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Great Lives Episodes

  1.

    Ludwig Koch

    Chris Watson on Ludwig Koch

  2. Kate Raworth on Donella Meadows

    Economist Kate Raworth chooses the Environmental Scientist Donella 'Dana' Meadows

  3. Sophie Scott on Hattie Jacques

    Sophie Scott chooses comedy legend Hattie Jacques.

  4. Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore and London Zoo

    The head of ZSL, Matthew Gould, picks the founder of London Zoo

  5. Susie Dent on Thomas Mann

    Susie Dent chooses the German writer Thomas Mann, who wrote Death in Venice.

  6. Tony Benn

    Ellie Gibson picks the Labour politician Tony Benn

  7. Jake Arnott on John Gay

    The satirist and writer of The Beggar's Opera nominated by Jake Arnott. With Ian Hislop.

  8. Jon Ronson picks Terry Hall of The Specials

    Terry Hall, lead singer of The Specials and Fun Boy Three - includes Lynval Golding

  9. Sir Edward Coke, prosecutor of Guy Fawkes

    Jesse Norman picks Sir Edward Coke, lawyer and Parliamentarian.

  10. Kofi Annan

    Gillian Burke chooses the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations.

  11. Frank Zappa

    John Robins is obsessed by Frank Zappa - here's why

  12. Matthew Henson, Arctic explorer and pioneer

    Matthew Henson, who may have been the first person ever to set foot on the North Pole.

  13. Frederick the Great of Prussia

    Frederick the Great, the most surprising king of Prussia.

  14. Arthur Ashe

    Broadcaster Qasa Alom picks his hero Arthur Ashe.

  15. Adjoa Andoh on Zora Neale Hurston

    Bridgerton's Adjoa Andoh chooses the iconic American writer Zora Neale Hurston

  16. Comedian Chris McCausland on Kurt Cobain

    Kurt Cobain is nominated by comedian Chris McCausland.

  17. Roger Deakin, wild swimmer and author of Waterlogged

    Nick Hayes, author of the Book of Trespass, nominates Roger Deakin.

  18. Minette Batters on Henry Plumb

    Matthew Parris is joined by the president of the National Farmers' Union, Minette Batters.

  19. Bob Harris on Sir Matt Busby, Manchester United manager

    Presenter Bob Harris champions Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby.

  20. Noddy Holder on Chuck Berry

    Slade frontman Noddy Holder champions the life of rock 'n' roll pioneer Chuck Berry.

  21. Olivia Laing on Christopher Lloyd, Gardener and Writer

    Writer Olivia Laing nominates the gardener and writer Christopher Lloyd.

  22. Olia Hercules on Alla Horska, Ukrainian painter

    Cookbook author and activist Olia Hercules nominates the Ukrainian painter Alla Horska.

  23. Bonnie Greer on the Women of the Morant Bay Rebellion

    Bonnie Greer nominates the women of the Morant Bay Rebellion in Jamaica.

  24. Astrid Lindgren, creator of Pippi Longstocking

    Cressida Cowell on her hero Astrid Lindgren, creator of Pippi Longstocking.

  25. George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood nominated by Lesley Garrett

    Soprano Lesley Garrett celebrates the life of George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood

  26. Romy Gill on poet Amrita Pritam

    Chef Romy Gill celebrates a poet whose work was heavily influenced by Partition.

  27. Rosalind Franklin picked by Kate Bingham, former head of the UK government's vaccine taskforce

    Rosalind Franklin, whose work was central to the discovery of DNA.

  28. Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw, Educationalist

    Sir John Timpson picks Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw.

  29. Ravi Shankar, India's famous sitar player

    Bobby Seagull picks Ravi Shankar.

  30. Holly Walsh on BS Johnson

    Holly Walsh picks BS Johnson, fiery sixties novelist

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