Great Lives Episodes Episode guide
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Frank Cottrell Boyce on Tove Jansson
Frank Cottrell-Boyce on Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins.
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Rick Stein on Jim Morrison
Chef, writer and presenter Rick Stein nominates Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors.
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Andi Oliver on Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison
Andi Oliver chooses the Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison
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Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut on Kurt Vonnegut, with a little help from Josie Long
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Charlie Parker nominated by Ken Clarke
Charlie Parker - Bird - proposed by Ken Clarke
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Bill Bailey on his hero Alfred Russel Wallace
Bill Bailey and his love for Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace
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Novelist Enid Blyton
How can Enid Blyton not be a great life?
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Jeremy Paxman nominates Lord Shaftesbury
Jeremy Paxman nominates the Victorian social reformer Lord Shaftesbury.
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Lee Miller, war photographer and model
Lindsey Hilsum on the extraordinary life of Lee Miller.
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Just William / Richmal Crompton proposed by Peter Oborne with Martin Jarvis
William Brown, star of the Just William books, proposed by Peter Oborne.
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Constance Agatha Cummings-John
Author Chibundu Onuzo on the first elected female in Africa, Constance Cummings-John.
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Comedian Sindhu Vee on Prince
The comedian Sindhu Vee nominates Prince, the musical superstar.
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Fiona Shaw nominates the actress Eleonora Duse
Eleonora Duse, pioneering 19th-century actress, is the choice of Fiona Shaw.
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Philippa Perry on the Italian educator Maria Montessori
Psychotherapist Philippa Perry on the Italian educator Maria Montessori.
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First Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay Macdonald, Labour's first Prime Minister, chosen by Shaun Ley.
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Caroline Quentin nominates Sir John Vanbrugh
Caroline Quentin nominates the 17th century dramatist and architect Sir John Vanbrugh
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Laura Marling on Lou Andreas-Salome
Laura Marling on the first female psychoanalyst Lou Andreas-SalomΓ©.
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Ed Balls nominates Herbert Howells
Ed Balls discusses the influence of 20th-century composer Herbert Howells on his life.
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Robinson Crusoe
Real-life castaway Lucy Irvine nominates Robinson Crusoe. With Martin Popplewell.
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Kamila Shamsie chooses Asma Jahangir
Kamila Shamsie champions the life of the human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir.
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Shirley Collins on Alan Lomax
Shirley Collins and Billy Bragg on the legendary American song-hunter Alan Lomax.
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Jeremy Deller on The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein
Turner Prize artist Jeremy Deller chooses The Beatles manager Brian Epstein.
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Caroline Criado-Perez on Jane Austen
The feminist campaigner and writer Caroline Criado-Perez champions the life of Jane Austen
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Kirill Gerstein on Ferruccio Busoni
Kirill Gerstein chooses conductor, composer and virtuoso Ferruccio Busoni
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Malcolm Lowry, nominated by Ian McMillan
As a young man looking for a literary hero, poet Ian McMillan found writer Malcolm Lowry
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Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, chosen by Tom Holland
Tom Holland chooses Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians
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Catherine de Medici nominated by Helen Lewis
Helen Lewis nominates the so-called 'Black Queen' of France, Catherine de Medici.
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Shappi Khorsandi on Emma, Lady Hamilton
Shappi Khorsandi chooses Emma, Lady Hamilton Lord Nelson’s mistress.
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Matt Lucas on Freddie Mercury
Matt Lucas chooses Freddie Mercury
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Rohan Silva on Colin Chapman
Matthew Parris profiles the inventor of the car that changed the face of Formula One