Profile

Since it was privatised over a decade ago, there's been speculation around the future of the UK's troubled postal service, Royal Mail.Now the government has approved its purchase by the Czech billionaire, Daniel Křetínský, a relative unknown here in the UK.Born in communist Czechoslovakia in 1975, Křetínský was a teenager when the Berlin Wall came down. He started his career as a lawyer, but after taking a job in an investment firm soon acquired a reputation as a financial prodigy. He went on to make his fortune in energy investments, but has since expanded to become a big player in the media scene, as well as buying stakes in businesses in Western Europe, especially France and the UK.In this episode of Profile, Stephen Smith finds out more about the man who's set to take on the challenge of turning around a once cherished national institution.Production TeamProducers: Nathan Gower and Ben Cooper Editor: Sarah Wadeson Sound: John Scott Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleCreditsCanal+

Through his passion for stop motion and modelling clay, we have come to love his silent (but wise) dog and well-meaning owner.Wallace and Gromit are Nick Park’s most famous creations, but what more do we know about this Preston born Oscar winner?He would use his mother’s home movie camera to record his early films; he studied animation at the National Film and Television School in Buckinghamshire; and joined Aardman Animations in the mid-80s.Over the last few decades, Nick Park has gained critical acclaim for feature films, Chicken Run and Early Man. So, as we await the latest Wallace and Gromit offering this Christmas, Mark Coles has donned the RIGHT trousers to take a closer look at the multi-award winning animator.Archive Credits Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out directed by Nick Park (Aardman Animations/National Film and Television School) Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl directed by directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham (Aardman Animations) Creature Comforts directed by Nick Park (Aardman Animations) Chicken Run directed by Peter Lord and Nick Park (Aardman Animations/Pathé/DreamWorks Animation) Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit directed by Nick Park and Steve Box (Aardman Animations/DreamWorks Animation) Wallace & Gromit Christmas Jumper Ident (Aardman Animations for the BBC) Merlin Crossingham & Nick Park on WALLACE AND GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL at AFI Fest 2024 (American Film Institute) The Bike Ride (Collett Dickenson Pearce)Production Team Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Bob Howard and Natalie Ktena Editor: Richard Vadon Sound: Gareth Jones Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele

From using a skateboard to baking sourdough, Tom Molnar leads an eclectic life.Born in the United States, he earned a degree in Ecology at Dartmouth College, before going on to gain experience in corporate strategy and client management. It was during those years, that he noticed a gap in the market for quality bread.Tom Molnar joined forces with Ran Avidan and Gail Mejia in 2005, and their Gail’s story began in a small corner of North London. Nearly 20 years later, the chain has become omnipresent on high streets all over the country and looks set to yield a handsome sum amid speculation that its owners have appointed a Wall Street bank to oversee an auction.Stephen Smith takes a closer look at the visionary behind one of Britain’s fastest-growing chains.Production teamProducers: Ben Cooper and Natalie Ktena Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleCreditsBBC / Gordon Murray Puppets Gentleman's Journal

She is the self-styled "proud Yorkshirewoman" at the centre of an extraordinary week at Westminster.Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP behind a bid to legalise assisted dying for the terminally ill in England and Wales, was born in West Yorkshire in 1976.Before her life in politics, she worked in furniture sales and as an exercise instructor, before becoming a lecturer in health and exercise in her late 20s. But it was the murder of her sister Jo Cox in 2016 that saw her thrust into the public eye.After years promoting social cohesion with the Jo Cox Foundation and More In Common, in 2021 she became an MP in the same constituency her sister had represented. Mark Coles talks to family, friends and political allies, to understand the views and events that have shaped the woman at the centre of an intense, and highly charged debate.Production TeamProducers: Nathan Gower and Ben Cooper Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele

From television commercials in the 1970s, to today’s toga-ripping, chariot-flipping sequel to Gladiator.Sir Ridley Scott is one of Britain’s greatest film directors.The grammar school boy, born in South Shields, spent part of his childhood in Germany before pursuing his passion for art at school in Hartlepool and then the Royal College of Art.But the camera appealed to Scott as much as the canvas, and Stephen Smith has been talking with the Hollywood titan’s friends, family and peers to find out more about him - and his work.Production TeamProducers: Nathan Gower and Ben Cooper Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele CreditsAlien (1979): 20th Century-Fox, Brandywine Productions Gladiator (2000): DreamWorks Pictures, Universal Pictures, Scott Free Productions, Red Wagon Entertainment Napoleon (2023): Apple Studios, Scott Free Productions, Columbia Pictures (through Sony Pictures Releasing) Gladiator II (2024): Scott Free Productions, Lucy Fisher/Douglas Wick Productions, Paramount Pictures

