Sportshour

Basketball, the Cold War, and rock band The Grateful Dead collide in this incredible true story. Presented by the late NBA star Bill Walton. Episodes weekly from 19 May.What do basketball, rock music, and tie-dye t-shirts have in common? And what about Mickey Hart, Sarunas Marciulionis, Arvydas Sabonis, and the US Dream Team? Well, they are all subject of the brand new season of Amazing Sport Stories: Bill Walton’s The Grateful Team.It’s Moscow, 1989, and Lithuanian basketball star Sarunas Marciulionis is walking nervously through the airport. If all goes to plan, a new life awaits playing basketball for the NBA in the US. But first, he must cross the Iron Curtain. Sarunas doesn’t yet know the incredible journey he is about to go on. One which will involve political upheaval, the Olympic games, the US rock band The Grateful Dead - and, of course, tie-dye. The late NBA star and sports commentator Bill Walton presents this extraordinary true story. Bill passed away in 2024, not long after recording the series,

On FA Cup finals weekend, Not by the Playbook’s Katie Smith looks at the “magic of the cup”. Joe Parkinson goes back 30 years to when he won the 1995 FA Cup with Everton. He reveals why he faced a challenge to get a Manchester United player’s shirt, and he shares his memories of Goodison Park ahead of the final men’s game to be played there. Cup engraver Colin Mabey takes us behind-the-scenes of the intricate detail required to get sports trophies ready for the winners - and how it led to him being part of a film directed by Madonna. There’s cups of a different variety too. Canadian rower Jenny Casson opens up about her self-reflection since competing at the 2024 Olympic Games, but how an exciting new venture has given her a lift. She’s a co-founder of Daylilie who create bras for “athletic silhouettes”. Completing a stacked show is Kit Fox who shares how his father helped popularise sport stacking around the world. How did the craze of stacking cups become a global sport with its own world championsh

The ancient game of chess is one steeped in tradition, with a history dating back centuries. The classical form of chess is still prominent on the global stage, but streaming and online platforms have seen the game now increasingly being played online – so much so that it’s set to make its debut at the Esports World Cup later this year.Not by the Playbook’s Katie Smith finds out more about the stories behind this historic board game – from a world record holder to the designer of one of the world’s most valuable and lavish chess sets.Nigeria's Tunde Onakoya shares his story from learning to play in a barber shop to setting the world record for the longest chess match last month. He played against Shawn Martinez for 64 hours in New York’s Times Square and he’s wanting to help children in Africa with a similar story to his.Jules Gambit was a junior chess champion in her youth but found that she was struggling to make friends, so made the switch to ballet. She’s now back involved in chess and is now a rising sta

In 1991 the Chancellor family welcomed their new daughter into the world. they named her Emily. A bright and active girl she grew up watching Rugby union, but it wasn't a sport easily accessible to women. The game however has grown and it's set to get bigger with the Women's World Cup coming to the UK in September. And there's a good chance Emily will be there representing Australia. Chance. It's what you need in sport, in life in general! Chance. It's right there in her name Emily CHANCEllor... and so she has adopted a mantra, a tag line that she lives by... "Life of Chance" “What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” I mean if it's good enough for Romeo and Juliet, it's got to be ok for Not by the Playbook, right!?This week we are meeting three extraordinary women for whom their names mean something much more than just something they call themselves. In 1991 the Chancellor family welcomed their new daughter into the world. they named her Emily. A bright and active

This week’s Not by the Playbook is “crossing the line”.Aneta Grabmuller is both a winter and summer triathlete. She first started competing at the age of 15, but within a few years she had retired having fallen out of love with the sport. She had been subjected to behaviour from her coach that had crossed the line. She had been convinced that her weight was a problem and started to train harder and eat less. The strain on her body had caused bones to break whilst mentally she was depressed and anxious. Stepping away from the sport she dedicated herself to addressing this issue, one that many female athletes are affected by. She studied, became an IOC Young Leader and a certified safeguarding officer. She found a new way of training and rediscovered her love of the sport. Now aged 25, she is back and better than ever, and when not racing she continues to advocate of REDs (relative energy deficiency in sport).In 1992, the British 400m runner Derek Redmond popped his hamstring in the Olympic semi-final. In absol

