History hero

Celebrities and popular figures choose their heroes from history. Browse these interviews to find out more about the people they chose…

My history heroPhil Tufnell chooses Denis Compton

Micheal Rosen and Émile Zola

My history heroMichael Rosen chooses Émile Zola

Reeta Chakrabarti and Janusz Korczak

My history heroReeta Chakrabarti chooses Janusz Korczak

My history heroIain Dale chooses Ronald Reagan

My history heroSam Naz chooses Noor Inayat Khan

My history heroJeremy Bowen chooses Vincent Sheean

Paterson Joseph and Ignatius Sancho

My history heroPaterson Joseph chooses Ignatius Sancho

Adam Henson and Robert Bakewell

My history heroAdam Henson chooses Robert Bakewell

Ian Hislop and Alfred the Great

My history heroIan Hislop chooses Alfred the Great

Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert and Edward Jenner

My history heroDame Sarah Gilbert chooses Edward Jenner

Sarah Smith and Eleanor of Aquitaine

My history heroSarah Smith chooses Eleanor of Aquitaine

Craig Charles and Muhammad Ali

My history heroCraig Charles chooses Muhammad Ali

Ross Kemp and Jesse Owens

My history heroRoss Kemp chooses Jesse Owens

My history heroRory Stewart chooses Thomas More

Laura Mvulu and Thelonius Monk

My history heroLaura Mvula chooses Thelonious Monk

Jackie Weaver and Elizabeth I

History heroJackie Weaver chooses Elizabeth I

Nisha Katona and Samuel Pepys

History heroNisha Katona chooses Samuel Pepys (1633–1703)

A bust of Ashoka the Great

History heroNihal Arthanayake chooses Ashoka the Great (c304–c232 BC)

History heroSteven Berkoff chooses Laurence Olivier (1907–89)

A colourised portrait of Anton Chekhov, from 1901

History heroWilliam Boyd chooses Anton Chekhov (1860–1904)

Eric Liddell winning the 400-metre final at the 1924 Olympic Games

History heroDan Walker chooses Eric Liddell (1902–45)

Welfare campaigner Emily Hobhouse

History heroAnita Anand chooses Emily Hobhouse (1860–1926)

Former US president Theodore Roosevelt stands on a boat with Cândido Rondon

History heroElla Al-Shamahi chooses Cândido Rondon (1865–1958)

Professor Stephen Hawking in his office at the University of Cambridge, 2003

History heroBobby Seagull chooses Stephen Hawking (1942–2018)

A c1638 oil painting of Katherine Howard, Lady Aubigny

History heroJulia Donaldson chooses Katherine Howard, Lady Aubigny (d1650)

Félix Kir in 1947, when he was the mayor of Dijon

Second World War

History heroSimon Farnaby chooses Félix Kir (1876–1968)

History heroAndrew Marr chooses Charles Darwin (1809–82)

George Washington Carver in a laboratory

History heroGillian Burke chooses George Washington Carver (c1864–1943)

A 19th-century engraving of Francis Grose

History heroSusie Dent chooses Francis Grose (1731–1791)

Young girl putting garland around Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. (Photo by Dinodia Photos/Getty Images)

History heroFergal Keane chooses Jawaharlal Nehru (1889–1964)