Born in communist East Germany, to a German mother and Iranian father, Sahra Wagenknecht has long been the face of the country’s hard left. But her own breakaway political movement, supporting a higher minimum wage as well as an end to weapons deliveries to Ukraine, appears to be gaining further support.And with Germany set to hold elections early next year, following the collapse of the governing coalition, some think the 54-year-old will play a pivotal role in the future politics of the EU's largest economy.In this edition of Profile, Mark Coles takes a closer look at the leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW).Production team Producers: Emma Close and Ben Cooper Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele and Janet StaplesCredits DW

She is one of the highest-ranking women in the Labour Party, now holding the position of home secretary.Yvette Cooper, born in Inverness in 1969, grew up in Hampshire and went on to forge a career in politics full of firsts. She served as the first female chief secretary to the Treasury. She also became the first minister to take maternity leave, and she was one half of the first married couple in the cabinet - alongside Ed Balls.But not everyone is convinced Yvette Cooper has the answers to the big problems in her in-tray, particularly on the small boats issue.Stephen Smith talks to friends and political allies, to understand the views and events that have shaped this veteran Labour politician.Production team Producers: Emma Close and Nathan Gower Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele Credits Political Thinking with Nick Robinson (BBC) 1991 Harvard Commencement Address 1992 Bill Clinton Campaign Speech Tony Blair 1997 Election Victory Speech 2015 Election Exit Poll (BBC)

From his hilltop glass mansion in ancient Tbilisi, he’s accused of cultivating Georgia’s shift from the west over the past decade.And, with his political party’s recent victory in the parliamentary elections, that trajectory appears set to continue for some time yet.Bidzina Ivanishvili is the guiding force behind the Georgian Dream party, but what else do we know about the mysterious billionaire?In this edition of Profile, Mark Coles takes a closer look at the man who keeps animals, collects rare trees, and who spent much of the 1990s in Russia founding companies.Production team Producers: Ben Cooper, Marianna Brain, Kirsteen Knight Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Credits IMEDI TV

The Liverpool-born comedian, known for his razor-sharp wit, has traded in his stand-up routines for some serious dance moves of late.Chris McCausland is the first blind contestant to take part in the BBC show, Strictly Come Dancing - and he's being tipped as a possible winner. In his 20s, Chris lost most of his sight due to retinitis pigmentosa. But that didn’t slow down his career. He's been lighting up the comedy scene since 2003, with regular appearances on hit programmes like 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Would I Lie to You. He's also taken to the iconic stage of Live at the Apollo.In this edition of Profile, Stephen Smith talks to some of his closest friends, fellow comedians and former colleagues about his life, Strictly success - and the time he attended a job interview in the wrong trousers.Production team Producers: Caroline Bayley, Julie Ball, Natasha Fernandes Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinators: Maria OgundeleCredits Live at the Apollo, Open Mike Production, 04/01/2018

He's the man who masterminded Labour's general election campaign, and now holds one of the most important positions in Downing Street.Morgan McSweeney was recently appointed the prime minister's chief of staff, after Sue Gray quit the role. But what do we know about him? Born in Macroom, County Cork, he moved to London aged 17. He soon joined the Labour party under Tony Blair, working in a junior role at their headquarters.He rose through the ranks, forging a reputation as a skilled campaign strategist, and has been credited with being the brains behind this year's landslide victory.Mark Coles speaks to the people who know him - from school friends back home in Ireland, to others who've worked with him.Production team Producers: Bob Howard, Caroline Bayley, Ellie House, Natasha Fernandes Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele

She’s a girl from New York's Lower East Side whom grew up to a life of stardom and is now known by just one name.Gaga, a classically trained pianist, has secured Grammy-winning songs like Poker Face and Rain on Me. While her performance in A Star Is Born was Oscar-nominated.Along the way, there’s been a meat dress, a high-profile stance against US military policy, and a collaborative album with Tony Bennett.Her latest work, Harlequin, is a companion album to her new big screen performance in Joker: Folie à Deux.From all-conquering song thrush to screen favourite, Stephen Smith has been find out about the life of Gaga.Production team Producers: Diane Richardson, Kirsteen Knight and Ben Cooper Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinators: Maria OgundeleCredits Joker: Folie à Deux (Official Trailer) - Writer/director/producer Todd Phillips. Warner Bros. A Star is Born (Official Trailer) - Director Bradley Cooper. Warner Bros. The inauguration of Joe Biden, 2021, CSPAN. The Late Show, RTE. 2016 Academy Awards.

