Big Lives Podcast By Pushkin Industries and BBC Studios cover art

Big Lives

Big Lives

By: Pushkin Industries and BBC Studios
Listen for free

Every legend has a twist. From pop culture icons to music and comedy greats, award-winning journalists Kai Wright and Emmanuel Dzotsi dig into the BBC archive to unpick the story behind the icons who shape our culture.

Each week on Big Lives, Kai and Emmanuel take an iconic figure — from musical trailblazers like David Bowie, Amy Winehouse and Tina Turner to stars of the screen like Richard Pryor, Meg Ryan and Jane Fonda — and dissect their lives. Join them as they see these icons in a new light, uncover deep cuts from the BBC's archive, and learn how each legend set the stage for our contemporary cultural landscape.

After all, you can't understand today's culture until you understand the icons who built it. Smart, curious, and full of heart.

Listen ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Sign up on the Big Lives show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. Subscribe to BBC on Apple Podcasts and on BBC.com.

2026 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia Art Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • Richard Pryor: The Truth‑Teller Who Changed Comedy Forever

    Richard Pryor: The Truth‑Teller Who Changed Comedy Forever
    Apr 6 2026

    Richard Pryor redefined comedy by telling the truth, even when it scorched him. In this raw, riveting episode, Kai and Emmanuel unearth BBC archival tape to explore how Pryor rose from a Peoria, Illinois brothel to become comedy’s GOAT, only to then wrestle with racism, fame, desire, and self‑destruction. From Cosby‑clean beginnings to volcanic honesty, this is the story of a man who changed culture by refusing to lie — even to save himself.

    Connect with the team!

    • Follow our hosts Kai Wright and Emmanuel Dzotsi
    • Follow Pushkin on Instagram, LinkedIn or X
    • Follow BBC Podcasts

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Show more Show less
    42 mins
  • George Michael: Beyond the Scandal, Behind the Icon

    George Michael: Beyond the Scandal, Behind the Icon
    Mar 30 2026

    George Michael was more than scandal headlines and tabloid punchlines. He was one of the defining pop artists of his generation. Through rare BBC interviews, Kai and Emmanuel unspool the emotional arc behind the hits: teen heart‑throb, closeted superstar, grieving partner, activist, and ultimately a gay icon who reclaimed the narrative with wit, rage, and dazzling talent. A moving reexamination of fame, queerness, and survival in a decade that preferred not to look too closely.

    Connect with the team!

    • Follow our hosts Kai Wright and Emmanuel Dzotsi
    • Follow Pushkin on Instagram, LinkedIn or X
    • Follow BBC Podcasts on YouTube and Instagram

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Show more Show less
    54 mins
  • Jane Fonda: Hollywood Rebel, War Activist and Fitness Pioneer

    Jane Fonda: Hollywood Rebel, War Activist and Fitness Pioneer
    Mar 23 2026

    Jane Fonda didn’t just change Hollywood; she rattled American politics, beauty standards, and the birth of modern fitness culture. Kai and Emmanuel dig into the BBC archives to trace how the Oscar-winning “nudie cutie” became a firebrand activist, conservative boogeyman, and unlikely fitness mogul. From the 1960s Barbarella sex symbol to “Hanoi Jane” to the face of the VHS home workout revolution, we unravel the woman who kept reinventing herself — and became one of the most polarizing figures in American history.

    Connect with the team!

    • Follow our hosts Kai Wright and Emmanuel Dzotsi
    • Follow Pushkin on Instagram, LinkedIn or X
    • Follow BBC Podcasts

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Show more Show less
    42 mins
No reviews yet