This week we are focusing on football fashion and those using jerseys and kits to create clothing that looks fabulous on the field and fantastic on the fashion runways. Everything you want to know about how you elevate your team’s outfit.Christian Jeffery used to design football shirts for Adidas football but has since turned his very talented hand to a more artistic take on team jerseys. He talks us through his process of taking standard football shirts and making them bespoke pieces of fashion that have led to exhibitions of his work and fans from the very top of the footballing world. His designs are striking and intricate and speak to a deeper relationship between the club and the communities they represent. Former PSV Eindhoven midfielder Funso Ojo can still be seen doing his thing on the pitch each week in the English lower leagues, but as his career comes towards an end, he is eyeing up a new career. Inspired by his wife Julie, the two have set up a clothing company "Rose Ojo" that breathes new life i

We’re heading to the river as the University Boat Race makes its way down the Thames. Not by the Playbook’s Katie Smith chats to people who had the courage, bravery and fortitude to stay afloat when others would have floundered.Lauren Rowles is just 26 years old but is already a three-time Paralympic champion, starting in Rio through Tokyo and to Paris. A history maker who has had to overcome countless injuries and battled anxiety. She is a vocal member of the LGBTQIA+ community and a mum, first and foremost. She tells us how one morning, aged 13, she woke up unable to move. She had contracted the rare neurological condition Transverse myelitis. Overnight her life had changed but with the help of sport she has thrived and talks us through the challenges and success, including many a trip to the Palace.Rory Gibbs was part of nine men in a boat who won gold in the Olympic rowing regatta in Paris in August. It was a sharp contrast to the pain of failure he felt in Tokyo where he finished fourth and just outside

A new era for sports broadcasting starts with a grand opening. What better way to announce our transformation from Sportshour to Not by the Playbook than with some of the grandest people you'll ever meet! We have an exclusive interview with Grand Slam tennis legend Bjorn Borg. He's been revealing how happy he is that for some people in Scandinavia they don't know him for winning Wimbledon five years in a row, but instead as the man who makes underwear.We celebrate the most famous horse race in the world, the Grand National. From hedges to ditches, it is a challenge of mind and body. But what exactly is it like to face this terrifying race? We visit the stables of former jockey Geraldine Rees who, in 1982, became the first woman to complete the course, riding a horse called “Cheers”.(PHOTO: Bjorn Borg of Sweden holds the trophy aloft after defeating Jimmy Connors during the Men's Singles Final match at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 8 July 1978 CREDIT: Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Plus, is

Inspirational stories from around the world. Interviews with people defying the odds. Katie Smith introduces Not by the Playbook - the podcast which seeks out the most incredible stories from sportspeople and athletes. We bring you interviews with the sporting heroes who have achieved success in the face of seemingly impossible challenges. The first episode arrives Saturday 5 April.

This week it’s all about those who turned their hand to something else! We hear from one time motor racing star Billy Monger on his latest success. Last year he became the fastest double amputee to win the infamous Hawaii Ironman, knocking a whole two hours off the old record! Montell Douglas is the only British woman to have competed at both the Summer and Winter Olympics. On both occasions in Beijing! She compares and contrasts those experiences Sweden’s Lennart Johansson is probably best remembered as the father of the Champions League. The then UEFA President he came up with the format which has been so successful. Sulo Karlsson is a Swedish rock legend and lead singer of the band Diamond Dogs. It was he who turned his hand to writing in order to co author Lennart’s autobiography. It started a close friendship which ended with Sulo performing one of Lennart’s favourite songs at his funeral! PHOTO: Billy Monger of Great Britain celebrates after finishing the VinFast IRONMAN World Championship on October 26

