her become one of the most influential figures in skincare.
Episode 9: José Andrés
Katty Kay meets José Andrés, world renowned chef and founder of World Central Kitchen.
José Andrés is a world-renowned chef and restaurateur who is also the founder of the disaster-relief nonprofit World Central Kitchen. Katty went to meet him at his test kitchen in Washington D.C. for a conversation about José’s culinary successes as well as his charitable work.
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