-
Cyclist Joe Barr features in this week's Season Ticket
A new series of BBC Northern Ireland’s sports programme, Season Ticket, returns on Wednesday, November 25 profiling four of Northern Ireland top sporting personalities.
The four-part series kicks-off at 10.45pm on BBC One Northern Ireland with Evans Above!, a 30-minute documentary which looks at the success story that is Manchester United and Northern Ireland defender Jonny Evans. The programme sees Jonny as he has never been seen before at home relaxing with his family and at the Manchester United training ground. The programme also features interviews with Jonny’s father Jackie, ten-year-old sister Katie and brother Corry who is currently captain of the Manchester United reserve team. The programme also gets an insight into Jonny’s football life through the eyes of his fellow teammates, one of which thinks very highly of the young defender.
Ryan Giggs says:” He’s good on the ball, composed. Yeah, he’s got everything to be a top, top player.” Roger Anderson, producer of Evans Above! says; “We were delighted with the access Sir Alex Ferguson allowed us at United’s training ground Carrington, and at Old Trafford, but most of all to the player himself. I think the audience will be fascinated by this insight into a premiership player, not just on the pitch, but off it as well.”
Programme two of the Season Ticket series profiles one of GAA’s biggest names, Oisin McConville who has succeeded in every level of the game. The programme not only looks at the success the man has had, but also how he has dealt with his ongoing battle with gambling.
The programme talks directly to the man who reveals the true extent of how bad it was and the career path his addiction has now led him on. The programme includes interviews with friends, family and colleagues who let the audience know who the real Oisin McConville is.
Third in the series is the story of former pro-cyclist and Commonwealth bronze medallist, Joe Barr, who came off a 12 year retirement to compete in the Race Around Ireland, a 3150 mile endurance race over four days. His motivation was to raise money for the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children.
Joe’s son Ross was diagnosed with cancer at just five months old and the last 18 months has been a round of hospital appointments and treatments as he continues to battle the disease. Remarkably at the age of 50 Joe’s competitive spirit returned and he won the race beating the number one ranked endurance rider in the world.
The final programme profiles double Grand National winner, Richard Dunwoody and fi nds out the Comber man’s thoughts on the challenges facing jockeys in the modern day. It looks at his obsession to win and his ability to push himself to the limits of endurance. The programme reveals how Dunwoody is a man who can’t resist a challenge be it treading the boards on Strictly Come Dancing, or overcoming blizzards and subzero temperatures to trek unexplored routes to the South Pole. Fellow jockeys pay tribute to Dunwoody and the work that he has done for charity since being forced to retire from the sport.
Season Ticket, Wednesday, November 25, BBC One Northern Ireland
