Great Lives

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

Radio 4,609 episodes

Episodes

ListGrid

Ed Balls nominates Herbert Howells
Ed Balls discusses the influence of 20th-century composer Herbert Howells on his life.
06 Aug 2019,28 mins
Robinson Crusoe
Real-life castaway Lucy Irvine nominates Robinson Crusoe. With Martin Popplewell.
30 Jul 2019,28 mins
Kamila Shamsie chooses Asma Jahangir
Kamila Shamsie champions the life of the human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir.
28 May 2019,28 mins
Shirley Collins on Alan Lomax
Shirley Collins and Billy Bragg on the legendary American song-hunter Alan Lomax.
21 May 2019,28 mins
Jeremy Deller on The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein
Turner Prize artist Jeremy Deller chooses The Beatles manager Brian Epstein.
14 May 2019,28 mins
Caroline Criado-Perez on Jane Austen
The feminist campaigner and writer Caroline Criado-Perez champions the life of Jane Austen
07 May 2019,28 mins
Kirill Gerstein on Ferruccio Busoni
Kirill Gerstein chooses conductor, composer and virtuoso Ferruccio Busoni
30 Apr 2019,28 mins
Malcolm Lowry, nominated by Ian McMillan
As a young man looking for a literary hero, poet Ian McMillan found writer Malcolm Lowry
23 Apr 2019,28 mins
Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, chosen by Tom Holland
Tom Holland chooses Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians
16 Apr 2019,28 mins
Catherine de Medici nominated by Helen Lewis
Helen Lewis nominates the so-called 'Black Queen' of France, Catherine de Medici.
09 Apr 2019,28 mins
Shappi Khorsandi on Emma, Lady Hamilton
Shappi Khorsandi chooses Emma, Lady Hamilton Lord Nelson’s mistress.
02 Apr 2019,28 mins
Matt Lucas on Freddie Mercury
Matt Lucas chooses Freddie Mercury
22 Jan 2019,28 mins
Rohan Silva on Colin Chapman
Matthew Parris profiles the inventor of the car that changed the face of Formula One
15 Jan 2019,28 mins
Suzanne O'Sullivan on Oliver Sacks
Neurologist and author Oliver Sacks is Suzanne O'Sullivan's hero, she tells Matthew Parris
08 Jan 2019,28 mins
Nikesh Shukla on the Great Gama
The Great Gama, the strongest man in the world, championed by author Nikesh Shukla.
01 Jan 2019,28 mins
Mark Steel on Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin wasn’t funny but a political rebel. Mark Steel nominates him as his hero.
25 Dec 2018,28 mins
Tim Smit on Humphrey Jennings
Eden Project founder chooses documentary maker and artist Humphrey Jennings
18 Dec 2018,28 mins
Russell Kane on Evelyn Waugh
Comedian Russell Kane nominates novelist Evelyn Waugh.
11 Dec 2018,28 mins
Samira Ahmed on Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura Ingalls Wilder: author Tracy Chevalier joins Samira Ahmed
04 Dec 2018,28 mins
Vera Brittain
Baroness Shirley Williams discusses her mother, the feminist and pacifist Vera Brittain.
09 Nov 2018,30 mins
Christina Lamb on Benazir Bhutto
Christina Lamb, author and journalist nominates Benazir Bhutto as her great life.
25 Sep 2018,30 mins
Mark Carwardine on Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
18 Sep 2018,30 mins
Cherie Blair on Dame Rose Heilbron
Cherie Blair chooses her role mode, England's first woman judge, Rose Heilbron
11 Sep 2018,30 mins
Greg Jenner on Gene Kelly
'Horrible Histories' consultant Greg Jenner on his all time favourite - Gene Kelly.
04 Sep 2018,28 mins
Helen Glover on Alison Hargreaves
Olympic rower Helen Glover nominates the mountaineer Alison Hargreaves who died on K2.
28 Aug 2018,28 mins
Patricia Greene on Bess of Hardwick
Patricia Greene, the actress who plays Jill Archer, nominates Bess of Hardwick as her hero
21 Aug 2018,28 mins
Simon Evans on JS Mill
Comedian Simon Evans nominates JS Mill, author of On Liberty.
14 Aug 2018,28 mins
Erica Wagner on Roald Amundsen
Erica Wagner nominates the first man at the South Pole: Roald Amundsen
07 Aug 2018,30 mins
Hanif Kureishi on David Bowie
Hanif Kureishi nominates his friend David Bowie as his hero.
31 Jul 2018,28 mins
Barbara Stocking on Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great is chosen by Dame Barbara Stocking. Matthew Parris presents.
29 May 2018,30 mins