He’s not yet completed a hundred days in his new job, but David Lammy finds himself overseeing the UK’s response to rising tensions in the Middle East.Born to Guyanese parents in north London, and raised by his mother from the age of 12 after his father left them, the foreign secretary is known for his advocacy for social justice, equality, and human rights. His journey to the top of British politics began with a legal career – becoming the first black Briton to study a masters in law at Harvard. At 27, David Lammy became Parliament’s youngest MP when he was elected in Tottenham, and he went on to become a junior minister under Sir Tony Blair.In opposition, he spent some of his time on Labour’s back benches – though now finds himself front and centre, facing countless fast-moving global challenges.Mark Coles meets some of the people who know David Lammy best - from childhood friends, to his beloved 'Aunty May'. Contributors Decca Aitkenhead - Chief Interviewer, The Sunday Times Paul Waugh - Labour MP for Rochdale Ben Rhodes - Political commentator Mayfield Griffith - Godmother of David LammyProduction team Producers: Di Richardson, Michaela Graichen and Ben Cooper Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: Neil Churchill Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele and Janet StaplesArchive United Nations General Assembly Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, 11 May 2018 Channel 4 News

It’s a tiny computer with a catchy name: Raspberry Pi. But what's the story behind the man who thought up this affordable device?His name is Eben Upton. He has gone from being a child desperate to make computer games, to the head of a company described as a ‘city darling’.The firm reported higher than expected profits in its first report, after being listed on the London Stock Exchange.Stephen Smith has been speaking to Eben Upton’s childhood friends, former colleagues and some big hitters in tech and business.Contributors Holly Williams - Business Editor, Press Association news agency Hermann Hauser - Entrepreneur, venture capitalist and co-founder of Amadeus Capital Partners Harriet Green - Investor, philanthropist. Former chair and CEO of IBM Asia Pacific Pete Thornhill - School friend Victoria Drew - School friend David Cleevely - Entrepreneur and former Raspberry Pi chairmanProduction team Producers: Julie Ball, Farhana Haider, Ben Morris, Michaela Graichen Editor: Tom Bigwood Sound: Gareth Jones Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleArchive Centre for Computing History, Cambridge Kerbal Space Program: Take-Two Interactive, publisher Private Division, developer Squad Sensible Soccer: developer Sensible Software

Some call it one of the trickiest jobs in the country. How do you stop the small boats trying to cross the English Channel and smash the smuggling gangs? The government has appointed Martin Hewitt to the role- he’s leading the UK’s new border security command. It’s a tough job, so can he do it? Martin Hewitt is a former senior police officer and chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council. He is also the man who oversaw the policing of Covid lockdowns.Mark Coles has been speaking to some of his colleagues, former colleagues and the journalists who reported on him. Contributors Tim Smith - Chief Constable, Kent Police Danny Shaw - Former BBC Correspondent Festus Akinbusoye - Former Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire Ruth Turner - Senior Director at the Forward Institute Dal Babu – Former Chief Superintendent in the Metropolitan Police Vikram Dodd - Guardian Police and Crime Correspondent Production team Producers: Farhana Haider, Ben Morris, Ben Cooper, Michaela Graichen Editor: Richard Vadon Sound: Gareth Jones Production Co-ordinators: Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele

This week we delve into the life of the First Minister of Wales Eluned Morgan, the first woman to hold the position. Morgan was introduced to politics at a very young age by her parents, who were both councillors. Her early career was spent working in broadcasting before her political career began at the age of 27, elected as the youngest Member of the European Parliament in 1994. She went on to take up a seat in the House of Lords and was Welsh Health Secretary during the Covid pandemic. Stephen Smith talks to friends and political figures, hearing how a girl from a deprived part of Cardiff, became the most powerful person in Wales. Contributors: Lord Neil Kinnock - Former Labour Leader Gloria Yates - Neighbour Ruth Mosalski - Political Editor of Wales Online Ceri Innes Parry- Childhood Friend Claudia Velez – School Friend Production Team: Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Diane Richardson, Julie Ball and Ben Morris Editors: Ben Mundy and Alex Lewis Sound: James Beard Production Co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele

Some of world football's biggest names have been linked to England's top job since Gareth Southgate hung up his waistcoat. But, for now at least, it is Lee Carsley who takes over as England's interim manager.The modest, methodical and quietly spoken coach started his footballing journey at Derby County – before making his name at Everton.Family and charity work are Lee Carsley’s other priorities. He’s a patron of the Solihull Down Syndrome Support Group – after they helped his middle child, Connor following his diagnosis. Lee also volunteers at the Solihull Moors Foundation. Some say this collection bucket rattler has all the attributes required to lead England to glory, so Mark Coles speaks to his friends, and colleagues to find out more.Contributors Becci Fox - CEO, Solihull Moors Foundation Kevin Turner - Former PE Teacher, Cockshut Hill School Kevin Kilbane - Former footballer, Everton Football Club Jack Gaughan - Northern Football Reporter, Daily MailProduction team Producers: Di Richardson, Farhana Haider, Drew Hyndman and Ben Morris Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: John Scott Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleArchive RAMS TV The Football Association Match of The Day 11/12/04 (BBC) BBC Radio 5 Live

