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 heroMonica Ali chooses Richard Burton.

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)