''Great Lives'' is a

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

biography series, produced in

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

. It has been presented by

Joan Bakewell Joan Dawson Bakewell, Baroness Bakewell, (''née'' Rowlands; born 16 April 1933), is an English journalist, television presenter and Labour Party peer. Baroness Bakewell is president of Birkbeck, University of London; she is also an author a ...

Humphrey Carpenter Humphrey William Bouverie Carpenter (29 April 1946 – 4 January 2005) was an English biographer, writer, and radio broadcaster. He is known especially for his biographies of J. R. R. Tolkien and other members of the literary society the Inkl ...

Francine Stock Francine Stock is a British radio and television presenter and novelist, of part-French origin. Early life Born in Devon, and with early years in Edinburgh and Australia, Stock later attended St Catherine's School, Guildford, where she was head ...

and currently (since April 2006)

Matthew Parris Matthew Francis Parris (born 7 August 1949) is a British political writer and broadcaster, formerly a Conservative Member of Parliament. He was born in South Africa to British parents. Early life and family Parris is the eldest of six childre ...

. 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 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 was scheduled by the guest film-maker

David Puttnam David Terence Puttnam, Baron Puttnam, CBE, HonFRSA, HonFRPS, MRIA (born 25 February 1941) is a British film producer, educator, environmentalist and former member of the House of Lords. His productions include ''Chariots of Fire'', which wo ...

who nominated the Michael Collins, Irish nationalist leader) was withdrawn due to "production quality".Great Lives
at radiolistings.co.uk

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

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 – May 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

References

External links

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{{BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 programmes