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Episode details

World Service,30 May 2020,26 mins

Waking from a coma speaking a foreign language

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Available for over a year

Ben McMahon from Melbourne, Australia, has had an unlikely career in Chinese reality TV after waking up from a coma speaking Mandarin. When he was 18 years old, Ben suffered a head injury during a car crash. During his early recovery he was unable to speak his native English, and could only communicate with confused doctors in Mandarin, a language he’d studied in high school. Ben regained his English but his Mandarin stayed strong and helped him secure a spot on a Chinese dating show he was obsessed with. Presenter: Harry Graham Producer: Mariana Des Forges Picture: Ben McMahon in a red tracksuit Picture Credit: Courtesy of Ben McMahon

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