One of the most extraordinary life stories I've ever heard. Born in 1938 in Budapest, Hungary, Peter was only a young child when he was separated from his parents when war broke out. A Jewish boy under the heel of the Nazis and then, after the war, the Communist regime, he went on to play a role in the attempted Hungarian revolution of 1956. He speaks with incredible honesty and vivid detail about how those events unfolded and goes on to speak of his time as a refugee in Britain before becoming a teacher and then joining the BBC World Service. Lovely man and an incredible life.

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Born in 1944 in the USA, she was raised in a place called Daylight, Tennessee. Her father was a fire and brimstone Preacher and they started out in a two room shack next to a snake-filled creek. From here, came a turbulent upbringing, four wildly different husbands and, against the odds, gaining admission to a prestigious, Ivy League university. She even talks candidly about her short spell in a psychiatric hospital when she was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. 

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David’s Story. He’s warm-hearted, an irrepressible enthusiast and one of life’s true innocents. His life story is fascinating, starting in 1937 in Hartlepool. His tales feature overcoming a disability, a musical youth, a brushmaking apprenticeship, hospital radio, rubbing shoulders with showbiz royalty; Bud Flanagan, Norman Wisdom and even playing onstage with Old Mother Riley. He also talks movingly about about the very recent loss of his wife of over 50 years, Hazel. 

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AVAILABLE NOW: Phyllis’s Story. She’s not royal and she’s not getting married today, but her life story is a brilliant one, starting in 1925 in Clerkenwell. The daughter of Irena and Vito, two loving Italians who settled in London; her tale features pies delivered by pulley, ice cream barrows, burning slippers, 10 Downing Street, headless catholic statues and a bargain wedding cake. Brilliantly, she also used to leave little notes in the pockets of the Sailors Uniforms she manufactured during WW2.

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Brian’s life story is utterly compelling, starting in 1931 in Guatemala at the foot of a volcano. Raised amongst the Mayan Indians, his tale features deadly snakes, surfing on molten lava, adventures on cruise ships, the Guatemalan elections, hidden crocodiles and not just one but TWO pet monkeys! 

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Lilian Clark (98). Her life story is fascinating, starting in 1920 in South Shields. A proper Geordie, her tale features Jam & Bread at the beach, icebound ships, ha’penny bike rides, gold bricade, a perfect wedding day and a husband named Hubert.

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Pat’s life story is a belter, starting in 1934 back in Dublin. His tales feature wild swimming, sultana-wrangling, weight-lifting, body-building, upstaging Jimmy Cricket, Mexicans who sound like Germans and the love of his life.

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An astonishing and compelling lifestory this week, as always. Janet grew up in the Welsh valleys and became a headteacher and acedemic. Many years ago, she underwent gender reassignment to become the woman she always knew she was. Today she talks with fondness of her happy childhood as a young boy in Wales and the long, emotional journey over the years that followed. Unmissable.

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