Great Lives

Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.

Episodes

Total: 361

In 1981 Brian Clough paid £1 million pounds to bring Justin Fashanu to Nottingham Forest. It was the

The biography show where famous guests picks someone they admire or love. Jane Morris was the wife o

The biography show where famous guests pick someone from history they admire or they love. Our only

The Roman Emperor Nero

2024/8/26

An unexpected choice for Great Lives, the Roman Emperor Nero has a reputation for debauchery and mur

Julien Temple, director of The Great Rock n Roll Swindle, Glastonbury and Absolute Beginners, choose

Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) was barely known during her lifetime but an exhibition of her work at the

The great Miriam Margolyes chooses Charles Dickens, author of Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol."He

Dame Anita Roddick started The Body Shop in Brighton as a way to earn a living while her husband was

Lady Rachel MacRobert was born Rachel Workman in Massachusetts in 1884. She was sent to study in th

Queen Emma

2024/5/7

Professor Alice Roberts, best known as the presenter of Digging for Britain, picks the wife of two E

Frank Whittle’s fascination with aeroplanes started as a nine-year-old boy when he was nearly decapi

Bestselling children's author Katherine Rundell discusses the extraordinary life of E Nesbit who wro

Antoni Gaudi

2024/4/15

Baroness Ros Altmann, a Conservative peer and former pensions minister, was “blown away” by the arch

Sir Bruce Forsyth

2024/4/8

The political writer and broadcaster Steve Richards remembers the 1970s as a “dark decade.” But one

Gerard Hoffnung’s life was short. He died in 1959 at the age of 34, but this cartoonist, musician,

In 1961 Alan 'Fluff' Freeman took over as the host of the BBC Radio's 'Pick of the Pops' and changed

The Pulitzer Prize winning poet Mary Oliver died in 2019. She was best known for her poetry that re

Harry Belafonte became the King of Calypso with hits like 'Day-O' and 'Jump in the Line' but he woul

In 1776 Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence, kick-starting the movement against

Eartha Kitt was born in South Carolina in 1927. She had a tough upbringing but found her talent whi