Gary O'Donoghue, journalist
Gary O'Donoghue, the BBC's first blind foreign correspondent, reveals how blindness became a superpower in journalism—not despite his condition, but because of it. He argues that being blind forced him to develop an acute ability to listen, empathize, and interpret human behavior, turning him into a more intuitive reporter. His career-defining moment came during the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump, where his live, on-the-ground reporting—based on eyewitness testimony he couldn’t see—went viral and earned him global recognition. Yet his journey was far from easy: from being told he couldn’t be a journalist because he was blind, to enduring systemic discrimination at the BBC, to losing his mother just after her son’s greatest triumph. Despite these challenges, O'Donoghue built a life of resilience, intellectual rigor, and deep connection, anchored by music, family, and the quiet dignity of a cricket ball. His story is not one of overcoming disability, but of redefining what it means to be a journalist in a world that values sight over listening.
Blindness trained Gary O'Donoghue to listen deeply—making him a better journalist than most who rely on sight.
He was told a blind person couldn’t be a TV reporter, yet he became the BBC’s first blind foreign correspondent.
His interview with Donald Trump, recorded accidentally after hanging up, lasted 20 minutes and was the first with a sitting US president by the BBC in nearly a decade.
He chose Blind Willie Johnson’s 'Dark Was The Night' as his desert island track because its lack of words lets listeners project their own meaning.
His mother once considered killing them both—she later told him this, and he felt it deepened his understanding of her love and fear.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction to Gary O'Donoghue
Lauren Laverne introduces Gary O'Donoghue, the BBC's chief North America correspondent and the first blind person to serve as a foreign correspondent, setting the stage for his Desert Island Discs episode.
The Power of Listening in Journalism
“One of the things you have to do as someone who can't see, who's blind, is right from a very early age actually, you have to learn to listen.”
The First Single That Changed Everything
O'Donoghue shares his first music purchase—Plastic Bertrand’s 'Saplan Pour Moi'—a punk-era track he forced his French teacher to play, marking a pivotal moment in his musical awakening.
Growing Up in Essex with a Blind Mind
“He said straightway after that, he said, he's not going to see again. And the thing you must do right now is make sure he gets the best education he can possibly get.”
The Boy Who Ran Away with a Toy Car
O'Donoghue recounts running away from home as a child, packing only three items—a toothbrush, underpants, and a toy car—revealing the deep anxiety and longing he felt.
“The fact that he doesn't... There are no words means you can add your own words and your own meaning to it.”
“He said straightway after that, he said, he's not going to see again. And the thing you must do right now is make sure he gets the best education he can possibly get.”
“I remember thinking at the time, someone's thought about this. Isn't that amazing? You know, you're not experiencing anything unique here.”
Host
Guest
Gary O'Donoghue
person
Lauren Laverne
person
Donald Trump
person
BBC News
organization
Tim Goebbels
person
Blind Willie Johnson
person
Pet Shop Boys
other
Peter White
person
Charlie XCX
other
ZZ Top
other
Hour 1: The Great Studio Flood
37m • 5/30/2026
Hour 2: No Easy Way Out
33m • 5/30/2026
Hour 3: What is an American
34m • 5/30/2026
From the Archive: Charlie’s 2022 YWLS Q&A
38m • 5/30/2026
Ghana passes bill criminalising promotion of LGBTQ rights
26m • 5/30/2026
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