Great Lives Podcast
Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.
Episodes to download
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Noddy Holder on Chuck Berry
Tue 20 Dec 2022
Slade frontman Noddy Holder champions the life of rock 'n' roll pioneer Chuck Berry.
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Olivia Laing on Christopher Lloyd, Gardener and Writer
Tue 13 Dec 2022
Writer Olivia Laing nominates the gardener and writer Christopher Lloyd.
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Olia Hercules on Alla Horska, Ukrainian painter
Tue 6 Dec 2022
Cookbook author and activist Olia Hercules nominates the Ukrainian painter Alla Horska.
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Bonnie Greer on the Women of the Morant Bay Rebellion
Tue 27 Sep 2022
Bonnie Greer nominates the women of the Morant Bay Rebellion in Jamaica.
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Astrid Lindgren, creator of Pippi Longstocking
Tue 20 Sep 2022
Cressida Cowell on her hero Astrid Lindgren, creator of Pippi Longstocking.
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George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood nominated by Lesley Garrett
Tue 13 Sep 2022
Soprano Lesley Garrett celebrates the life of George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood
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Romy Gill on poet Amrita Pritam
Tue 6 Sep 2022
Chef Romy Gill celebrates a poet whose work was heavily influenced by Partition.
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Rosalind Franklin picked by Kate Bingham, former head of the UK government's vaccine taskforce
Tue 30 Aug 2022
Rosalind Franklin, whose work was central to the discovery of DNA.
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Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw, Educationalist
Tue 23 Aug 2022
Sir John Timpson picks Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw.
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Pat Nevin on Johan Cruyff
Tue 2 Aug 2022
Pat Nevin picks Johan Cruyff, the Dutch footballer who changed how the game was played.
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Joan Rhodes, strongest woman in the world
Tue 24 May 2022
Anna Maxwell Martin proposes Joan Rhodes, variety artiste and strongwoman
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Rob Newman on Franklin D Roosevelt
Tue 17 May 2022
Comedian Rob Newman nominates one of his heroes, President Franklin D Roosevelt.
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Mr Manchester Tony Wilson nominated by Terry Christian
Tue 10 May 2022
Terry Christian from The Word on Tony Wilson of Factory Records and The Hacienda.
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Janet Ellis on Puffin editor Kaye Webb
Tue 19 Apr 2022
Blue Peter's Janet Ellis champions a children's publishing sensation.
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Tom Hopkinson, editor of Picture Post
Tue 12 Apr 2022
Donald Macintyre on Tom Hopkinson, editor of Picture Post and Drum.
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Spike Milligan
Tue 25 Jan 2022
Comedian and poet Henry Normal picks his comedy hero - Spike Milligan.
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Roma Agrawal on Mrinalini Sarabhai
Tue 18 Jan 2022
The engineer and author Roma Agrawal on Indian classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai.
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Lady Hale on Lady Rhondda
Tue 11 Jan 2022
Lady Hale chooses the suffragette and businesswoman, Margaret Haig Thomas - Lady Rhondda.
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William Lever, Lord Leverhulme, founder of Unilever
Tue 4 Jan 2022
The mighty soap manufacturer, William Lever, chosen by the boss of Iceland
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Jeanne Baret, first woman to sail round the globe
Tue 21 Dec 2021
Nina Sosanya picks Jeanne Baret, first woman round the globe.
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Rory Sutherland on Johnny Ramone
Tue 14 Dec 2021
The advertising guru Rory Sutherland on the founder of the New York punk band, the Ramones
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JRR Tolkien, creator of The Hobbit
Tue 7 Dec 2021
Niall Ferguson chooses JRR Tolkien, creator of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
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Great Rock and Roll Lives
Stories of inspiration from great musicians from Bowie to Billie Holliday
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