Alastair Campbell to interview Sir Ben Ainslie

Alastair Campbell to interview Sir Ben Ainslie in support of blood cancer charity Bloodwise © Lard Rover BAR

Four-times Olympic gold medallist and America's Cup winner, Sir Ben Ainslie will join political commentator Alastair Campbell in conversation at the Ham Yard Hotel, London, on Wednesday 12 October, in support of blood cancer charity Bloodwise.

A man with a reputation for being a nice guy on land but the most competitive sailor imaginable on the water, Sir Ben will talk winning mind-sets and overcoming insurmountable odds to become the most successful sailor in Olympic history; the first to win five medals in five successive Olympic Games.

The audience will be given an exclusive insight into Sir Ben's quest for Olympic glory, his dream to bring the America's Cup back home to British waters for the first time in over 150 years, and his future ambitions for the sport that he has dominated over the years.

Guests will also have the rare opportunity to put their questions to Sir Ben and Alastair, two of the most sought after public speakers in Britain.

Sir Ben says: "I'm looking forward to the opportunity to chat with Alastair in October and support Bloodwise - a cause that I know he is really committed to – and also spread the word a little more about what we are doing here at Land Rover BAR, challenging to bring the America's Cup home."

Sir Ben is one of the key contributors to Alastair's best-selling book "Winners and How They Succeed", which looks at winners in sport, business and politics. Alastair, who is Chairman of Fundraising at Bloodwise, says:

"Ben Ainslie is a remarkable man with a fascinating story to tell, and I am thrilled that he has agreed to share that story in front of a live audience and help Bloodwise in the process. He is one of the nicest guys you could meet. Unbelievably competitive when at sea, unbelievably warm and charming when not, he really is one of Britain's great sporting icons.

"This intimate evening is a rare opportunity to hear how he became a master of his sport and how he has continued to adapt and dominate whatever sailing challenge he sets himself."

The event follows the decade-long success of 'An Audience With' evenings, which began in 2006 with Mel Brooks. Since then, Billy Connolly, Michael Palin, Stephen Fry, Kevin Spacey, Miranda Hart, Jo Brand and Sir Dave Brailsford have all shared their anecdotes to help raise in excess of £230,000 for Bloodwise.

Cathy Gilman, Chief Executive of Bloodwise, says: "We are delighted that Sir Ben is able to join us for an "Audience With" and support our work to improve the lives of blood cancer patients. This is an exceptional opportunity to get up close to one of British sport's greatest figures and these events are always popular, so we recommend booking early!"

Tickets are available at £60 and include a pre-show drinks reception. Please purchase at www.bloodwise.org.uk/SirBenAinslie

About Bloodwise

Bloodwise is the UK's biggest blood cancer charity dedicated to improving the lives of patients. The charity, which was formed in 1960, changed its name from Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research in September 2015. Its life-saving work is focused on stopping people from dying of blood cancer, improving the quality of life for patients and their families, and where possible, stopping people getting blood cancer in the first place.

The charity's research is targeted at understanding more about blood cancer, finding causes, improving diagnosis and treatments, and running ground-breaking clinical trials for patients. The charity champions patients' needs by influencing relevant decision makers and influencers, and seeking to raise awareness of the issues faced by patients. Their patient services provide information, support and assistance to patients at every stage of their journey.

Around 38,000 people of all ages, from children to adults, are diagnosed with blood cancers and related disorders every year in the UK. It is a complex disease area made up of 137 individual diseases, including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Together, blood cancers are the fifth most common form of cancer.