On Al Jazeera English, Riz hosted the always enthralling Riz Khan’s One on One. More a conversation than a news interview, Riz Khan’s One on One profiled celebrities and newsmakers from around the globe, delving into their pasts and looking ahead to their futures to craft a detailed portrait of their most fascinating moments. With this intimate focus on their personal histories, the programme provided an oft-unprecedented look into its guests’ lives.
Over the course of a half-hour, Riz explored his guests’ philosophies, aspirations, and the countless events and people that influenced their thriving careers and compelling lives. The guests were wide-ranging and culled from disparate backgrounds, including:
Bob Geldof – musician & anti-poverty activist
The Dalai Lama
Ben Kingsley – award-winning actor
Wangari Maathai – Kenyan Nobel Peace Laureate & Founder, Greenbelt Movement
Eve Ensler – women’s rights activist
Gil Scott-Heron – American poet & musician – the “Godfather of Rap”
Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia
Shah Rukh Khan – legendary Bollywood actor
Kareem Abdul Jabber – basketball star
Shaukat Aziz – former Pakistani Prime Minister
Madeleine Albright – American diplomat & former Secretary of State
Richard Branson – billionaire entrepreneur
Youssou N’Dour – Senegalese musician & activist
Antonio Banderas – Hollywood acting star
Gore Vidal – American writer, politician & social commentator
Uri Geller – paranormalist
Zubin Mehta – classical music maestro
Shmuley Boteach – rabbi, best-selling author & broadcaster
Over 200 shows aired during the run of Riz Khan’s One on One, and with Riz as a formidable guide through the unique life of each subject, each of these hundreds of episodes was a must-watch unlike any before or after it.