George Galloway chooses British poet and political activist John Cornford. Read more
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John Cornford
George Galloway chooses British poet and political activist John Cornford.
Freya Stark
Travel writer Dervla Murphy discusses the life of another woman traveller, Freya Stark.
Sir Kyffin Williams
Rolf Harris discusses the life of the Welsh painter Sir Kyffin Williams.
The A-Z of Dr Johnson
Politician Boris Johnson chooses the creator of the English dictionary, Dr Samuel Johnson.
Miriam Makeba
Kate Humble discusses the South African singer and anti-apartheid activist, Miriam Makeba.
Harry Houdini
Paul Daniels explores the life of Harry Houdini, with help from biographer William Kalush.
Rudyard Kipling
John Major discusses the life of Rudyard Kipling, poet to the British Empire.
Henry V
Sir Ranulph Fiennes discusses the life of Henry V and tries to separate fact from myth.
Tennessee Williams
Stand-up comedian Rich Hall discusses the life of playwright Tennessee Williams.
Vivian Stanshall
Neil Innes discusses the life of his colleague and friend Vivian Stanshall.
Hannah Arendt
Munira Mirza discusses the life of the influential political philosopher Hannah Arendt.
Nero
Christopher Biggins champions the life of the Roman Emperor Nero.
Lise Meitner
Jenny Agutter champions the life and work of pioneering Austrian physicist Lise Meitner.
Picasso
Photographer David Bailey discusses the life and work of Pablo Picasso.
Bill Hamilton
Professor Richard Dawkins discusses the evolutionary theorist Bill Hamilton.
Bertolt Brecht
Playwright John Godber discusses the life of German writer Bertolt Brecht.
Robin Hood
Human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith discusses Robin Hood.
Douglas Jardine
Peter White discusses the controversial England cricket captain Douglas Jardine.
Matthew Flinders
Sir Stuart Rose discusses the life of the cartographer who mapped Australia.
Buckminster Fuller
TV producer John Lloyd discusses the life of American architect Richard Buckminster Fuller
Jack Johnson
Matthew Syed chooses the first African-American world heavyweight boxing champion.
Carl Sagan
Physicist Brian Cox reveals how Carl Sagan's Cosmos TV show changed his life.
Charlotte Guest
Sarah Hogg chooses as her champion Lady Charlotte Guest.
Harold Pinter
Matthew Parris introduces the life of writer Harold Pinter, chosen by Diane Abbott MP.
Arthur Wharton
Viv Anderson champions the life of Arthur Wharton, the first black professional footballer
John Lennon
John Lennon is the life nominated by writer John Harris. Matthew Parris presents.
Sappho
Greek poet Sappho - intellectual or vamp?
Richard Nixon
Historian Dominic Sandbrook discusses the life of Richard Nixon.
Mary Carpenter
Camila Batmanghelidjh discusses the life of her Victorian equivalent, Mary Carpenter.
Simone Weil
Eleanor Bron discusses the life of French philosopher and mystic Simone Weil.
Winston Churchill
Lord Digby Jones chooses Winston Churchill, with contribution from Prof David Reynolds.