Cherie Blair on Dame Rose Heilbron

Cherie Blair chooses her role mode, England's first woman judge, Rose Heilbron

• 30 mins

Mark Carwardine on Douglas Adams

Douglas Adams the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

• 30 mins

Christina Lamb on Benazir Bhutto

Christina Lamb, author and journalist nominates Benazir Bhutto as her great life.

• 30 mins

Vera Brittain

Baroness Shirley Williams discusses her mother, the feminist and pacifist Vera Brittain.

• 30 mins

Samira Ahmed on Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura Ingalls Wilder: author Tracy Chevalier joins Samira Ahmed

• 28 mins

Russell Kane on Evelyn Waugh

Comedian Russell Kane nominates novelist Evelyn Waugh, with Ann Pasternak Slater helping

• 28 mins

Tim Smit on Humphrey Jennings

Eden Project founder chooses documentary maker and artist Humphrey Jennings

• 28 mins

Mark Steel on Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin wasn’t funny but a political rebel. Mark Steel nominates him as his hero.

• 28 mins

Nikesh Shukla on the Great Gama

The Great Gama, the strongest man in the world, championed by author Nikesh Shukla.

• 28 mins

Suzanne O'Sullivan on Oliver Sacks

Neurologist and author Oliver Sacks is Suzanne O'Sullivan's hero, she tells Matthew Parris

• 28 mins

Rohan Silva on Colin Chapman

Matthew Parris profiles the inventor of the car that changed the face of Formula One

• 28 mins

Matt Lucas on Freddie Mercury

Matt Lucas chooses Freddie Mercury

• 28 mins

Shappi Khorsandi on Emma, Lady Hamilton

Shappi Khorsandi chooses Emma, Lady Hamilton Lord Nelson’s mistress.

• 28 mins

Catherine de Medici nominated by Helen Lewis

Helen Lewis nominates the so-called 'Black Queen' of France, Catherine de Medici.

• 28 mins

Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, chosen by Tom Holland

Tom Holland chooses Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians

• 28 mins

Malcolm Lowry, nominated by Ian McMillan

As a young man looking for a literary hero, poet Ian McMillan found writer Malcolm Lowry

• 28 mins

Kirill Gerstein on Ferruccio Busoni

Kirill Gerstein chooses conductor, composer and virtuoso Ferruccio Busoni

• 28 mins

Caroline Criado-Perez on Jane Austen

The feminist campaigner and writer Caroline Criado-Perez champions the life of Jane Austen

• 28 mins

Jeremy Deller on The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein

Turner Prize artist Jeremy Deller chooses The Beatles manager Brian Epstein.

• 28 mins

Shirley Collins on Alan Lomax

Shirley Collins and Billy Bragg on the legendary American song-hunter Alan Lomax.

• 28 mins

Kamila Shamsie chooses Asma Jahangir

Kamila Shamsie champions the life of the human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir.

• 28 mins

Robinson Crusoe

Real-life castaway Lucy Irvine nominates Robinson Crusoe. With Martin Popplewell.

• 28 mins

Ed Balls nominates Herbert Howells

Ed Balls discusses the influence of 20th-century composer Herbert Howells on his life.

• 28 mins

Laura Marling on Lou Andreas-Salome

Laura Marling on the first female psychoanalyst Lou Andreas-Salomé.

• 28 mins

Caroline Quentin nominates Sir John Vanbrugh

Caroline Quentin nominates the 17th century dramatist and architect Sir John Vanbrugh

• 28 mins

First Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald

Ramsay Macdonald, Labour's first Prime Minister, chosen by Shaun Ley.

• 28 mins

Philippa Perry on the Italian educator Maria Montessori

Psychotherapist Philippa Perry on the Italian educator Maria Montessori.

• 28 mins

Fiona Shaw nominates the actress Eleonora Duse

Eleonora Duse, pioneering 19th-century actress, is the choice of Fiona Shaw.

• 28 mins

Comedian Sindhu Vee on Prince

The comedian Sindhu Vee nominates Prince, the musical superstar.

• 28 mins

Constance Agatha Cummings-John

Author Chibundu Onuzo on the first elected female in Africa, Constance Cummings-John.

• 28 mins