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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
Migration
Motherhood
Childhood Trauma
Tupamaros
Brazil
Personal Growth
Atlantic Ocean

Have you ever locked eyes with a stranger and wondered, "What’s their story?" Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected. Extraordinary stories from around the world.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes305Founded17 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
DocumentaryPersonal JournalsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Lives Less Ordinary

Latest Episodes

In July 2011 Bjorn Ihler was a 20-year-old performing arts student and a member of the youth division of the Norwegian Labour Party. He participated in the Party's summer camp on Utøya island, about 35km from Norway's capital Oslo, when Norway suffer... more

Miriam Lewin was never much interested in football. Growing up in Buenos Aires, she cared far more about politics than the team her family supported. But in 1978, when Argentina won the World Cup, she found herself among the celebrating fans, hidden ... more

Serena Kutchinsky was 10 years old when her jeweller father Paul unveiled his masterpiece to the world: a giant, golden, diamond-encrusted egg. Paul had recently taken over the family business, the celebrated London jewellers House of Kutchinsky, and... more

After an undiagnosed case of pre-eclampsia caused catastrophic brain damage and amnesia, Samina Ali returned home from hospital to begin a long recovery.

At 29, she found herself relearning the basics of daily life – how to walk, speak and make sens... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

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
Survivor, writer, and subject of the episode
Episode: I had a baby – then lost my memory, part 1
Juan Catalan
Subject of the episode, who faced capital murder charges
None specified
Episode: Could a sitcom save a man from death row?
Hitomi Soga
Survivor and former abductee from Japan
Aboard North Korea abduction program survivor
Episode: I was kidnapped by North Korea
Michelle Renee
Survivor of a violent home invasion and subject of the episode
None given
Episode: I was forced to rob my own bank, part 2
Robert Ortiz
Alleged participant in the crime, later reprieved through restorative processes
Prison inmate turned advocate
Episode: I was forced to rob my own bank, part 2
Ramla Ali
Champion boxer, model, humanitarian
Boxing world; Somalia advocacy
Episode: I'm a champion boxer, but couldn't tell my mum
Loung Ung
Author of First They Killed My Father; activist and survivor of the Khmer Rouge era
Author; Activist
Episode: Taught to kill – my childhood under the Khmer Rouge
Jackie McCarthy O'Brien
Former Irish footballer and rugby player
Athlete, Coach
Episode: I was taken as a baby…I didn’t know who I was, part 2

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
  • 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
    Australia5 months ago
  • Good show

    Interviewing different people about interesting experiences and incidents, would recommend.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ishaan Shetty 1411
    Singapore8 months ago
  • Simply perfect

    Love it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jeckles88
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • Zarna Gary

    What an amazing story of how she got where she is! I love her!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cuca Girl
    United States10 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.

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.
I had a baby – then lost my memory, part 2
Q: What did it feel like when the memories started returning, and how did that change your sense of self?
Memories returning brought overwhelming relief and a flood of clarity, but it also underscored how much she had changed, prompting a reckoning with a new identity and a necessary separation from her former self.
I had a baby – then lost my memory, part 1
Q: How did Samina describe waking up after the coma and the first moments with her baby?
She recalls the shock of not recognizing her husband or child, the overwhelming confusion, and the realization that her memory had been erased, followed by the emotional conflict of feeling love and fear in equal measure as she began to relearn relationships.
I had a baby – then lost my memory, part 1
Q: What happened during the pregnancy that prompted doctors to reassess her condition?
She began showing symptoms in the late third trimester, including headaches, vision changes, and swelling, which led her partner to advocate for checking preeclampsia; doctors initially dismissed concerns, prompting a more urgent investigation and eventual findings.
I was forced to rob my own bank, part 2
Q: How did you feel when you opened that letter and read it?
Ortiz describes initial confusion and fear of being judged, followed by realization that the message offered forgiveness and a path toward healing, which changed how he approached his own future.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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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. Life Changing
2. The Documentary Podcast
3. Witness History
4. Desert Island Discs
5. We call her Emma | Tortoise Investigates

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?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Lives Less Ordinary. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Lives Less Ordinary?

Recent guests on Lives Less Ordinary include:

1. Serena Kutchinsky
2. Samina Ali
3. Juan Catalan
4. Hitomi Soga
5. Michelle Renee
6. Robert Ortiz
7. Ramla Ali
8. Loung Ung

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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