Great Lives

Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.

Radio 4,609 episodes

Episodes

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Cartoonist Naji al-Ali
Mona Chalabi chooses Naji al-Ali, Palestinian cartoonist shot in London in 1987.
01 Jun 2026,28 mins
Cleopatra picked by Kate Williams
Kate Williams picks Cleopatra, queen of ancient Egypt for over 20 years.
25 May 2026,28 mins
Ade Edmondson on singer Sandy Denny
Ade Edmondson - star of The Young Ones and much more - chooses the singer Sandy Denny.
18 May 2026,28 mins
Tony Garnett picked by Harry Bradbeer
The director of Fleabag and Killing Eve picks the producer of Kes and Cathy Come Home.
11 May 2026,28 mins
Peter Cook picked by Jon Harvey aka Count Binface
Comedian Jon Harvey picks Peter Cook as his hero for Great Lives.
04 May 2026,28 mins
Coco Khan picks Edith Garrud, the jujitsu fighting suffragette
Journalist Coco Khan picks the formidable jujitsu fighting suffragette, Edith Garrud.
27 Apr 2026,28 mins
William Gladstone, four-time PM
Trevor Lyttleton picks William Gladstone, Victorian prime minister and tory turned liberal
20 Apr 2026,28 mins
Alistair McGowan on HE Bates
Impressionist, poet and comedian Alistair McGowan on author HE Bates
13 Apr 2026,28 mins
Beverley Knight on Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the godmother of rock and roll
Beverley Knight picks the great Rosetta Tharpe, gospel singer turned pioneer.
06 Apr 2026,28 mins
Daisy Dunn on Marcus Agrippa, ancient Rome's king of cement
Classicist Daisy Dunn picks Marcus Agrippa, right-hand man of the emperor Augustus.
02 Feb 2026,28 mins
Dr Sian Williams nominates Anna Freud
Psychoanalyst Anna Freud is the choice of broadcaster and psychologist Dr Sian Williams.
26 Jan 2026,28 mins
Pianist and broadcaster Keelan Carew nominates Russian composer Nicolai Medtner
Pianist and broadcaster Keelan Carew champions the pianist and composer Nicolai Medtner.
19 Jan 2026,27 mins
Comedian Helen Lederer on Joan Rivers
Famous guests pick someone who has inspired their lives.
12 Jan 2026,28 mins
John Cooper Clarke on Johnny Green, road manager of The Clash
Famous guests pick someone who has inspired their lives
05 Jan 2026,27 mins
Helen Carr picks Christine de Pizan at the Gloucester history festival
Famous guests picks someone who has inspired their lives.
29 Dec 2025,27 mins
Alex Wheatle, the Bard of Brixton
Ashley John Baptiste chooses Alex Wheatle, author of the Crongton novels.
22 Dec 2025,27 mins
Spitfire pilot Jeffrey Quill picked by astronaut Tim Peake
Famous guests pick someone who has inspired their lives.
15 Dec 2025,27 mins
Oliver Postgate
Andrew Davenport, creator of In the Night Garden, chooses Oliver Postgate.
06 Oct 2025,28 mins
Sylvia Plath
The writer Sylvia Plath, chosen by Lucy Jones.
29 Sep 2025,27 mins
Elizabeth Day on Hatshepsut
Famous guests pick someone they love or admire.
22 Sep 2025,28 mins
Comedian Stewart Lee on Derek Bailey
Stewart Lee chooses guitarist Derek Bailey.
15 Sep 2025,28 mins
Jock Stein, first British football manager to win the European Cup
Famous guests pick someone they love or admire.
08 Sep 2025,27 mins
Benjamin Franklin
Famous guests nominate lives they love or admire - today Benjamin Franklin.
01 Sep 2025,28 mins
Miles Jupp on JL Carr, author of A Month in the Country
Famous guests pick a life they love or admire.
25 Aug 2025,28 mins
Helen Castor on Richard II
Helen Castor picks Richard II, deposed king of England.
18 Aug 2025,28 mins
DJ Deb Grant on John Prine
DJ Deb Grant picks US mailman turned country-folk singer John Prine.
11 Aug 2025,26 mins
Sir Seretse Khama, first president of Botswana
Notable guests pick a great life they admire.
02 Jun 2025,28 mins
Emily Williamson, co-founder of the RSPB
Notable guests pick someone who has inspired their lives.
26 May 2025,27 mins
Tina Turner
Famous guests pick someone they are passionate about
19 May 2025,28 mins
Raymond Blanc on Professor Nicholas Kurti
Raymond Blanc chooses physicist Nicholas Kurti.
12 May 2025,27 mins