Jane Goodall: In her own words

Jane Goodall: In her own words

Author: BBC World Service October 2, 2025 Duration: 24:12

This extra edition of Lives Less Ordinary is to remember the remarkable conservationist and primatologist Jane Goodall, who has died at 91. The life she lived alongside great apes revolutionised the way we see them – and ourselves. It was 65 years ago that a young Jane left England to travel to the Gombe Stream National Park on the shores of Lake Tanganika. She was there to observe chimps in their natural habitat – and her discoveries were game-changing. It was the first time anyone had seen a non-human animal using tools – forcing a rethink of our relationship to them, the natural habitat, and what it is to be human. In this revealing interview from 2016 she talks about how her work was embedded in a lifelong fascination with creatures great and small.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producers: June Christie and Edgar Maddicott

Lives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice


There's a particular kind of curiosity that strikes in a crowded street or a quiet cafe, a sudden awareness of the countless unseen narratives unfolding all around us. Lives Less Ordinary, from the BBC World Service, is built on that very human impulse. Each episode is an invitation to step through a door you might normally walk past, offering an intimate and often surprising portrait of a single person. The stories you'll hear are drawn from a global tapestry, focusing on individuals whose paths defy simple categorization-whether by choice, circumstance, or sheer force of character. This isn't a series about fame or obvious achievement, but rather about the profound journeys that happen outside the spotlight. You might meet a former spy navigating civilian life, a gardener cultivating peace in a conflict zone, or someone who rebuilt their world from a single, shattered moment. The production carries the depth and sensitivity of documentary storytelling, blending personal journals with rich soundscapes that place you right beside the subject. Listening to this podcast feels less like consumption and more like a genuine connection, a reminder of the resilience, eccentricity, and quiet drama woven into the fabric of ordinary days. It’s for anyone who believes that everyone has a story worth hearing, especially those we rarely get to listen to.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Lives Less Ordinary
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