Main content

Bill Bailey on Alfred Russel Wallace

4 Extra Debut. Comedian Bill Bailey on his love for the great Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace. With Matthew Parris. From 2019.

Bill Bailey has not just travelled in naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace's footsteps, he's crazy about him too. "I love him, I really do."

Wallace is best known for what used to be known as the Wallace-Darwin theory of evolution.

When he died in 1913, the New York Times called him the last of the 'giants belonging to that wonderful group of intellectuals ... whose daring investigations revolutionised and evolutionised the thought of the century."

Born in 1823, Wallace was a collector, a writer, a keen conservationist, and Bill has been to Borneo to see Wallace's famous flying frog.

Presented by Matthew Parris.

With Sandy Knapp of the Natural History Museum.

Produced at BBC Bristol by Miles Warde.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2019

Available now

28 minutes

On radio

Thu 5 Nov 202610:00

Broadcasts

  • Tue 31 Dec 201916:30
  • Fri 3 Jan 202023:00
  • Thu 5 Nov 202610:00
  • Thu 5 Nov 202616:00
  • Fri 6 Nov 202600:00

Great Rock and Roll Lives

Great Rock and Roll Lives

Stories of inspiration from great musicians from Bowie to Billie Holliday

Download this programme

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.

Podcast