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Paul Nurse discusses scientist, inventor and poet Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles. Read more
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Erasmus Darwin
Paul Nurse discusses scientist, inventor and poet Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles.
CLR James
Darcus Howe discusses his uncle, the sportsman, writer and revolutionary CLR James.
Rachel Carson
Writer Bea Campbell chooses pioneering environmental protection scientist Rachel Carson.
MR James
Muriel Gray chooses the ghost story writer MR James.
Umm Kulthum
Novelist Ahdaf Soueif chooses acclaimed Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum as his great life.
Benedict Spinoza
Nobel Prize-winning chemist Sir Harry Kroto chooses the philosopher Benedict Spinoza.
Richard Crossman
Politician Tam Dalyell chooses cabinet minister and political diarist Richard Crossman.
James Gillray
Political cartoonist Steve Bell chooses the 18th-century caricaturist James Gillray.
Captain James Cook
Media executive and broadcaster Greg Dyke chooses explorer Captain James Cook.
Scott of the Antarctic
Author Beryl Bainbridge selects explorer Robert Falcon Scott as a hidden romantic.
Rachmaninov
Conductor Leonard Slatkin proposes composer Sergei Rachmaninov for great life status.
Bob Marley
Poet Benjamin Zephaniah explores the life of reggae legend Bob Marley.
James Hogg
Geneticist Steve Jones chooses 19th-century fiddle-playing shepherd and writer James Hogg.
GK Chesterton
Richard Ingrams nominates author and journalist GK Chesterton for regularly being right.
The Man in the Iron Mask
Military historian Richard Holmes nominates the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask.
David Lloyd George
Athlete Tanni Grey-Thompson chooses her Welsh compatriot, politician David Lloyd George.
Elizabeth I
Broadcaster and campaigner Esther Rantzen chooses Queen Elizabeth I.
Noel Coward
TV producer Peter Bazalgette chooses the actor, lyricist and playwright, Noel Coward.
Dr Samuel Johnson
Poet Kit Wright chooses author and creator of the English dictionary, Dr Samuel Johnson.
Flora Sandes
Kate Adie discusses Britain's first commissioned female officer in World War One.
Sarah Bernhardt
Comedienne Jenny Eclair chooses one of the first acting superstars, Sarah Bernhardt.
Bernardo O'Higgins
Writer Brian Keenan chooses Bernardo O'Higgins, who liberated Chile in the 19th century.
Octavia Hill
Trade unionist and politician Brenda Dean chooses National Trust founder Octavia Hill.
Tommy Cooper
Writer and broadcaster Clement Freud chooses comedian Tommy Cooper.
Charles Dickens
Satirist and writer Armando Iannucci chooses novelist Charles Dickens.
Ian Dury
Comedian Linda Smith nominates musician, actor and artist Ian Dury.
Mary Kingsley
Journalist Ann Leslie chooses the pioneering writer and explorer Mary Kingsley.
Tchaikovsky
Economist Ruth Lea chooses the great Russian composer. Stephen Johnson adds his expertise.
Tom Paine
Writer and political activist George Monbiot chooses 18th-century revolutionary Tom Paine.
Benjamin Disraeli
Kenneth Clarke chooses the Victorian politician, Benjamin Disraeli.
Joseph Banks
Scientist Lord Robert May nominates the naturalist and botanist, Joseph Banks.
