James Naughtie examines the lives and impact of the men and women who have given the second Elizabethan Age its character.

As the longest-lived and longest-reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II has presided over an era of tremendous social, political and cultural change. In 2012, to mark her Diamond Jubilee, Radio 4 looked back on the long span of her reign, and asked the public to choose high-profile public figures who have helped to define this New Elizabethan Age. Almost a thousand nominations poured in, and the final selection was decided by a panel of leading writers and historians, including Dominic Sandbrook, Bamber Gascoigne and Max Hastings.

In this celebratory collection, distinguished broadcaster James Naughtie profiles 37 of these iconic individuals. They come from all walks of life - from artists and scientists like David Hockney and Francis Crick, to business legends such as Alan Sainsbury and Anita Roddick, politicians including Roy Jenkins, Tony Blair and Alex Salmond, and even a member of the Royal Family: Diana, Princess of Wales. Some are world-famous, others less well-known, and there are several surprising choices - and a few controversial ones. But all have made their mark on our nation, for good or ill.

Here are fascinating portraits of mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, whose conquest of Everest was announced on the day of the queen's coronation; Elizabeth David, the food writer who brought European cuisine to British tables; leading thinker on British culture, race and identity Stuart Hall; renowned English composer Benjamin Britten; the inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee - and many more, whose achievements and influence will stand the test of time. Together, they shine a light on postwar Britain, illuminating how our society has evolved over the seven decades since Queen Elizabeth II's accession.

Production credits:

Presented by James Naughtie.

Produced by James Cook, Sukey Firth, Clare Walker, Sarah Taylor, Alison Hughes, Poppy Goodheart and Kate Howells.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates:

Edmund Hilary 11th June 2012

Elizabeth David 12th June 2012

Graham Greene 13th June 2012

Michael Young 14th June 2012

Vladimir Raitz 15th June 2012

Francis Crick 18th June 2012

Alan Sainsbury 20th June 2012

Benjamin Britten 25th June 2012

Dorothy Hodgkin 26th June 2012

Alfred Denning 4th July 2012

Paul Foot 5th July 2012

Francis Bacon 6th July 2012

Peter Hall 12th July 2012

Terence Conran 13th July 2012

Enoch Powell 16th July 2012

Cicely Saunders 17th July 2012

Basil D'Oliveira 19th July 2012

Germaine Greer 23rd July 2012

Robert Edwards 24th July 2012

Jack Jones 26th July 2012

Talaiasi Labalaba 31st July 2012

Jocelyn Bell Burnell 2nd August 2012

Roy Jenkins 3rd August 2012

Vivienne Westwood 6th August 2012

Jayaben Desai 7th August 2012

Stuart Hall 9th August 2012

David Hockney 14th August 2012

Ralph Robins 16th August 2012

Anita Roddick 21st August 2012

Norman Foster 22nd August 2012

Charles Saatchi 23rd August 2012

Goldie 24th August 2012

John Hume/David Trimble 27th August 2012

Tim Berners-Lee 29th August 2012

Diana, Princess of Wales 30th August 2012

Alex Salmond 31st August 2012

Tony Blair 3rd September 2012