Profile

Spotify reportedly paid $100m in 2020 for rights to The Joe Rogan Experience, the streaming service's top podcast. The show is said to be downloaded around 200 million times a month.Joe Rogan hosts a variety of guests who discuss their views on a range of issues - but some episodes have featured false and misleading claims.Big names from the music industry, including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, have asked Spotify to remove their music from the platform. They have criticised the music streaming service for publishing a podcast that spreads Covid misinformation.Mark Coles traces the life and career of the controversial former martial arts fighter and comedian.Researcher: Drew Miller Hyndman Producer: Ben Crighton Editor: Damon Rose

Zelensky was an actor and comedian who became a household name in Ukraine by starring in a TV series about a teacher who accidentally became president. In a surreal case of life imitating art, Zelensky found himself elected in 2019 with zero political experience. As the threat of a Russian invasion looms, Mark Coles profiles a man on the brink of becoming an unlikely wartime leader.

From pub landlady to chief interrogator, Adrian Goldberg profiles Sue Gray, the woman who secretly “runs Britain”, and is leading the investigation into Downing Street parties. We hear about her unconventional background, a mysterious career break involving brushes with the IRA, and her meteoric rise to become Whitehall’s most feared inquisitor. She’s been called “the most powerful person you’ve never heard of”. But, will she be able to withstand the pressure of investigating her own boss, the Prime Minister?

Adrian Goldberg profiles the life and career of World No. 1 tennis player Novak Djokovic. We hear about him practicing in the streets of Belgrade as a child during the war in the former Yugoslavia, how his views on health and medicine were shaped and how he became the formidable and resilient competitor that he is today.Programme Credits In Depth with Graham Bensinger ABC NewsProducer: Ben Crighton Researcher: Diane Richardson Editor: Penny Murphy

It’s been quite a year for proudly Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv, becoming the first female conductor at the 145-year-old Bayreuth Festival in August and now embarking on a new role as Teatro Comunale di Bologna's first female Music Director.Presenter Mark Coles discovers the family stories and personal challenges which have brought Oksana’s charisma and talent from Western Ukraine to classical music's world stage.Picture Credit: Tristram Kenton, Royal Opera House.Programme Credits: Teatro Comunale di Bologna UATV The Ukrainian Institute in London DW Classical Music MDR Television Choir and Orchestra of the Bayreuther Festspiele US-Ukraine Foundation Producer: Ben Crighton Researcher: Diane Richardson

British curling is looking forward to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics - and all eyes are on head coach David Murdoch, the man in charge of bringing home some medals.All three teams - mixed, male and female - have qualified and hopes are high this former World Champion and Olympic silver medallist can inspire the teams to victory.Mark Coles finds out what makes the Lockerbie-born sports nerd tick.Producers: Diane Richardson and Lucy Proctor Editor: Penny Murphy

Pharoah Sanders’s 2021 album Promises has been called a spiritual album for the dark ages. Mark Coles hears how Sanders helped invent a new style of music, after his birth in the southern United States, and time spent sleeping rough in New York City.Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Ben Crighton and Chris Flynn

The pandemic has thrust the Government Chief Scientific Adviser into the middle of the clash between politics and science. He’s faced criticism from MPs, the press, and the public. Edward Stourton finds out about the man behind the pedestal, Sir Patrick Vallance. From fixing caravans on his parents’ site in Cornwall to breakfast with an mentor and a stint in industry with GlaxoSmithKline, who is the man advising our leaders on the pandemic? Presenter: Edward Stourton Researcher: Drew Miller Hyndman Producer: Ben Crighton Editor: Richard Vadon

He’s twice been convicted of hate speech, believes foreign names should be banned, and has been accused of being a Holocaust denier. Mark Coles looks at the life and career of the journalist turned politician who hopes to be the next leader of France.Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Chris Flynn

