Ep 5. I promised you a special guest for the Girl on the River Christmas Special, and my goodness, I've delivered. In an exceptionally feel-good episode, four-time Olympic champion and Celebrity Masterchef finalist, Sir Matthew Pinsent, joins me to talk about:

• The ups and downs of 2020
• Pinsent family Christmas traditions
• Being defined by rowing
• Looking back on the rowing culture of the 90s/2000s
• The differences between elite rowing then and now
• His struggle with nerves as an athlete
• The challenges of umpiring and the infamous 2012 Boat Race
• How to improve inclusivity in rowing
• Broadcasting and the thrill of interviewing athletes at the Olympics
• Celebrity Masterchef
• Whether we'll ever see him on Strictly Come Dancing

At  the end, Matthew reads out some Christmas messages sent in by listeners.

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Tune in again on 30th December for my Ask Me Anything episode (qq now closed!). In the meantime, wherever you are, and whoever you're spending it with, I'd like to wish you all a very happy Christmas.