When Alistair Brownlee turned the corner and saw the finishing line, he was shocked to see the figure of a fellow competitor staggering in pain. Then he realised it was his brother Jonny. So what would you do? Keep going, grab the glory and the $30,000 prize money or stop and help and ruin both your chances of winning?! We relive an iconic moment of sportsmanship and find out why some competitors were less than happy with Alistair Brownlee’s actions… Plus we chat retirement with Alistair now a few months into his, and Jonny reaching the age when it is a consideration for him too! If ever a sporting organisation valued competing ahead of winning, it's the Olympics. The modern-day Games have been around since 1896, two years after the formation of the International Olympic Committee, or the IOC as it's known. As the Olympics grew, so did the role and power of the IOC and especially its president. Well on Thursday, a new president was elected but what challenges lie ahead for Kirsty Coventry? There's few bette

Pawel Durakiewicz was on the verge of death through a deep addiction to alcohol, but now he's overcoming challenges of a different kind whilst helping others along the way. He tells Sportshour’s Shabnam Younus-Jewell about his story of addiction, recovery and transformation though sport and how his latest challenge saw him set another world record – this time running barefoot on snow and ice. Basketball player Baileigh Sinaman-Daniel refused to let rejection from her high school team, or the fact she was born with one arm, end her dream of playing the sport she loves. She has gone onto make history, becoming the first NCAA Division III women’s basketball player with one arm to score in a collegiate game. She explains the feeling of scoring and how she was determined to prove people wrong. Football can take coaches all around the world as they look to pursue their dreams. That’s the case for Shadab Iftikhar who has coached in England, Mongolia, Samoa, Scotland, Pakistan and now Bhutan. He shares what it’s li

Bryony Page has had her ups and downs, but she always bounces back. She's got no choice she’s the reigning Olympics trampoline champion! And whilst she already has her sights set on retaining her title in LA in 2028, for the time being turning her attentions to the circus! The Cirque du Soleil to be precise. Oh and then there's the dinosaur sounds. All will be explainedPhoto: Bryony Page soars above the lights. (Credit: Simon Wright)

Step aside the Springboks, because South Africa's new sporting hero is... the Snowbok! On Wednesday Matt Smith became only the 16th South African in Winter Olympic history to qualify for the Games. He was competing at the World Nordic Championships, finishing high enough in the cross country skiing discipline to seal his place in Milan for next year's Olympics... Shortly after he got off the slope, and just before heading to the airport, Matt told Sportshour all about a crazy few years, and achieving his dream.You might think what with the Super Bowl fresh in the memory that the sport of American Football is taking it easy, feet up after a hard season... but actually that couldn't be further from the truth... This week those hoping to be the next generation of stars have been showing off their athletic ability at the "NFL Combine" One of the best placed people to explain all about it is Sports Agent Leigh Steinberg. Not least because Leigh is no regular agent. His track record of representing the top players

Craig Wood was just 18 when he lost both legs and his left arm in a roadside bomb whilst serving in the British Army in Afghanistan. 16 years on and he’s attempting to become the first triple amputee to sail solo non-stop across the Pacific. He tells Sportshour’s Shabnam Younus-Jewell the reasons for doing it and the challenges he’s expecting on the journey from Mexico to Japan. From an ocean challenge to someone who knows all about the waves - three-time world champion bodyboarder Damian King is making his comeback more than a decade after retiring from the sport. He shares what’s brought him back to Hawaii and why he will be using the board he rode to victory at the 2004 World Championships. One of the rising stars of women’s snooker, India’s Anupama Ramachandran reveals how it still feels like a dream from being introduced to the sport 10 years ago at a summer camp to now reaching a career-high seventh in the world rankings. And Jo Currie reports from Melbourne where Afghanistan's women cricketers have vow

