The ABC Of on ABC – David Wenham travels backwards in time with the man who came to define Australian cricket, Ian Chappell. Ian shares his vivid memories of the SCG crowds in the 1970s – where everyone carried an esky of beer – and spins tales of teammates, including footage of close friend Rod Marsh that has to be seen to be believed.
The journey begins with an archival treasure discovered by The ABC Of research team, 1969 footage of Ian’s grandfather, Vic Richardson, just before his death. Ian reflects on how his forebears shaped the moral compass that has made him the unflinching champion of fair play for half a century, on the field as captain and off the field as a special representative for UNHCR. For the first time the sporting legend discusses the stroke he suffered 18 months ago and how it has changed this next stage of his life.
The ABC Of is an interview series, hosted by actor David Wenham, in which a range of prominent Australians revisit their pasts through moments drawn from the vast ABC Archives. The seven featured guests, all icons of one field or another, also include: former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, performer and Indigenous advocate Miranda Tapsell, actor Jack Thompson, comedian and broadcaster Wendy Harmer, one half of Australia’s best-loved comedy duo Greig Pickhaver and feminist and intellectual Germaine Greer.
Each episode is a one-on-one conversation in which the questions are based on archival video clips. Before they sit down, the guests are unaware of the clips that have been chosen. In many cases, those clips travel past the choices you’d expect, the obvious markers of the guest’s CV, wending their way down delightful and surprising paths to footage that has not seen the light of day for decades.
Episode 1 – The ABC of Ian Chappell
Production credit: A Guesswork Television Production in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Executive Producers: Jon Casimir and Jo Long. ABC Commissioning Editor Julie Hanna. Acting Head of Factual and Culture Richard Huddleston.
The ABC Of – Tuesday 23 May, 2023 at 8:00pm on ABC and ABC iview
TV Central ABC content HERE
