±«Óãtv

As we prepare to celebrate his 75th birthday, Mark Knopfler's amazing career, as told in ±«Óãtv interviews.

From his early jobs on the farm, teaching and being a journalist on the Yorkshire Post, to his musical debut with the band Brewers Droop. We hear about the moment when a penniless group of friends in Deptford approached the late ±«Óãtv presenter Charlie Gillett with demos, including a song called Sultans of Swing. This is the story of Mark Knopfler, explored through his greatest hits, both with Dire Straits and as a solo artist.

We hear about collaborations with artists like Emmylou Harris and his huge worldwide success (selling millions of albums and playing live to 750,000 people in one period), in interviews on the ±«Óãtv with Bob Kilby, Johnnie Walker, Tim Smith, Janey Lee Grace, Steve Wright, Joan Armatrading, Jools Holland, Mark Lawson, Richard Skinner, Roger Scott, Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo.

We hear how a ±«Óãtv committee decided their songs had too many words and early gigs that were played to a handful of silent audience members. We discuss Dire Straits becoming so associated with CDs. And, with his famous guitars by his side, Mark demonstrates his unique playing style in special live acoustic moments on air. We also come up to date with the 60 truly great Guitar Heroes playing on a new charity version of Going ±«Óãtv, the theme from the film Local Hero.