Lives Less Ordinary

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Becoming Gamal, part 2: Behind the badge Nov 20, 2023

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Gamal Turawa has lived many lives - but never fitted in.

First as a black British boy adopted into a white family, then hoodwinked by his father and eventually begging on the streets of Lagos - he was always on the margins. As an adult he joined London's Metropolitan Police, but instead of finding a home there, his differences were used to tear him down and humilate him. When Gamal finally hit rock bottom he decided to stop hiding and stand out.

Details of organisations offering information and support on a wide range of issues are available at www.bbc.co.uk/actionline

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producers: Charlie Towler and Harry Graham Editor: Laura Thomas

Becoming Gamal, part 1: Magic and misadventure Nov 13, 2023

Show notes

Gamal Turawa has lived many lives - but never fitted in

As the first openly gay black officer in London's Metropolitan Police, he struggled to find his way while reckoning with his past. Adopted into a white family as a baby, Gamal was hoodwinked by his father as a boy and ended up living as a teenage beggar on the streets of Lagos, until a chance encounter saw him find work as a magician's assistant, hyping up crowds across West Africa.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producers: Charlie Towler and Harry Graham Editor: Laura Thomas

The fisherman and the 'spy whale' Nov 06, 2023

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Joar Hesten's mission to save a whale rumoured to have escaped from the Russian navy.

Norwegian Joar Hesten was fishing for cod in the Arctic when he came across a beluga whale wearing a harness. He helped to free the animal, but when he took a closer look at the harness he saw that it was labelled ‘Equipment of St Petersburg’. Theories started swirling that this whale had once belonged to the Russian military, and it was nicknamed Hvaldimir, the 'Russian spy whale'. As Hvaldimir's fame grew, Joar became determined to protect him from human contact.

Presenter: Emily Webb Producer: Saskia Edwards

Photo: Joar with Hvaldimir Credit: Aleksander Nordahl, DN/D2

Brazil's loneliest fan and his footballing fairytale Oct 30, 2023

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Tiago Rech went viral when he was the only supporter in the stands at his club's game.

In 2012 Tiago Rech was the only fan at a big away match for his beloved football team Santa Cruz FC. When they scored, his timid, lone celebration was caught by TV cameras and went viral. All this attention earned him a role with the club, where full of ideas and enthusiasm, he made his way to the very top, to his dream job of club President. But there would be a sting in this fairytale.

Produced and presented by Andrea Kennedy Editor: Munazza Khan

Clips courtesy of Federação Gaúcha de Futebol and Canal Duda Garbi.

Love, Loss and 'Project 22' Oct 22, 2023

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Fleur Pierets and Julian Boom wanted to wed in every country that allowed gay marriage.

After falling in love at first sight, the artist couple planned to make a statement to the world. So in 2017, they embarked on ‘Project 22’ - a performance art piece in which they would marry in all 22 countries where same-sex marriage was legal at the time. But four weddings later, their trip would be tragically cut short.

Fleur has written a memoir about her experience, called Julian.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producers: Olivia Lynch-Kelly and Zoe Gelber Editor: Munazza Khan

38 days: a family adrift in the Pacific Oct 15, 2023

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The Robertsons' boat was attacked by killer whales and started to sink fast

Douglas was 16 years old when his parents sold the family farm in England and took him and his three siblings on a sailing trip around the world. It was the adventure of a lifetime. But in 1972 while en route to New Zealand, their yacht was hit by a pod of orcas and they started to sink fast. Weeks from safety and with no way to send for help, Douglas and his family would have to try and find a way to survive.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: May Cameron Editor: Andrea Kennedy Sound design: Joel Cox

"My friends were arrested, or simply disappeared" Oct 08, 2023

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Tahir Izgil is one of the most highly respected living Uyghur poets. Tahir was born near Kashgar, in Xinjiang province, and from an early age he was immersed in the poetry of his culture. When the Chinese state clamped down on the Uyghur community, he lived under constant threat of arrest, and says he couldn’t even perform his poems. So he decided to try and escape his homeland.

Tahir has a memoir out about his experiences called Waiting to Be Arrested at Night, translated by Joshua Freeman.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Harry Graham Editor: Andrea Kennedy

Bringing home the prime minister’s gold tooth Oct 01, 2023

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Juliana Lumumba had to fight to reclaim the remains of her father, Patrice Lumumba.

He'd been the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo and an anti-colonial hero. He was assassinated in 1961 when Juliana was five years old, and no trace of his body was found. So when it emerged 60 years later that one of his gold teeth was in Belgium, Juliana yearned to bring it home.

Presenter: India Rakusen Producer: Rob Wilson Editor: Munazza Khan

The Godmother of Beirut's nightlife Sep 24, 2023

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Under the boot of the Syrian army, Nicole Moudaber brought raves to Lebanon.

After sampling the delights of dance music whilst studying abroad in the nineties, Nicole made it her goal to bring this new sound to a divided and conservative society. She faced opposition from her family and the regime, but when scandal hit she decided to turn the tables...herself.

Presenter: India Rakusen Producer: Edgar Maddicott and Harry Graham Editor: Munazza Khan

(Photo: Nicole Moudaber. Credit: Stuart Tracte)

Dancing in the womb Sep 17, 2023

Show notes

A mother, a son, and the discovery of a shared dream.

Latifa Khamessi and her son Mohamed Toukabri from Tunisia were inseparable until aged 15 when he left for Europe to study dance. It was gut-wrenching to be apart, but an opportunity he couldn't turn down. It wasn't until years later that Mohamed discovered his mother had had the same dream as a girl, but had been forbidden from pursuing it. Separated by a sea and oceans of time Mohamed then hatched a plan to reunite with his mother, now in her sixties, and unite their dreams.

The Power (of) the Fragile was performed at The Shubbak Festival in London.

Presenter: India Rakusen Producer: Helen Fitzhenry Editor: Rebecca Vincent Voice over by Mounira Chaieb

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