Last Word

Matthew Bannister on

The colourful life of artist, fashion editor, sex columnist and bonkbuster author Molly Parkin. Her daughter shares the highs and lows of living with Molly.

Kristina Gjerde, the maritime lawyer who fought to protect the high seas.

Michael Barton, the BBC executive who oversaw the expansion of English local radio

Eva Schloss, the holocaust survivor who became Anne Frank’s stepsister.

Producer: Ed Prendeville Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley

Archive used Breakfast Time, BBC 1, 12/02/1986; Outlook, BBC World Service,27/01/2022; BBC So...

Jon Kay on

The French actor Brigitte Bardot who starred in over 40 films in the 1950s and 60s before a career-change saw her give up the big screen to campaign for animal welfare

Sir Alec Reed who founded the UKs most successful recruitment agency and, through his philanthropy, raised millions for charity

Alwyn Crawshaw, the artist who encouraged millions to paint landscapes through his how-to books and TV programmes

Dame Shan Legge-Bourke who transformed the Glanusk estate in the Black Mountains and was for many years lady in waiting to Princess...

Jon Kay on

Fashion designer Antony Price who fused together the worlds of fashion and music in the 70s and 80s

Sister Stan Kennedy, the nun who founded one of Ireland’s largest homelessness charities

Ena Collymore Woodstock, the Jamaican barrister and magistrate who throughout her career broke many barriers for women

John Carey, the academic and former chief literary critic for The Times who took no prisoners with his reviews.

Producer: Ed Prendeville Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley

Archive Midweek: Professor Jo...

Matthew Bannister on

Rob Reiner, the film director, screenwriter and actor behind pictures like “This Is Spinal Tap”, “Stand By Me” and “When Harry Met Sally”.

Stanley Baxter, the Scottish comedian best known for his impersonations of Hollywood stars and royalty. The actor Bill Paterson pays tribute.

And Joanna Trollope and Sophie Kinsella, two best-selling novelists who, in their different ways, told stories of modern life and relationships.

Interviewee: Hadley Freeman Interviewee: Linda Evans Interviewee: Bill Paterson Interviewee: Brian Beacom Interviewee: Bill Scott-Kerr

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Resea...

Matthew Bannister on

Iain Douglas-Hamilton, the zoologist who devoted his life to the study and conservation of African elephants.

Vera Weisfeld, the businesswoman whose chain of What Every Woman Wants stores offered fashion designs at bargain prices.

Frank Gehry, the architect best known for his flamboyant designs for the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles

Martin Parr whose celebrated colourful photographs showed the messy details of British life.

Producer: Ed Prendeville Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley

Matthew Bannister has a star-studded cast on this week’s Last Word:

Sir David Hare pays tribute to his friend and fellow playwright Sir Tom Stoppard.

Boy George recalls the flamboyant fashion designer Pam Hogg.

Sir Mark Rylance gives an insight into the many talents of the actor, director and writer Jack Shepherd.

We also remember Yanxin He, one of the last surviving speakers in a village that spoke a secret language that helped women to share their suffering in a patriarchal society.

Interviewee: Sir David Hare Interviewee: Boy Ge...

Kirsty Lang on:

Jimmy Cliff, who took reggae music onto the global stage. His former record producer and founder of Island Records, Chris Blackwell pays tribute.

Charlotte Bingham, the writer who mined the experience of her upbringing and relationships to pen dozens of novels and screenplays.

Skye Gyngell, the Australian born chef whose devotion to fresh seasonal produce made a lasting impact on modern British cooking.

David Bellos, the award-winning literary translator who revelled in linguistic challenges.

Interviewee: Chris Blackwell Interviewee: Lloyd Bradley Interviewee: Candida Brady Interviewee: Thomasina Miers ...

Matthew Bannister on:

Baroness Newlove, who turned a tragic event in her own life into a powerful campaign for victims’ rights.

Zoe Wicomb, the South Africa-born author whose novels are set against the backdrop of the apartheid regime.

Sir Geoffrey Bindman, the lawyer who helped to shape equality legislation, represented Labour politicians and fought many human rights cases.

Roland Paxton, the civil engineer who campaigned to preserve the Forth Bridge and other fine examples of historic engineering.

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Colin Pa...

