Andrew Marr is to chart his recovery from a stroke amid the summer’s momentous political events for a one-off BBC2 documentary.
Andrew Marr: My Brain and Me will cover the last six months as Marr jugglescovering developments such as the Brexit vote and Theresa May becoming prime minister with the ongoing recovery from the stroke, which he believes was in part caused by stress.
Marr had a stroke at the start of January 2013, leaving him partially paralysed down his left side. In an interview with the Guardian later that year he said: “My grandfather used to say, ‘Hard work never killed anyone.’ Well, I suppose I’ve done my best to disprove his theory.”
Although intensive physiotherapy has helped restore some movement, Marr has seen limited progress over the last year, and the documentary will follow him exploring possible new treatments.
Marr returned to his Sunday morning politics show just nine months after the stroke, and has since fended off a challenge from Robert Peston’s competing programme. He has also written his first novel, Head of State, and begun appearing in culture programme Artsnight along with model Lily Cole.
The documentary, expected to be broadcast early next year, will also see Marr return to the hospital where he was treated and meet those who oversaw his care, as well featuring interviews with his family and friends.
Marr will also meet other stroke victims who have been affected in different ways, including a man who can no longer recognise his wife after decades of marriage and a woman who has trouble speaking but can still sing.
The presenter said: “Stroke can happen to anyone at any time, and is one of the biggest killers in modern society: but to begin to recover, is to be taken on a journey into cutting edge discoveries about the human brain, and to learn lessons that go way beyond getting better from an illness.
“If this film helps other people who have gone through what I have gone through, and their families, that’s all I can possibly ask for.”
BBC2 channel editor Patrick Holland said: “This is a tremendously important documentary by one of Britain’s most respected and loved broadcasters. It is both humbling to see Andrew’s response to his stroke but also hugely life affirming. Brain injury from a stroke has an impact on many families in the UK, so this film is not just brave and personal, it will speak to the broadest of audiences.”
