# Matthew Syed

An episode of [Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1704806594), 28 Nov 2025, 1 h 13 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6835e960944c948b9a623f10/e/69287b2668e85e97b6614091/media.mp3

Matthew Syed - table tennis Olympian, writer, broadcaster, thinker and Rosebud fan - is our guest today. And this is a genuinely fascinating, and inspiring, conversation. Matthew tells Gyles about his unconventional and wonderful family: his charismatic father, his hardworking and loving mum, his brother and sister and his best friend, Mark. He talks about his Pakistani father's experience of racism at work, he talks about how he and his brother got into table tennis, and how the unique ecosystem in their part of Reading - guided by the teacher, mentor and coach, Peter Charters - created a number of champions in the sport. Matthew's story is fascinating, gripping, and moving. We really encourage you to listen to this episode - this interview, and the characters who are described in it, will inspire you. It's a special one. Thank you to Matthew for sharing your story with us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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