ESPN Primetime Newsmagazine E:60 Returns April 15

April 8, 2008 -- ESPN's critically acclaimed primetime newsmagazine E:60, on hiatus since Dec. 11, 2008, will return for five weekly episodes beginning Tuesday, April 15 at 7 p.m. ET. Nominated for two Sports Emmy Awards following its first five episodes last fall, E:60’s first show back from its scheduled break will include profiles of Tiger Woods’ caddy, Steve Williams, NFL Draft prospect and former Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, and Oscar Pistorius, the South African amputee petitioning to compete against able-bodied athletes in the upcoming Summer Olympics.

E:60 features a stable of award-winning journalists (Tom Farrey, Rachel Nichols, Lisa Salters, Jeremy Schaap and Michael Smith) and an equally honored executive production team. The program’s unique approach to storytelling – ranging from the distinctive style and camera angles it shoots interviews, reporter-producer meetings, chronicles reporters’ experiences, to the multimedia platforms that deliver E:60’s high-quality content – has resonated with ESPN viewers. Highlights of April 15 episode:

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Tiger’s Eye

Steve Williams, the man behind Tiger Woods, gives E:60 correspondent Lisa Salters an exclusive look at life as a caddy for the greatest golfer in the world. In his first United States television interview, the New Zealand native describes his decision to drop out of school at age 13 and talks about his second career as a race car driver. The profile highlights how Williams has parlayed his role with Tiger to become New Zealand’s richest sports personality. Williams also speaks candidly about his relationship with Woods and what makes them so successful:

“I always said after I caddied for Greg (Norman) that I would never get close to another player like I got close to Greg, and hence, then I got caddying for Tiger. I’ve become closer with him than anybody, you know, outside my immediate family. I’m probably closer to him than anybody there is.”

Blade Runner

Oscar Pistorius was born in South Africa 21 years ago without fibulas in either leg. When he was 11 months old, his parents made the difficult decision to have his legs amputated. He put on his first pair of prosthetics at 13 months. Today, Pistorius is perhaps the best-known disabled athlete in the world, thanks to his international campaign to compete as an able-bodied sprinter in the upcoming Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Pistorius did not even take up competitive running until 2003. Nine months later he competed in the Athens Paralympics, winning gold in the 200 meters and bronze in the 100 meters. Soon after he set disabled world records in the 100, 200 and 400. Pistorius now produces times in the 200 and 400 that eclipse performances of many elite, able-bodied runners. Last season he finished second in the 400 meters in South Africa’s national championships. But the world governing body of track and field has said Pistorius will not be allowed to compete against able bodied athletes and eventually in Beijing because it believes his high-tech prosthetics called “Cheetahs” give him an unfair advantage.

E:60 reporter Jeremy Schaap travels to South Africa to meet Pistorius, to Iceland to interview the man who invented the “Cheetah” prosthetics, and to West Germany to question the scientist hired by the world track and field governing body to assess Pistorius’ advantage.

Run DMc

Darren McFadden, one of the top prospects in this month’s NFL Draft, sits down with E:60 correspondent Michael Smith to talk about his background and some of the perceived “character” issues surrounding him. McFadden’s mother is a recovering crack addict who used to take money from his billfold to support her habit. He also has two brothers who belonged to rival gangs in Little Rock.

“I want people to be able to know me for Darren McFadden. Like, he grew up in this type of situation but he’s a strong-minded guy. He took a different path in life. He didn’t just fall into the gang violence and things that were around him. So that’s one of the things that I feel that people can come out of their environments and do great things without just falling into the things that happen around them.” – McFadden on his choices.

E:60 debuted on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2007. Its first five episodes reported on enterprise stories ranging including:

* “Ray of Hope” – story of how the decision to be an organ donor by former North Carolina student who dressed as the mascot saved the lives of many, and high school football gone awry at Florida’s Miami Northwestern High School;
* “Lost Boy” – Macharia Yuot’s journey to escape ethnic cleansing in the Sudan war and his emotional return home 19 years later as an American distance runner;
* Examination of the growing number of “Baby Bullfighters” migrating to Mexico where underage bull fighting is legal;
* “Out of Africa” – the trafficking of underage soccer players from West Africa to Europe.

For updates on the show and additional content, click e60.com.

Source: ESPN