Joan Bakewell Remembers… Nelson Mandela in Heart of the Matter

Overview

Joan Bakewell looks back on what she describes as the greatest moment of her career, her scoop interview with Nelson Mandela as he left prison in 1990. She explains how the interview came about and how they beat news crews to the story - proving that, in this industry, contacts are everything. She describes meeting the man, imprisoned and silenced for 27 years, and how he relished the opportunity to send his message to the world.