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Great Lives Episodes

  1.

    Eliza Manningham-Buller chooses Abraham Lincoln

    Eliza Manningham-Buller on why she regards Abraham Lincoln as a great life.

  2. Nitin Sawhney on Jeff Buckley

    Nitin Sawhney champions the life of American singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley

  3. Susan Calman on Molly Weir

    Comedian Susan Calman chooses the life of actress Molly Weir.

  4. Martin Jennings on Charles Sargeant Jagger

    Martin Jennings nominates the British sculptor Charles Sargeant Jagger.

  5. Precious Lunga chooses Wangari Maathai

    Matthew Parris explores the remarkable life of Professor Wangari Maathai.

  6. Alvin Hall chooses James Baldwin

    Matthew Parris meets financial guru Alvin Hall, whose hero is James Baldwin.

  7. Roger Saul chooses Gertrude Jekyll

    Fashion designer Roger Saul chooses garden designer Gertrude Jekyll

  8. Dickie Bird on the life of Sir Leonard Hutton

    Dickie Bird champions his hero Sir Leonard Hutton.

  9. Ronald Reagan

    Lord Powell nominates former US President Ronald Reagan.

  10. Toyah Willcox on Katharine Hepburn

    Toyah Willcox nominates her hero Katharine Hepburn who she met and worked with.

  11. Nick Stadlen on Bram Fischer

    Nick Stadlen champions the life of the Afrikaner Revolutionary Bram Fischer.

  12. Hannah Rothschild on Thelonious Monk

    Hannah Rothschild looks back at the life of jazz musician Thelonious Monk.

  13. George Sand

    Mary Kenny nominates the 19th-century French novelist, George Sand.

  14. Frances Crook on Barbara Castle

    Frances Crook proposes Labour politician Barbara Castle. Roy Hattersley is witness

  15. Genghis Khan

    American commentator Joe Queenan chooses the Mongol leader Genghis Khan.

  16. Monica Ali chooses Richard Francis Burton

    The author Monica Ali champions the life of the explorer Richard Francis Burton.

  17. Captain Henry Morgan

    Writer and photographer Lucinda Lambton chooses the supposed pirate captain.

  18. George Washington Williams

    Ade Adepitan champions the life of George Washington Williams.

  19. Michael Howard on Elizabeth I

    Michael Howard, Conservative Party former leader, tells Matthew Parris about Elizabeth I.

  20. Michael Collins

    Film producer Lord Puttnam chooses the Irish nationalist leader Michael Collins.

  21. Vicky Pryce on Melina Mercouri

    Economist Vicky Pryce nominates the Greek film star and politician Melina Mercouri.

  22. Sir Edward Elgar

    Charity founder Marjorie Wallace chooses composer Edward Elgar.

  23. Ian McKellen on Edmund Hillary

    Sir Ian McKellen nominates mountaineer Edmund Hillary as his inspirational figure.

  24. Marvin Gaye

    Innovative soul singer Marvin Gaye is the choice of historian and broadcaster Tim Marlow.

  25. Leonard Woolf

    4 Extra Debut. Jilly Goolden nominates writer and political thinker Leonard Woolf.

  26. Vivien Leigh

    Barrister Christina Gorna chooses Oscar-winning Vivien Leigh.

  27. Robert FitzRoy

    Baroness Margaret Jay chooses pioneering meteorologist Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy.

  28. Gilbert and Sullivan

    Dillie Keane chooses the musical duo Gilbert and Sullivan.

  29. Joseph Banks

    Scientist Lord Robert May nominates the naturalist and botanist, Joseph Banks.

  30. Benjamin Disraeli

    Kenneth Clarke chooses the Victorian politician, Benjamin Disraeli.

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