Profile

Mark Coles speaks to family, friends and colleagues of cyclist Laura Trott - the first British woman to win four Olympic golds - to find out how, after winning her first bike race at the age of eight, she has carried on winning ever since.Producer: Smita Patel.

Poet, painter and virtuoso pianist, Stephen Hough has been described as a polymath. He learned to play on a piano that cost £5 from a local antique shop and went on to become a virtuoso to astonish the world. Becky Milligan speaks to lifelong friends and some of the world's leading names in classical music to profile a man who plays like a dream.Producers Smita Patel & Ed Davey.

You may not have heard of Sonia Friedman, but she's one of the most important people in British theatre. She's produced many of the biggest stage hits of the past 15 years - including Jerusalem and The Book of Mormon - and is a multiple award winner. This week, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child opened in London. It was produced by Sonia Friedman. Her first job interview was with Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowright in their kitchen. She got the job. She's a consummate deal-maker and is able to persuade writers and performers from JK Rowling to Mark Rylance and Benedict Cumberbatch to work with her. Mark Coles talks to family, friends and colleagues to discover more about her life and career.Producers: Charlotte Prichard and Sarah Shebbeare.

Edward Stourton profiles the Labour leadership contender, Owen Smith. MP for Pontypridd since 2010, Mr Smith is challenging Jeremy Corbyn, saying that he's not up to the job. A former colleague at BBC Wales - where Mr Smith worked as a journalist - describes him as bright and ambitious, sometimes exasperating, and someone who 'didn't know their place'. And an old family friend tells us his character is firmly rooted in the culture of the South Wales valleys.Producers: Charlotte Pritchard and Laura Gray.

With no leadership campaign - during which the public might have got to know her better - Theresa May has entered Downing Street with a remarkably low profile. Mark Coles has been talking to people who know her well - including new Cabinet appointees Justine Greening and Chris Grayling - to try to find out who she really is, and what she believes in. Producer: Smita Patel and Laura Gray.

Andrea Leadsom and Theresa May are vying to be the next Conservative leader and Britain's second ever female prime minister. Mark Coles explores how a little-known junior energy minister was propelled into the limelight by the televised referendum debates and now stands a chance of leading not only her party but also her country. She is a relative newcomer to politics, having been elected to Parliament in 2010 when she won her seat in South Northamptonshire. She cooks an excellent roast dinner and has strong family values. Before becoming an MP she had a long career in the city but this has come under scrutiny this week with some claiming she has exaggerated past roles. We take a closer look at her CV and ask - does it stack up? Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Laura Gray and Sarah Shebbeare.

Series of profiles of people who are currently making headlines.

Synonymous with Glastonbury Festival, Michael Eavis is the bearded impresario of one of the biggest parties on earth. But this is no hedonistic figure: in reality, Eavis is a near-teetotal Method-ist who happily admits that his beloved herd of cows comes before the celebrities, rock and roll... or even the show itself. As more than 100,000 revellers descend upon Worthy Farm in Somerset, Mark Coles profiles this complex individual. Through his early battles with authority, financial setbacks and personal tragedy, we learn what drove Eavis to turn the land his family have owned for 150 years into the home of an iconic music festival. We hear from his GP son, the best man at his wedding and a host of famous DJs and musicians who have known him. From naked morning swims on the farm - every day of the year - to a ferociously competitive table tennis tournaments, we get beneath this skin of this individual and learn what makes him tick. World famous bands have graced his property and David Bowie's stayed in his farmhouse; yet at home Eavis is more likely to listen to Methodist Hymns or Elvis Presley (the latter for his gospel songs) than the many household names to have played Glastonbury. We speak as well to one of Mr Eavis's opponents over the years. We hear how his politics and commitment to unilateral nuclear disarmament have shaped both his life and the festival itself. And at 81 years old - with Glastonbury Festival still going strong - we learn whether this driven workaholic is likely to retire any time soon.

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has announced Amanda Spielman is set to take over as chief inspector of schools in England. But the decision has provoked some controversy. Teaching unions have pointed out that Amanda Spielman has never been a teacher herself. But others have defended her, saying her experience setting up a successful academies chain - and most recently at exams regulator Ofqual - mean she's well-placed to take on this important role. Mark Coles has been finding out what makes Amanda Spielman tick.

This week the Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley gave evidence to a Business Select Committee inquiry into working conditions at his firm. In a rare public appearance, he admitted that the company had been paying employees less than the minimum wage. But how much do we really know about this secretive billionaire? He is one of the most intriguing characters in British business but also one of the most elusive. He is the driving force behind the Sports Direct empire, entrepreneur, owner of Newcastle United and once a possible saviour of BHS. In this programme Edward Stourton searches for the secret behind Mike Ashley's huge retail success and asks how much control he really has over his business.This programme contains material from a previous episode of Profile about Mike Ashley first broadcast on Saturday 23 Feb 2013. Producer: Laura Gray.