Series 45

Laura Serrant on Audre Lorde

Matthew Parris hears why the black activist and poet has been chosen as a great life.

• 30 mins

Series 45

Tej Lalvani on Richard Feynman

Tej Lalvani nominates the physicist and bongo playing Richard Feynman as his great life.

• 30 mins

Series 45

Simon Callow on Orson Welles

Matthew Parris meets the actor Simon Callow to discuss the life of Orson Welles.

• 30 mins

Series 45

Mica Paris on Josephine Baker

Soul singer Mica Paris tells Matthew Parris why Josephine Baker is her heroine.

• 30 mins

Series 45

Suzy Klein on Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr, actress, inventor, and the most beautiful woman in the world.

• 30 mins

Series 45

Barbara Stocking on Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great is chosen by Dame Barbara Stocking. Matthew Parris presents.

• 30 mins

Series 46

Hanif Kureishi on David Bowie

Hanif Kureishi nominates his friend David Bowie as his hero.

• 30 mins

Series 46

Erica Wagner on Roald Amundsen

Matthew Parris on Roald Amundsen, first man to the South Pole.

• 30 mins

Series 46

Simon Evans on JS Mill

Simon Evans nominates JS Mill, author of On Liberty.

• 30 mins

Series 46

Patricia Greene on Bess of Hardwick

Patricia Greene, the actress who plays Jill Archer, nominates Bess of Hardwick as her hero

• 30 mins

Series 46

Helen Glover on Alison Hargreaves

Matthew Parris invites Olympic rower Helen Glover to choose her great life.

• 30 mins

Series 46

Greg Jenner on Gene Kelly

Greg Jenner on the great song and dance man Gene Kelly.

• 30 mins

Series 46

Cherie Blair on Dame Rose Heilbron

Cherie Blair picks Rose Heilbron, her role model, as her great life.

• 30 mins

Series 46

Mark Carwardine on Douglas Adams

Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, chosen by Mark Carwardine.

• 30 mins

Series 46

Christina Lamb on Benazir Bhutto

Christina Lamb, author and journalist, nominates Benazir Bhutto as her great life.

• 30 mins

Series 47

Pioneer girl Laura Ingalls Wilder nominated by broadcaster Samira Ahmed

Laura Ingalls Wilder: author Tracy Chevalier joins Samira Ahmed

• 28 mins

Series 47

Russell Kane on Evelyn Waugh

Comedian Russell Kane nominates novelist Evelyn Waugh, with Ann Pasternak Slater helping.

• 28 mins

Series 47

Tim Smit on Humphrey Jennings, Film Maker

Tim Smit of the Eden Project talks about the life of the artistHumphrey Jennings.

• 28 mins

Series 47

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.

• 28 mins

Series 47

Nikesh Shukla on the undefeated Muslim wrestler the Great Gama

The Great Gama, the strongest man in the world, championed by author Nikesh Shukla.

• 28 mins

Series 47

Oliver Sacks chosen by neurologist Suzanne O'Sullivan

Neurologist and author Oliver Sacks is Suzanne O'Sullivan's hero, she tells Matthew Parris

• 28 mins

Series 47

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

• 28 mins

Series 47

Matt Lucas on Freddie Mercury

Matt Lucas chooses Freddie Mercury

• 28 mins

Series 48

Shappi Khorsandi on Emma, Lady Hamilton

Shappi Khorsandi chooses Emma, Lady Hamilton, Lord Nelson’s mistress.

• 28 mins

Series 48

Catherine de Medici nominated by Helen Lewis

Helen Lewis chooses the so-called 'Black Queen' of France, Catherine de Medici.

• 28 mins

Series 48

Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, chosen by Tom Holland

Tom Holland chooses Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians

• 28 mins

Series 48

Malcolm Lowry, writer, nominated by Ian McMillan

As a young man looking for a literary hero, poet Ian McMillan found writer Malcolm Lowry

• 28 mins

Series 48

Conductor and composer Ferruccio Busoni

Kirill Gerstein chooses conductor, composer and virtuoso Ferruccio Busoni.

• 28 mins

Series 48

Caroline Criado-Perez nominates Jane Austen

Feminist campaigner and writer Caroline Criado-Perez champions the life of Jane Austen.

• 28 mins

Series 48

Jeremy Deller on The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein

The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein, chosen by artist Jeremy Deller.

• 28 mins

Series 48

Shirley Collins on the American song-hunter Alan Lomax

Shirley Collins and Billy Bragg on the legendary American song-hunter Alan Lomax.

• 28 mins

Series 48

Kamila Shamsie chooses Asma Jahangir

Kamila Shamsie champions the life of the human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir.

• 28 mins

Series 49

Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe picked by Lucy Irvine, author of Castaway

• 28 mins

Series 49

Ed Balls nominates Herbert Howells

Ed Balls discusses the influence of 20th-century composer Herbert Howells on his life.

• 28 mins

Series 49

Laura Marling on the first woman psychoanalyst, Lou Andreas-Salome

Laura Marling on the first female psychoanalyst Lou Andreas-Salomé.

• 28 mins

Series 49

Caroline Quentin nominates Sir John Vanbrugh, playwright and architect

Actress and presenter Caroline Quentin nominates dramatist and architect Sir John Vanbrugh

• 28 mins

Series 49

First Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald

Ramsay Macdonald, Labour's first prime minister, chosen by Shaun Ley.

