Original version

BBC World Service East Asia

Migrated podcast image for: Outlook

Outlook

Factual: Life Stories

True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives.

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

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

Magazines & Reviews

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)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Outlook

Tarantulas, Gandalf and my dying brother's bucket list

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service East Asia

About BBC World Service