Great Lives

Matthew Parris

Booking Overview

This biographical interview series features a guest nominating an inspirational figure, usually supported by historians, authors, artists, academics, performers, or other subject specialists who provide context and firsthand insight. Credible pitches include published biographers, distinguished academics, cultural figures, award-winning journalists, notable artists, and people with a direct connection to the featured life; the BBC Radio 4 profile and distinguished guest roster make booking difficulty high.

Metrics

Episodes: 414

Frequency: Irregular

Rating: 4.2/5.0

Estimated listeners: 10,000 - 100,000

Gender skew: Neutral

Listener location: United Kingdom

Contact Information

Publicly listed emails

podcast.support@bbc.co.uk

Looking for the right person? Join Podseeker to find direct host and producer contacts and manage your podcast outreach.

Host

Matthew Parris - British journalist, author, broadcaster, and former Member of Parliament who has presented Great Lives since 2006.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

high

Typical Credentials:

Published authors, historians, academics, journalists, artists, performers, and other recognized specialists with authoritative knowledge of or a meaningful personal or professional connection to the featured individual.

Required Achievements:

Published books or biographies, Academic or professional authority in the subject area, Major journalism, broadcasting, or cultural credits, National awards or high-profile institutional affiliations, Direct personal or professional relationships with the featured figure

Recent Guest Discussions

Chris Packham - Eric Ashby’s Wildlife Work And Personal Connection To The New Forest

James Aldred - Eric Ashby’s Wildlife Filmmaking, Life In The New Forest, And Adventures Filming In The Forest Canopy

Zoe Howe - Poly Styrene’s Life, Work, And Legacy

Celeste Bell - Poly Styrene’s Upbringing, Career, And Life

Pauline Black - Poly Styrene’s Influence, Career, Artistic Individuality, And Legacy

Recent Topics

History, Biography, Art, Politics, Natural History

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on

Great Lives

Tony Juniper on EO Wilson

October 12, 2026

Edward Osborne Wilson was a pioneer across several fields of biology, from entomology to biodiversity. He is best known for his expertise on ants, his work developing the field of Sociobiology and for his 'Half-Earth' goal. Born in Alabama in 1929, a fishing accident at the age of 7 left him blind in one eye and he turned his attention to the little things that could be held between finger and thumb. Ed Wilson recorded several hundred species of ants and was the first to discover how they com...

Russell Kane on Iris Murdoch

October 05, 2026

Iris Murdoch was born in Ireland in 1919, grew up in London and was educated in Bristol and Oxford. She's famous both as a novelist and a philosopher, and she won the Booker Prize in 1978 for The Sea, The Sea. Her nominator is Russell Kane, who is full of admiration for her work. This compelling discussion of what makes Iris great includes contributions from her friend and biographer, Peter Conradi; and from Miles Leeson, Director of the Iris Murdoch Research Centre in Chichester.Great Lives ...

Ruby Tandoh on Brian Jacques author of the Redwall series

September 28, 2026

Brian Jacques was a docker, sailor, boxer, trucker, milkman, poet and a folk singer too. Then he wrote his Redwall series of children's fantasy novels and became an overnight forty year success. His books were immensely successful, particularly in the United States where President Obama was photographed buying them for his daughters. Choosing this rich and extraordinary life is Ruby Tandoh, baker, columnist and author of Crumb! and All-Consuming: Why We Eat The Way We Eat Now. Her interest in...

Similar Podcasts

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Great Lives

The spiked podcast · High booking difficulty · 10,000 - 100,000 listeners

Frequently asked questions

Here's some frequently asked questions for

Great Lives

How do I get in touch with Great Lives?

Great Lives is hosted by Matthew Parris. Its publicly listed email is podcast.support@bbc.co.uk. For guest bookings, the host or producer is usually the best person to reach. Podseeker helps you find direct host and producer contacts and pitch from your own inbox.

What is the email for Great Lives?

The publicly listed email for Great Lives: podcast.support@bbc.co.uk.

How many listeners does Great Lives have?

Podseeker estimates Great Lives reaches 10,000 to 100,000 listeners per episode. Only the publisher has exact numbers.

Who is an ideal guest for Great Lives?

Great Lives typically books well-known public figures. Typical guest background: Published authors, historians, academics, journalists, artists, performers, and other recognized specialists with authoritative knowledge of or a meaningful personal or professional connection to the featured individual. Common among recent guests: Published books or biographies; Academic or professional authority in the subject area; Major journalism, broadcasting, or cultural credits. Recent guests include Chris Packham, James Aldred, and Zoe Howe.

How hard is it to get booked on Great Lives?

High. It mostly books established leaders in its field.

What topics does Great Lives cover?

Recent episodes cover History, Biography, Art, Politics, and Natural History. Pitch an idea tied to one of these topics and mention a recent episode.

Publicly listed emails

podcast.support@bbc.co.uk

Looking for the right person? Join Podseeker to find direct host and producer contacts and manage your podcast outreach.

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