Great Lives Podcast
Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.
Episodes to download
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Ed Balls nominates Herbert Howells
Tue 6 Aug 2019
Ed Balls discusses the influence of 20th-century composer Herbert Howells on his life.
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Robinson Crusoe
Tue 30 Jul 2019
Real-life castaway Lucy Irvine nominates Robinson Crusoe. With Martin Popplewell.
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Kamila Shamsie chooses Asma Jahangir
Tue 28 May 2019
Kamila Shamsie champions the life of the human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir.
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Shirley Collins on Alan Lomax
Tue 21 May 2019
Shirley Collins and Billy Bragg on the legendary American song-hunter Alan Lomax.
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Jeremy Deller on The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein
Tue 14 May 2019
Turner Prize artist Jeremy Deller chooses The Beatles manager Brian Epstein.
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Caroline Criado-Perez on Jane Austen
Tue 7 May 2019
The feminist campaigner and writer Caroline Criado-Perez champions the life of Jane Austen
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Kirill Gerstein on Ferruccio Busoni
Tue 30 Apr 2019
Kirill Gerstein chooses conductor, composer and virtuoso Ferruccio Busoni
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Malcolm Lowry, nominated by Ian McMillan
Tue 23 Apr 2019
As a young man looking for a literary hero, poet Ian McMillan found writer Malcolm Lowry
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Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, chosen by Tom Holland
Tue 16 Apr 2019
Tom Holland chooses Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians
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Catherine de Medici nominated by Helen Lewis
Tue 9 Apr 2019
Helen Lewis nominates the so-called 'Black Queen' of France, Catherine de Medici.
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Shappi Khorsandi on Emma, Lady Hamilton
Tue 2 Apr 2019
Shappi Khorsandi chooses Emma, Lady Hamilton Lord Nelson鈥檚 mistress.
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Rohan Silva on Colin Chapman
Tue 15 Jan 2019
Matthew Parris profiles the inventor of the car that changed the face of Formula One
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Suzanne O'Sullivan on Oliver Sacks
Tue 8 Jan 2019
Neurologist and author Oliver Sacks is Suzanne O'Sullivan's hero, she tells Matthew Parris
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Nikesh Shukla on the Great Gama
New Year's Day 2019
The Great Gama, the strongest man in the world, championed by author Nikesh Shukla.
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Mark Steel on Charlie Chaplin
Christmas Day 2018
Charlie Chaplin wasn鈥檛 funny but a political rebel. Mark Steel nominates him as his hero.
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Tim Smit on Humphrey Jennings
Tue 18 Dec 2018
Eden Project founder chooses documentary maker and artist Humphrey Jennings
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Russell Kane on Evelyn Waugh
Tue 11 Dec 2018
Comedian Russell Kane nominates novelist Evelyn Waugh, with Ann Pasternak Slater helping
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Samira Ahmed on Laura Ingalls Wilder
Tue 4 Dec 2018
Laura Ingalls Wilder: author Tracy Chevalier joins Samira Ahmed
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Vera Brittain
Fri 9 Nov 2018
Baroness Shirley Williams discusses her mother, the feminist and pacifist Vera Brittain.
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Christina Lamb on Benazir Bhutto
Tue 25 Sep 2018
Christina Lamb, author and journalist nominates Benazir Bhutto as her great life.
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Mark Carwardine on Douglas Adams
Tue 18 Sep 2018
Douglas Adams the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
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Cherie Blair on Dame Rose Heilbron
Tue 11 Sep 2018
Cherie Blair chooses her role mode, England's first woman judge, Rose Heilbron
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Greg Jenner on Gene Kelly
Tue 4 Sep 2018
'Horrible Histories' consultant Greg Jenner on his all time favourite - Gene Kelly.
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Helen Glover on Alison Hargreaves
Tue 28 Aug 2018
Olympic rower Helen Glover nominates the mountaineer Alison Hargreaves who died on K2.
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Patricia Greene on Bess of Hardwick
Tue 21 Aug 2018
Patricia Greene, the actress who plays Jill Archer, nominates Bess of Hardwick as her hero
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Simon Evans on JS Mill
Tue 14 Aug 2018
Comedian Simon Evans nominates JS Mill, author of On Liberty.
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Erica Wagner on Roald Amundsen
Tue 7 Aug 2018
Erica Wagner nominates the first man at the South Pole: Roald Amundsen
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Hanif Kureishi on David Bowie
Tue 31 Jul 2018
Hanif Kureishi nominates his friend David Bowie as his hero.
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Barbara Stocking on Catherine the Great
Tue 29 May 2018
Catherine the Great is chosen by Dame Barbara Stocking. Matthew Parris presents.
Great Rock and Roll Lives
Stories of inspiration from great musicians from Bowie to Billie Holliday
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