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Erica Wagner nominates the first man at the South Pole: Roald Amundsen Read more
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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
Mark Carwardine on Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Christina Lamb on Benazir Bhutto
Christina Lamb, author and journalist nominates Benazir Bhutto as her great life.
Vera Brittain
Baroness Shirley Williams discusses her mother, the feminist and pacifist Vera Brittain.
Samira Ahmed on Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura Ingalls Wilder: author Tracy Chevalier s Samira Ahmed
Russell Kane on Evelyn Waugh
Comedian Russell Kane nominates novelist Evelyn Waugh, with Ann Pasternak Slater helping
Tim Smit on Humphrey Jennings
Eden Project founder chooses documentary maker and artist Humphrey Jennings
Mark Steel on Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin wasn’t funny but a political rebel. Mark Steel nominates him as his hero.
Nikesh Shukla on the Great Gama
The Great Gama, the strongest man in the world, championed by author Nikesh Shukla.
Suzanne O'Sullivan on Oliver Sacks
Neurologist and author Oliver Sacks is Suzanne O'Sullivan's hero, she tells Matthew Parris
Rohan Silva on Colin Chapman
Matthew Parris profiles the inventor of the car that changed the face of Formula One
Matt Lucas on Freddie Mercury
Matt Lucas chooses Freddie Mercury
Shappi Khorsandi on Emma, Lady Hamilton
Shappi Khorsandi chooses Emma, Lady Hamilton Lord Nelson’s mistress.
Catherine de Medici nominated by Helen Lewis
Helen Lewis nominates the so-called 'Black Queen' of , Catherine de Medici.
Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, chosen by Tom Holland
Tom Holland chooses Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians
Malcolm Lowry, nominated by Ian McMillan
As a young man looking for a literary hero, poet Ian McMillan found writer Malcolm Lowry
Kirill Gerstein on Ferruccio Busoni
Kirill Gerstein chooses conductor, composer and virtuoso Ferruccio Busoni
Caroline Criado-Perez on Jane Austen
The feminist campaigner and writer Caroline Criado-Perez champions the life of Jane Austen
Jeremy Deller on The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein
Turner Prize artist Jeremy Deller chooses The Beatles manager Brian Epstein.
Shirley Collins on Alan Lomax
Shirley Collins and Billy Bragg on the legendary American song-hunter Alan Lomax.
Kamila Shamsie chooses Asma Jahangir
Kamila Shamsie champions the life of the human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir.
Robinson Crusoe
Real-life castaway Lucy Irvine nominates Robinson Crusoe. With Martin Popplewell.
Ed Balls nominates Herbert Howells
Ed Balls discusses the influence of 20th-century composer Herbert Howells on his life.
Laura Marling on Lou Andreas-Salome
Laura Marling on the first female psychoanalyst Lou Andreas-Salomé.
Caroline Quentin nominates Sir John Vanbrugh
Caroline Quentin nominates the 17th century dramatist and architect Sir John Vanbrugh
First Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay Macdonald, Labour's first Prime Minister, chosen by Shaun Ley.