Paris 2024 was Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez's third Olympic Games, but Paris was made extra special by the fact she was not competing alone – she was seven months pregnant. Six months on from the Olympics, and with her daughter now four months old, Nada tells Sportshour’s Nishat Ladha about her Olympic experience and what life has been like post Paris and becoming a mum.From the last Olympic Games to the next - as the countdown continues to lacrosse’s Olympics debut in 2028, a new professional women's lacrosse league is taking place in Washington this week. Sisters Meaghan and Emma Tyrrell are New York Charging teammates and Emma explains what it was like joining a Zoom call to find out whether they will be teammates or opponents.Nine-year-old climber Veronica Chik shares how she overcame her own fears to become the youngest Hong Kong climber to climb the 31-metre “China Climb” before winning gold at her first national championships.Team UK captain Stephen 'Hoops' Hooper joins from Canada where he’s competing a

Sportshour comes from New Orleans on the eve of Super Bowl LIX with Katie Smith in the city to bring you the atmosphere and the stories ahead of Philadelphia Eagles against Kansas City Chiefs.Katie Smith meets Jackie Wallace who had it all, but the three-time Super Bowl star had a demon he couldn't deal with. After retirement, he slipped into addiction and lost everything. Ted Jackson was a photojournalist assigned to head to skid row and "find a story". Whilst taking pictures, Jackie came up to him and asked what he was doing. "I've been asked to find a story down here,” Ted said. "Well," Jackie responded, "Have I got a story for you!" Amazed by who he was speaking with and saddened by the state he found Jackie in; he resolved to help him. That started a long friendship which has seen its difficulties, but Jackie now lives a clean life off the streets and the bond between the two is no small part of the reason. New Orleans is the home of Jazz, and the father of Jazz is Fats Waller. Well, his great grandson,

It all comes down to this.... the unstoppable force meets the immovable object as the Philadelphia Eagles face off against the Kansas City Chiefs to the right to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.If the Chiefs win in New Orleans, they will become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls.Their date with destiny is against the Eagles, the team they beat to begin their Super Bowl trilogy two years ago, but where will the trophy be won and lost?Sportshour's Katie Smith has been gauging the lie of the land on Super Bowl's Radio Row.Photo: A detail shot of the Lombardi Trophy next to Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles helmets prior to a news conference on February 03, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana ahead of the NFL Super Bowl LIX football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

The men's Six Nations get underway on Friday whilst current champions Ireland start their defence by welcoming England and their newly appointed captain Maro Itoje. When not leading his nations rugby team Maro collects African art and funds innovative schemes to help those who need help to attain the education they deserve. Born in North London to Nigerian parents Maro he's been telling Sportshour's Katie Smith about his life off the pitch and work the work of his charitable foundation.From catches to crops, tackles to tilling and football to farming! For many a career in the NFL is what their entire life is primed for. But it can leave some, even those who achieve their dream feeling hollow, their life lacking meaning beyond the playing field. At the age of 29 and after seeing out a record-breaking contract that made him the best paid player in his position, in the NFL, he walked away from the game and into one of the worlds hardest professions. That is when Jason Brown the football star became Jason Brown

Unlike basketball's NBA and WNBA the sport of women's American tackle football is under developed. Women and men play flag football which is a non-contact variant of the game you'll see at the LA Olympics in three years, but there is no professional female equivalent to the NFL. But back in 2019, history was planned with the creation of the professional "Women's Football League Association". Santia Deck was chosen to be the face of the league. She signed a $1 million dollar contract. Her life was about to change forever. Five years on and without a game played or a dollar paid she tells Sportshour's Katie Smith how that dream was cruelly snatched away from her.Christian Jeffery is an artist who has found an amazing way to combine his artistic flair and a love of football. Using football kits as his canvas, he takes the familiar strips from the world’s biggest clubs and embellishes and embroiders them to create the most remarkable, glorious and unique creations. He explains the process and his inspirations and