• 14 minutes 40 seconds
    Donna Ockenden

    Donna Ockenden is a senior midwife and healthcare leader who has spent more than 35 years reforming patient safety in UK maternity services.

    Born in South Wales, she overcame a difficult childhood marked by poverty, family breakdown, and a period of homelessness.

    As a young midwife she cared for a baby named Gina who died from substandard care. This tragic event led to her lifelong 'Gina promise' to devote her career to making childbirth safer for mothers and infants.

    Ockenden qualified as both a nurse and a midwife, before moving into senior NHS leadership roles. She transitioned into a formidable independent investigator, widely known for uncovering systemic NHS failures.

    In 2017, she was appointed to chair the Ockenden Review into Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust. Her landmark 2022 final report exposed severe deficiencies connected to the deaths of over 200 babies and nine mothers, shifting national perspectives on maternity clinical governance.

    Ockenden was later chosen to lead the largest maternity investigation in NHS history at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. Her 2026 report has identified hundreds of cases of avoidable harm and prompted national safety reforms.

    Outside of healthcare she is an active community advocate, founding the Four Streets Project charity in Chichester to support the local homeless population.

    Stephen Smith speaks to friends, families and colleagues who know her best.

    Production: Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Bethan Ashmead Latham, Annabel Deas Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele, Siobhan Reed Sound: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

    4 July 2026, 5:00 am
  • 14 minutes 52 seconds
    Harry Styles

    The former boyband member and teen heartthrob, Harry Styles, is going into the final week of his sold-out residency at Wembley before continuing his world tour.

    After winning music competitions while at school in Cheshire, Styles entered television’s biggest talent show, The X Factor, in 2010. While not making it as a solo star he was grouped together with four other contestants to form One Direction and becoming one of the most successful boybands of all time selling over 100 million records worldwide.

    One Direction created a modern-day Beatlemania before going on permanent hiatus in 2016. Since then Style’s has released four solo albums and launched a career beyond music seeing him take on film roles, modelling gigs and become known as a fashionista. His celebrity best friend the actor James Corden, who used to ‘babysit’ the teenage Harry when he first started out in London is among the guests who speak to Mark Coles for this week’s Profile.

    Production: Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Annabel Deas, Mhairi Mackenzie and Nathan Archer Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele and Siobhan Reed Sound: James Beard Editor: Justine Lang

    Carpool karaoke: The Late Late Show (CBS) Harry Styles singing with White Eskimo (YouTube: OneDirectionNews) Harry Styles X Factor audition tape (ITV, The X Factor UK) Fans screaming at One Direction ‘This is Us’ Premier (YouTube: Poveelive) 'As It Was' by Harry Styles (Erskine and Columbia) 'What Makes You Beautiful' by One Direction ( Syco and Columbia) 'Sign of the Times' by Harry Styles (Columbia) 'Watermelon Sugar) (Erskine and Columbia)

    27 June 2026, 5:00 am
  • 14 minutes 27 seconds
    Rupert Lowe

    Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe is the newest disruptor in right-wing politics but the path he has taken to get there is a familiar one.

    Born in Oxford in 1957 Lowe attended an elite all boys boarding school before studying for a degree in Estate Management. After university he was a commodity broker in the City and went to Japan to work in securities but when British football clubs emerged as attractive financial assets in the 1990's he became chair of Southampton after a reverse takeover. Lowe resigned in 2006 after a decade in charge – having been blamed by many fans for relegation in 2005 after 27 years in the top flight. He made a return but resigned again in 2009 as the club’s holding company went into administration.

    Next he decided to try his hand at politics. In 2019 Lowe became an MEP for the Brexit Party before switching to national politics after the UK left the EU in 2020, this time for Reform UK. In 2024 he became MP for Great Yarmouth but after falling out with Reform leader Nigel Farage he became an independent MP and launched his own party, Restore Britain.

    Production: Presenter: Becky Milligan Producers: Annabel Deas and Mhairi Mackenzie Production Coordinator: Maria Ogondele Sound: James Beard Editor: Justine Lang

    Credits: @bedbox via YouTube, Rock Against Rupert - Rupert Lowe Michael Wilde out protest (1 February 2009) Channel 4, Reform UK infighting escalates as Farage and Lowe trade blows (9 March 2025) Channel 5 Vanessa, Is it wrong to put your pet down yourself? (24 June 2025) GB News, Rupert Lowe - ‘I wouldn’t hire Boris Johnson for my organisation’ (5 December 2021) Restore Britain, Rupert Lowe - Restore Britain Launch Speech (14 February 2026) Sky News, Restore Britain leader: Farage 'tried to politically assassinate me' (18 June 2026) The News Agents, Rupert Lowe- In His Own Words (15 March 2025) The Spectator, Farage - Lowe is ‘a vengeful man’ (9 June 2026)

    20 June 2026, 5:00 am
  • 15 minutes 26 seconds
    Harry Kane

    Next week, Harry Kane will lead the England men’s squad into their first game of the 2026 World Cup.

