Edmund Hillary

The New Elizabethans: Edmund Hillary. To mark the Diamond Jubilee, James Naughtie examines the lives and impact of the men and women who have given the second Elizabethan age its character. Edmund Hillary was the first man to set foot on the summit of Mount Everest. His achievement was announced on the day of the Coronation itself, providing a dramatic and positive beginning to the new Elizabethan era. Later he became the Queen's first Knight.

The New Elizabethans have been chosen by a panel of leading historians, chaired by Lord (Tony) Hall, Chief Executive of London's Royal Opera House. The panellists were Dominic Sandbrook, Bamber Gascoigne, Sally Alexander, Jonathan Agar, Maria Misra and Sir Max Hastings.

They were asked to choose: "Men and women whose actions during the reign of Elizabeth II have had a significant impact on lives in these islands and/or given the age its character, for better or worse."
Producer: James Cook.