After becoming the first Black woman – and the oldest person – ever to win the Turner Prize, British artist Lubaina Himid is now enjoying a retrospective at London's Tate Modern.She’s become recognised as one of the most powerful political voices in British contemporary art, creating works about black identity, as well as championing the work of young black British female artists. Mark Coles speaks to those who know her. Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Chris Flynn

The idea for the four year old pigchild was dreamt up in a London pub by three out of work mates in the 90s. She’s now the inspiration for theme parks across the world, and they are worth millions. After the prime minister declared his love for her in front of the UK’s leading business people, Mark Coles explores how Peppa Pig has become one the most recognisable characters on television.Producers: Ben Crighton and Chris Flynn

Boris Johnson says he "crashed the car" in his handling of the case of the party's former MP Owen Paterson. But if the prime minister was at the wheel, Jacob Rees-Mogg was the backseat driver. The Leader of the House of Commons has described himself as a man of the people. Others have referred to him as the honourable member for the 18th century. Mark Coles asks what now drives the man who as a monocle wearing child was chauffeured in a Bentley.Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Ben Crighton

He came to Britain as a toddler - one of several thousand Indian immigrants from Kenya.Raised in poverty in 1960s Bradford, Kamlesh Patel was targeted by skinheads – and sought solace playing cricket in a field with other south Asian friends.Almost 50 years later - now a peer - Lord Patel is tasked with trying to repair the reputation of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, which has been accused of systemic racism. As MPs begin their own investigation, Mark Coles follows Kamlesh Patel's remarkable journey from schoolboy cricketer and one time ambulance driver to social worker, academic, the House of Lords and now chair of the club he always dreamed of playing for. Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Ben Crighton

He shot to fame as a teenage punk star from Derry, enjoyed hits as a solo artist and later worked behind the scenes for years in the music industry. But now Feargal Sharkey is enjoying a belated second burst of fame as a leading voice in the campaign against river and waterway pollution. His life-long love of fly fishing has led to a deep knowledge of the chalk streams of Southern England, and now Sharkey finds himself being quoted with approval in parliament by MP’s and peers. Adrian Goldberg talks to those who know him well, and hears about cigarette smuggling, stag dos – and a decidedly PRIVATE private life. Presenter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Ben Crighton

Mark Coles finds out how Amanda Staveley went from a long-jumping Yorkshire schoolgirl to one of the most prominent women in football via horse racing, the Middle East, and a former employee she made dress up in a gorilla suit.With her extensive Middle Eastern contacts book, Amanda Staveley isn’t afraid of putting her, or other people’s, money where her mouth is. Although she doesn’t always get what she wants.Producers: Ben Crighton and Chris Flynn

The UK’s ‘strictest’ headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh has landed a new role as head of the Social Mobility Commission, a public body designed to boost the life chances of the country's most disadvantaged children.Born to Jamaican and Guyanese immigrants, Katharine Birbalsingh first rose to prominence at the 2010 Tory party conference. Her speech about Britain’s “broken” education system received a standing ovation, but it also made her one of the most controversial figures in British education, and for a while she couldn’t even get a teaching job.Then, in 2014, she founded the Michaela free school in north-west London, which has a zero tolerance behaviour policy. Pupils are penalised for forgetting to bring a pencil, or even for talking in corridors between lessons. The school has been deemed “outstanding” in all areas by Ofsted inspectors.Edward Stourton examines the life and career of Katharine Birbalsingh, and asks if her forthright personality and achievements as a headteacher will equip her to address issues of entrenched inequality.Producer: Nick Holland Researcher: Bethan Head

Singer-songwriter Adele Adkins is one of the world's best-selling artists, with sales of over 100 million records. Better known simply as Adele, she’s also won nine Brit Awards, a Golden Globe and fifteen Grammys - not to mention an Oscar in 2013 for her singing in the Bond film Skyfall.This week she released her first new single in six years, offering her fans a first glimpse of her so-called ‘divorce album’ entitled ’30’, due for release next month.The 33 year old currently lives with her son in Los Angeles, rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous. She’s come a long way from the working class upbringing with her single mother who once smuggled the toddler into a gig, hidden inside her coat. So how did this ‘ordinary girl’ from North London conquer the popular music world? Mark Coles looks at her life and extraordinary career.Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Nick Holland Researcher: Bethan Head

British actress Cush Jumbo is best known for her starring role in US TV dramas The Good Wife and spin-off The Good Fight. Now she’s aiming to set the London theatre scene alight, playing ‘a new kind of Hamlet’ at the Young Vic. Only a handful of women have ever taken on the role before, and Jumbo is the first woman of colour to play the troubled Danish prince in a major production in Britain. It hasn’t been plain sailing for Cush Jumbo, who worked a long list of jobs – including door to door sales and waitressing in a strip bar – to support herself as an aspiring actress, and came close to quitting altogether. But, as Mark Coles hears, she wrote her way out of the doldrums and became a star on both sides of the Atlantic.Celebrity mates Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) and Phyllida Lloyd (Mamma Mia!) help tell her story, and spill some great anecdotes along the way. Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Researchers: Zoe Gelber, Soila Apparicio, Bethan Head Production Coordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Penny Murphy Mix: Neil Churchill

Olaf Scholz is expected to be the new leader of Germany if he can construct a successful coalition. How did the former mayor of Hamburg appeal to the country's voters? With Adrian Goldberg.

By her own admission, Liz Truss is not always known as being diplomatic. As she takes on the role of Foreign Secretary, Profile investigates the influences and events that have taken her to one of the great offices of state, and finds that the journey has been far from usual. Mark Coles hears from Liz Truss’s brother, her student friend and keen watchers of her political career, and asks how this former Liberal Democrat, karaoke-lover and child of CND campaigners came to sit almost at the top of the Conservative party.Producer: Nathan Gower Researcher: Bethan Head

Sir Ed Davey is a mallet wielding, man on a mission. That mission is to demolish the Conservative 'blue wall' which he's already made a hole in after the surprise Liberal Democrat victory at the Chesham and Amersham by-election in June this year. With a First class degree from Oxford, he could have ended up as a spy, but instead chose the path well trodden for a PPE graduate, politics, taking a job as Economics Researcher to the then leader, Paddy Ashdown. He's committed to renewable energy and brought us wind farms during a stint as Energy Secretary in the Coalition Government in 2012, but can he keep the lights on for the Liberal Democrats? Presenter: Mark ColesProducers: Julie Ball Bob Howard Editor: Richard Vadon

The seminal rapper and billionaire fashion mogul Kanye West's new album Donda is named after his late mother, who was an influential figure in his life. It's gone straight to number one in many countries, it's the most successful album of the year already, clocking up over 180 million streams in just 24 hours. Some consider Kanye West - who also calls himself Ye - a creative genius. Others have been put off by controversial behaviour. President Obama called him a "jackass", after Kanye interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for a video music award to say Beyoncé "had one of the best videos of all time", implying she should have won instead. He apologised later. The hip hop artist doesn't lack self-belief. He has called himself a "God", and compared himself to the likes of Picasso and Shakespeare. But could he have a point? Even Barack Obama admitted that Kanye is "very talented" too. And experts say he has changed the genre, both as rapper and as producer. There is "hip hop before Kanye West, and hip hop after Kanye West". And then there is fashion - his designs of popular trainers and clothes have made him a billionaire. So what drives the controversial yet highly successful artist? Mark Coles dives into Kanye West's life and work to find out. Producer: Arlene Gregorius Researcher: Maia Lowerson

