Oprah Winfrey interviews Lance Armstrong - live blog So, the anticipation is nearly over: after days of leaks and pre-publicity, including an appearance by Oprah Winfrey on CBS News' This Morning to tease and trail tonight's show, we're nearly there. In the first of a two-part series, Lance Armstrong gives his first interview, to Oprah, since he was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) last October. We've been told that Armstrong "comes clean" about his use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to Oprah: she said ambiguously, earlier this week, that he did not do so as she had expected - which might mean he will be either more or less forthcoming than she'd thought. But she also declared herself "satisfied" with his responses. In other reports, we've also been told that Armstrong may be negotiating variously with Usada to reduce his lifetime ban from the sport, and with US justice department officials to pay back some of the millions his US Postal Service team took, allegedly fraudulently, in sponsorship. The Feds are said to be considering whether to join as plaintiffs a "whistleblower" lawsuit started by Armstrong's former team-mate Floyd Landis. Remember, it was Landis who set this whole process in motion with his confessional emails to USA Cycling officials in 2010: he is, truly, Lance's nemesis. And yet, it's also reported that Armstrong may be trying to mend fences there, and settle the suit. That's the context. So, the key question about tonight's Oprah interview is: Just how far does Armstrong go in his confession? Does he admit doping for himself, but just claim everyone was doing it? And how will he answer the questions Oprah must surely ask about the Usada findings that he trafficked PEDs for the team, organized with confederates a systemic doping programme, and enforced compliance by junior riders? If he says too much, he may be compromising his negotiating position in the lawsuit. But if he says too little, he may not impress Usada enough that he is in earnest about "coming clean" to see his ban reduced. And again, if he says too little, he may not impress the American people enough to forgive him - and he needs that public redemption if he is to see a way back to a role with the Livestrong Foundation, the cancer charity he founded but was forced to resign from late last year. The stakes are high. Oprah told us Armstrong came well prepared. Let's see what happens. The interview is broadcast 9pm to 10.30pm ET (2am to 3.30am UK) on Oprah's OWN network.