Matthew Bannister on

James Watson who shared the Nobel Prize for identifying the structure of DNA, but was widely condemned later in life for his racist and sexist views.

Pauline Collins, the comic actor who triumphed in the role of Shirley Valentine on stage and screen. The play’s director Simon Callow pays tribute.

Judith Vidal-Hall, who edited the Index on Censorship magazine and campaigned for freedom of expression around the world

Dugald Ross, the crofter and palaeontologist from the Isle of Skye who discovered dinosaur footprints on the island as a...

Matthew Bannister on

Dick Cheney, the Republican politician who was Vice President under George W Bush and played key roles in both Gulf Wars.

Yvonne Brewster, the Jamaican-born director and actor who founded the Black British Theatre Company Talawa.

Mary ‘May’ McGee, the Irish woman who brought s successful legal challenge against the country’s ban on contraception.

Peter Watkins, the film maker whose powerful depiction of a nuclear attack on the UK was banned by the BBC

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn T...

Matthew Bannister on

The actor Prunella Scales, best known for playing Sybil in the TV comedy Fawlty Towers. Her son Samuel West reflects on her long career and happy marriage to fellow actor Timothy West.

Gillian Tindall, the writer who pioneered the technique of exploring history through the portal of a particular house or area.

Roger Smith, who co-founded and ran the Great Outdoors Challenge, encouraging thousands to walk across Scotland.

Anthony Grey, the novelist and journalist who was held in solitary confinement for over two years by Red Guards during...

In this special edition of Last Word, Matthew Bannister talks to the actor Samuel West about his mother Prunella Scales.

Prunella died on the 27th October, aged 93.

Known for her work on stage and screen over many decades – Prunella was particularly renowned for her role as Sybil on Fawlty Towers. In addition to countless other roles, she appeared as Queen Elizabeth II in Alan Bennett’s A Question of Attribution in the early 90s – earning a BAFTA nomination. In later life – as she began living with dementia – her hobby of canal boating alongside her husband – the actor Ti...

Matthew Bannister on

The influential Kenyan politician Raila Odinga, who was detained for his pro-democracy campaigns, but went on to be the country’s Prime Minister.

Bill Colley, who designed and built traditional wooden racing boats.

Baroness Rosalind Howells of St Davids, who campaigned for racial equality and supported the family of Stephen Lawrence after his murder.

And Sister Marion Irvine, the American nun who took up marathon running in middle age and went on to break many records.

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Ed...

Matthew Bannister on

Peter Gurney, the George Medal winning bomb disposal expert who regularly risked his life to defuse explosive devices, including the mortars that were fired at 10 Downing Street by the IRA in 1991.

Diane Keaton, the actor best known for her collaboration with Woody Allen in Annie Hall and Manhattan.

Peter Hall, the pioneering English winemaker from Sussex who turned his Breaky Bottom grapes into acclaimed sparkling wines.

Angela Bond, who saved the much-loved Bush Theatre in West London from closure. The director Josie Rourke and the writer Jack Thorne...

Matthew Bannister on

Patrick Bradley, the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles.

Dame Jilly Cooper, the best-selling author of the racy “Rutshire Chronicles”.

Sara Jane Moore, the political extremist who tried to assassinate US President Gerald Ford.

Dame Patricia Routledge, the actor best known for her portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket in the TV comedy Keeping Up Appearances.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive: With Bennett: Patricia Routledge, BBC Radio Ulster FM, 01/05/2004; Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 13/08/1999; Rivals, Walt Disney Studios, Disney Plus UK / Happ...

Matthew Bannister on

Dame Jane Goodall, the primatologist and environmental campaigner who changed our understanding of animal behaviour. Chris Packham pays tribute.

Tony Harrison, the Yorkshire born poet who took his writing to new audiences through theatre and TV. Michael Rosen assesses his work.

Lord Menzies Campbell, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Danny Thompson, the upright bass player who blended folk and jazz and worked with musicians ranging from Kate Bush, Paul Weller to John Martyn and Donovan - who shares his memories.

Interviewee: Chris Packham Interviewee...

Matthew Bannister on

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, the architect who designed the international terminal at London’s Waterloo Station and the Eden Project.

