Miles Davis chosen by Adrian Utley of Portishead.
Now playing
Series 45
Adrian Utley of Portishead on Miles Davis
30 mins
Laura Serrant on Audre Lorde
Matthew Parris hears why the black activist and poet has been chosen as a great life.
Tej Lalvani on Richard Feynman
Tej Lalvani nominates the physicist and bongo playing Richard Feynman as his great life.
Simon Callow on Orson Welles
Matthew Parris meets the actor Simon Callow to discuss the life of Orson Welles.
Mica Paris on Josephine Baker
Soul singer Mica Paris tells Matthew Parris why Josephine Baker is her heroine.
Suzy Klein on Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr, actress, inventor, and the most beautiful woman in the world.
Barbara Stocking on Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great is chosen by Dame Barbara Stocking. Matthew Parris presents.
Series 46
Hanif Kureishi on David Bowie
Hanif Kureishi nominates his friend David Bowie as his hero.
Erica Wagner on Roald Amundsen
Matthew Parris on Roald Amundsen, first man to the South Pole.
Simon Evans on JS Mill
Simon Evans nominates JS Mill, author of On Liberty.
Patricia Greene on Bess of Hardwick
Patricia Greene, the actress who plays Jill Archer, nominates Bess of Hardwick as her hero
Helen Glover on Alison Hargreaves
Matthew Parris invites Olympic rower Helen Glover to choose her great life.
Greg Jenner on Gene Kelly
Greg Jenner on the great song and dance man Gene Kelly.
Cherie Blair on Dame Rose Heilbron
Cherie Blair picks Rose Heilbron, her role model, as her great life.
Mark Carwardine on Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, chosen by Mark Carwardine.
Christina Lamb on Benazir Bhutto
Christina Lamb, author and journalist, nominates Benazir Bhutto as her great life.
Series 47
Pioneer girl Laura Ingalls Wilder nominated by broadcaster Samira Ahmed
Laura Ingalls Wilder: author Tracy Chevalier joins Samira Ahmed
28 mins
Russell Kane on Evelyn Waugh
Comedian Russell Kane nominates novelist Evelyn Waugh, with Ann Pasternak Slater helping.
Tim Smit on Humphrey Jennings, Film Maker
Tim Smit of the Eden Project talks about the life of the artistHumphrey Jennings.
Charlie Chaplin - not just funny but a political rebel according to Mark Steel
Charlie Chaplin wasn’t funny but a political rebel. Mark Steel nominates him as his hero.
Nikesh Shukla on the undefeated Muslim wrestler the Great Gama
The Great Gama, the strongest man in the world, championed by author Nikesh Shukla.
Oliver Sacks chosen by neurologist Suzanne O'Sullivan
Neurologist and author Oliver Sacks is Suzanne O'Sullivan's hero, she tells Matthew Parris
Colin Chapman, creator of Lotus Cars, nominated by Rohan Silva
Matthew Parris profiles the inventor of the car that changed the face of Formula One
Matt Lucas on Freddie Mercury
Matt Lucas chooses Freddie Mercury
Series 48
Shappi Khorsandi on Emma, Lady Hamilton
Shappi Khorsandi chooses Emma, Lady Hamilton, Lord Nelson’s mistress.
Catherine de Medici nominated by Helen Lewis
Helen Lewis chooses the so-called 'Black Queen' of France, Catherine de Medici.
Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, chosen by Tom Holland
Tom Holland chooses Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians
Malcolm Lowry, writer, nominated by Ian McMillan
As a young man looking for a literary hero, poet Ian McMillan found writer Malcolm Lowry
Conductor and composer Ferruccio Busoni
Kirill Gerstein chooses conductor, composer and virtuoso Ferruccio Busoni.
Caroline Criado-Perez nominates Jane Austen
Feminist campaigner and writer Caroline Criado-Perez champions the life of Jane Austen.
Jeremy Deller on The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein
The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein, chosen by artist Jeremy Deller.
Shirley Collins on the American song-hunter Alan Lomax
Shirley Collins and Billy Bragg on the legendary American song-hunter Alan Lomax.
Kamila Shamsie chooses Asma Jahangir
Kamila Shamsie champions the life of the human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir.
Series 49
Robinson Crusoe
Robinson Crusoe picked by Lucy Irvine, author of Castaway
Ed Balls nominates Herbert Howells
Ed Balls discusses the influence of 20th-century composer Herbert Howells on his life.
Laura Marling on the first woman psychoanalyst, Lou Andreas-Salome
Laura Marling on the first female psychoanalyst Lou Andreas-Salomé.
Caroline Quentin nominates Sir John Vanbrugh, playwright and architect
Actress and presenter Caroline Quentin nominates dramatist and architect Sir John Vanbrugh
with Chris Warburton
Chris Warburton sits in with original journalism and surprising news stories.
180 mins
Nihal’s Stand-up Debut
Encouraged by Harry Hill, Nihal tries stand-up at the Edinburgh Fringe.
22 mins
Emmy Blotnick
Nihal talks to the award-winning comedian and writer in Edinburgh.
13 mins
‘Please... need rescue… SOS!’
When Beatrice De Smet got a desperate SMS from her husband, she knew she had to act fast
21 mins
Simon Amstell
Nihal talks to Simon about his new Netflix stand up special.
20 mins