Following a sometimes ugly campaign, Britain's second largest trade union, Unite, has elected its first woman leader, Sharon Graham. But who exactly is she? Jealously guarding her privacy, Unite's new 52 year-old head represents a significant break with the union's retiring chief, Len McCluskey and, it would seem, his close political links with the Labour Party. Instead, centering her campaign on bringing the union "back to the workplace", Sharon Graham has emphasised her own focus on jobs, pay and conditions. She has called for "an obsession" with the Labour Party to stop and instead for "bad bosses" to be held to account. She claims to have won fifteen disputes without a defeat. But her policies are not without their critics. The strategy she has pioneered for "leveraging" disputes with employers by applying pressure across company activities has been attacked as "chilling". And within the union itself - where two-thirds of the members are men - accusations of misogyny have been levelled. Edward Stourton discovers how Sharon Graham has made it to the top of Unite, what makes her tick and what the union's members, employers, politicians and the public at large can expect from her. Among those taking part: Roz Foyer of the Scottish TUC; John Cooper of Unite; Gail Cartmail, President of the TUC; and Sebastian Payne of the Financial Times. Producer Simon Coates

With the fall of Kabul and the Taliban back in power in Afghanistan, this week Mark Coles profiles the man who’s become the public face of the strict Islamist movement - its political leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Baradar was one of those who founded the Taliban almost thirty years ago. Now, after spending eight years in a Pakistani jail, many are tipping him to be Afghanistan’s next President.Mark Coles speaks to some of the world’s leading experts on the Taliban to try to find out more about Mullah Baradar’s background, his upbringing and what he really believes in. Producer Smita Patel Researcher Di Richardson

By the end of July this year, more than 80 million vaccinations had been administered in the UK.Mark Coles takes a look at the talented and determined scientist leading the Oxford University vaccine team, Professor Sarah Gilbert. Producers: Ben Crighton and Soila Apparicio.

George Mpanga, better known as George the Poet, is a British spoken word poet, podcaster and advocate for social change. Born in north London after his parents fled Uganda in the 1980s, he’s become an increasingly significant voice in the debate on race and class in the UK. His innovative style mixes music and poetry. It has won him critical acclaim both as a recording artist and a social commentator, playing to a wide range of audiences, from the Cheltenham Literature Festival to 1Xtra. His award-winning podcast ‘Have You Heard George’s Podcast?’ blends fiction, news and music to depict inner city life.Mark Coles speaks to friends, family, and colleagues to find out more.Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Jim Frank Researchers: Soila Apparicio and Sowda Ali Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Studio Engineer: Nigel Appleton Editor: Alex Lewis

Last October, British sprint cyclist, Mark Cavendish, broke down on TV, fearing he’d cycled the last race of his career. Now the 36 year-old is making sporting history, against the odds. After illness and injury, the man dubbed the Manx Missile has now equalled the record – set by cycling legend Eddie Merckx - for the most Tour de France stage wins. And, if things go well for him on this last weekend of the Tour, he could even top that tally of 34. And yet, Cavendish only secured a place in the team at the absolute last minute. Few expected him to take part, never mind secure win after win. Mark Coles talks to friends and family of the sportsman who says he’s addicted to winning.Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Sally Abrahams Researcher: Soila Apparicio Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Studio Engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon Commentary of Tour de France 2021 Stage 4 win courtesy of Eurosport.

For almost a decade Raheem Sterling has been one of English football’s most talked about players. Born in Jamacia and raised in the shadow of the Wembley arch, he burst onto the scene as a precocious 17 year old talent at Liverpool. But for all his talent on the pitch, Sterling has been just as defined by his battles off it. He has had frequent tussles with the tabloid press and has become one of the most outspoken voices against the racist abuse suffered by black players.Edward Stourton gets behind the headlines and speaks to those that know him best to find out how the quiet young boy from Brent become one of English football’s most talismanic figures.Producers: Beth Sagar-Fenton & Matt Murphy Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Mix: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Richard Vadon

