Icons. Episode 1, Leaders / producers, Tamsin Curry, Bernadette Ross ; producer/director, Peter Sweasey ; a BBC Open University partnership ; 72 Films Limited.

London, England : BBC Worldwide, 2019.

1 streaming video (49 minutes)

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Eight-part series exploring the achievements and legacies of some of the greatest figures of the 20th century. Seven well-known advocates each front an hour-long documentary arguing the case for four people from a different field of human endeavour - leaders, explorers, scientists, entertainers, sports stars, artists and writers, and activists. At the end of each documentary, the public vote for their favourite. The icon who wins the public vote in each category is put through to a live final, which sees all of the celebrity advocates return to fight their icon's case - the public then vote again for the person they believe was the greatest figure of the 20th century. The 20th century was a time of extraordinary change. One hundred years of progress which shaped not only the society of the day, but generations to come. A century of seismic shifts contained countless breakthroughs and innovations that impacted our world in ways never seen before. Behind this progress were incredible individuals who chose to defy convention, and in doing so changed the world forever. The life's work of these icons represent benchmarks now set for humanity - from scientists whose discoveries changed the life of billions and redefined what we know about our world to the sports stars and explorers who pushed the boundaries of what humankind thought possible - their stories represent the pinnacle of society's achievements. The series begins with leaders, and sees a well-known figure, passionate about the subject, examining the achievements and legacies of the people whose decisions affect all our lives. 20th century leaders oversaw great victories, unimaginable hardships, sweeping social change, and the worst conflicts in human history.

Images / Online / Video & Film

English

January 27, 2020

Presented by: Trevor McDonald.