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BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

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Top of the Class

Factual: Life Stories

John Wilson meets leading figures and takes them back to the places they left behind

John Wilson meets leading figures in their fields and takes them back to the places and people they left behind

Top of the Class: Series 2

Top of the Class: Series 2: Episode 1: Marcus du Sautoy

Marcus du Sautoy

Episode 1

Episode 1: Marcus du Sautoy

Series 2

BBC Radio 4 - Top of the Class, Series 2, Marcus du Sautoy

John Wilson reunites mathematician Marcus du Sautoy with his maths teacher and old school.

John Wilson meets leading figures in their fields and takes them back to the places and people they left behind. Maths Professor Marcus du Sautoy goes back to his comprehensive.

John Wilson meets Professor Marcus du Sautoy in the first of a new series of Top of the Class. Marcus went to Gillots Comprehensive School in Henley and whilst he was there, he excelled academically, particularly in maths and playing the trumpet. 

When he was 13, his maths teacher, Mr. Bailson, asked him to step outside for a chat whilst he smoked his mid-morning break cigar. Marcus thought he was in trouble and was mightily relieved when instead, Mr. Bailson chose the break time to talk about the beauty of maths and of the text books Marcus should look at outside of the normal secondary school curriculum. 

The chat has stayed with Marcus and he describes it now as a formative moment when he was enthralled by the possibilities of mathematics. Professor Du Sautoy is currently the Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and he takes the morning off from his calculations to go back to his old school with John Wilson who reunites him with Mr. Bailson and his best friend from school and fellow trumpeter, Helen Brind.

Helen has brought along her photo album from the time which shows Marcus in all his thespian glory and Marcus has found his old school report. 

Join John Wilson as Marcus and Mr. Bailson walk to the spot where the "cigar" moment took place and Marcus' best friend Helen flicks through her photo album. And more importanly, don't miss Helen and Marcus playing their trumpets together again - thirty years later.

Producer: Sarah Taylor.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

John Wilson takes leading figures back to the roots which influenced their later success

John Wilson meets leading figures in their fields and takes them back to the places and people they left behind but who influenced their later success

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Top of the Class

Series 2

Episode 1: Marcus du Sautoy

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