He's 23, with 16 Grand Slam titles to his name and focused on winning his first Wimbledon singles title. Yet British wheelchair tennis champion, Alfie Hewett, is facing the end of his career because of a change in rules. The elite sportsman, from Norwich, Norfolk, is currently ineligible to compete beyond 2021 after being told by the International Tennis Federation that his disability is not severe enough. Mark Coles talks to friends, family and career professionals to find out how the sports-loving six year-old was suddenly forced to adapt from running around a football pitch to being in a wheelchair. And how this life-changing event has shaped him into the player he is today. Presenter: Mark Coles Researchers: Lauren Moore, Sowda Ali and Bethan Head Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Sally Abrahams Studio Engineer: Rod Farquhar Editor: Alex Lewis

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one of Nigeria’s foremost literary voices. Her writing is noted for its touching examination of homeland, identity and feminism. For more than a decade she has been coaching and mentoring promising young authors through her yearly workshops in Lagos, bringing a new generation of African writers to mainstream attention.On the subject of transgender people and feminism, Chimamanda Adichie has been criticised by some on social media for comments she made in a 2017 TV interview, in which she said "my feeling is trans women are trans women". She was branded transphobic and there were calls for her to be banned from book events. This past week, she has hit back, writing a furious online essay slamming some of her critics and arguing that social media platforms have become too toxic.Mark Coles talks to friends and family about the award-winning writer whose outspoken nature has seen her drawn into a social media firestorm.Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Sally Abrahams Researcher: Matt Murphy and Sowda Ali Editor: Alex Lewis

The military commando turned self-made tech millionaire who’s now Prime Minister of Israel. The right-wing, nationalist, supporter of Jewish settlement in the West Bank has formed an unlikely alliance of left and right, secular and religious, Jewish and Arab. Once the chief of staff to Benjamin Netanyahu, Naftali Bennett brought an end to his old boss’s 12 years in power.Presenter: Mark Coles Researcher: Sowda Ali Studio manager: Graham Puddifoot Programme co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Joe Kent Editor: Alex LewisARCHIVE I24NEWS English: 'Kingmaker' Naftali Bennett Hopes to Become Israel's Next Prime Minister – February 2021 Zionist Federation of Australia: Lockdown Learning 15 with Naftali Bennett. June 2020 ABC News: The ABC Evening Newscast - July 1976 Brookings Institution: Saban Forum 2014 - A Conversation with Naftali Bennett. December 2014

The multi-talented performer has just made BAFTA history, after taking top honours for ‘I May Destroy You’, her drama about sexual consent. The TV show – which she created, wrote, directed and starred in - also won best mini-series. It was inspired by Michaela Coel’s own experience of sexual assault after her drink was spiked.Born in London to Ghanaian parents, 33 year-old Michaela Coel grew up with her single mum and older sister on a council estate in London’s East End. At eighteen, she became a Christian. Her conversion kick-started her writing career as she began penning and performing poems praising Jesus. After winning a scholarship to the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, her graduation piece - unusually- featured her own work, a play called ‘Chewing Gum Dreams'. It was about life on her estate and a girl desperate to lose her virginity. She later developed that into the award-winning Channel 4 comedy, Chewing Gum. Now Michaela Coel has been dubbed 'Queen of British TV' after her latest BAFTA success for her drama, 'I May Destroy You'. Mark Coles tells the story of her life, by talking to those who spotted her talents from a very young age, including friends from school, the church and the world of theatre. Presenter: Mark Coles Intake producer: Matt Toulson Producer: Sally Abrahams Editor: Alex Lewis

Joanne Anderson has just taken on what many might call one of the toughest jobs in local government - leading the Labour council at the centre of corruption allegations. Liverpool-born and bred, the 50 year-old single mum only became a Labour councillor in 2019. But she was encouraged to stand as mayor when her predecessor, Joe Anderson (no relation) stood down after being arrested over claims relating to bribery, which he strongly denies. Growing up on a council estate east of the city centre, community activism is in Joanne Anderson's blood. She was barely out of nappies when her mum took her along to protest against poor housing conditions. She's spent most of her career helping companies, charities and councils improve diversity and promote equal opportunities. Now she’s got the top job at Liverpool city council and is promising a fresh start. So who is Joanne Anderson? And how did a woman who until recently, was outside the city’s political inner circle, come to be its Mayor? Talking to close friends, family and colleagues, Adrian Goldberg charts Joanne Anderson’s rise from council flat to council leader.Presenter: Adrian Goldberg Intake producer: Matt Toulson Producer: Sally Abrahams Editor: Alex Lewis

