13/03/2009

Human stories from behind the global headlines. With Ritula Shah.

Living with years of abuse - one woman's harrowing story; how playing cards turned one man's life around; and the extraordinary musical memories of the man they call Mr Apollo.

'Miss D' - her real name can't be revealed for legal reasons - was repeatedly raped from the age of 12 by her father, and gave birth to two of his children. She tells Outlook her story.

As New York's Apollo Theatre celebrates its 75th anniversary, we hear from Billy Mitchell, the theatre's in-house historian, who started working there years ago as a teenage errand boy. Mr Apollo, as he's now known, tells the BBC's Matt Wells about life in the theatre and why he owes much of his success to the legendary soul singer James Brown.

And Roy Brindley is now one of Europe's best known poker players, but in the past his passion for betting led him into addiction, leaving him penniless and homeless. He tells Ritula Shah how playing cards saved his life and talks about his book, 'Life's A Gamble'.