Great Lives Podcast
Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.
Episodes to download
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Alex Wheatle, the Bard of Brixton
Mon 22 Dec 2025
Ashley John Baptiste chooses Alex Wheatle, author of the Crongton novels.
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Spitfire pilot Jeffrey Quill picked by astronaut Tim Peake
Mon 15 Dec 2025
Famous guests pick someone who has inspired their lives.
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Oliver Postgate
Mon 6 Oct 2025
Andrew Davenport, creator of In the Night Garden, chooses Oliver Postgate.
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Jock Stein, first British football manager to win the European Cup
Mon 8 Sep 2025
Famous guests pick someone they love or admire.
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Benjamin Franklin
Mon 1 Sep 2025
Famous guests nominate lives they love or admire - today Benjamin Franklin.
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Miles Jupp on JL Carr, author of A Month in the Country
Mon 25 Aug 2025
Famous guests pick a life they love or admire.
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DJ Deb Grant on John Prine
Mon 11 Aug 2025
DJ Deb Grant picks US mailman turned country-folk singer John Prine.
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Sir Seretse Khama, first president of Botswana
Mon 2 Jun 2025
Notable guests pick a great life they admire.
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Emily Williamson, co-founder of the RSPB
Mon 26 May 2025
Notable guests pick someone who has inspired their lives.
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Raymond Blanc on Professor Nicholas Kurti
Mon 12 May 2025
Raymond Blanc chooses physicist Nicholas Kurti.
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Dervla Murphy, author of the classic Full Tilt
Mon 5 May 2025
Famous guests pick someone who has inspired their lives
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Ned Ludd mythical leader of the Luddites
Mon 28 Apr 2025
Famous guests pick someone who has inspired their lives
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Richey Edwards of The Manic Street Preachers
Mon 21 Apr 2025
Guests pick great lives they admire or are passionate about.
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Maggi Hambling picks muse and lover Henrietta Moraes
Mon 7 Apr 2025
Artist Maggi Hambling picks her muse.
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Mark Billingham chooses George Harrison
Mon 3 Feb 2025
Crime writer Mark Billingham nominates the musician, singer and songwriter George Harrison
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Ellen E Jones nominates Florynce Kennedy
Mon 27 Jan 2025
Film journalist Ellen E Jones nominates the flamboyant American activist Florynce Kennedy
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A N Wilson selects Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Mon 20 Jan 2025
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe picked by writer A N Wilson.
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Jessica Fostekew on Boudica
Mon 13 Jan 2025
Comedian Jessica Fostekew nominates the ancient English warrior queen, Boudica.
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Reginald D Hunter selects Eugene V Debs
Mon 6 Jan 2025
Five time socialist presidential candidate Eugene Victor Debs picked by Reginald D Hunter.
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Pen Hadow nominates Sir Peter Scott
Mon 30 Dec 2024
Conservationist Peter Scott, founder of Slimbridge, is picked by Pen Hadow.
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Lauren Cuthbertson on Margot Fonteyn
Mon 23 Dec 2024
The Royal Ballet's Lauren Cuthbertson on quintessential British ballerina Margot Fonteyn.
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Dr Hannah Critchlow picks Professor Colin Blakemore
Mon 16 Dec 2024
Dr Hannah Critchlow selects the neurobiologist Professor Colin Blakemore.
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Doug Allan on Captain Jacques Cousteau
Mon 9 Dec 2024
Wildlife cameraman Doug Allan nominates oceanographer and explorer Jacques Cousteau.
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Ekow Eshun on the first openly gay footballer, Justin Fashanu
Mon 23 Sep 2024
Biography show where famous guests pick someone they admire or love.
Great Rock and Roll Lives
Stories of inspiration from great musicians from Bowie to Billie Holliday
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