Great Lives

Latest Episodes:

Eliza Manningham-Buller chooses Abraham Lincoln Jan 26, 2016

Show notes

Former director of MI5, Eliza Manningham-Buller, tells Matthew Parris why she regards Abraham Lincoln as a great life.

But will her hero stand up to intensive scrutiny and merit the description of having led a great life? The expert is Dr Tony Hutchison, from the American Studies Department at the University of Nottingham.

The producer is Perminder Khatkar.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2016.

Nitin Sawhney on Jeff Buckley Jan 20, 2016

Show notes

Musician and performer Nitin Sawhney champions the life of Jeff Buckley who he regards as a genius singer, songwriter. The expert is Steve Abbott who was a friend of Buckley's and released his debut record.

Presenter: Matthew Parris Producer: Perminder Khatkar.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2016.

Susan Calman on Molly Weir Jan 13, 2016

Show notes

Biographical series in which guests select someone who has inspired their lives.

Comedian Susan Calman chooses the Scottish actress Molly Weir.

Molly began her long career on BBC radio before moving into TV and becoming one of the first Scottish female voices on national media in the 1950s.

She memorably mopped floors for many years in a long-running series of TV commercials.

Presented by Matthew Parris. Producers: Maggie Ayre & Perminder Khatkar.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2016.

Martin Jennings on Charles Sargeant Jagger Jan 05, 2016

Show notes

In this episode, you might not know the name of the Great Life but you have probably walked past his work. At London's Hyde Park Corner - the 'Royal Artillery Memorial' stands – a huge stone monument. Charles Sargeant Jagger was arguably the first British sculptor to try to capture the horror of war. A full-sized gun – a 9.2 howitzer protrudes from the top; four masculine soldiers surround the base – one a corpse. Martin Jennings also a British sculptor, nominates Jagger as his Great Life. Along with the expert, art historian Ann Compton, they tell Matthew Parris how the First World War shaped and made Jagger. The producer is Perminder Khatkar.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2016.

Precious Lunga chooses Wangari Maathai Jan 04, 2016

Show notes

Matthew Parris's guest this week is the epidemiologst Precious Lunga, who nominates for Great Life status that of the Kenyan environmental activist Wangari Muta Maathai.

In the course of her life, Professor Maathai made a huge contribution to re-establishing environmental integrity to Kenya by working with the women who lived there. She founded the Green Belt Movement and became a politician. In 2004 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The expert witness is Maggie Baxter from the Green Belt Movement. Producer Christine Hall

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2015.

Alvin Hall chooses James Baldwin Dec 22, 2015

Show notes

Alvin Hall is the friendly face of financial reality, lecturing, writing and broadcasting on the subject of managing money.

But he is also passionately interested in fine art, music and literature, and his nomination for a Great Life is that of writer and Civil Rights activist, James Baldwin.

Baldwin was born in 1924 in Harlem and his achievements in overcoming a difficult start in life were prodigious. For much of his life he lived outside the United States, returning in the late 1950s to support the nascent Civil Rights movement, though the Movement itself had some problems with his homosexuality.

Throughout his life he continued to write about the experiences of being black in 20th century America and is now widely regarded as the pre-eminent African-American writer of the century. Dr Douglas Field of the University of Manchester, who has written several books on James Baldwin, discusses Baldwin's life and achievements with Alvin and with Matthew Parris.

Presented by Matthew Parris.

Producer: Christine Hall

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2015.

Roger Saul chooses Gertrude Jekyll Dec 16, 2015

Show notes

Matthew Parris invites fashion designer Roger Saul, who created the Mulberry brand, to nominate a great life. He has chosen the early 20th century garden designer Gertrude Jekyll whose beautiful gardens instilled in him a love of plants and landscaping. Inspired by William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement, together with architect Edward Lutyens, Gertrude Jekyll designed many great gardens including Hestercombe in Somerset and at her home in Surrey. Producer: Maggie Ayre

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2015.

Dickie Bird on the life of Sir Leonard Hutton Dec 08, 2015

Show notes

Harold 'Dickie' Bird, now retired but one of our best known cricket umpires champions the life of Sir Leonard Hutton.

According to Dickie, this Yorkshireman is one of the greatest opening batsmen of all time, who made history by becoming the first professional England captain. Joining him, the Sunday Times cricket correspondent and author Simon Wilde.

Matthew Parris is the presenter.

Producer: Perminder Khatkar

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2015.

Toyah Willcox on Katharine Hepburn Sep 29, 2015

Show notes

Toyah Willcox chooses the actress and Hollywood legend, Katharine Hepburn.

Dubbed an 'oddity' and 'box office poison', Hepburn liked to goad the press and public with her eccentric behaviour and unconventional love life.

Her Hollywood career spanned six decades, during which she starred alongside other Hollywood greats, including James Stewart, Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart and Spencer Tracy.

The four time Oscar award-winning actress is championed by singer and actress Toyah Willcox - who met and worked with her.

The expert is Dr Mark Glancy – Reader in Film History, at Queen Mary, University of London.

Presented by Matthew Parris.

Producer: Perminder Khatkar.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2015.

Nick Stadlen on Bram Fischer Sep 22, 2015

Show notes

This week's Great Life might have become an Afrikaner Nationalist Prime Minister of apartheid South Africa, but instead became its most prominent white opponent. A formidable advocate, he led the defence of Nelson Mandela in the Rivonia Trial. It is no exaggeration to say Bram Fischer saved Mandela's life, and it is said Mandela would have made him his vice-president, had he lived to see Mandela's release. He's nominated by former English High Court Judge Sir Nick Stadlen along with Lord Joffe.

Presenter Matthew Parris.

Producer Perminder Khatkar.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2015.

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