The first reality game show and a joik performance on Eurovision

About this episode

This episode explores the origins of reality TV and significant cultural events, including a historic joik performance at Eurovision and the impact of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. We start with the launch of Expedition Robinson in Sweden in 1997 and discuss how reality TV began around the world with our guest Misha Kavka, Professor of Cross-Media Culture at the University of Amsterdam. Plus, a Norwegian Sami protest song that made history in 1980, Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission which investigated residential schools and the uncovering a lost burial ground in Brazil in 1996. Also, the 'sporting miracle' of 5,000-to-one outsiders Leicester City FC winning the English Premier League and the discovery of the fossil that revealed the first feathered dinosaur. Contributors: Martin Melin - the first winner of Expedition Robinson. Misha Kavka - Professor of Cross-Media Culture at the University of Amsterdam. Chief Wilton "Willie" Littlechild - former Commissioner with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Philip Currie - palaeontologist who helped identify the first fossil of a feathered dinosaur. Wes Morgan - former captain of Leicester City FC. Inga Haetta - sister of Mattis Haetta, who performed the first joik at Eurovision. (Photo…

People in this episode

Host: Max Pearson

Guest: Misha Kavka

Topics covered

• reality TV
• Eurovision
• Sami culture
• Truth and Reconciliation
• sports history
• paleontology

Keywords

• reality game show
• Expedition Robinson
• Eurovision
• Sami protest song
• Leicester City FC
• feathered dinosaur
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC World Service, University of Amsterdam

Places: Canada, Brazil

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