29 July 2025

29 minutes

Available for over a year

A nineteen-year-old American woman sets out on an extraordinary feat of endurance. Will Gertrude Ederle become the first woman to swim the English Channel?

Stories of bold voices, with brave ideas and the courage to stand alone. Historian Alex von Tunzelmann shines a light on remarkable people from across history.

A BBC Studios Audio production.

Producer: Lorna Reader

Series producer: Suniti Somaiya

Written and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann

Executive Producer: Paul Smith

Commissioning editor for Radio 4: Rhian Roberts