The Futureverse: The Risk-Takers, with Simon Reeve and Christina Lamb

Jul 31, 2023

Join adventurer Simon Reeve and war correspondent Christina Lamb as they share thrilling tales from the world's conflict zones. Simon, known for his daring documentaries, reflects on the unusual path that led him to confront neo-Nazi groups. Christina recounts how a wedding invite turned her into a war reporter, offering a glimpse into the emotional toll of covering crises. They delve into how personal safety and intuition guide their risk assessments, along with stories of navigating danger while shining light on vital global issues.

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ANECDOTE

From Post Boy to Journalist

Simon Reeve worked as a post boy at the Sunday Times, sorting mail before becoming a researcher.
He may have even sorted Christina Lamb's mail.

ANECDOTE

An Unexpected Path to War Reporting

Christina Lamb's career as a war correspondent began unexpectedly with a wedding invitation to Benazir Bhutto's wedding.
This led her to Afghanistan, covering the Mujahideen's fight against the Soviet Union.

ANECDOTE

From War Zone to Birthday Party

Christina Lamb describes a jarring experience returning from covering the war in Helmand, Afghanistan, to host her son's birthday party.
She arrived straight from Heathrow, still bearing thorns and bruises.

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Not many of us can claim to have hunted with the Bushmen of the Kalahari; been detained for spying by the KGB; or smuggled ourselves over a border into an active war zone under the floorboards of an ambulance. Yet, for our latest guests on the Futureverse, this is all in a day’s work.

The Sunday Times’ Chief Foreign Correspondent Christina Lamb, who has been covering conflict around the globe for over three decades, does not regard herself as a risk taker, though. It was not an attraction to danger that led her to war reporting, but a surprise wedding invitation that landed on her desk in 1987. Similarly, as a teenager, the adventurer and broadcaster Simon Reeve, enjoyed the thrill of cycling down Acton High Street on his BMX, but did not imagine that he would spend his early professional life on the tail of neo-Nazi terrorists in Boston Spa.

In this special episode of the Futureverse, Christina and Simon join Kamal Ahmed for a conversation about their attitudes to risk: what motivates them to take the risks that they do and how they calculate risk on the ground. It is a fascinating insight into what it means to put your life on the line in order to shine light on the darkest corners of the world. It also is a prescient reminder of Y TREE’s core principles: mitigate unnecessary risk – even Simon Reeve will not get in a car without a seat belt – and always set a personal risk level that feels right for you.

The Futureverse is brought to you by Intelligence Squared in partnership with Y TREE. The past is in your head. The future is in your hands. For more information visit y-tree.com/futureverse

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