A RADIO interview with the late Simon Boas which was broadcast ten days before he died has been named “Interview of the Year” in a poll of BBC Radio 4 listeners.
The former Jersey Overseas Aid chief executive, who died from throat cancer on 15 July last year at the age of 47, spent his last months reflecting on life, love and joy – bringing inspiration to millions.
Mr Boas’ interview with presenter Emma Barnett on the Today programme, which was broadcast on 4 July, was judged “Interview of the Year” by listeners of Radio 4’s Feedback. The interview was one of ten shortlisted with a panel of listeners then judging the overall winner, which was described as “an absolutely beautiful interview which smacked right to the heart”.
During the interview, Mr Boas said: “This is almost certainly my final week, but I am so happy and contented. My lovely wife and parents are about to go through one of the most difficult things in their lives, but we all write chapters and all our lives are little books. They’ll go on writing more chapters when I’m gone.”
Ms Barnett said she would “always be grateful to Mr Boas for using his precious energy to talk to our listeners in the way he did”.
Mr Boas’ wife, Aurelie Boas, said: “We listened to the BBC that day, with Simon’s parents and his sister and it was a very surreal and moving moment. We were all so proud and, as always, after listening to Simon’s voice, inspired and grateful.
“It is such a huge honour to see his words continue to inspire and mean so much for people.”
Ideas Mr Boas first explored in articles for the Jersey Evening Post were later turned into a book, A Beginner’s Guide to Dying, which was published posthumously and described by the Daily Mail as “an inspirational paean to the joy of life”.
