News
Don McCullin chooses his old travel companion Norman Lewis for Great Lives. Read more
now playing
Don McCullin on Norman Lewis
Don McCullin chooses his old travel companion Norman Lewis for Great Lives.
Tracy Chevalier on Mary Anning
Novelist Tracy Chevalier chooses the fossil hunter Mary Anning as her great life.
Helen Sharman on Elsie Widdowson
British spacewoman Helen Sharman chooses scientist Elsie Widdowson as her great life.
Nicholas Stern on Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is economist Nicholas Stern's great life as he tells Matthew Parris.
Andrea Catherwood on Constance Markievicz
Constance Markievicz, Irish rebel countess and the first woman elected to Parliament.
Helena Morrissey on Rachael Heyhoe Flint
City boss Helena Morrissey champions the life of Rachael Heyhoe Flint as her great life.
Agustin Barrios Mangore
John Williams discusses the life of Paraguayan guitarist Agustin Barrios Mangore.
Will Gregory on Flann O'Brien
Goldfrapp's Will Gregory takes the stage to nominate Irish writer Flann O'Brien.
Cornelia Parker on Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp, father of conceptual art, is fellow artist Cornelia Parker's great life.
Louise Richardson on Daniel O'Connell
Louise Richardson nominates Daniel O'Connell, hero of Catholic emancipation in 1829.
Nazir Afzal on Gandhi
Nazir Afzal chooses Mahatma Gandhi as his great life.
Hertha Ayrton
Helen Arney, scientist and geek songstress, nominates pioneer physicist Hertha Ayrton.
Gisela Stuart on Joseph Chamberlain
Gisela Stuart nominates Joseph Chamberlain as her great life.
Justin Marozzi on Herodotus
Herodotus - father of history or father of lies? Matthew Parris presents.
Liza Tarbuck on Nikola Tesla
Liza Tarbuck nominates Nikola Tesla as her great life. Matthew Parris presents.
Jim Moir on Captain Beefheart
Jim Moir, aka Vic Reeves, chooses the life of Don van Vliet - Captain Beefheart.
Ayesha Hazarika on Jayaben Desai
Ayesha Hazarika champions her hero Jayaben Desai who led the Grunwick strike in 1976.
Adrian Utley of Portishead on Miles Davis
Miles Davis chosen by Adrian Utley of Portishead.
Laura Serrant on Audre Lorde
Laura Serrant chooses the poet and activist Audre Lorde. From 2018.
Tej Lalvani on Richard Feynman
Tej Lalvani nominates the physicist and bongo playing Richard Feynman as his great life.
Simon Callow on Orson Welles
Matthew Parris meets the actor Simon Callow to discuss the life of Orson Welles.
Mica Paris on Josephine Baker
Soul singer Mica Paris tells Matthew Parris why Josephine Baker is her heroine.
Suzy Klein on Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr, actress, inventor, and the most beautiful woman in the world.
Barbara Stocking on Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great is chosen by Dame Barbara Stocking. Matthew Parris presents.
Hanif Kureishi on David Bowie
Hanif Kureishi nominates his friend David Bowie as his hero.
Erica Wagner on Roald Amundsen
Erica Wagner nominates the first man at the South Pole: Roald Amundsen
Simon Evans on JS Mill
Comedian Simon Evans nominates JS Mill, author of On Liberty.
Patricia Greene on Bess of Hardwick
Patricia Greene, the actress who plays Jill Archer, nominates Bess of Hardwick as her hero
Helen Glover on Alison Hargreaves
Olympic rower Helen Glover nominates the mountaineer Alison Hargreaves who died on K2.
Greg Jenner on Gene Kelly
'Horrible Histories' consultant Greg Jenner on his all time favourite - Gene Kelly.
Cherie Blair on Dame Rose Heilbron
Cherie Blair chooses her role mode, England's first woman judge, Rose Heilbron