John Stapleton, the TV presenter who fronted Watchdog with his wife and ITV’s breakfast and daytime shows. His friend Greg Dyke pays tribute.

Mary Elizabeth Dodd, the physiotherapist who pioneered new treatments for cystic fibrosis.

And the glamorous Italian film star Claudia Cardinale who was a muse for the directors Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti.

Interviewee: Andrew Whalley Interviewee: Greg Dyke Interviewee: Professor Kevin Webb Interviewee: Rita...

Matthew Bannister on:

Robert Redford, the film star who believed his striking good looks could be a curse as well as a blessing.

Barbara Harvey, the mediaeval historian who revealed fascinating details of the lives of the monks of Westminster Abbey.

Rosa Roisinblit, one of Argentina’s Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo who finally tracked down the grandson who had been abducted at birth and given up for adoption.

And the Oscar winning film designer Stuart Craig who brought the Harry Potter world to life on the big screen. Director Ch...

John Wilson on:

The Duchess of Kent, who stepped back from royal duties to teach music in primary schools.

Giorgio Armani whose suit designs help define the look of the 1980s and beyond.

Valerie Pearlman who made legal history by being the first judge in the UK finish a trial via fax machine and video link from her hospital bed.

Rick Davies, who sold millions of records in the 70s and 80 as one of the two singers in the band Supertramp.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used: The...

John Wilson on

Joe Bugner, the heavyweight boxer who fought the titans of the sport from Henry Cooper, Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier.

Ann McManus, the writer for Coronation Street who went on to be one of the founders of Shed Productions that created hit drama series such as Bad Girls, Footballer Wives and Waterloo Road.

Angela Mortimer Barrett, the multiply Grand Slam winning tennis player – winner of the 1961 Wimbledon women’s singles championship.

And Frank Strang, the entrepreneur who bought a RAF radar station in Shetland and turned it into a sp...

John Wilson on: Broadcaster David Richardson who was for over 60 years a leading voice in the farming community Doris Lockhart Saatchi, the Art collector who along with her former husband Charles Saatchi transformed the UK art scene in the 80s and 90s Dame Annette Brooke who for 14 years was the Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole Byron Rogers, the biographer and journalist who sought out and chronicled the lives of many eccentric characters

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive; BBC News, BBC, 02/07/2014; BBC News, BBC, 12/05/2013; BBC News, BBC, 05/04/2008; BBC News, BBC, 14/09/2008; Late Again, BBC...

John Wilson on:

Actor Terence Stamp, the Oscar nominated 60s screen icon who went onto play many villains in his later film career

Baroness Stephanie Shirley, the pioneering computer scientist and founder of her own software company

Kay Dunbar who founded the Ways with Words literary festival which ran in Devon for 30 years

Eric Midwinter was one of the three co-founders of u3a to encourage continued learning in retirement

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used: Desert Island Discs, BBC, 12/03/2006; Billy Budd, Rank Film Distributors, 1962; Superman II, Warner...

Matthew Bannister on

Jim Lovell, the astronaut who commanded the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission.

Biddy Baxter, the editor who left an indelible stamp on the children’s TV show Blue Peter. Sarah Greene pays tribute.

Razia Jan, the Afghan/American who founded a school for girls in Afghanistan after 9/11.

Iris Williams, the Welsh born singer whose career took off after an appearance on Radio 2.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used: The Festival of Politics, The Scottish Parliament, 2009; Jim Lovell on Apollo 13 Mission, permission granted by NASA Media Team; 13 Minutes Pr...

Matthew Bannister on

Dame Stella Rimington, the first woman to be Director General of MI5, who made the service more open and accountable.

Sylvia Young, whose drama school turned out countless stars of stage, screen and music.

Sir Jamie McGrigor, the Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Highlands and Islands, who introduced a bill to protect tartan.

And Joan Anderson the former model who brought the hula hoop to America.

Producer: Ben Mitchell

Archive: Al Murray’s Great British Spy Movies, BBC Four, 21/04/2015; Woman’s Hour...

Matthew Bannister on

Dame Cleo Laine, whose glorious voice was equally at home singing jazz, pop and classical music. Her daughter Jacqui Dankworth shares her memories.

Hulk Hogan, who spearheaded the transformation of American wrestling from niche activity to global phenomenon.

