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Outlook: Tarantulas, Gandalf and my dying brother's bucket list

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Royd Tolkien Compilation

13/08/2022 GMT

Tarantulas, Gandalf and my dying brother's bucket list

BBC World Service - Outlook, Tarantulas, Gandalf and my dying brother's bucket list

Royd Tolkien’s brother Mike left him a daring list of tasks to complete after he died

When Royd Tolkien’s brother Mike died of Motor Neurone Disease, he left a bucket list of 50 incredible tasks for him to complete. Carrying them out gave Royd a reason to go on.

Royd Tolkien is the great-grandson of JRR Tolkien - writer of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Growing up, Royd and his younger brother Mike were very close, but also very different - Mike was the adrenaline junkie who loved skydiving and bungee jumping, whereas Royd liked nothing better than a cup of tea in the garden. But that would all change after Mike died of Motor Neurone Disease in 2015. He left a bucket list of 50 daring tasks for Royd to complete after his death, and completing them gave Royd a reason to carry on. Royd has written a book about his experience called There's a Hole in my Bucket: A Journey of Two Brothers. He's also made a documentary, There's a Hole in my Bucket, which will be released later this year.

This episode was first broadcast on 9th August 2021.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: June Christie

(Photo: Royd Tolkien taking on his brother's bucket list, Credit: Royd Tolkien Productions)

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