Olena Zelenska delivered a moving speech to MPs and peers this week, calling for military support for Ukraine by describing the terror of air raids and evoking memories of World War II. The Ukrainian first lady has also addressed the US Congress and appeared on the cover of Vogue but stepping into the limelight has not been easy for the comedy writer, who is more comfortable behind the camera. Adrian Goldberg profiles Olena Zelenska, speaking to some of the friends and colleagues who know her best. Contributors Irina Pikalova, 'Kvartal 95' executive producer. Stylist Natalya Kamenska. Rachel Donadio, Journalist, Vogue. Iuliia Mendel, Author The Fight of Our Lives. Ukrainian Chef, Levgen Klopotenko. Presenter: Adrian Goldberg Producers: Diane Richardson and Natasha Fernandes Production Co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross and Maria Ogundele Editor: Simon Watts Studio Engineer: Rod Farquhar

Stand-up comic, broadcaster and LGBT rights activist, Joe Lycett, appeared to shred £10,000 of his own hard-earned comedy cash in protest at footballer David Beckham’s refusal to step down as an ambassador for the Qatar World Cup - a country where homosexuality is banned. He didn't really do it - but it's the latest in a series of stunts that have become the comedian's calling card. Friends, relatives and colleagues reveal how Joe Lycett went from drama-loving schoolboy to 'Esther Rantzen in a sparkly jumpsuit'. Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Lucy Proctor and Diane Richardson Production Co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross and Maria Ogundele Editor: Simon Watts Studio Engineer: Rod Farquhar

Wales are heading to their first football World Cup since 1958. Their captain is Gareth Bale, who was once the most expensive footballer in the world. Born in Cardiff in 1989, Gareth was first spotted at the age of 9 by Southampton. He become their second-youngest player of all time when he broke into the first-team aged 16, and enjoyed two seasons with the south coast club before moving to the Premier League with Tottenham. It was in North London that Bale announced himself on the European stage, eventually securing a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid for a then-world record fee. After nearly a decade in Spain, where he won some of football's biggest prizes, he surprised many by moving to the MLS to play for Los Angeles FC earlier this year. Gareth Bale's meteoric rise also coincided with a renaissance of the Welsh national team's fortunes - they'd regularly struggled to qualify for major tournaments in the decades before he broke onto the scene. With their World Cup campaign kicking off against the USA on Monday, Mark Coles looks at the life and career of the man who'll be leading Wales out. Producers: Ben Cooper and Matt Toulson Researcher: Kirsteen Knight Production Co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross and Maria Ogundele Editor: Simon Watts Studio Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

This week the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced its first ever nationwide strike. Pat Cullen, the RCN's General Secretary and Chief Executive, will lead them into industrial action which is expected to start in December. Born in Northern Ireland, Pat Cullen was inspired by her older sisters to train as a nurse during the Troubles. After roles at Northern Ireland's Department of Health, and Public Health Agency, Cullen joined the RCN's Northern Ireland branch in 2016. Three years later, she led the union's first-ever strike, seeking pay parity for Northern Irish nurses with those working elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Since 2021, Pat Cullen has been the interim leader of the RCN at national level. Drawing on her experiences in Northern Ireland, she's now campaigning for better wages and conditions for nurses across the UK. Timandra Harkness takes a look at Pat Cullen's life and career. Producer: Ben Cooper Researcher: Matt Toulson Production Co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross and Maria Ogundele Editor: Simon Watts Studio Engineer: John Scott

Since entering Parliament in 2017, the MP for Saffron Walden has rapidly risen through the ranks to a seat at the Cabinet table as Trade Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities. Kemi Badenoch surprised some in Westminster when she reached the fourth round of the Conservative leadership election this summer. Her forthright views on British colonialism and trans issues have won her admirers on the political right, but also been heavily criticised by LGBTQ campaigners. So who is Kemi Badenoch? How has her childhood in Nigeria influenced her political outlook? And how does she like to unwind? Mark Coles investigates. Researcher: Alice Struthers Producers: Ben Cooper and Matt Toulson Production Co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross and Maria Ogundele Sound engineer: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Simon Watts