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Lives Less Ordinary

BBC World Service
Mental Health
Avontuur
Family
Holocaust
Adoption
Comedy
Family Dynamics
BBC World Service
Covid-19
Survival
Human Rights
Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Racism
Childhood Trauma
Migration
Motherhood
Tupamaros
Brazil
Personal Growth
Atlantic Ocean

Introducing a new season of five remarkable true stories in which love rises above prejudice, waits decades, crosses oceans and survives war. From India to Italy, Syria to the Bahamas, and the UK to the US, these are unforgettable stories that reveal how love can survive against the odds, heal old wounds and transform lives forever.

Lives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes305Founded17 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Personal JournalsDocumentarySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Lives Less Ordinary

Latest Episodes

A secret tore apart their teenage love. Four decades later, they got a second chance.

In 1970s Nottingham, two teenagers fell head-over-heels in love when Mark Bethel arrived from the Bahamas to study. For Penny Umbers, it felt like the beginning of... more

In 2016 Janay was a journalist in London and needed footage of the conflict in Syria, so contacted camera operator Habak in Aleppo. What followed was a love story neither saw coming.

When Lebanese journalist Janay Boulos first started messaging Abd... more

Introducing a new season of five remarkable true stories in which love rises above prejudice, waits decades, crosses oceans and survives war. From India to Italy, Syria to the Bahamas, and the UK to the US, these are unforgettable stories that reveal... more

Chris Duddy survived 28 hours in Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano after his helicopter crashed.

Cinematographer Chris Duddy has worked on some of Hollywood’s biggest movies like Titanic and Terminator 2. Filming in extreme conditions is part of his job, and... more

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People also subscribe to these shows.

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Recent Guests

Abd Al-Kader Habak
Cameraman and journalist in Syria during the war, later partner of Janay
BBC collaboration, then production partner
Episode: Love Stories: Finding you in a warzone
Janay Boulos
Lebanese journalist who connected with Habak online and later married him
BBC journalist, partner in the love story
Episode: Love Stories: Finding you in a warzone
Asya Fuchs
Narrator/host introducing five love stories
BBC World Service (Lives Less Ordinary)
Episode: Introducing: Love Stories
Chris Duddy
Hollywood cinematographer, camera operator and later director of photography
Free-lance/Film industry
Episode: I crash-landed inside an active volcano
Bjorn Ihler
Counter-extremism expert, founder of Khalifa Ihler Institute
Khalifa Ihler Institute
Episode: Why I don't hate the person who tried to kill me
Miriam Lewin
Survivor of Argentina's dictatorship and journalist
Independent journalist and survivor
Episode: The prisoner who was forced to celebrate a World Cup victory
Serena Kutchinsky
Author of Kutchinsky's Egg
House of Kutchinsky (through family history)
Episode: My father and the curse of the golden egg
Samina Ali
Author and brain-trauma survivor
Author of Pieces You'll Never Get Back
Episode: I had a baby – then lost my memory, part 2
Juan Catalan
Subject of the episode, who faced capital murder charges
None specified
Episode: Could a sitcom save a man from death row?

Hosts

Jo Fidgen
Host of the show; widely associated with long-form, empathetic interviews and global storytelling.
Asya Fouks
Co-host involved in presenting and guiding conversations across episodes.
Namulanta Combo
Contributor and host on related strands; contributes to global storytelling.
Mobeen Azhar
Contributor and host on related strands; known for investigative and narrative interviewing styles.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 2.2k ratings
  • :)

    I’m 9. I recommend this podcast

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Paws of the cat club
    Canada12 days ago
  • Fab podcast

    Great stories, always look forward to it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Deb290969
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • So inspiring

    Absolutely wonderful podcast. I learn so much. Extraordinary stories and almost all of them completely absorbing.

    Love the host as well

    Thank you

    P.S we just got back from visiting Brolga et al at the Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs and it was the most wonderful and special experience

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AnnaBlueStar
    New Zealand2 months ago
  • Best Podcast Ever!

    I love the variety of stories, incredible individuals and brilliant interviewers.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MJ29MO
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Usually good, but not today

    The NZ couple was SO hard to listen to. Sniff sniff every few words. Surely that could have been edited out

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    nivlag8
    Australia6 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Powerful, moving narratives that stay with you after the episode ends.
Engaging and world-spanning stories from diverse lives.
A go-to for inspiration and learning about lives lived differently.
Consistently well-produced with thoughtful questions and strong storytelling.
Some guests feel overbearing interviewer at times, but generally insightful.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The prisoner who was forced to celebrate a World Cup victory
Q: What was your mental state during detention and the transition to the ESMA rehabilitation center?
Miriam describes extreme weight loss, fear, moments of hope about visiting family, and the gradual shift to working for the regime as a strategy for survival.
The prisoner who was forced to celebrate a World Cup victory
Q: Let's talk in some detail about how it came to be that you were one of the disappeared.
The interview covers how Miriam's political activism, family ties, and the dangerous environment before and after the 1976 coup culminated in her arrest and time in ESMA, with torture and forced labor described as part of the regime's coercive strategy.
Why I don't hate the person who tried to kill me
Q: How did you feel watching Breivik in court for the first time?
Nervous, but also reassured by seeing him in shackles and realizing he posed no immediate threat, which was a small moment of relief and a step in healing.
Why I don't hate the person who tried to kill me
Q: What motivated you to read Breivik's manifesto a week after the attacks?
To understand who Breivik was and what drove someone so similar in background to commit such acts, though the manifesto offered little wisdom and mostly reaffirmed far-right rhetoric.
I had a baby – then lost my memory, part 2
Q: How did you cope with doctors' initial predictions about your ability to write again, and what spurred you to prove them wrong?
She faced skepticism from clinicians, yet pursued writing as a form of survival, proving through steady effort and imagination that she could regain a voice and publish a novel.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Lives Less Ordinary

What is Lives Less Ordinary about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A contemporary, globally minded collection of intimate, often resilience-focused narratives. Episodes center on personal survival, healing from trauma, identity, and social change, featuring survivors of crime, conflict, displacement, and systemic injustice. The show tends to pair deeply personal storytelling with broader themes like forgiveness, restorative justice, motherhood, migration, and artistic or cultural reinvention, frequently highlighting overlooked or marginalized perspectives. Noteworthy are the globe-spanning settings, brave disclosures, and a steady emphasis on hope, growth, and human connection that can be both enlightening and uplifting for listeners seeking authentic, human-centered storytelling.

Where can I find podcast stats for Lives Less Ordinary?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Lives Less Ordinary. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Lives Less Ordinary and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Lives Less Ordinary get?

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What are the audience demographics for Lives Less Ordinary?

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How many subscribers and views does Lives Less Ordinary have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Lives Less Ordinary has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Lives Less Ordinary?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Lives Less Ordinary:

1. The Documentary Podcast
2. Witness History
3. The Audio Long Read
4. The Inquiry
5. The History Hour

How many episodes of Lives Less Ordinary are there?

Lives Less Ordinary launched 17 years ago and published 305 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Lives Less Ordinary?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Lives Less Ordinary?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Lives Less Ordinary from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Lives Less Ordinary?

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What guests have appeared on Lives Less Ordinary?

Recent guests on Lives Less Ordinary include:

1. Abd Al-Kader Habak
2. Janay Boulos
3. Asya Fuchs
4. Chris Duddy
5. Bjorn Ihler
6. Miriam Lewin
7. Serena Kutchinsky
8. Samina Ali

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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