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The New Elizabethans

James Naughtie profiles 60 public figures nominated to mark the diamond jubilee

Radio 4 Extra,59 episodes

Episodes

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Edmund Hillary
James Naughtie assesses the mountaineer who conquered Mount Everest.
11 Jun 2012,12 mins
Elizabeth David
James Naughtie on the food writer who brought European cuisine to British tables.
12 Jun 2012,12 mins
Graham Greene
James Naughtie on the novelist who was a master of moral guilt and cold war intrigue.
13 Jun 2012,12 mins
Michael Young
James looks at the energetic and innovative founder of Which? and the Open University.
14 Jun 2012,12 mins
Vladimir Raitz
James Naughtie sees how Vladimir Raitz pioneered the package holiday.
15 Jun 2012,12 mins
Francis Crick
James Naughtie profiles the molecular biologist who helped discover the structure of DNA.
18 Jun 2012,12 mins
Doris Lessing
Doris Lessing. Spirited, straight-talking Nobel Laureate.
19 Jun 2012,12 mins
Alan Sainsbury
James Naughtie considers the champion of the self-service supermarket.
20 Jun 2012,12 mins
Alfred Hitchcock
Master of obsession, suspense and terror, Alfred Hitchcock.
21 Jun 2012,12 mins
Laurence Olivier
Olivier's theatre and stage career spanned more than 60 years with 12 Oscar nominations.
22 Jun 2012,12 mins
Benjamin Britten
James Naughtie profiles one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.
25 Jun 2012,12 mins
Dorothy Hodgkin
One of the most successful chemists of the 20th century.
26 Jun 2012,12 mins
Harold Pinter
James considers one of modern Britain's most influential dramatists, Harold Pinter.
27 Jun 2012,12 mins
Richard Doll
Epidemiologist instrumental in proving the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer.
28 Jun 2012,12 mins
Philip Larkin
One of the great English poets, famous for his day job as librarian at Hull University.
02 Jul 2012,12 mins
Barbara Windsor
James Naughtie on Barbara Windsor's very British combination of grit and naughtiness.
03 Jul 2012,12 mins
Alfred Denning
James Naughtie profiles one of the most influential judges of the 20th century.
04 Jul 2012,12 mins
Paul Foot
James Naughtie considers the significance of campaigning journalist Paul Foot.
05 Jul 2012,12 mins
Francis Bacon
James Naughtie profiles the haunting artist of suffering, pain and death.
06 Jul 2012,12 mins
John Lennon / Paul McCartney
James Naughtie assesses the pair at the heart of the Beatles, Lennon and McCartney.
09 Jul 2012,15 mins
Margot Fonteyn
Jim Naughtie considers the life and legacy of the eminent prima ballerina.
10 Jul 2012,12 mins
Peter Hall
James Naughtie considers the colossus of 20th century English theatre.
12 Jul 2012,12 mins
Terence Conran
James considers the impact of Terence Conran - designer, retailer, restaurateur and writer
13 Jul 2012,12 mins
Enoch Powell
James Naughtie considers the controversial parliamentarian Enoch Powell.
16 Jul 2012,12 mins
Cicely Saunders
James Naughtie profiles the founder of the modern hospice movement.
17 Jul 2012,12 mins
Basil D'Oliveira
James Naughtie remembers the South African cricketer who aided the fight against apartheid
19 Jul 2012,12 mins
George Best
James Naughtie considers the life and achievements of the footballer from Northern Ireland
20 Jul 2012,12 mins
Germaine Greer
James considers the provocative feminist and academic.
23 Jul 2012,12 mins
Robert Edwards
James Naughtie profiles the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who pioneered IVF.
24 Jul 2012,12 mins
Jack Jones
James considers the lasting impact of the trade union leader.
26 Jul 2012,12 mins