Great Lives
Great Lives, a BBC Radio 4 biographical series, has 413 episodes on a weekly cadence since 2010. Each guest picks someone who inspired their life, and episodes run about 28 minutes. Estimated downloads are 5,000 to 25,000 per episode, with a host-read rate of $90 to $620 per episode.
Long-running BBC Radio 4 biography series with a loyal, mature listenership
- 413 episodes published weekly since 2010 with a consistent 27 to 28 minute format
- Apple Podcasts shows 465 ratings and a 4.2 average
- Guests selected by public figures give a reflective, culturally literate context
Brand fit report
Content
- Formats
- interview, guest-led selection, narrative
- Tone
- reflective, engaging
- Language
- English
- Production
- Studio production
- Typical length
- 27 to 28 minutes
Audience
Commercial
- Brands seen
- BBC
- Categories promoted
- None yet
- Affiliate links
- No
No sponsor mentions found in the feed; the BBC is the publisher and no funding links are listed.
Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability
Family friendly
Recent titles cover literature, music, and historical figures with no explicit flags.
We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.
Where to listen
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qxsb |
| Apple Podcasts | podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id261779765 |
| RSS feed | podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/b006qxsb.rss |
Benchmark score: 73 / 100
Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.
Recent episodes
| Episode | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Tony Juniper on EO Wilson | 2026-10-12 | 28 min |
| Russell Kane on Iris Murdoch | 2026-10-05 | 28 min |
| Ruby Tandoh on Brian Jacques author of the Redwall series | 2026-09-28 | 28 min |
| Eric Ashby, Silent Watcher of the New Forest | 2026-09-21 | 28 min |
| Pauline Black of The Selecter on Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex | 2026-09-14 | 28 min |
| Actor Laurence Olivier with Derek Jacobi and Tim Walker | 2026-08-14 | 28 min |
Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 7 days ago, a new one about every 7 days.
Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.
About Great Lives
Great Lives is a biographical series published by BBC Radio 4, in which guests choose a person who has inspired their life and talk about that figure. The feed lists 413 episodes released on a weekly cadence since 2010, with episodes typically running about 28 minutes. The show is published through the BBC, and Apple Podcasts shows 465 ratings with a 4.2 average since 2007.
The series covers history, literature, music, and culture, with recent guests discussing figures such as Iris Murdoch, Brian Jacques, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Audience figures are not published. Based on the Apple rating count and the show's age, we estimate 5,000 to 25,000 downloads per episode, with a listenership skewing toward adults aged 35 and over in the United Kingdom.
No sponsors were seen in the feed. An estimated host-read rate of $90 to $620 per episode would suit premium heritage, publishing, and education brands, subject to BBC editorial and commercial policy.
Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. Great Lives can edit or remove this page at any time.
Questions about Great Lives
How much does Great Lives charge for a podcast sponsorship?
Based on an estimated 5,000 to 25,000 downloads per episode, a host-read mid-roll would be about $90 to $620 per episode. BBC commercial policy may limit sponsorship options.
What is Great Lives about?
Great Lives is a BBC Radio 4 series in which guests choose a person who has inspired their life and discuss that figure in about 28 minutes.
How do I contact Great Lives about sponsoring an episode?
The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80, and boosted shows can be booked through Starbooked.
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