“Stand to Reason on BBC World - ex - Norwegian PM”

We are delighted that the interview and package about depression featuring the interview with Jeremy Paxman with Mr Bondevik the former Norwegian Prime Minister and Matt Cooper one of our members, has received a lot of interest on the Newsnight website in addition to the audience of approximately 1.2 million holding up well although the feature came towards the end of the programme.

The item has now been picked to be shown regularly on BBC World and will reach an audience of over 70 million people. There are three slots on BBC World: every Saturday at 07:10, 15:10 and 21:10 GMT.

Watch Mr Bondevik’s interview with Jeremy Paxman link

And read Jeremy Paxman’s blog and the many fascinating responses.

link

Bravery in the face of mental illness
Jeremy Paxman 22 Jan 08, 06:29 PM

I know we’re supposed not to be partisan, or to pass judgement on those we interview.

But I have to say that of all the many politicians it has been my (occasionally painful) duty to interview over the years, Mr Bondevik comes pretty near the top.

It’s so rare to find man talking with such frankness and courage about such a charged and sensitive subject.

For some reason, mental ill-health retains an aura, which seems at times to make it almost impossible to talk about it sensibly. Quite why this should be, when so many of us are going to suffer from depression or other illnesses, I don’t know.

Enlightened voters

I suspect it’s because we’re frightened of it ourselves. How much better it would be if we could all treat it as we treat physical conditions, like ‘flu or cancer or a broken arm.

Mr Bondevik’s honesty in putting his cards on the table and telling the people of Norway what was going on in his mind and in his life is admirable. But the reaction of Norwegian voters is just as impressive.

They voted him back into office. If I was being glum, I’d say that it would never happen here because the party leader would find himself the victim of lots of headlines about “Voting for a Loony”.

But don’t tell me there’s any reason we should be less enlightened than the Norwegians.
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