Kate Bingham took on one of the hardest jobs in the Covid pandemic - finding and procuring the necessary vaccines to stop people dying. A venture capitalist who invests in new drugs, she got the call from the Prime Minister who asked her to chair the UK’s Vaccine Taskforce. Once she had worked out which vaccines to back and order in advance, she and her team had to get the systems in place to roll them out in record time. Before this she had spent 30 years in private equity in the city, which she has now returned to. Described by many as "a force of nature" she defied critics and sceptics and successfully secured 350 million doses of six different vaccines which started going into people's arms at the end of last year. The number of doses administered in the UK has now past 60 million and everyone over the age of 30 is being offered the jab. Via in depth interviews with close friends and colleagues from throughout her life and commentators, Mark Coles reveals the character behind the woman responsible for securing a pipe-line of Covid vaccines for the UK population. Presenter: Mark Coles Researcher: Stefania Okereke Studio manager: James Beard Programme co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Jim Frank and Caroline Bayley Editor: Richard Vadon and Alex LewisPhoto Credit: Tom Kates

Edwin Poots has been named as the new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. A farmer from the outskirts of Lisburn, not far from Belfast. Mr Poots entered political life in 1997 - and, since then, he's slowly but steadily risen to the top. He's held four Ministeries including health and agriculture and is viewed across the sectarian divide as a shrewd political strategist. A devoutly religious and committed member of the Free Presbyterian church, Mr Poots's ultra-conservative views on issues such as abortion and gay marriage have attracted heavy criticism over the years, as has his strongly held belief that the earth is approx. 6,000 years old.His supporters, however, insist that his personal beliefs have no bearing on his ability to do his job - and to lead the DUP into a new era. Via in-depth interviews with family, close personal friends and political commentators, Becky Milligan reveals the character behind the caricature sketched by media, the real person behind the public persona of Edwin Poots.Presenter: Becky Milligan Researcher: Stefania Okereke Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Programme co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Paul Connolly Editor: Richard Vadon and Alex Lewis

It's been an eventful few weeks for the Labour Party - especially for its deputy leader, Angela Rayner MP. Over the course of a topsy-turvy weekend, leaked plans to sack her from her role as party chair and national campaigns coordinator triggered an outcry, which, in turn, led Keir Starmer to instead offer a major promotion. Her back-story is, however, unusual for one who has risen so high, so quickly in British politics. Coming from an impoverished background, and leaving school at 16 with no qualifications and a baby on the way, she soon blazed a trail as a formidable union rep with Unison in the North West before being elected as an MP in 2015. By speaking to close personal friends, well-known public figures and commons commentators, Mark Coles reveals the character, underlying motivations - and even the unexpected musical tastes - of the woman who many believe could be the first ever female leader of the Labour Party.Presenter: Mark Coles Researcher: Stefania Okereke Studio manager: Neil Churchill Programme co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Paul Connolly Editor: Richard Vadon and Alex Lewis

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hugely popular, credited with bringing stability and modernisation to his country in his 8 years of leadership. But his critics say lately he has been too absorbed with his political ambitions and not focused enough on protecting the country from the pandemic. Could the disastrous second wave of coronavirus that has engulfed India dent the unassailable rise of Narendra Modi?Presenter: Mark Coles Researcher: Stefania Okereke Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Programme co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Chloe Hadjimatheou Editor: Richard Vadon and Alex Lewis

Brexit, Coronavirus and now ‘Sofagate’. It's been a challenging year for the first female President of the European Commission, who’s been criticised for the EU’s response to Covid-19 and blamed for a delay in getting people jabbed. Now, the organisation she heads is suing vaccine manufacturer, AstraZeneca, over delays in supplying doses. This week, she told the European parliament how she'd been left standing during a recent meeting in Turkey, because she is a woman. Her male counterparts took the only chairs available. Mark Coles profiles the Brussels-born German politician whose passion for the job means she lives, works and sleeps in the office. Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Sally Abrahams Editor: Alex Lewis

The rags to riches story of the billionaire brothers from Blackburn, Lancashire who have grown their business from a single petrol station in 2001 to a global empire of six thousand garage forecourts in less than twenty years. Notoriously private, the brothers became national news last year after buying the supermarket giant, Asda. Last week they added the fast-food chain, Leon, to their portfolio. And now they’re rumoured to have their eye on Caffé Nero. Talking to family, friends and business associates, Mark Coles discovers how different the brothers are, what fuels their passion for petrol stations and how they cope with media attention. Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Sally Abrahams Editor: Richard Vadon

Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland - who's facing calls to resign over the policing of a republican funeral during the pandemic, sparking violent disorder and protests.Simon Byrne, who's 57, is a policeman through and through. He joined the Metropolitan police as a teenager, straight out of school. Rising through the ranks, he took on senior roles in Merseyside, Manchester, London and Cheshire. He's now head of police in Northern Ireland, a post which many regard as the most difficult policing job in the UK, if not the world. Less than two years in post, and with the added challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit, Simon Byrne finds himself in a situation where policing and politics have collided.Becky Milligan talks to friends and colleagues about the man with a reputation for getting things done, a love of steam trains and a commitment to public service.Researcher: Stefania Okereke Producer: Sally Abrahams Editor: Richard Vadon

The billionaire banker whose finance firm has collapsed and who is now at the centre of a lobbying scandal involving ex-Prime Minister, David Cameron. Alexander "Lex" Greensill, grew up on his family’s sugar cane and melon farm in Queensland, Australia. After moving to the UK, he went into investment banking, founded a supply chain finance empire - complete with private jets - and, under David Cameron, secured a role in Britain’s Conservative-led Coalition government. After leaving office, the ex-PM became an adviser to the firm – Greensill Capital - which went bust last month, putting at risk 50,000 jobs worldwide. Mark Coles charts the rise and fall of the farmer’s son who, so the story goes, began his finance company to help small firms get paid more quickly by big businesses.Researchers: Matt Murphy and Stefania Okereke Producer: Sally Abrahams Editor: Richard Vadon

Emerald Fennell is the first British woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director. The film, that she also wrote - 'Promising Young Woman' - has been called a 'revenge-comedy', a movie for the #MeToo era. Fennell's rise has been meteoric - showrunner for the second series of 'Killing Eve', she's also well-known for her roles in front of the camera, including her portrayal of the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles, in 'The Crown'. Becky Milligan tells the story of a prolific and multi-talented young woman. Presenter: Becky Milligan Researchers: Matt Murphy and Stefania Okereke Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Programme co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Linda Pressly Editor: Richard Vadon

AstraZeneca's CEO faces scrutiny as his company's vaccine, and its roll out, comes under fire. Mark Coles explores the life and career one of big pharma's biggest names. The oldest of four boys, Pascal Soriot grew up in a working class area of Paris. He took the helm at AZ in 2012 after years in top jobs across the world. One of his first challenges was to fight off a takeover from Pfizer. The AZ vaccine, currently not-for-profit, was hailed as a life saver for millions. But with accusations of confusing drug trial data, dishonest dealings with the EU and safety fears, has the AstraZeneca CEO lost his shine? Presenter: Mark Coles Researcher: Matt Murphy Studio manager: Graham Puddifoot Programme co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Linda Pressly Editor: Rosamund Jones

Journalist, controversialist, celebrity - Mark Coles explores the explosive career of Piers Morgan, one of the country's youngest-ever and best-known newspaper editors. In the spotlight, again, this time for storming off the set of ITV's "Good Morning Britain", colleagues, competitors, friends and foes detail a roller-coaster career. If it started with a desire to report from behind the headlines, as years passed he has all too frequently become their subject. Presenter: Mark Coles Researcher: Matt Murphy Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Editor: Rosamund Jones:

