News

Renowned scientist, politician, writer, TV presenter and  great British speaker Lord Robert Winston will soon be sailing into, for him, uncharted waters.

As guest lecturer on Saga Cruises’ new ship Spirit of Discovery’s inaugural cruise, A British First, he will be taking ‘a special opportunity to go around the British Isles’.

Lord Winston said: “I had always planned to go around the British Isles but never have.

All the ports will be interesting largely because, with the exception of Dover, I have not seen this aspect of the British Isles – and I think July is the right time of the year to sail.

He added: “I have traversed the Panama Canal and Cape Horn, the Norwegian Fjords, smaller ports in the Mediterranean and fascinating visits to South India, China and Japan – but not the British Isles.”

So which words of wisdom can passengers expect from Lord Winston?

Lord Winston said: “Broadly speaking, scientific issues which seem to engage a range of audiences. People seem particularly intrigued about the impact and implications of artificial intelligence, and the working of the human brain and human emotions.

“In my immediate field of active research the issue of manipulating genes to enhance the human is a prospect which worries and fascinates.”

On a lighter note, Lord Winston has promised he will not be adding to the musical entertainment on board Spirit of Discovery.

He revealed: “In spite of excellent teachers, I play the saxophone incredibly badly and I am worse on the clarinet.

“At the Royal College of Music, I was encouraged to play in public very occasionally until eventually the director, a distinguished clarinettist, put both me and himself out of our collective misery.”

Lord Winston will give two talks and take part in a Q&A session with passengers.

Saga Cruises chief operating officer Nigel Blanks says he is ‘delighted to welcome such a great British speaker’ on Spirit of Discovery’s maiden sailing.

He said: “We have a Great British theme going on – we are a British company launching a ship for the British market, so we felt that such a respected figure, Lord Winston, would really interest and fascinate our guests.”

Spirit of Discovery sails from Dover on July 10, 2019 and circumnavigates the British Isles with calls including the Orkney and Channel Islands, Newcastle, Belfast and Liverpool, South Queensferry for Edinburgh and Southampton.

Editors:

Lord Robert Winston

 In the 1970s,  Lord Winston developed gynaecological surgical techniques that improved fertility treatments and he later pioneered new treatments to improve  in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and developed pre-implantation diagnosis.

 His popular BBC television series, which include The Human Body, Secret Life of Twins and Superhuman, communicate complex science to a wide audience – and he has even made a guest appearance on the James Corbyn Show.

 Lord Winston regularly speaks at the House of Lords on education, science, medicine and the arts and was Chairman of the Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology 1999-2002, initiating enquiries into Antibiotic Resistance, Non-Food Crops, Nuclear Waste, Science and Society, Genetic Databases, Aircraft Passenger Environment, and Science in Schools.

Current posts

Professor of Science and Society and Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College London 
Chairman of the Genesis Research Trust  which promotes better health for women and babies. 

Trustee on board of UK Stem Cell Foundation

Founder Wohl Reach Out Lab, a project which encourages children to do experimental science within one of Europe’s leading universities.

 Lord Robert Winston is represented by the Champions Speakers Agency.

For information contact Alex Brazier email alex.brazier@saga.co.uk