Deeper into One Life

In the film One Life, released on 1st January 2024, Anthony Hopkins plays British stockbroker Nicholas Winton, who rescued 669 Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Prague by sending them on what became known as the Kindertransport, a train journey to a safe haven in Britain.

For decades after the end of World War II, Winton kept what he had done completely quiet – until in 1988, a TV programme, That’s Life, reunited him with dozens of those children, all by then middle-aged.

For this podcast, Rosie Dawson welcomes two people who knew Nicholas Winton personally: Rabbi Jonathan Romain from Maidenhead synagogue in Berkshire, where Nicholas Winton lived; and Lord Alf Dubs, a Labour peer who was himself a Kindertransport child and campaigns for the rights of unaccompanied child refugees. They are joined by Sue Butler, joint CEO of Welcome Churches, a network committed to welcoming refugees and asylum seekers.

Together, they discuss some of the questions thrown up by the film: what motivates people like Nicholas Winton to acts of courage while others remain as bystanders? Does religion play any kind of role when it comes to doing good? And what lessons does the story hold for us in 2024?

Latest comments

Leave a comment

  • Another excellent Things Unseen.

    Well chaired Rosie.

  • I thought this was an excellent podcast. I was already well aware of Nicholas Winton but still learnt much and it was very thought provoking. A very well paced and presented programme too.

  • A fabulous episode – so moving and so inspirational

  • A fine exploration of motivation – be it religious or not. I am old enough to have viewed the original That’s Life programme in 1988. I look forward to watching One Life this weekend.

  • Really enjoyed this informative and illuminating programme. The expert guests were deftly probed by the knowledgeable presenter Rosie Dawson who I thought was an excellent guide throughout the podcast.
    Need more of these sort of nuanced reviews presented by people who clearly have passion for and deep knowledge of the subject matter.

Leave a comment