    Kane has a wealth of experience behind him - he is England’s all-time record goalscorer and has also racked up an extraordinary tally at his current club, Germany’s Bayern Munich. Kane is at the top of his game, but his ascent has been anything but smooth.

    Born in east London in 1993, Kane developed a near-obsessive love for the beautiful game. It was a passion he shared with his childhood sweetheart, Kate, who later became his wife.

    At the age of eight, Kane joined Arsenal’s academy, only to be released after one season. Then, after signing for Tottenham Hotspur, he spent years out on loan to the likes of Leyton Orient, Norwich City and Millwall.

    So how did Kane go from underestimated youngster to world-class striker? Mark Coles looks back at Harry’s life and career so far.

    13 June 2026, 5:00 am
  • 14 minutes 37 seconds
    Maggie O'Farrell

    Maggie O'Farrell was born in Northern Ireland in 1972. Keen to move away from The Troubles, her father took a job at the University of Wales and the family moved to Bridgend when Maggie was a child. At the age of eight she was hospitalised with encephalitis. She didn't attend school during this time but instead she discovered literature.

    The family then moved to Scotland. After her A' Level's, Maggie O'Farrell travelled south to Cambridge University to study, what else, English Literature. In her twenties she became a journalist working at the Independent on Sunday but her ambitions lay elsewhere.

    At the age of twenty eight O'Farrell published her first novel 'After You’d Gone'. Her writing has been described as lyrical, intimate and sensory, writing in a way that physically immerses the reader in a scene.

    In 2020 she published Hamnet, her greatest literary success to date, as the world went into lockdown. In 2025 the novel was adapted into a film, directed by Chloe Zhao who describes O'Farrell as someone "interested in the land, the earth, the body and what's hidden underneath".

    Production: Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Annabel Deas, Bethan Ashmead and Wedaeli Chibelushi Production coordinators: Maria Ogondele and Sabine Schereck Sound: James Beard Editor: Justine Lang

    6 June 2026, 5:00 am
  • 14 minutes 38 seconds
    Itamar Ben-Gvir

    Israel's national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has received international condemnation after he posted a video showing himself taunting activists kneeling with their hands tied behind their backs on board a Gaza-bound aid flotilla intercepted by Israeli naval forces.

    His actions also drew rare criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said they were "not in line with Israel's values". But the incident is not the first time Ben-Gvir has attracted widespread criticism.

    Born in 1976 in Jerusalem, Itamar Ben-Gvir became radicalised during the First Palestinian Intifada against Israeli occupation. He became a follower of the far right politician Meir Kahane and was frequently arrested for various petty crimes. Unable to join the Israeli Army due to his criminal record, he later became a lawyer where he notoriously defended Jewish arsonists who had set fire to a Palestinian home killing two young parents and their 18-month-old son.

    In 2021 Ben-Gvir won a seat in the Knesset and following a period of political instability where Benjamin Netanyahu turned to two far right parties to form a coalition to form a government, Itamar Ben-Gvir became National Security minister of Israel.

    Contributors: Leonie Fleishmann - Senior Lecturer, International Politics and Human Rights, City St George's University of London Ruth Margalit - Contributing writer for New York Times magazine and the New Yorker Dvir Kariv - Former Isreali intelligence officer

    Production: Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Annabel Deas and Bethan Ashmead Production coordinators: Maria Ogondele and Sabine Schereck Sound: Neil Churchill Editor: Justine Lang

    30 May 2026, 5:00 am
  • 14 minutes 50 seconds
    Rhun ap Iorwerth

    Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth has been confirmed as Wales' first minister, calling it "the greatest privilege of my life".

    Born in Tonteg in south-east Wales, ap Iorwerth moved to Anglesey as a young child. His father was a teacher, prominent singer and composer, and an active campaigner for Plaid Cymru. His mother was also a teacher and went on to become president of several organisations promoting the Welsh language.

    After graduating from Cardiff University ap Iorwerth became a journalist and spent two decades as a reporter and presenter with BBC Wales. But in 2013, following the death of his mother, he left broadcasting and successfully contested the Ynys Môn by-election, winning the Anglesey seat in the Senedd.

    When the Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price resigned in 2023 ap Iorwerth quickly emerged as the obvious successor for many in the party. He was elected unopposed, at the age of 50. Three years later he has become the first Welsh minister from Plaid Cymru.

    Presenter: Becky Milligan Producers: Annabel Deas and Bethan Ashmead Editor: Justine Lang Production Coordinators: Maria Ogundele, Sabine Schereck Sound Designer: James Beard

    23 May 2026, 5:00 am
  • 14 minutes 28 seconds
    Christopher Harborne

    British cryptocurrency investor and billionaire Christopher Harborne made headlines when it was revealed he gave £5million to Reform Party leader Nigel Farage before he was an MP.

    Last year Harborne also gave a single donation of £9m to Reform UK - the biggest ever donation to a UK political party by a living person. He has also previously donated to the Brexit Party and the Conservatives.

    Very little is known about the Cambridge-educated businessman, who is also known as Chakrit Sakunkrit.