The attorney general of Minnesota is the lead prosecutor in the trial for murder of George Floyd who died in May last year. His death became front page news after a video showed a white police officer kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes. It sparked massive civil unrest and forced a wider debate about law enforcement and racial inequality. Keith Ellison's role in the trial which started this week will be closely watched. He was born in Detroit in 1963, one of five brothers to parents with high expectations and a strong sense of social justice. As a young law student he became involved in community activism, a path which led to his election to Congress in 2006, the first muslim to achieve that. Becky Milligan talks to his family and friends. Producer: Sally Abrahams Researchers: Maia Lowerson & Matt Murphy Studio manager: Graham Puddifoot Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Rosamund Jones

The former dentist who’s just become the new leader of Scottish Labour. Anas' childhood was infused with politics - his father became the UK's first muslim MP and his mother devoted a great deal of time to activism and campaigning. But that came at a cost. The family endured racist threats while he was growing up. Now a lot rests on his shoulders. With only nine weeks until the Holyrood elections, can he turn round the party's fortunes in Scotland and in so doing change the make-up of Westminster politics too? Mark Coles explores his life and career. Producer: Sally Abrahams Researcher: Maia Lowerson Studio manager: Neil Churchill Editor: Rosamund Jones

Carrie Symonds is Boris Johnson's fiancee and the mother of his baby. She is a also a former special advisor, committed animal rights activist and Brexit supporter. And, not that long ago, she was director of communications for the Conservative Party. It's that political experience that has fuelled questions about how much influence she has over decisions made in Downing Street. The Bow Group think tank this week called for an inquiry into her role. Mark Coles profiles the woman who has been making waves, and headlines, in recent weeks. Producer: Simon MaybinResearcher: Maia LowersonEditor: Rosamund JonesStudio manager: Graham Puddifoot Production co-ordinator: Aretha Holmes

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's journey to head the World Trade Organisation has been particularly note-worthy. She is the first woman and the first African to hold the position. A trained economist, she was at the World Bank during the financial crisis and, as Nigeria’s finance minister, she faced down corruption. It's not just her career that sets her apart. As a child she lived through the Biafran War. Years later she faced another crisis: the kidnapping of her elderly mother. But her friends say she does find time for a laugh and the occasional boogie. Becky Milligan hears about her fascinating life and career from close family, friends and colleagues.Producer: Ben Crighton Researcher: Maia Lowerson Studio manager: Rod Farquhar Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Rosamund Jones

David Martindale joined Livingston FC as a volunteer six years ago, picking up bibs and cones after training sessions. Now he is managing a team that's about to play in the Scottish League Cup Final.It has been an unconventional and bumpy rise to the top. Martindale went to jail in 2006, doing time for his involvement in organised crime, Mark Coles talks to his family, friends and football colleagues about his past, his leadership style and what the future may hold. Will his chequered history thwart his ambition? Producer: Beth Sagar-FentonResearcher: Maia LowersonEditor: Rosamund JonesProduction Co-ordinator: Janet StaplesStudio Manager: Rod Farquhar

The first female british chef to win 3 Michelin stars at her own restaurant hails from a farm in County Antrim. Mark Coles talks to those who know Clare Smyth well - at home and in the kitchen - including legendary chefs Alain Ducasse and Angela Hartnett. Clare Smyth left Northern Ireland to train in England at just 16 and has gone her own way ever since. A protegee of some of the world's best known chefs, she ran Gordon Ramsay's flagship restaurant before setting up her own, Core, just three years ago. She says she's now reached the pinnacle of any chef's career - but food critic Jay Rayner questions why this milestone has been so long coming. Presenter: Mark Coles Researcher: Maia Lowerson Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Editor: Rosamund Jones