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Great Lives Episodes

  1.

    Comedian Sindhu Vee on Prince

    The comedian Sindhu Vee nominates Prince, the musical superstar.

  2. Fiona Shaw nominates the actress Eleonora Duse

    Eleonora Duse, pioneering 19th-century actress, is the choice of Fiona Shaw.

  3. Philippa Perry on the Italian educator Maria Montessori

    Psychotherapist Philippa Perry on the Italian educator Maria Montessori.

  4. First Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald

    Ramsay Macdonald, Labour's first Prime Minister, chosen by Shaun Ley.

  5. Caroline Quentin nominates Sir John Vanbrugh

    Caroline Quentin nominates the 17th century dramatist and architect Sir John Vanbrugh

  6. Laura Marling on Lou Andreas-Salome

    Laura Marling on the first female psychoanalyst Lou Andreas-Salom茅.

  7. Ed Balls nominates Herbert Howells

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

  8. Robinson Crusoe

    Real-life castaway Lucy Irvine nominates Robinson Crusoe. With Martin Popplewell.

  9. Kamila Shamsie chooses Asma Jahangir

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

  10. Shirley Collins on Alan Lomax

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

  11. Jeremy Deller on The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein

    Turner Prize artist Jeremy Deller chooses The Beatles manager Brian Epstein.

  12. Caroline Criado-Perez on Jane Austen

    The feminist campaigner and writer Caroline Criado-Perez champions the life of Jane Austen

  13. Kirill Gerstein on Ferruccio Busoni

    Kirill Gerstein chooses conductor, composer and virtuoso Ferruccio Busoni

  14. Malcolm Lowry, nominated by Ian McMillan

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

  15. Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, chosen by Tom Holland

    Tom Holland chooses Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians

  16. Catherine de Medici nominated by Helen Lewis

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

  17. Shappi Khorsandi on Emma, Lady Hamilton

    Shappi Khorsandi chooses Emma, Lady Hamilton Lord Nelson鈥檚 mistress.

  18. Matt Lucas on Freddie Mercury

    Matt Lucas chooses Freddie Mercury

  19. Rohan Silva on Colin Chapman

    Matthew Parris profiles the inventor of the car that changed the face of Formula One

  20. Suzanne O'Sullivan on Oliver Sacks

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

  21. Nikesh Shukla on the Great Gama

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

  22. Mark Steel on Charlie Chaplin

    Charlie Chaplin wasn鈥檛 funny but a political rebel. Mark Steel nominates him as his hero.

  23. Tim Smit on Humphrey Jennings

    Eden Project founder chooses documentary maker and artist Humphrey Jennings

  24. Russell Kane on Evelyn Waugh

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

  25. Samira Ahmed on Laura Ingalls Wilder

    Laura Ingalls Wilder: author Tracy Chevalier joins Samira Ahmed

  26. Christina Lamb on Benazir Bhutto

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

  27. Mark Carwardine on Douglas Adams

    Douglas Adams the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

  28. Cherie Blair on Dame Rose Heilbron

    Cherie Blair chooses her role mode, England's first woman judge, Rose Heilbron

  29. Greg Jenner on Gene Kelly

    'Horrible Histories' consultant Greg Jenner on his all time favourite - Gene Kelly.

  30. Helen Glover on Alison Hargreaves

    Olympic rower Helen Glover nominates the mountaineer Alison Hargreaves who died on K2.

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