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BBC World Service


Have you ever locked eyes with a stranger and wondered, "What’s their story?" Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected. Extraordinary stories from around the world.


Lives Less Ordinary

Jerald Walker grew up in the predominantly white, Worldwide Church of God – a doomsday cult that convinced its followers the world would end in 1972. Raised by blind, African American parents and under the cult's strict teachings, which preached racial segregation and an imminent apocalypse, Jerald’s life was dominated by fear, isolation, and the belief that his future didn’t exist.

When the promised doomsday never came, Jerald and his family were left grappling with shattered beliefs. As his life unravelled, Jerald fell into addiction and crime, struggling to escape the mental and emotional grip of the cult. But through education, an extraordinary teacher and a passion for writing, he found a path to redemption.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Thomas Harding Assinder

Get in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784

After doomsday: I outgrew a cult and became a professor

Paul Rousseau was accidentally shot in the head by his best friend and flatmate. 

When Paul met Mark in the first year of university in the US, they quickly became close. They moved in together, and spent most of the next four years in each other's company. But Paul did not know that Mark had been keeping a collection of guns in his bedroom. In April 2017 one of Mark's guns accidentally went off, the bullet passing through two walls before striking Paul in the head. In the months and years that followed, Paul had to deal not only with his brain injury, but also the devastating impact the event had on his friendship with Mark.

Presenter: Shahidha Bari
Producer: Rebecca Vincent

Get in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784

The bullet that ended our friendship

Ricky Ellcock’s rollercoaster life as a fast bowler and airline pilot

Barbados-born Ricky Ellcock had twin ambitions as a boy – to become a cricketer and fly airplanes. His father was, like Ricky, cricket-mad – but on the question of him becoming a pilot his answer was emphatic: black people don’t fly planes. 
Ricky’s talents as a fast bowler won him many plaudits and a scholarship to come to England. Before long he was playing at the top of the sport, but the stresses on his body meant he kept breaking down. When those injuries threatened to end his career completely, Ricky looked to disprove his dad and make history in the skies. 

Ricky's autobiography is called Balls to Fly.

Presenter: Asya Fouks
Producer: Edgar Maddicott

Get in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784

(Photo: Ricky in action for Middlesex. Credit: Middlesex CCC)

The cricket star who learned to fly

Enter other people’s worlds. Welcome to the new weekly podcast from the Outlook radio team, finding amazing personal stories from around the world. Premieres on 25 April.

With Emily Webb, Mobeen Azhar and Jo Fidgen.

Introducing Lives Less Ordinary

Astonishing true stories, jaw-dropping twists. Why would an Olympic hopeful rob a bank? How does someone keep their double life a secret? From the team behind Outlook, incredible personal stories from around the world, to show you just how surprising and extraordinary humans can be.

With Emily Webb, Mobeen Azhar and Jo Fidgen. 

Premieres on 25 April.

The trailer

Olympic hopeful to audacious thief – the cyclist who turned to crime.
 
Movies influenced Tom’s biggest life decisions. Slacker film Reality Bites made him give up becoming an Olympic cyclist, and heist film Heat ‘inspired’ him to make the bizarre leap from fiction to reality. But there are only so many banks you can rob before your ego, and the FBI, start catching up with you.

Film clips: Reality Bites/Ben Stiller/Jersey Films
Heat/Michael Mann/Regency Enterprises and Forward Pass

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar 
Producer: Louise Morris

Bike-riding bank robber, part 1

The FBI close in. “It’s a wake-up call when police are trying to shoot you.” Tom Justice’s fantasy is fading, he’s now robbing banks to fund his addiction and things are about to get a lot worse.

Film clips: Heat/Michael Mann/Regency Enterprises and Forward Pass

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Louise Morris

Bike-riding bank robber, part 2

Anne's village thought her disability made her worthless. She had other ideas. Now a graduate and a Paralympian who's represented Kenya and the UK, this is the story of how Anne Wafula Strike forgave the unforgiveable and made her return.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen 
Producer: Louise Morris

You wanted me dead, but look at me now

Donna discovers her ex fiancé’s secret life. When Donna met Carlo at an anti-war protest she immediately fell for him. They just had so much in common, particularly their left-wing politics. When he moved into her flat she discovered they had all the same books - it was as if they were fated to be together. Donna couldn't believe her luck! There was just one thing that bothered her - he'd never introduced her to his family or friends.

Donna McLean has written a book, it’s called Small Town Girl.

Presenter: Emily Webb
Producer: Fiona Woods

We need to talk about Carlo

Apartheid taught Charles to know his place, so how did he end up suing the gold industry? When Charles Abrahams told his teachers he was going to be a heart surgeon they laughed. This was Apartheid South Africa and kids like Charles had no business having such lofty ambitions. But Charles knew something those teachers didn't. He was destined for a bigger life and nobody was going to stand in his way. 

Charles has written a book, it's called Class Action: In Pursuit of a Larger Life. 

TV Clip: Dallas, Leonard Katzman, Lorimar Productions

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Fiona Woods

Township lawyer v gold giants, part 1

Bestselling writer Lesley Pearse's own story is wilder than any romance.

An agent once told Lesley Pearse to "write what you know", but her own story is more extraordinary than any of her bestselling novels. In this, the first episode of two, we follow her from playground storyteller to lost teenage girl in 1960s London, to brave single mum determined to go it alone. 

Presenter: Asya Fouks 
Producer: Laura Thomas & Edgar Maddicott

Get in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784

Looking for my son for 58 years, part 1

Looking for my son for 58 years, part 1

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