Matthew Parris presents Craig Brown's nomination of Sigmund Freud. Read more
now playing
Sigmund Freud
Matthew Parris presents Craig Brown's nomination of Sigmund Freud.
Ella Fitzgerald
Ivan Massow nominates the great jazz singer, with expert advice from Cleo Laine.
Johnny Weissmuller
Athlete Duncan Goodhew nominates the athlete-turned-actor Johnny Weissmuller.
Ignaz Semmelweis
Writer Frances Cairncross nominates the forgotten hero of medicine Ignaz Semmelweis.
Tamara Karsavina
Broadcaster and agony aunt Anna Raeburn nominates the ballerina Tamara Karsavina.
W G Grace
Piers Morgan nominates W G Grace as the greatest English cricketer of all time.
Robin Day
News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy nominates his illustrious predecessor Robin Day.
Leon Trotsky
Christopher Hitchens nominates Leon Trotsky, hero of the Russian Revolution.
Max Miller
Garry Bushell nominates the 'cheeky chappie' who portrayed the voice of the working class
Eleanor Roosevelt
Civil liberties lawyer Helena Kennedy nominates Eleanor Roosevelt.
WH Auden
Broadcaster Jeremy Vine chooses the poet, WH Auden.
Julia Ward-Howe
Elaine Showalter nominates the 19th-century American writer Julia Ward-Howe.
Stanley Baldwin
Former minister Lord John Biffen nominates Conservative Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin.
Nina Simone
Joanna Macgregor nominates the chanteuse and civil rights activist Nina Simone.
Charles Darwin
Businessman and academic, Adair Turner looks at the life of Charles Darwin.
John H Hammond
Joe Boyd shines a spotlight on the career of record producer John H Hammond.
Millicent Garrett Fawcett
Feminist campaigner Lesley Abdela discusses the extraordinary suffragist leader.
Albert Einstein
Professor Kathy Sykes nominates Albert Einstein.
Joan Littlewood
Actor Victor Spinetti explains his admiration for director Joan Littlewood.
Richard Beckinsale
Alan Davies nominates actor Richard Beckinsale who tragically died aged just 31.
Martha Gellhorn
Journalist Camilla Wright nominates the war reporter Martha Gellhorn for greatness.
William Beveridge
Anne Fine nominates the author of the report that became the basis for the Welfare State.
Pope John Paul II
Conservative MP Ann Widdicombe nominates the last Pope, John Paul II.
Joe Strummer
With Matthew Parris. Phill Jupitus nominates former Clash frontman Joe Strummer.
Tintin
Nick Danziger breaks the programme's rules with comic book adventurer, Tintin.
Anton Chekhov
Author William Boyd champions playwright Anton Chekhov's claim to greatness.
Marie Curie
Pallab Ghosh explains how Marie Curie achieved fame through her work on radioactivity.
Billie Holiday
Singer and actress Pauline Black chooses a jazz legend, the singer Billie Holiday.
Mata Hari
Fiona Bruce chooses the femme fatale, international spy and exotic dancer, Mata Hari.
Claude McKay
Theatre director, actress and writer Yvonne Brewster nominates poet Claude McKay.
Julius Caesar
Archaeologist Barry Cunliffe nominates ancient Roman leader Julius Caesar.