Seven Ages of Man, with Michael Rosen

What does being a 'man' really mean? From Michael Palin in his 80s to comedian Vittorio Angelone, who reflects on his 20s, seven men share their deeply personal experiences of manhood.

After almost dying of Covid-19, our host and guide Michael Rosen has just reached the ripe old age of 80. It's got him thinking about what kind of man he's been so far across his long life, and what that label even means to him anyway...

Because today we're surrounded by many conflicting ideals of manhood. Men should be strong and silent, but also in touch with their emotions. They should be aggressive and competitive, while shielding those weaker than them from harm. They should be radiating sex appeal, while setting an example as a family man. The older Michael gets, the more confusing he finds it.

So in this series he's putting aside all the notions of what a man 'should' be to look at the real thing. The awkward thing. The funny thing. The tender thing we don't quite know how to talk about.

We're speaking to seven men, each in a different decade of life, from wise elders Michael Palin and author Colm Tóibín, to comedian David Baddiel and journalist Matthew Todd, singer Lias Saoudi, former footballer Marvin Sordell, and comedian Vittorio Angelone.