Lance Bass may be best-known for his time in the boy band ‘N Sync. But Bass is also a space buff, even going so far as to undergo training in Star City, Russia and becoming a certified cosmonaut two decades go. He won’t be heading for the International Space Station for his new podcast, but Bass will go back in time to the fall of the Soviet Union for a new iHeartPodcasts series that will look at how that political event left one man stranded in space.
The eight episode limited series The Last Soviet tells the story of cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, who was left stranded in space for 313 days when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Its creators say The Last Soviet is a story of two unimaginable experiences — being trapped in space and the collapse of a superpower — and the man who lived both. While this isn’t a political show, iHeart says the series is especially timely with the current geopolitical events involving Russia as it contextualizes what is happening today by providing a sense of what it was like for Krikalev to live through that moment, when Russia was closing itself off to the world.
“I fell in love with space when my grandfather took me to see my first rocket launch as a kid. I even came close to achieving my dream of going to space 20 years ago when I trained with the Russian Space Agency for a mission to the International Space Station (ISS),” Bass says in a statement. “Although I haven’t made it to space yet, I’m thrilled to be able to share my passion with listeners and provide them with a unique perspective on space travel as the host of The Last Soviet.”
The Last Soviet is the latest series release in the distribution deal between iHeart and Kaleidoscope, a podcast start-up focused on highly-produced narrative series. They earlier produced the podcasts Obsessions: Wild Chocolate and Skyline Drive.
"Having Lance Bass host this show is a gift. As one of the few Americans who has experienced training for space travel, let alone with the Russian Space Agency, he’s the perfect person to guide listeners through this fascinating story about the commitment of one of the most famous cosmonauts,” said Oz Woloshyn, Kaleidoscope co-founder. "The Last Soviet is a perfect example of the kind of series Kaleidoscope creates — that change perspectives, broaden horizons, and replenish faith in humanity. We’re excited to continue to partner with iHeartPodcasts to create new genres of shows that focus on incredible stories from around the world,” said Kate Osborn, Executive Vice President at Kaleidoscope.
The Last Soviet is scheduled to begin releasing episodes on February 15.
“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Lance Bass, and have him on board for this riveting show,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcast Network. “His unique personal connection to the space program, along with his passion, experience and creativity have helped bring this show together.”