The Shawn Ryan Show
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Society & Culture
Big Lives
by Pushkin Industries and BBC Studios
Today: #167 in Society & Culture, Philippines on our combined chart.
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Ranking history · Canada
No ranking history for this show in Canada over the last 7 days.
Latest episodes
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From Hit Parade: The Harrisong Edition
September 7, 2026 · 39 minOn Big Lives, we're interested not just in the story of the icons we cover, but also on the impact they have on the world around them. And when it comes to George Harrison, his legacy has continued to evolve. So we're sharing an episode…
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How Madonna Started a Culture War
August 3, 2026 · 1 hr 5 minWhy is Madonna one of the most controversial pop stars of all time? Before cancel culture and social media outrage, Madonna was already at the centre of America's biggest culture wars. Hosts Kai and Emmanuel sit down with writer and…
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James Baldwin: Love, Identity and the Truth Behind an American Icon
July 27, 2026 · 1 hr 6 minWho was the real James Baldwin, beyond the famous speeches and viral quotes? Hosts Kai and Emmanuel are joined by biographer Nicholas Boggs to explore the life and legacy of one of America's greatest writers. From his friendships and…
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From You’re Dead To Me: Iliad and The Odyssey
July 24, 2026 · 1 hr 0 minThe new Odyssey movie was just released, with a star-studded cast including Tom Holland, Zendaya, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattison. If you’re a fan of fantastical myths and legends, heroes behaving badly, ancient Greek culture…
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How Tina Turner Built Rock 'n' Roll (And Got Left Out of It)
July 20, 2026 · 57 minWe trace Tina Turner's journey from the cotton fields of Nutbush, Tennessee to global superstardom. We dig into the abuse that nearly ended her career, her extraordinary reinvention, and the overlooked influence she and other Black women…
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Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation, The Fugees and Her Enduring Legacy
July 13, 2026 · 1 hr 5 minLauryn Hill is a generational voice, a cultural lightning rod, and one of music’s biggest what-ifs. This time, we're joined by NPR’s Code Switch host B.A. Parker to unpack the meteoric rise of the Fugees frontwoman, Lauryn Hill, and the…
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The Beckhams: From World Cup Villain to Billionaire Power Couple
July 6, 2026 · 1 hr 6 minDavid and Victoria Beckham weren't always the untouchable power couple we know today. In 1998, David was public enemy number one after a red card cost England the World Cup. So how did the Beckhams go from national villains to a global…
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From Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise
July 4, 2026 · 50 minSharing Malcolm Gladwell’s latest project, featuring our very own Kai Wright: a podcast called Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise. Imagine a time when the United States was split in two. And then had to put itself back together. It…
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Sinéad O’Connor: The Story Behind the Icon and the Outrage
June 29, 2026 · 49 minSinéad O’Connor had one of the most unforgettable voices in music history and one of the most misunderstood lives. Kai and Emmanuel go beyond the "angry pop star" label and headlines to tell the real story of Sinéad O'Connor: the artist…
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Jesse Jackson and the Making of Modern Black Politics
June 22, 2026 · 1 hr 31 minThis Juneteenth, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s seismic rulings on voting rights, Emmanuel and Kai talk about the legacy of one man: Jesse Jackson. We trace his journey from teenage activist to Martin Luther King Jr.’s inner circle to…
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Star Trek’s George Takei and the Courage to Come Out
June 15, 2026 · 58 minBefore the fame, there was incarceration. George Takei has lived an extraordinary life: from a childhood in Japanese American internment camps to a groundbreaking role on Star Trek, to a decades-long struggle with identity. This Pride…
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Kylie Minogue and the Power of Pop Without Apology
June 8, 2026 · 48 minPop princess, gay icon, global enigma. We unpack how Kyle Minogue, soap star with “manufactured” hits, became the ultimate symbol of joy for generations of fans. For Pride Month, celebrate the singer embraced by queer communities long…
About the show
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.
The Guardian: "A smart and chatty show"
The Telegraph: "Presenters sift wittily through the BBC archive"
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.