Your History

As the first female head of MI5 and the first chief to be publicly identified, Stella Rimington, brought freshness and innovation to MI5 and a much-needed openness during her time as director-general. 

Allan Ahlberg was the beloved children’s author of Peepo! and The Jolly Postman. Capturing the everyday magic of childhood with his illustrator wife Janet, he wrote over 150 books. We remember the teacher-turned-writer whose work shaped generations of young readers.

In January 1943, 21-year-old Margot Friedländer returned to her home in Berlin to find her family gone – her 17-year-old brother had been arrested by the Gestapo, and her mother had turned herself in to the authorities to be with him. She left Margot a note with just five words, urging her to "try to make your life." After 15 months in hiding, Margot was deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Decades after her liberation, Margot became one of the very few Berlin-born Holocaust survivors to return to Germany, saying Berlin was "how I actually discovered true humanity.”Image: Getty

Hulk Hogan helped turn wrestling into a global spectacle. Known for his flamboyant physique, yellow moustache and trademark bandana, he was one of WWE’s most iconic stars. But the story of Terry Bollea, the man behind the persona, was every bit as fascinating as the one he performed in the ring. Image: Getty

The Black Sabbath star, known as the Prince of Darkness, leaves behind a legacy that's shaped heavy metal rock music and inspired a generation of fans and musicians.Image: Getty

From the barracks to the presidential villa, Muhammadu Buhari was a strong and disciplined leader who left a lasting mark on Nigeria’s history – first as a firm military ruler in the 1980s, and three decades on, as its democratically elected president.Image: Getty

The pioneering yet reclusive artist was one of founding figures of British pop art whose bold, vibrant work helped define a movement. Image: Getty

Lord Tebbit was one of the most combative figures in British politics, and was known as Thatcher's 'enforcer'. A key architect of 1980s union reform, he survived the Brighton bombing and later left frontline politics to care for his wife, Margaret, who was severely injured in the bombing.

He was one of Britain’s most intrepid and inspiring foreign correspondents - a journalist who dodged bullets, bombs and dictators to bring distant wars into the nation’s living rooms. From Kinshasa to Kabul, Sandy Gall reported with grit and clarity, surviving more near-death experiences than he cared to count. Though best known as the voice of ITN’s News at Ten, it was far from the studio and on the frontline that he found his purpose as a journalist.Image: Getty