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David Blunkett on Louis Braille

Matthew Parris hears from David Blunkett about the life of Louis Braille. From 2015.

• 30 mins

Val McDermid on PD James

Matthew Parris talks to crime writer Val McDermid about the life of PD James.

• 30 mins

Ian McKellen on Edmund Hillary

Sir Ian McKellen nominates mountaineer Edmund Hillary as his inspirational figure.

• 25 mins

Vicky Pryce on Melina Mercouri

Economist Vicky Pryce nominates the Greek film star and politician Melina Mercouri.

• 30 mins

Michael Howard on Elizabeth I

Michael Howard, Conservative Party former leader, tells Matthew Parris about Elizabeth I.

• 30 mins

George Washington Williams

Ade Adepitan champions the life of George Washington Williams.

• 30 mins

Monica Ali chooses Richard Francis Burton

The author Monica Ali champions the life of the explorer Richard Francis Burton.

• 30 mins

Genghis Khan

American commentator Joe Queenan chooses the Mongol leader Genghis Khan.

• 30 mins

Frances Crook on Barbara Castle

Frances Crook proposes Labour politician Barbara Castle. Roy Hattersley is witness

• 30 mins

Hannah Rothschild on Thelonious Monk

Hannah Rothschild looks back at the life of jazz musician Thelonious Monk.

• 26 mins

Nick Stadlen on Bram Fischer

Nick Stadlen champions the life of the Afrikaner Revolutionary Bram Fischer.

• 30 mins

Toyah Willcox on Katharine Hepburn

Toyah Willcox nominates her hero Katharine Hepburn who she met and worked with.

• 30 mins

Dickie Bird on the life of Sir Leonard Hutton

Dickie Bird champions his hero Sir Leonard Hutton.

• 30 mins

Roger Saul chooses Gertrude Jekyll

Fashion designer Roger Saul chooses garden designer Gertrude Jekyll

• 30 mins

Alvin Hall chooses James Baldwin

Matthew Parris meets financial guru Alvin Hall, whose hero is James Baldwin.

• 30 mins

Precious Lunga chooses Wangari Maathai

Matthew Parris explores the remarkable life of Professor Wangari Maathai.

• 30 mins

Martin Jennings on Charles Sargeant Jagger

Martin Jennings nominates the British sculptor Charles Sargeant Jagger.

• 30 mins

Susan Calman on Molly Weir

Comedian Susan Calman chooses the life of actress Molly Weir.

• 30 mins

Nitin Sawhney on Jeff Buckley

Nitin Sawhney champions the life of American singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley

• 30 mins

Eliza Manningham-Buller chooses Abraham Lincoln

Eliza Manningham-Buller on why she regards Abraham Lincoln as a great life.

• 30 mins

Alfred Hitchcock

Anthony Horowitz champions the life of Alfred Hitchcock.

• 30 mins

Nancy Dell'Olio chooses the life of Lucrezia Borgia

Nancy Dell'Olio champions the much maligned Lucrezia Borgia.

• 30 mins

Ray Peacock chooses the life of Lenny Bruce

Comedian Ray Peacock nominates the controversial life of Lenny Bruce.

• 26 mins

Sudha Bhuchar chooses the life of Zohra Sehgal

Playwright and actress Sudha Bhuchar nominates the life of actor Zohra Sehgal.

• 30 mins

Graeme Lamb on Christine Granville

Lt-Gen Sir Graeme Lamb champions wartime spy Christine Granville. Matthew Parris chairs

• 30 mins

Richard the Lionheart

Timmy Mallett chooses Richard the Lionheart. With Helen Castor and Matthew Parris.

• 30 mins

Charles Moore on Gordon Hamilton-Fairley

Cancer pioneer Gordon Hamilton-Fairley, killed by an IRA bomb when he was just 45.

• 30 mins

George Fox

George Fox, founder of the Quakers, nominated by Ann Limb

• 30 mins

Frank Turner on Joseph Grimaldi

Frank Turner chooses Joseph Grimaldi who changed the face of Clowning forever.

• 30 mins

Hilary Devey on Gracie Fields

The life of Dame Gracie Fields is championed by Hilary Devey. From 2016.

• 30 mins