Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.
Gardener Carol Klein's great life is a Victorian hero of the wild garden, the writer and horticultur
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen on the Victorian artist Aubrey Beardsley, whose shocking originality he comp
Max Mosley nominates the philosopher and proponent of personal liberty, John Stuart Mill, as his gre
What was so notable about Grigori Rasputin ? "The hypnotic power shining in his exceptional gaze," s
Matthew Parris talks to writer, broadcaster and 6Music presenter Stuart Maconie about the life of Ra
Francesca Simon is a writer, journalist and - most famously - the creator of the "Horrid Henry" seri
The date is 1956, Aintree, and Dick Francis is riding the Queen Mother's horse to victory in the Gra
Whilst at school, a young Alan Johnson was given some money by a teacher and told to go and buy four
"If only we'd stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time." Edith Wharton is as well kn
Film director Stephen Frears discusses the life of his mentor, Czech-born director, Karel Reisz, wit
The late Ken Dodd explains to Matthew Parris why Stan Laurel inspired him to get into comedy, with t
Matthew Parris invites writer and comic Natalie Haynes to explain why her nomination for a Great Lif
Matthew Parris finds out why the actor Bill Paterson would nominate for Great Life status a Scottish
Tory MP author and adventurer Rory Stewart champions the life of Sir Walter Scott. Presenter Matthew
"I get to Milan," wrote Napoleon. "I fling myself into your room. I have left everything in order to
The date is June 18 1963, the final seconds of the fourth round of a boxing match. In the ring, Henr
Lynn Barber first met Sebastian Walker at Oxford. "He was the first person I'd ever met who was gay
Diana Athill joins Matthew Parris to explore the life of the Spanish painter, Francisco de Goya, who
John Ford had a monumental Hollywood career - over 140 films, Oscars he never turned up to receive,
Edward Said was a man, who, in his own words, lived two quite separate lives. First there was the sc