• 28 mins

Series 49

Philippa Perry on the Italian educator Maria Montessori

Psychotherapist Philippa Perry on the Italian educator Maria Montessori.

• 28 mins

Series 49

Fiona Shaw nominates actress Eleonora Duse

Eleonora Duse, pioneering nineteenth-century actress, is the choice of Fiona Shaw.

• 28 mins

Series 49

Comedian Sindhu Vee on Prince

Comedian Sindhu Vee nominates Prince, the musical superstar.

• 28 mins

Series 49

Constance Agatha Cummings-John

Author Chibundu Onuzo on the first elected female in Africa, Constance Cummings-John.

• 28 mins

Series 50

Just William / Richmal Crompton proposed by Peter Oborne with Martin Jarvis

William Brown, star of the Just William books, proposed by Peter Oborne

• 28 mins

Series 50

War photographer and model Lee Miller proposed by Lindsey Hilsum of Channel 4 News

Lindsey Hilsum on the extraordinary life of Lee Miller

• 28 mins

Series 50

Jeremy Paxman nominates Lord Shaftesbury

Jeremy Paxman nominates the Victorian social reformer Lord Shaftesbury.

• 28 mins

Series 50

Novelist Enid Blyton

How can Enid Blyton not be a great life?

• 28 mins

Series 50

Bill Bailey on his hero Alfred Russel Wallace

Bill Bailey and his love for Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace

• 28 mins

Series 50

Charlie Parker nominated by Ken Clarke

Charlie Parker - Bird - proposed by Ken Clarke

• 28 mins

Series 50

Kurt Vonnegut and Josie Long

Kurt Vonnegut on Kurt Vonnegut, with a little help from Josie Long

• 28 mins

Series 50

Andi Oliver on Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison

Andi Oliver on Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison.

• 28 mins

Rick Stein on Jim Morrison

Chef, writer and presenter Rick Stein nominates Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors.

• 26 mins

Frank Cottrell Boyce on Tove Jansson

Frank Cottrell-Boyce on Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins.

• 27 mins

Ursula Le Guin nominated by Kate Stables

Earthsea author Ursula le Guin

• 28 mins

The amazing Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou, author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

• 28 mins

Victoria Wood

Victoria Wood, creator of Dinnerladies, Acorn Antiques and As Seen on TV.

• 28 mins

Sally Phillips on Hollywood star Myrna Loy

Sally Phillips nominates her comedy star, Myrna Loy.

• 28 mins

Billy Bremner of Leeds United

Anand Menon chooses Leeds United captain, Billy Bremner.

• 28 mins

Sybille Bedford, author of Jigsaw and A Legacy

Sara Wheeler nominates her literary hero, Sybille Bedford.

• 28 mins

Dolly Alderton on Doris Day

Doris Day is the choice of Dolly Alderton, author, podcaster and columnist.

• 28 mins

Mussolini

Benito Mussolini, founder of fascism and ruler of Italy 1922-1943

• 28 mins

Frida Kahlo nominated by Author Jessie Burton

Artist Frida Kahlo nominated by Jessie Burton

• 28 mins

Peter Frankopan on Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

The best-selling historian Peter Frankopan nominates Russia's "father of space travel"

• 28 mins

Jessie Ware on Donna Summer

The singer and podcaster, Jessie Ware, chooses the Queen of Disco, Donna Summer.

• 28 mins

Ernie Bevin, forgotten political giant

Frances O'Grady nominates Ernie Bevin

• 28 mins

Tom Allen on Kenneth Williams

The comedian, presenter, and writer Tom Allen chooses the entertainer Kenneth Williams.

• 28 mins

Sir David Adjaye on Okwui Enwezor

Curator and educator Okwui Enwezor championed by the architect Sir David Adjaye.

• 28 mins

James Graham on John Maynard Keynes

The acclaimed playwright tells Matthew Parris why he's inspired by Keynes' life and work.

• 28 mins

Xuanzang, Chinese monk and traveller

Michael Wood on the great Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang.

• 28 mins

Katherine Parr, sixth wife of Henry VIII

Who would marry a serial killer? Katherine Parr, sixth wife of Henry VIII

• 28 mins

David Spiegelhalter on Frank Ramsey

Statistician David Spiegelhalter champions the short, brilliant life of Frank Ramsey.

• 28 mins

The Great Lives of Great Lives

After 450 episodes, Matthew Parris thinks it's time to find out what makes a great life.

• 28 mins

Diane Morgan on Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding

Comedian and actor Diane Morgan chooses the life of Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding

• 28 mins

Rob Rinder on Jessica Mitford.

Jessica Mitford is championed by Robert Rinder.

• 28 mins

David Jonsson on Jean Michel Basquiat

Actor David Jonsson champions artist Jean-Michel Basquiat

• 28 mins

Caroline Catz on Delia Derbyshire

The actor Caroline Catz chooses Delia Derbyshire, who realised the theme to Doctor Who.

• 28 mins

Rights activist Cesar Chavez nominated by Cori Crider

Human rights lawyer Cori Crider explains why she is inspired by the life of Cesar Chavez.

• 28 mins