Created by composer and sound designer Dan Steele working with Peter Wright

Today we meet Thomas Paine. A man who stands out as a beacon, who walked and talked with George Washington, Mary Wolstencroft and Benjamin Franklin, who narrowly escaped the guillotine and in today's terms was a social influencer at the same level as Christiano Ronaldo or Ariana Grande. 

He was a rebel who challenged the monarchy and aristocracy, and thought it was a Government’s duty to provide pensions, free education and children’s allowances. 

So now, 200 years after his death, are we any closer to Beginning the World Over Again as Paine imagined? You might be shaking your head. Perhaps we’re getting closer than you think … and you may be surprised by who is doing it!

Introduced by Reece Williams.
Additional production by Siân Roberts.
Find out more about the Begin The World Over Again project