Sunday Night: May 29

On Sunday Night Steve Pennells is in Kathmandu to speak with mountaineer Robert Strydom about the tragic death of wife Maria.

Also a story on the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Heartbreak at the Top of the World
It was their ultimate dream: a husband and wife, together making it to the top of the world – Mount Everest. Tragically, one would succeed and one would die trying. This Sunday Night, the real story behind an Australian couple’s pursuit of mountaineering’s ultimate prize. Just over a week ago, Maria Strydom and her husband Robert had made it to the south summit when Maria was overcome by altitude sickness. In his own words, Robert takes us through the next heartbreaking 30 hours – the desperate attempts to get his wife to safety, his own battle with altitude sickness and the moment when their oxygen supplies ran out. In Kathmandu, reporter Steve Pennells meets a grieving husband shattered by an adventure that went horribly wrong. As Robert now says of Maria: “I still can’t look at any pictures of her because it just breaks my heart.”

Red Hot
For years, the Red Hot Chili Peppers had as many hits as bad headlines. Drug taking, a band member dying, they were the bad boys of hard core funk rock. Now the Chili Peppers are back on the road again and making news. Two weeks ago they cancelled a concert when lead singer Anthony Kiedis had to be rushed to hospital. With a long US and European tour ahead and a new album on the way, the Red Hot Chili Peppers sit down with Sunday Night for their only Australian television interview. Reporter Rahni Sadler hears how fatherhood has so dramatically changed life for Anthony and catches up with Aussie bass player Flea who’s still having a whole lot of fun more than 30-years later.

Sunday at 8.45pm on Seven.