Great Lives Podcast
Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.
Episodes to download
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Christina Lamb on Benazir Bhutto
Tue 25 Sep 2018
Christina Lamb, author and journalist nominates Benazir Bhutto as her great life.
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Mark Carwardine on Douglas Adams
Tue 18 Sep 2018
Douglas Adams the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
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Cherie Blair on Dame Rose Heilbron
Tue 11 Sep 2018
Cherie Blair chooses her role mode, England's first woman judge, Rose Heilbron
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Greg Jenner on Gene Kelly
Tue 4 Sep 2018
'Horrible Histories' consultant Greg Jenner on his all time favourite - Gene Kelly.
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Helen Glover on Alison Hargreaves
Tue 28 Aug 2018
Olympic rower Helen Glover nominates the mountaineer Alison Hargreaves who died on K2.
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Patricia Greene on Bess of Hardwick
Tue 21 Aug 2018
Patricia Greene, the actress who plays Jill Archer, nominates Bess of Hardwick as her hero
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Simon Evans on JS Mill
Tue 14 Aug 2018
Comedian Simon Evans nominates JS Mill, author of On Liberty.
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Erica Wagner on Roald Amundsen
Tue 7 Aug 2018
Matthew Parris on Roald Amundsen, first man to the South Pole.
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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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