Great Lives Podcast
Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.
Episodes to download
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Jeremy Paxman nominates Lord Shaftesbury
Tue 17 Dec 2019
Jeremy Paxman nominates the Victorian social reformer Lord Shaftesbury.
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Lee Miller, war photographer and model
Tue 10 Dec 2019
Lindsey Hilsum on the extraordinary life of Lee Miller.
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Just William / Richmal Crompton proposed by Peter Oborne with Martin Jarvis
Tue 3 Dec 2019
William Brown, star of the Just William books, proposed by Peter Oborne.
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Constance Agatha Cummings-John
Tue 24 Sep 2019
Author Chibundu Onuzo on the first elected female in Africa, Constance Cummings-John.
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Comedian Sindhu Vee on Prince
Tue 17 Sep 2019
The comedian Sindhu Vee nominates Prince, the musical superstar.
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Fiona Shaw nominates the actress Eleonora Duse
Tue 10 Sep 2019
Eleonora Duse, pioneering 19th-century actress, is the choice of Fiona Shaw.
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Philippa Perry on the Italian educator Maria Montessori
Tue 3 Sep 2019
Psychotherapist Philippa Perry on the Italian educator Maria Montessori.
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First Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
Tue 27 Aug 2019
Ramsay Macdonald, Labour's first Prime Minister, chosen by Shaun Ley.
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Caroline Quentin nominates Sir John Vanbrugh
Tue 20 Aug 2019
Caroline Quentin nominates the 17th century dramatist and architect Sir John Vanbrugh
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Laura Marling on Lou Andreas-Salome
Tue 13 Aug 2019
Laura Marling on the first female psychoanalyst Lou Andreas-Salom茅.
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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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