The new season of Lives Less Ordinary brings listeners a series of true stories where love overcomes extraordinary challenges.
Stories range from war and displacement to decades of separation and life-changing accidents.
This summer, the BBC World Service podcast presents its Love Stories season, featuring accounts from India, Italy, Syria, the Bahamas, the UK, and the US.
Each episode reveals how love can endure prejudice, heal old wounds, and transform lives in unexpected ways.
Lives Less Ordinary is known for its in-depth interviews with people who have experienced remarkable events.
Hosted by Asya Fouks, the latest season continues this tradition, focusing on deeply personal stories that highlight human resilience and connection.
One episode follows Lebanese journalist Janay Boulos and Syrian cameraman Abd Alkader Habak, whose relationship began while covering the Syrian conflict.
Working from London, Janay depended on Abd Alkader’s footage from Aleppo. As the war escalated, their professional relationship became more personal, with voice notes revealing shared experiences of war and exile.
Another story features Americans Kris Armstrong and Brandon Smith. After Brandon suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident, Kris became his caregiver rather than his wife.
She later divorced Brandon to become his legal guardian, and eventually met James, a single father. Now, more than a decade later, their blended family includes Brandon as “Uncle Brandon” to Kris and James’ children.
A further episode revisits Penny and Mark, whose teenage romance in 1970s Nottingham ended abruptly when Mark, originally from the Bahamas, disappeared from Penny’s life.
Decades later, a message from Mark revealed the truth behind their separation, allowing both to confront the past.
Munazza Khan, Editor of Lives Less Ordinary, said: “At the heart of every episode is an extraordinary love story, but these are also stories about resilience, hope and the choices people make in the face of incredible challenges.”
Listeners are are also being asked to share their own unusual love stories for possible inclusion in future episodes, via email or WhatsApp.
The Love Stories season follows the previous eight-part series Hold Fast! and begins on Monday 3 August, with weekly episodes.
Lives Less Ordinary is available on BBC Sounds in the UK, BBC.com internationally, and on other podcast platforms. Episodes will also feature later on the BBC World Service radio programme Outlook.