James Graham’s writing obsession started at the age of six in the shadow of Nottinghamshire's former coalmines. Equipped with a typewriter from his mother he created hundreds of stories from the family home in Kirkby-in-Ashfield. Accelerating through university in Hull and a writing residency in west London, Graham’s work started to attract wider audiences following a break at the National Theatre in 2012. Building on his thrilling political drama This House, he went on to write plays and TV series including Sherwood, Dear England, Quiz, Best of Enemies and Brexit: The Uncivil War.During this year’s MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival, he called for more working-class people in TV. But what next for this prolific playwright? Stephen Smith speaks to his family, friends and colleagues to find out more. Contributors Anne Ellis - Mother David Morrissey - Actor Kate Wasserberg - Artistic Director, Theatr Clwyd Dr Sarah Jane Dickenson - Senior Lecturer, University of Hull Martin Humphrey - Former Head of Creative Arts, Ashfield School, Nottingham Susannah Clapp - Theatre Critic for The ObserverProduction team Producers: Julie Ball, Ben Cooper, Miriam Quayyam Editor: Ben Mundy Sound: John Scott Production Co-ordinator: Maria OgundeleArchive 2012 National Theatre production of This House written by James Graham and directed by Jeremy Herrin. The cast in the extract features Phil Daniels playing Bob Mellish, Philip Glenister playing Walter Harrison and Lauren O’Neil playing Ann Taylor.Picture BBC/PA Media

From ‘hillbilly’ roots to becoming Donald Trump’s nominee for vice-president. At 39, if JD Vance is elected, he would be one of America’s youngest ever Vice-Presidents. A lot has been laid bare in his own words, in ‘Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis’. He talks about being raised by his grandparents who moved from the Appalachian Mountains area of Kentucky to Ohio, to a Middle America Rust Belt town looking for a better life. His mother struggled with drug addiction and a string of chaotic relationships. So how did he go from a sometimes unstable, sometimes violent, upbringing to being in the running to take one of the highest offices in American politics? There’s another transformation many wonder about too: why did he change his mind on Trump? Only in 2016 JD Vance said ‘I can't stomach Trump. I think that he's noxious and is leading the white working class to a very dark place.’ Mark Coles finds out.Credit: NPR Fresh AirPresenter: Mark Coles Producers: Phoebe Keane, Diane Richardson Editor: Penny Murphy

Shabana Mahmood is the new Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. Born in Birmingham in a Kashmiri Pakistani family, she has three siblings, one of whom is her twin. From an early age her father ensured that the children were aware of the world around them, and made them each read five minutes from the Times newspaper every evening. Inspired by the 1990's TV series, 'Kavanagh QC' to become a lawyer, Shabana Mahmood attended Lincoln College, Oxford University, a year below a certain Rishi Sunak. After a few years working in law, she changed career and moved into politics, in 2010 winning the seat of Birmingham Ladywood for Labour, which she has held to date. Stephen Smith talks to those who know her. Presenter: Stephen Smith Producers: Diane Richardson and Julie Ball Editor: Penny Murphy Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele and Rosie Strawbridge Sound mix: Hal HainesCONTRIBUTORS William Audland KC, 12 Kings' Bench Walk Chambers David Gauke, former Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Jane Haynes, Journalist Birmingham Live/Mail Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, former, Chair of the Conservative Party and Minister without Portfolio. Lord Tom Watson, former MP West Bromwich East & deputy leader of the Labour partyCREDITS Kavanagh QC - Central TV for ITV productions Political Thinking - Nick Robinson BBC R4/BBC Sounds

Evan Gershkovich is the Wall Street Journal's Moscow reporter. He's been imprisoned in Russia since March last year, and has just gone on trial there - the first American journalist to be jailed in Russia since the Cold War. He's accused of espionage, something he, his employer and his government all strenuously deny. To his friends, like Jeremy Berke, he is "the most extroverted person that I've ever met in my whole life". He loves football and is a dedicated Arsenal fan - so much so that he'd get his flatmates in Brooklyn up at 7am on Sunday mornings - despite them having been out on the town together till the early hours - to watch Arsenal matches with him on TV. The son of Soviet-born, Jewish parents who'd fled to the USA in the late 70s, he grew up speaking Russian at home. Once in Moscow as a reporter, his fellow correspondents - many of whom quickly became friends too - were impressed by his drive, his knowledge of Russia's language and culture, his ease at making contacts, and his willingness to go the extra mile - often literally, to places like the remote Russian republics of Udmurtia and Yakutia. He's now been detained for fifteen months and counting. Gershkovich's friends and family say his release can't come too soon; they're waiting to welcome him home with hugs, and the desire "to never let him leave again". Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Arlene Gregorius and Julie Ball Editor: Penny Murphy Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele