Rob Burrow MBE, the renowned Rugby League player who is battling motor neurone disease, has announced the launch of a new podcast series on BBC England. Titled “Seven: Rob Burrow,” the podcast will feature conversations with various sports personalities, discussing their careers, challenges, and triumphant moments.
Burrow, who communicates through a computerised voice he prepared before losing his ability to speak, will host each episode of the seven-part series on The Total Sports Podcast, available on BBC Sounds. The podcast is set to debut on Tuesday, November 7.
The first episode features an interview with Wayne Rooney, the former England football star and current Birmingham City manager. Rooney shares his nerves while presenting Burrow and the Leeds Rhinos team with their shirts before the 2012 Grand Final against Warrington. He also highlights Burrow’s infectious energy and positivity, which has been an inspiration to those around him.
The podcast will also include interviews with other sporting greats such as Jonny Wilkinson, the former England rugby union player and World Cup winner; Dame Kelly Holmes, the British double-Olympic gold medallist; Kenny Logan, the former Scottish rugby union player, and his wife Gabby Logan, the BBC sports presenter; and Hannah Cockcroft, the British wheelchair racer. Additional guests will be announced in due course.
Burrow, a patron of the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND Association), has been supported by the organization in developing his AI technology and computerised voice. The creation of the podcast series was made possible with the assistance of the MND Association, which helped Burrow with his eye-gaze technology, enabling him to undertake the project.
Tanya Curry, CEO of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, praised Burrow’s efforts, stating that he is pushing the boundaries of what is achievable while living with MND. Curry highlighted that around 80% of people with MND experience speech changes following diagnosis, making the podcast a significant awareness-raising platform.
Chris Burns, BBC Controller of Local Audio Commissioning, expressed excitement about the groundbreaking nature of the podcast. He emphasised the opportunity for listeners to enjoy Burrow’s humour and positivity as he engages with an impressive lineup of guests, adding that it is another example of local BBC Radio’s commitment to sharing inspirational stories with audiences across England.
“Seven: Rob Burrow” is a BBC England production for BBC Sounds, and the complete series will be available on The Total Sport Podcast from November 7. It will also be broadcast on BBC Radio Leeds.
