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Big Lives

Big Lives

De : Pushkin Industries and BBC Studios
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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 Sciences sociales
Épisodes
  • LL Cool J: The Corny King of Hip Hop

    LL Cool J: The Corny King of Hip Hop
    Apr 20 2026

    LL Cool J didn’t conquer hip‑hop by being the toughest or the slickest, he did it by being unabashedly himself. Kai & Emmanuel break down the charisma, contradictions, and carefully crafted showmanship that turned a Queens teenager into a global cultural force. Through BBC archive gems and Kai’s own teenage misadventures, revisit the chaotic early days of Def Jam Records and the Soft Boy anthem that shook hip‑hop.

    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.
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    40 min
  • Amy Winehouse: The Price of Being Honest

    Amy Winehouse: The Price of Being Honest
    Apr 13 2026

    Amy Winehouse rewrote the rules of modern songwriting by refusing to fake a single feeling. In this episode, Kai and Emmanuel explore the BBC archive and find how a teenage jazz obsessive became a generational storyteller. Someone who insisted on truth over polish, grit over gloss, and emotional precision over pop perfection. Through her own words and early performances, we trace how Amy crafted songs that felt like conversations, confrontations, and confessions all at once - and why her radical honesty still reverberates.

    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.
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    44 min
  • 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.

    A Note to Our Listeners: This episode includes a sensitive discussion regarding attempted suicide. We encourage you to listen with care and prioritize your well-being. If you need support, free and confidential help is available 24/7. Call or text 988 (US/Canada) or 111 (UK) for professional assistance.

    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.
    Afficher plus Afficher moins
    42 min
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