Great Lives

Great Lives is a BBC Radio 4 biography series, produced in Bristol. It has been presented by Joan Bakewell, Humphrey Carpenter, Francine Stock and currently (since April 2006) Matthew Parris. A distinguished guest is asked to nominate the person they feel is truly deserving of the title "Great Life". The presenter and a recognised expert (a biographer, family member or fellow practitioner) are on hand to discuss the person's life. The programmes are 28 minutes long, originally broadcast on Fridays at 23:00, more recently at 16:30 on Tuesday with a repeat at 23:00 on Friday.

Programmes

Series 0, August–November 2001

Series 1, May–August 2002

Series 2, October–December 2002

Series 3, April–June 2003

Series 4, October–December 2003

Series 5, April–June 2004

Series 6, October–December 2004

• ¹The programme originally scheduled was by the guest film-maker David Puttnam (who nominated the Irish nationalist leader Michael Collins). It was withdrawn due to "production quality".

Hogmanay Special, 31 December 2004

• Carpenter died on 4 January 2005, this was his last Great Lives programme ¹

Series 7, April–June 2005

Series 8, October 2005 – February 2006

Series 9, April–June 2006

¹Coward was previously nominated by Peter Bazalgette in Series 4 Programme 1

Series 10, August–September 2006

Series 11, December 2006 – January 2007

Series 12, April–May 2007

Series 13, August–October 2007

Series 14, December 2007 – January 2008

Series 15, April–May 2008

Series 16, August–September 2008

Series 17, December 2008 – February 2009

Series 18, April–May 2009

Series 19, August–September 2009

Series 20, December 2009 – February 2010

Series 21, April–May 2010

Series 22, August–September 2010

Series 23, November 2010 – January 2011

• Garvey was previously nominated by Yvonne Brown in Series 7 Programme 7 ¹

Series 24, April–May 2011

Series 25, August–September 2011

Series 26, December 2011 – January 2012

Series 27, April–May 2012

Series 28, July–September 2012

Series 29, December 2012 – January 2013

Series 30, April–May 2013

Series 31, August–October 2013

Series 32, December 2013 – January 2014

Series 33, April–May 2014

Series 34, August–October 2014

Series 35, December 2014 – January 2015

Series 36, April–June 2015

Series 37, August–September 2015

Series 38, December 2015 – January 2016

Series 39, April–May 2016

Series 40, August–September 2016

Series 41, December 2016 – January 2017

Series 42, April–May 2017

Series 43, August–September 2017

Series 44, December 2017 – January 2018

Series 45, April–May 2018

Series 46, July–September 2018

Series 47, December 2018 – January 2019

Series 48, April–May 2019

Series 49, July–September 2019

Series 50, December 2019 – January 2020

Series 51, April–June 2020

Series 52, August–September 2020

Series 53, December 2020 – January 2021

Series 54, April–June 2021

Series 55, August–September 2021

Series 56, December 2021 – January 2022

Series 57, April–May 2022

Series 58, May–September 2022

Series 59, December 2022 – January 2023

Series 60, April–May 2023

Series 61, June–September 2023

Series 62, November 2023 – January 2024

Series 63, April 2024 – May 2024

Series 64, August 2024 – September 2024

Series 65, December 2024 – February 2025

Series 66, April 2025 –

References

External links

• Detailed list of Great Lives episodes