Lives Less Ordinary

Dan McCrum investigated a story at Wirecard that had him fearing for his safety.British journalist Dan McCrum usually writes about businesses for the London-based newspaper, the Financial Times. In 2014 he got a tip off alleging there were so-called gangsters behind a much-feted German company called Wirecard. The company had started small, taking care of the technical part of processing online payments. But by the time Dan starting looking into it, it was entering the big league. And what he discovered took him into unchartered territory: of international spies, underworld deals and fraud on a massive scale.The chief executive Markus Braun was arrested in 2020 and is now on trial in Germany. He denies all charges against him and says he himself was deceived. At the request of Germany, Interpol issued a red notice for the arrest of Wirecard’s former Chief Operating Officer, Jan Marsalek. He is believed to have fled to Russia.Dan's written a book about his investigation called Money Men: A Hot Startup, A Billion Dollar Fraud, A Fight for the Truth.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Jo Impey Editor: Munazza KhanGet in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784

Ricky Ellcock’s rollercoaster life as a fast bowler and airline pilotBarbados-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 MaddicottGet in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784(Photo: Ricky in action for Middlesex. Credit: Middlesex CCC)

Paul Rousseau, an English student and author of the memoir "Friendly Fire, a fractured memoir," shares his harrowing experience of being accidentally shot by his best friend Mark during their university years. He dives into the deep emotional turmoil of their friendship, marked by trust, betrayal, and the chaotic aftermath of the incident. Paul reflects on the painful journey of recovery, themes of forgiveness, and the role of writing in healing. His story captures resilience and the complexities of navigating life after trauma.

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

Nasubi had no idea his 15-month fight to survive was being broadcast on Japanese TV.In the late 1990s aspiring comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu, nicknamed Nasubi, lived inside a small room for 15 months surviving off sweepstake competition winnings. He was naked, alone and hungry. He was also completely unaware he had become the most famous television personality in Japan, his life broadcast to millions of viewers each week. A documentary about Nasubi's experience has been made called The Contestant. Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: May CameronGet in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784

Trent Dalton, an Australian author renowned for his bestselling novel 'Boy Swallows Universe', shares captivating stories from his enigmatic childhood. He recounts discovering a hidden room behind his stepfather's wardrobe, an eerie bundle of cash, and his unsettling babysitter rumored to be a murderer. Dalton reflects on his family's struggles with addiction and brushes with Queensland's notorious underworld. Through these tales, he highlights the powerful role of writing in unraveling his past and finding healing amidst chaos.

In 1998 Finnish journalist Johanna Aatsalo uncovered a huge news story: a member of the much-revered Finnish cross-country ski team had taken banned substances. After six months' intense investigation Johanna published her findings, and within just a few hours the backlash began. Johanna even received death threats. Because she wouldn't reveal her sources she was also taken to court and found guilty of defamation, but Johanna didn’t give up. Instead, she started a fight that would continue for the next 14 years. Presenter: Helena Merriman Producers: Emilia Jansson and Andrea KennedyGet in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784

When he slid off a 40-metre cliff in the jungle, Morgan Segui thought he was sure to die.Three minutes without air, three days without water, three weeks without food; that is the rule that every mountaineer knows by heart. For Morgan Segui, a French acrobat-turned-explorer, he knew it meant his chances of survival were vanishingly small. He lay at the bottom of a dry gorge in the Timorese jungle of South Asia, miles from help, after taking a dramatic fall which broke several bones and left a huge gash to his head. Dazed and without water, he spent three days and nights on the jungle floor trying to cling to life. Until, astonishingly, a herd of goats came to his rescue.Morgan's written a book about his ordeal: Cinq Jours au Timor, published in French by Premier Parallèle.Presenter: Asya Fouks Producer: Edgar MaddicottGet in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784

Bestselling writer Lesley Pearse never stopped looking for her son.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 second episode of two, Lesley makes a selfless decision on behalf of her baby son Warren, and spends the six decades that follow searching for him. Presenter: Asya Fouks Producer: Laura Thomas & Edgar MaddicottGet in touch: liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784

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