Great Lives Podcast
Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.
Episodes to download
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JRR Tolkien, creator of The Hobbit
Tue 7 Dec 2021
Niall Ferguson chooses JRR Tolkien, creator of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
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Yanis Varoufakis on Hypatia
Tue 21 Sep 2021
The life and brutal death of a gifted mathematician and philosopher from the ancient world
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Dorothy Byrne on Catherine of Siena
Tue 14 Sep 2021
The president of Murray Edwards College, Cambridge champions the life of the Italian saint
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Peggy Seeger on her husband Ewan MacColl
Tue 7 Sep 2021
Peggy Seeger picks her partner of 30 years, Ewan MacColl, folk singer and labour activist.
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Josiah Wedgwood, master potter
Tue 31 Aug 2021
Tristram Hunt on Josiah Wedgwood, vase maker general to the universe!
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Frantz Fanon
Tue 24 Aug 2021
The anti-colonial writer and psychiatrist from Martinique is the choice of Lindsay Johns
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Althea Gibson
Tue 17 Aug 2021
The first black tennis player to win Wimbledon is the choice of Professor Devi Sridhar.
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Hans Christian Andersen
Tue 3 Aug 2021
Author of The Little Mermaid and The Emperor's New Clothes, he was 'a very strange orchid'
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Rosie Millard on Edward III
Tue 25 May 2021
Rosie tells Matthew Parris that Edward III was a cultural hero who deserves greater fame.
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Ben Miller on William Hazlitt
Tue 18 May 2021
Actor and comedian Ben Miller nominates essayist William Hazlitt.
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Arlo Parks on Elliott Smith
Tue 11 May 2021
Singer-songwriter Arlo Parks nominates the young life of singer Elliott Smith.
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Jonathan Dimbleby on Harry Hopkins
Tue 4 May 2021
President Roosevelt's right hand man in World War Two, Harry Hopkins.
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KT Tunstall on Ivor Cutler
Tue 27 Apr 2021
Singer-songwriter KT Tunstall nominates Scottish humorist Ivor Cutler
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Black and British pioneer Kenny Lynch
Tue 20 Apr 2021
Veteran black and British entertainer Kenny Lynch.
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Chinua Achebe, Nigerian novelist
Tue 13 Apr 2021
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown picks Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe.
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The Talented Mr Ripley author, Patricia Highsmith
Tue 6 Apr 2021
Sometimes known as 'the stalker's balladeer', she is director Jonathan Kent's choice.
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Rights activist Cesar Chavez nominated by Cori Crider
Tue 26 Jan 2021
Human rights lawyer Cori Crider explains why she is inspired by the life of Cesar Chavez.
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Caroline Catz on Delia Derbyshire
Tue 19 Jan 2021
Actor Caroline Catz chooses Delia Derbyshire, who realised the theme to Doctor Who.
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David Jonsson on Jean Michel Basquiat
Tue 12 Jan 2021
Actor David Jonsson champions artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
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Diane Morgan on Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding
Tue 29 Dec 2020
Comedian and actor Diane Morgan chooses the life of Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding
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The Great Lives of Great Lives
Tue 22 Dec 2020
After 450 episodes, Matthew Parris thinks it's time to find out what makes a great life.
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David Spiegelhalter on Frank Ramsey
Tue 15 Dec 2020
Statistician David Spiegelhalter champions the short, brilliant life of Frank Ramsey.
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Katherine Parr, sixth wife of Henry VIII
Tue 8 Dec 2020
Who would marry a serial killer? Katherine Parr, sixth wife of Henry VIII
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Xuanzang, Chinese monk and traveller
Tue 29 Sep 2020
Michael Wood on the great Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang.
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James Graham on John Maynard Keynes
Tue 22 Sep 2020
The acclaimed playwright tells Matthew Parris why he's inspired by Keynes' life and work.
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Sir David Adjaye on Okwui Enwezor
Tue 15 Sep 2020
Curator and educator Okwui Enwezor championed by the architect Sir David Adjaye.
Great Rock and Roll Lives
Stories of inspiration from great musicians from Bowie to Billie Holliday
Download this programme
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