Great Lives Podcast
Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.
Episodes to download
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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.
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Suzy Klein on Hedy Lamarr
Tue 22 May 2018
Hedy Lamarr, actress, inventor, and the most beautiful woman in the world.
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Mica Paris on Josephine Baker
Tue 15 May 2018
Soul singer Mica Paris tells Matthew Parris why Josephine Baker is her heroine.
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Simon Callow on Orson Welles
Tue 8 May 2018
Matthew Parris meets the actor Simon Callow to discuss the life of Orson Welles.
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Tej Lalvani on Richard Feynman
Tue 1 May 2018
Tej Lalvani nominates the physicist and bongo playing Richard Feynman as his great life.
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Laura Serrant on Audre Lorde
Tue 24 Apr 2018
Laura Serrant chooses the poet and activist Audre Lorde. From 2018.
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Adrian Utley of Portishead on Miles Davis
Tue 17 Apr 2018
Miles Davis chosen by Adrian Utley of Portishead.
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Ayesha Hazarika on Jayaben Desai
Tue 10 Apr 2018
Ayesha Hazarika champions her hero Jayaben Desai who led the Grunwick strike in 1976.
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Jim Moir on Captain Beefheart
Tue 3 Apr 2018
Jim Moir, aka Vic Reeves, chooses the life of Don van Vliet - Captain Beefheart.
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Liza Tarbuck on Nikola Tesla
Tue 23 Jan 2018
Liza Tarbuck nominates Nikola Tesla as her great life. Matthew Parris presents.
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Justin Marozzi on Herodotus
Tue 16 Jan 2018
Herodotus - father of history or father of lies? Matthew Parris presents.
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Gisela Stuart on Joseph Chamberlain
Tue 9 Jan 2018
Gisela Stuart nominates Joseph Chamberlain as her great life.
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Hertha Ayrton
Tue 2 Jan 2018
Helen Arney, scientist and geek songstress, nominates pioneer physicist Hertha Ayrton.
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Louise Richardson on Daniel O'Connell
Tue 19 Dec 2017
Louise Richardson nominates Daniel O'Connell, hero of Catholic emancipation in 1829.
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Cornelia Parker on Marcel Duchamp
Tue 12 Dec 2017
Marcel Duchamp, father of conceptual art, is fellow artist Cornelia Parker's great life.
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Will Gregory on Flann O'Brien
Tue 5 Dec 2017
Goldfrapp's Will Gregory takes the stage to nominate Irish writer Flann O'Brien.
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Helena Morrissey on Rachael Heyhoe Flint
Tue 26 Sep 2017
City boss Helena Morrissey champions the life of Rachael Heyhoe Flint as her great life.
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Andrea Catherwood on Constance Markievicz
Tue 19 Sep 2017
Constance Markievicz, Irish rebel countess and the first woman elected to Parliament.
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Nicholas Stern on Muhammad Ali
Tue 12 Sep 2017
Muhammad Ali is economist Nicholas Stern's great life as he tells Matthew Parris.
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Helen Sharman on Elsie Widdowson
Tue 5 Sep 2017
British spacewoman Helen Sharman chooses scientist Elsie Widdowson as her great life.
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Tracy Chevalier on Mary Anning
Tue 29 Aug 2017
Novelist Tracy Chevalier chooses the fossil hunter Mary Anning as her great life.
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Don McCullin on Norman Lewis
Tue 22 Aug 2017
Don McCullin chooses his old travel companion Norman Lewis for Great Lives.
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Sathnam Sanghera on Alexander Gardner
Fri 18 Aug 2017
Writer Sathnam Sanghera nominates adventurer Alexander Gardner
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Stephen Fry on PG Wodehouse
Tue 8 Aug 2017
Stephen Fry nominates his hero, PG Wodehouse, who just simply cheers him up.
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Maxine Peake on Ellen Wilkinson
Tue 1 Aug 2017
Maxine Peake nominates her working class hero the MP Ellen Wilkinson as her great life.
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Iain Lee on Andy Kaufman
Tue 30 May 2017
Cult legend Andy Kaufman chosen by Iain Lee as his great life.
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Peter Williams of Jack Wills chooses Steve Jobs
Tue 23 May 2017
Peter Williams of Jack Wills champions the abrasive Steve Jobs, founder of Apple.
Great Rock and Roll Lives
Stories of inspiration from great musicians from Bowie to Billie Holliday
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