    So how did he make his fortune? And why is he so interested in British politics when he has lived abroad for the last few decades?

    Mark Coles talks to journalists Tom Burgis and Ceri Thomas, and family friend Mark Vellacott, to paint a picture of one of the most powerful men funding British politics.

    Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Keiligh Baker, Beth Ashmead Latham, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Matt Willis Programme Coordinators: Sabine Schereck, Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill

    16 May 2026, 5:00 am
  • 14 minutes 59 seconds
    Jamie Oliver

    Nearly 30 years ago, Jamie Oliver hit British TV screens with The Naked Chef, beginning a career arc that has seen him become a bestselling author and social campaigner.

    He started helping out in his parents' pub aged just eight, and struggled at school, but after making the move into cookery he flourished, first in top kitchens and then behind the camera.

    Cultural ubiquity and campaigning documentaries followed, though his business fortunes took a significant hit after his Jamie's Italian chain collapsed in 2019. Seven years later, he's betting that he's learnt from his mistakes, as he relaunchs the chain. At the same time his campaigning over school food standards has started to bear fruit again.

    Stephen Smith speaks to those who know Jamie Oliver best.

    Contributors Genarro Contaldo - chef and mentor Elişa Roche - chef and former participant in 'Jamie's Kitchen' documentary Giles Coren - food critic and friend Ed Loftus - Global Restaurant Group Director for the Jamie Oliver Group Sheila Dillon - presenter of Radio 4's The Food Programme

    Archive: ITV This Morning interview with Jamie Oliver An Italian Christmas: Recipes from the River Cafe (BBC) The Naked Chef (BBC and Optomen Television) Jamie’s Kitchen (Channel 4, Talkback Productions and Fresh One Productions)

    Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Beth Ashmead Latham, Nathan Gower, Tom Gillett Editor: Justine Lang Programme Coordinators: Rosie Strawbridge, Sabine Schereck, Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: James Beard

    9 May 2026, 5:00 am
  • 14 minutes 46 seconds
    Emily Thornberry

    Dame Emily Thornberry, Labour MP and the influential head of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, is in the hot seat as the committee continues its ongoing investigation - dubbed ‘Scandelson’ scrutinising - into the circumstances behind Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador.

    Born in Guildford in 1960 her mother was a teacher and her father an academic who would go on to be a UN Assistant Secretary General. When Emily was seven her father walked out on the family leaving her mother with no income and three children to look after. They were made homeless and moved to a council estate.

    After A Levels she studied law and qualified as a barrister in the mid 80s and spent 20 years as a human rights barrister at the chambers of Michael Mansfield KC.

    She was first elected as a Labour MP in 2005. She has since been re-elected 5 times and held a number of Shadow Cabinet positions including Defence, Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Attorney General. But when Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister to many people’s surprise there was no ministerial job for Emily.

    Now, as chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, she has the power to scrutinise government decisions and appointments; a role that has seen her grilling members of her own party in recent weeks.

    Mark Coles looks back on her life.

    Contributors: Michael Mansfield KC Dawn Butler MP Sir Jeremey Hunt MP Lord Christopher Smith Jim Thornberry

    Archive : Devil Wears Prada 2 trailer - 20th Century Studios / Wendy Finerman Productions / Sunswept Entertainment

    Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Tom Gillett and Nathan Gower Editor: Justine Lang Sound mix: Neil Churchill Production co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele and Rosie Strawbridge

    2 May 2026, 5:00 am
  • 14 minutes 57 seconds
    Kristalina Georgieva

    Kristalina Georgieva is not like previous heads of the International Monetary Fund. She grew up behind the Iron Curtain in Bulgaria, which was then part of the Soviet bloc. Born in Sofia in 1953, her father was a civil engineer and her mother a shopkeeper. Life was tough because her family weren't part of the Communist Party regime. Her father fell ill when Kristalina was young and she was just fifteen when she went to work at the local food market. She studied economics at the then Karl Marx Higher Economic Institute and then in the late 1980s she headed to London to spend a year at the London School of Economics. Over the last 30 years she's landed top jobs at the World Bank and the European Commission. In 2019, she was appointed managing director of the IMF, becoming the first person from an emerging economy to lead the institution. In the rare moments when she's not working, friends, colleagues and family paint a picture of a fun-loving woman who likes nothing better than dancing and singing. Becky Milligan explores Kristalina's life and career. Contributors Dessislava Kinova - daughter Iliyana Tsanova - friend and Chief Risk Officer at the European Commission Lord Nick Stern - friend and environmental economist Lord Mark Malloch Brown - friend and former World Bank Vice President Ivan Krastev - friend and political scientist Galia Mintcheva - special adviser Archive 60 Minute interview - CBS Face the Nation interview - CBS IMF news conference - UN Audiovisual Library Georgieva at Fortune MPW summit - Fortune Magazine

    Producer: Nathan Gower Editor: Justine Lang Sound mix: James Beard Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele

    25 April 2026, 5:00 am
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