Great Lives Podcast
Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.
Episodes to download
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Sally Phillips on Hollywood star Myrna Loy
Tue 12 May 2020
Sally Phillips nominates her comedy star, Myrna Loy
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Victoria Wood
Tue 5 May 2020
Victoria Wood, creator of Dinnerladies, Acorn Antiques and As Seen on TV
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Frank Cottrell Boyce on Tove Jansson
Tue 14 Apr 2020
Frank Cottrell-Boyce on Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins.
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Rick Stein on Jim Morrison
Tue 7 Apr 2020
Chef, writer and presenter Rick Stein nominates Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors.
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Andi Oliver on Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison
Tue 21 Jan 2020
Andi Oliver chooses the Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison
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Charlie Parker nominated by Ken Clarke
Tue 7 Jan 2020
Charlie Parker - Bird - proposed by Ken Clarke
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Bill Bailey on his hero Alfred Russel Wallace
Tue 31 Dec 2019
Bill Bailey and his love for Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace
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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
Great Rock and Roll Lives
Stories of inspiration from great musicians from Bowie to Billie Holliday
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