Virtues of Vulnerability with Ed Balls

For Ed Balls, the decision to talk publicly about his stammer was pivotal. As a politician, displaying vulnerability was almost unthinkable. Ed's decision turned out to be a good one, but opening up in this way had risks, and things might have been different.

In this personal programme, Ed talks to people from sport, politics, business and media, hearing how they dealt with life’s challenges, displaying their vulnerability, often in full public view.

Ed speaks to Michael Palin, Facebook's Nicola Mendelsohn, one of the most powerful women in tech; politician Paula Sherriff, Paralympian and Strictly Come Dancing star Will Bayley, journalist Nick Robinson, and writer and activist Scarlett Curtis.

Through archive and original interviews, Ed revisits past moments of vulnerability, including his own, speaking to those involved to shed fresh light on the pitfalls and benefits of displaying one’s vulnerable side.

TX: 4 January 2020

Presenter: Ed Balls
Producer: Jack Soper
A TBI Media production for BBC Radio 4

The programme was recognised with awards at the New York Festivals Radio Awards and the AIBs Awards.