Alastair Campbell: A personal journey in British politics
After many years as a newspaper journalist, Alistair Campbell rose to prominence as Tony Blair's Director of Communications and Strategy.
The job effectively made him the former prime minister's right-hand man and placed him at the centre of government policy, including the controversial decision to go to war in Iraq in 2003.
In a frank and personal interview with Outlook's Matthew Bannister, Alastair Campbell tells the story of his journey to Number 10, from schoolyard brawls, via Cambridge university, to heavy drinking and mental breakdown.
He reveals his talent for playing the bagpipes, his dedication to Burnley Football Club, his partner's dedication to him, and Tony Blair's sometimes surprising fashion choices.
Alastair Campbell talks about the psychological pressures of a life at the top of British politics, his bouts of severe depression, and the historic events which led him to stand down from his era-defining role as New Labour's spin-doctor.
First broadcast on 26 July 2010