Profile

Joe Biden has been involved in US politics for more than fifty years, becoming one of America’s youngest senators in 1972, when Richard Nixon was in the White House. Now, aged eighty, Biden is the oldest US president in history and is seeking re-election in 2024.He’s experienced terrible tragedies in his life, when his first wife and baby daughter were killed in a car accident in 1972, and the death from cancer of his elder son, Beau, in 2015. Yet he bounced back, serving two terms as vice president under Barack Obama, and finally making it to President in 2021. As he makes another run at the White House, Mark Coles charts his life from the blue-collar town of Scranton, Philadelphia to Washington DC and hears how family plays a very important role in his life.Presenter: Mark Coles Production team: Diane Richardson, Alix Pickles, Sally Abrahams Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

Lee Anderson, MP for Ashfield and Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, is no stranger to media attention. He has made headlines for his controversial statements about poverty, migration and the death penalty. Now he is reported to be a prominent figure in the New Conservatives, a pressure group calling on the Prime Minister to drastically cut migration before the next general election. Yet he started his working life as a Nottinghamshire miner, and worked as a Labour councillor before later switching parties. Mark Coles finds out about his life and career. Presenter: Mark Coles Editor: Richard Vadon Sound: Rod Farquhar Production: Viv Jones, Diane Richardson, Alix Pickles Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Russia's Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu, was publicly condemned by Wagner leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, during his march on Moscow. Yet despite the criticism, this long-term ally of President Putin remains in post.Timandra Harkness looks at the life and career of the former construction engineer, who once headed Russia's disaster relief programme, becoming a minister under Boris Yeltsin.Presenter: Timandra Harkness Editor: Richard Vadon Sound: Neil Churchill Producers: Sally Abrahams, Diane Richardson Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

The youngest person ever to receive a life peerage, Charlotte Owen’s elevation to the House of Lords, after less than six years in Westminster - some of it working as an intern - has made newspaper headlines. She’s had a remarkably quick rise through the Conservative party, starting as an intern and ending up a special advisor to then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson - the man who recommended her peerage when he resigned.Charlotte Owen has faced much scrutiny since her peerage was announced but those close to her say she has youth and energy on her side, and is ready to embrace her new role. Mark Coles talks to her colleagues and friends to gain insight into the particularly private future baroness.Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Daniel Gordon, Isobel Gough Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Nigel Appleton Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Jack Smith is no stranger to the courtroom. He counts mob bosses, public officials and war criminals among those he has put behind bars. But no case he has been involved with has been as high profile as the one he is bringing against the former, and possible future, President of the United States - Donald J. Trump. In the last week, he made a very rare public appearance announcing his charges against Trump, unsurprisingly leading to a volley of criticism from the man he will face down in court. A young man from upstate New York, made his way first to Harvard Law School and then, New York City, 250 miles away from his home town. Here he embarked on the impressive legal career that has led to his appointment as Special Counsel. Mark Coles speaks to his old sports teacher and colleagues about his distinguished career so far and why he will not let anything get in his way of presenting the strongest possible case against President Trump. Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Georgia Coan, Kirsteen Knight and Isobel Gough Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: James Beard

Former High Court judge Baroness Hallett is no stranger to a high-profile case, having previously chaired an inquiry into the 2005 London terror attacks. But her most recent appointment as chair of an inquiry looking at the UK's response to the pandemic could be her biggest job to date. In the past few weeks she’s been stuck in a legal battle with the Government after refusing to withdraw her order for them to hand over unredacted material for her investigation. The first female Chair of the Bar Council, Baroness Hallett didn’t come from the usual privilege associated with the top tier of the legal profession. She grew up as the daughter of a policeman and a secretary, moving around a lot in her childhood and going to various state schools before getting a place at Oxford where she went on to specialise in criminal law. Mark Coles speaks to friends and peers about her extraordinary legal career and why she will not sway over Government demands when the COVID inquiry starts next week.Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Georgia Coan, Octavia Woodward and Samantha Haque Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar

Suella Braverman, the current home secretary and former attorney general, has found herself making the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the last few weeks. After a row over a speeding fine, and data showing record levels of net migration on her watch, her poll ratings have dipped. However, she is still a popular figure among many in her party, and despite losing out on the last leadership contest in 2022, she appears to still have her sights on the top job. Some Conservative MPs have accused her of undermining Rishi Sunak's authority and making a bid for future leadership of the party during the National Conservatism conference. Presenter Edward Stourton finds out about the life and career of Suella Braverman, the Harrow born barrister who came from first generation migrants. CreditsDallas Created by David Jacobs Warner Horizon Television, a subsidiary of Warner Bros James O’Brien/LBC RadioNational Conservatism Producers: Georgia Coan and Octavia Woodward Editor: China Collins Sound Design: Rod Farquhar

Succession - the dark comedy following an American media family - has won 13 Emmys, 5 Golden Globes and a BAFTA. As it draws to a close, we take a look at the life of its creator, a British writer who has co-written some of the best television of the last 20 years including Peep Show, The Thick of it and Fresh Meat.From the border town of Oswestry, Shropshire to the toast of Manhattan and LA, Jesse Armstrong has had an extraordinary journey.Mark Coles hears from his family, friends and colleagues (including Chris Morris, Isy Suttie, Paterson Joseph, David Mitchell and Susan Soon He Stanton), finding out how Armstrong was able to write such rich worlds that bring the pain and absurdity of life in such a colourful fashion. CreditsThe Hollywood Reporter Succession Created by Jesse Armstrong HBO Peep Show Objective Productions/Channel 4 The Thick Of It BBC Comedy Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Jordan Dunbar, Georgia Coan and Nathan Gower Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Design: James Beard

Enter the murky world of one of the most dominant men in Russia. From selling hotdogs to running a private army and meddling in the US elections, from Syria to Ukraine- who is this man in the shadows?One of the most powerful figures you may not have heard of - Yevgeny Prigozhin.Once a hotdog seller in St Petersburg, this former prisoner has risen to become a friend of Putin and his private army is now one of the main Russian players in the invasion of Ukraine.Along the way he has catered to celebrities at his top end restaurant, allegedly run a centre for internet trolls, been accused of meddling in the US elections and financed a mercenary army - the Wagner group - based worldwide. But is his time up? As the situation for his mercenaries gets worse in Ukraine, Prigozhin has started lashing out publicly at the Russian state.Could this be the last course for the man once named 'Putin's Chef'?Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Jordan Dunbar, Georgia Coan Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

This weekend the controversial President of Turkey faces one of the most important elections ever for his country and the wider Middle East region. But how did the son of a Black Sea coastguard rise to live in a thousand-room palace? And how will he cope with one of the biggest political challenges of a career spanning more than twenty years?Mark Coles hears from Turkish and British guests who know Recep Tayyip Erdogan well. And for more on the Turkish leader, the two part series, Empire of Erdogan, is available on BBC iPlayer.Presenter: Mark Coles Producer: Jordan Dunbar Researcher: Olivia Woodward Sound Engineer: Rod Farqhuar Editor: Simon Watts Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele