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

The Talented Mr Ripley author, Patricia Highsmith

Sometimes known as 'the stalker's balladeer', she is director Jonathan Kent's choice.

• 28 mins

Chinua Achebe, Nigerian novelist

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown picks Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe.

• 28 mins

Black and British pioneer Kenny Lynch

Veteran black and British entertainer Kenny Lynch.

• 28 mins

KT Tunstall on Ivor Cutler

Singer-songwriter KT Tunstall nominates Scottish humorist Ivor Cutler

• 28 mins

Jonathan Dimbleby on Harry Hopkins.

President Roosevelt's right hand man in World War Two, Harry Hopkins.

• 28 mins

Arlo Parks on Elliott Smith

Singer-songwriter Arlo Parks nominates the young life of singer Elliott Smith.

• 28 mins

Ben Miller on William Hazlitt

Actor and comedian Ben Miller nominates essayist William Hazlitt.

• 28 mins

Rosie Millard on Edward III

Rosie tells Matthew Parris that Edward III was a cultural hero who deserves greater fame.

• 28 mins

THE SURPRISE LIVES

A runaway rollercoaster of Great Lives

• 28 mins

Hans Christian Andersen

Author of The Little Mermaid and The Emperor's New Clothes, he was 'a very strange orchid'

• 28 mins

Yehudi Menuhin

Violinist Tasmin Little on her hero, Sir Yehudi Menuhin.

• 28 mins

Althea Gibson

The first black tennis player to win Wimbledon is the choice of Professor Devi Sridhar

• 28 mins

Frantz Fanon

The anti-colonial writer and psychiatrist from Martinique is the choice of Lindsay Johns

• 28 mins

Josiah Wedgwood, master potter

Tristram Hunt on Josiah Wedgwood, vase maker general to the universe!

• 28 mins

Series 42

Gary Kemp on EW Godwin

Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet chooses architect-designer, Edward William Godwin.

• 30 mins

Series 42

Germaine Greer on Dame Elizabeth Frink

Germaine Greer nominates sculptor Dame Elizabeth Frink. Presented by Matthew Parris.

• 30 mins

Series 42

Ermonela Jaho on Mother Teresa

The Albanian opera singer Ermonela Jaho chooses the life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

• 30 mins

Series 42

Anton Du Beke on Arnold Palmer

Anton Du Beke chooses the golfer Arnold Palmer to discuss with Matthew Parris.

• 30 mins

Series 42

Peaches Golding on Shirley Chisholm

Peaches Golding OBE, nominates African American politician Shirley Chisholm.

• 30 mins

Series 42

Steven Knight on Sitting Bull

Steven Knight, creator of ‘Peaky Blinders’, nominates Sitting Bull.

• 30 mins

Series 42

Sue Cameron on Emma of Normandy

Twice queen of England and mother of two kings, but have you heard of Emma of Normandy?

• 30 mins

Series 42

Peter Williams of Jack Wills chooses Steve Jobs

Peter Williams of Jack Wills champions the abrasive Steve Jobs, founder of Apple.

• 30 mins

Series 42

Iain Lee on Andy Kaufman

Cult legend Andy Kaufman chosen by Iain Lee as his great life.

• 26 mins

Peggy Seeger on her husband Ewan MacColl

Ewan MacColl - folk singer and labour activist - was born Jimmy Miller in Salford in 1915.

• 28 mins

Dorothy Byrne on Catherine of Siena

The president of Murray Edwards College, Cambridge champions the life of the Italian saint

• 28 mins

Yanis Varoufakis on Hypatia

The life and brutal death of a gifted mathematician and philosopher from the ancient world

• 28 mins

Ruth Rogers on James Baldwin

Ruth Rogers chooses the life of writer James Baldwin.

• 28 mins

JRR Tolkien, creator of the Hobbit

JRR Tolkien, creator of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

• 28 mins

Rory Sutherland on Johnny Ramone

The advertising guru Rory Sutherland on the founder of the New York punk band, the Ramones

• 28 mins

Jeanne Baret, first woman to sail round the globe

Nina Sosanya picks Jeanne Baret, first woman round the globe.

• 28 mins

Noor-Un-Nissa Inayat Khan

The muslim princess who became a WW2 Special Agent

• 28 mins

William Lever, Lord Leverhulme, founder of Unilever

The mighty soap manufacturer, William Lever, chosen by the boss of Iceland

• 28 mins

Lady Hale on Lady Rhondda

Lady Hale on Lady Rhondda.

• 28 mins

Roma Agrawal on Mrinalini Sarabhai

The engineer and author Roma Agrawal on Indian classical dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai.

• 28 mins

Spike Milligan

Henry Normal picks his comedy hero Spike Milligan.

• 28 mins

Brian Cox on Lindsay Anderson

Brian Cox on Lindsay Anderson

• 28 mins

Tom Hopkinson, editor of Picture Post

Donald Macintyre on Tom Hopkinson, editor of Picture Post and Drum.

• 28 mins

Janet Ellis on Puffin editor Kaye Webb

Blue Peter's Janet Ellis champions a children's publishing sensation.

• 28 mins

Lolita Chakrabarti on actor Ira Aldridge

Lolita Chakrabarti on actor Ira Aldridge.

• 28 mins

Gil Scott-Heron

Joe Swift on Gil Scott-Heron

• 28 mins

Mr Manchester Tony Wilson nominated by Terry Christian

Terry Christian from The Word on Tony Wilson of Factory Records and The Hacienda.

• 28 mins

Rob Newman on Franklin D Roosevelt

Comedian Rob Newman nominates one of his heroes, President Franklin D Roosevelt.

• 28 mins