By
Alex Smith |
Viking has announced that British broadcast journalist Anne Diamond will be the godmother of its seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus. The 930-guest ship was floated out in June 2020 and is in the final stages of construction at Fincatnieri’s shipyard in Ancona, Italy, with delivery scheduled for spring.
Diamond has reported on events including the fall of the Berlin Wall, Australia’s bicentenary and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in a career on UK television that has lasted over 40 years. She was also a leading figure in the 1991 UK cot death campaign following the death of her own son, saving the lives of over 20,000 babies.
“I am thrilled and honoured to be entrusted as godmother to the Viking Venus and cannot wait until we can celebrate her inaugural cruise in a safer and happier 2021,” said Diamond. “Back in March 2020, at the start of the global lockdown, when I rang my good friend Karine [executive vice president of Viking] to ask if there was anything I could do, never did I think it might lead to such a fascinating journey. But exhilarating journeys are what Viking is all about!”
Diamond has also been hosting a weekly Thursday livestream on the cruise line’s enrichment channel Viking.TV since its launch in March 2020. She has interviewed figures including cellist and humanitarian Yo-Yo Ma; Xander Parish, principal ballet dancer at the Mariinsky Theatre; and authors Jeffrey Archer, Claire Cook, Robert Harris and Paul Schneider, among many others. The weekly broadcasts are continuing in 2021, with upcoming guests in January including former NASA astronaut Kathy Sullivan and actor and writer Sir Michael Palin.
“On behalf of the entire Viking family, we are delighted and honoured to have Anne serve as the godmother of Viking Venus,” said Karine Hagen, executive vice president of Viking.