Great Lives - Four Hundred And Counting

Deep in the summer of 2001, a new programme tiptoed out onto Radio 4. The concept was simple - book someone famous to talk about someone dead. Except there was a problem; famous people don't talk much about someone else. In a world of the celebrity plug, getting voices to commit to a radio programme where they couldn't talk about themselves was proving tough. Twelve slots to fill, and nobody signed up.

Four hundred episodes later.... Barbara Castle, Beryl Bainbridge, Bernard Manning, eventually everyone says yes. David Attenborough chose a man who first drew a flea, George Osborne the king who taxed the non-doms. Then there was Christopher Hitchens, so incensed by the presenter that he walked out. 'You're a bleeding Tory,' he said, 'and always have been. Have you done? I have to be somewhere at one.

In Four Hundred and Counting, Matthew Parris and original series producer Miles Warde go behind the scenes to find out how Great Lives was born. Featuring material never previously played - nominators and experts about their hopes and fears; archive of original presenters Joan Bakewell and Humphrey Carpenter; plus a special selection of the very best of Great Lives.

There's a joy in judging people by their choice of hero. It's one reason Matthew Parris's Great Lives series has run for 40 series.' Ben Preston, Radio Times editor, 2016.

Programme extracts include: Penelope Keith on Morecambe and Wise; Michael Sheen on Philip K Dick; Grace Dent on Nancy Mitford; Brian Sewell on Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria; Maureen Lipman on Cicely Saunders.

400 episodes later

400 episodes later - Barbara Castle, Beryl Bainbridge, Bernard Manning, eventually everyone says yes. David Attenborough chose a man who first drew a flea, George Osborne the king who taxed the non-doms. Then there was Christopher Hitchens, so incensed by the presenter that he walked out. “You're a bleeding Tory, ? he said, “and always have been. Have you done? I have to be somewhere at one. ?

Programme extracts also to include: Penelope Keith on Morecambe and Wise; Michael Sheen on Philip K Dick; Grace Dent on Nancy Mitford; Brian Sewell on Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria; Maureen Lipmann on Cicely Saunders.

Deep in the summer of 2001, a new programme tiptoed out onto Radio 4. The concept was simple ? book someone famous to talk about someone dead. Except there was a problem; famous people don?t talk much about someone else. In a world of the celebrity plug, getting voices to commit to a radio programme where they couldn?t talk about themselves was proving tough. Twelve slots to fill, and nobody signed up.

400 episodes later

In the first of three programmes, Matthew Parris and original producer Miles Warde reveal how the BBC Radio 4's Great Lives series was born, as they recall the rows, revelations and rank incompetence behind 400 editions.

Deep in the summer of 2001, a new programme tiptoed out onto the airwaves.

The concept was simple – book someone famous to talk about someone dead. Except there was a problem; famous people don't talk much about someone else. In a world of the celebrity plug, getting voices to commit to a show where they couldn't talk about themselves proved tough. 12 slots to fill, and nobody signed up.

400 episodes later - Barbara Castle, Beryl Bainbridge, Bernard Manning, eventually everyone says yes. In this episode, Christopher Hitchens was so incensed by the presenter that he walked out. “You're a bleeding Tory, ? he said, “and always have been. Have you done? I have to be somewhere at one. ?

Featuring material never previously played - nominators and experts about their hopes and fears; archive of original presenters Joan Bakewell and Humphrey Carpenter; plus a special selection of the very best of Great Lives.

“There's a joy in judging people by their choice of hero. It's one reason Matthew Parris's Great Lives series has run for 40 series. ? Ben Preston, Radio Times editor, 2016.

Programme extracts include: Penelope Keith on Morecambe and Wise; Piers Morgan on WG Grace; Bernard Manning on Mother Teresa and Rosie Boycott on Ernest Shackleton.

From Eric Morecambe to Ernest Shackleton - the story behind 400 Great Lives

In this episode, Christopher Hitchens was so incensed presenter Matthew Parris that he walked out. “You're a bleeding Tory, ? he said, “and always have been. Have you done? I have to be somewhere at one. ?

Plus archive of original presenters Joan Bakewell and Humphrey Carpenter; plus a special selection of the very best of Great Lives.

From Eric Morecambe to Ernest Shackleton - Matthew Parris on the rows and revelations behind 400 editions of Great Lives.

Deep in the summer of 2001, a new programme tiptoed out onto Radio 4. The concept was simple ? book someone famous to talk about someone dead. Except there was a problem; famous people don?t talk much about someone else. In a world of the celebrity plug, getting voices to commit to a radio programme where they couldn?t talk about themselves was proving tough. Twelve slots to fill, and nobody signed up.

400 episodes later

In the second of three programmes, Matthew Parris and original producer Miles Warde recall the rows, revelations and rank incompetence behind the making of 400 editions of BBC Radio 4's Great Lives.

Featuring more material never previously played - nominators and experts about their hopes and fears; archive of original presenters Joan Bakewell and Humphrey Carpenter; plus a special selection of the very best of Great Lives.

Extracts also include: Michael Sheen on Philip K. Dick; Sir David Attenborough on Robert Hook; Ian Lee on Andy Kaufman; Cerys Matthews on Hildegard of Bingen; Maureen Lipman on Cicely Saunders and Ken Dodd on Stan Laurel.

Programme extracts also include:

From Ronald Reagan to Stan Laurel - Matthew Parris on the rows and revelations behind 400 editions of Great Lives.

Deep in the summer of 2001, a new programme tiptoed out onto Radio 4. The concept was simple ? book someone famous to talk about someone dead. Except there was a problem; famous people don?t talk much about someone else. In a world of the celebrity plug, getting voices to commit to a radio programme where they couldn?t talk about themselves was proving tough. Twelve slots to fill, and nobody signed up.

400 episodes late

Deep in the summer of 2001, a new programme tiptoed out onto Radio 4. The concept was simple ? book someone famous to talk about someone dead. Except there was a problem; famous people don?t talk much about someone else. In a world of the celebrity plug, getting voices to commit to a radio programme where they couldn?t talk about themselves was proving tough. Twelve slots to fill, and nobody signed up.

400 episodes later

In the last of three programmes, Matthew Parris and original producer Miles Warde recall the rows, revelations and rank incompetence behind the making of 400 editions of BBC Radio 4's Great Lives.

A special selection of more of the very best from Great Lives.

Programme extracts also include: Dr Phil Hammond's nomination of George Bernard Shaw; Nicholas Stern's choice Muhammad Ali; David Milliband on Joe Slovo and Alan Davies' choice of Richard Beckinsale.

George Bernard Shaw to Richard Beckinsale - the story behind 400 Great Lives.