Lives Less Ordinary

At the age of 13 Laura Dekker fought for her right to sail solo around the world.Laura comes from a family of sailing enthusiasts, and her father taught her the ropes early. By 11 years old she was sailing unaided for weeks at a time, and at 13 she felt ready to tackle her biggest challenge yet. Her parents supported her decision, but the Dutch authorities had concerns; was it responsible to allow a child to circumnavigate the world alone? Presenter: India Rakusen Producer: May Cameron

11 Kesä 202340min

Rowena Chiu was kept silent for 20 years by former film boss Harvey Weinstein. Rowena thought that speaking up about her alleged sexual assault by Weinstein would end up with him in court. But instead she was pressured into signing an NDA so severe that she could tell no one, at times even fearing for her safety. Keeping this secret sent Rowena to a very dark place. But decades later the #MeToo movement set her free.This episode contains references to suicide.The news archive is from NBC and ABCPresenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Rebecca Vincent

4 Kesä 202333min

Rowena Chiu on surviving the Hollywood sexual predator Harvey Weinstein.Rowena was just 24 when she became an assistant to Weinstein at his film company. She knew he was a difficult boss, but nothing prepared her for what happened one night in Venice in 1998. She says he told her he ‘liked Chinese girls’, and sexually assaulted her in his hotel room. It was the start of a story she never wanted to be part of.The news archive is from CBS.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Rebecca Vincent

28 Touko 202336min

Raised by addicts, Dr Katriona O'Sullivan defied the odds to become a university lecturer. Her parents were addicted to heroin, she was neglected and not fed. But for the care she received from two influential teachers and the occasional stroke of luck, life may have gone in a very different direction.Katriona's written a book about her life called Poor.Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Edgar Maddicott

21 Touko 202339min

Martial arts kept him out of jail, but drag artistry made him whole.Diego Garijo was bullied for his femininity as a child, so as he grew up he toughened up his image. He was in trouble with the law, until he found his focus as a professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter. But when Diego’s career came to a brutal halt, creating a drag persona, Lola, gave him a new lease of life.Presenter: Andrea Kennedy Producer: Louise Morris Sound design: Joel Cox Editor: Munazza Khan

14 Touko 202351min

Wheeler Parker is Emmett Till's cousin and the last surviving witness to his abduction.Emmett's brutal murder in Mississippi in 1955 sparked a wave of protest in America. The 14-year-old African American was lynched for whistling at a white woman, Carolyn Bryant Donham, who recently died aged 88. Reverend Wheeler Parker was Emmett's cousin and was in the next room to him when he was kidnapped. The horrific events of that night have shaped Wheeler's life. We spoke to him before the news of Donham's death. Wheeler has written a book alongside lawyer and journalist Christopher Benson called: A Few Days Full of Trouble. We spoke to them before the death of Carolyn Bryant Donham. This programme contains some distressing scenes.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Deiniol Buxton and Troy Holmes Editor: Munazza Khan

7 Touko 202341min

Joseph Mbilinyi pioneered Swahili rap and then turned to politics, but ended up in jail.In the 1990s he'd become one of Tanzania's biggest stars under the stage name Sugu. He'd released albums, toured the country and abroad, and helped create a new genre called Bongo Flava. He's known for hard-hitting, often political, lyrics. In 2010 he took that message to parliament when he was elected as an opposition MP. But he ended up being jailed after speaking out against the president of the time.Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Rob Wilson Editor: Munazza Khan

30 Huhti 202340min

Brothers Manni and Reuben Coe, and the text that prompted a lockdown rescue mission.Manni was living in Spain when he received this troubling text from his younger brother Reuben. Reuben has Down's syndrome, and had become isolated and non-verbal while living in a care home in the UK during the Covid pandemic. Manni decided to stage a rescue — a 'bro-nap' — and together they embarked on a loving journey of brotherhood and recovery. Manni and Reuben have written a book called Brother. Do. You. Love. Me.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: May Cameron

23 Huhti 202340min