Professor Margaret Boden, whose expertise in cognitive science helped to shape the future of artificial intelligence.

Tom Lehrer, the American satirical songwriter and mathematician. We have a tribute from Sir Cameron Mackintosh.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used First Lady of Jazz – Cleo Laine, BBC Radio 4 Extra, 30/10/2022; Fr...

Matthew Bannister on

Ozzy Osbourne, the Black Sabbath lead singer known for his outrageous antics, many while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Jacqui Browne, the Thalidomide survivor who campaigned for the rights of disabled people in Ireland.

Professor Douglas Chamberlain, the cardiologist who pioneered the use of defibrillators by ambulance crews, saving many lives.

Connie Francis, the Italian American singer known for hits like “Who’s Sorry Now?”, “Stupid Cupid” and “Pretty Little Baby”

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive: BBC South East Today, BBC One South East, 20/06/20...

Matthew Bannister on

Lord Blair the former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

Jennie Street who helped to rehabilitate people on her suburban farm.

Dr Anna Ornstein, a psychoanalyst and survivor of the Holocaust.

Muhammudu Buhari, the former President of Nigeria.

Interviewee: Sean O’Neill Interviewee: Anita Ollerenshaw Interviewee: Dr Sharone Ornstein Interviewee: Mayeni Jones

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used: BBC Radio 4, 31/12/1983; BBC News, 05/01/1984; Newshour Extra, BBC, 03/04/2015; HardTalk, BBC, 21/01/2004; BBC News Africa, 26/02/2015; Library Hour: Lecture by Dr. Anna Ornstein, Chelmsford Telemedia, 11/02/2018; The Ian Blair Years, BBC, 15/06/2005; Lo...

Matthew Bannister on

Lord Tebbit, who as Norman Tebbit was a member of Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet, introducing trade union reform and privatisation.

Daphne Boden, the harpist who played for the Queen and taught for more than fifty years at the Royal College of Music.

James Leprino who built a multi-billion-dollar business by supplying cheese to pizza chains.

And the former Astronomer Royal, Sir Francis Graham-Smith, who helped to transform our understanding of the origins of the universe.

Interviewee: John Sergeant Interviewee: Lord Deben Interviewee: Geraldine McMahon Interviewee: Sally Pr...

Matthew Bannister on Courtney Griffiths, one of the first black lawyers to become a Queen’s Counsel. Sara Venn, who turned unloved spaces in Bristol into community gardens growing food for low-income families. Nina Kuscik, the American marathon runner who broke down barriers to women participating in long distance running. Sergeant Mohammed Hussain, one of the last surviving Muslim veterans of the second world war. Producer: Catherine Powell

Archive used: BBC News: Courtenay Griffiths, April 2012; BBC Breakfast News: Courtenay Griffiths, April 2012; Hardtalk, BBC Two, Interviewer Tim Sebastian, 12/10/2002; Hardtalk, BBC Two, Interviewer Stephen Sackur, 19/11/2010; The Organic Gardening Podcast: Sa...

Matthew Bannister on The TV director Michael Lachmann who made some of the most acclaimed documentaries about science. Professor Brian Cox and Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock pays tribute. Pik-sen Lim who became one of the most recognisable East Asian actors on British TV. Leon Krier, the master planner behind King Charles’s controversial Poundbury development. David “Syd” Lawrence, the fast bowler who was the first British-born black cricketer to play for England.

Interviewee: Professor Brian Cox Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock Sara Houghton Ben Pentreath Dean Wilson

Producer: Ribika Moktan

Archive used:

Wonders of the So...

John Wilson on

Sir Godfrey “Geoff” Palmer, the scientist whose discovery of a new brewing method revolutionized the industry and saved them millions of pounds

Barbara Holdridge, the entrepreneur who co-founded a new record label that paved the way for the audiobook industry

Kim Woodburn, the reality TV Star who made gained popular recognition through the TV show How Clean Is Your House?

Sly Stone the American genre-bending musician who fronted the band Sly and the Family Stone.

Interviewee: Catherine Bisset Catrina Rose Matthew Rubery Arlene Hirschkowitz

Prod...

Kirsty Lang on

Brian Wilson, the driving force behind The Beach Boys who were one of the most successful bands of the 1960s.

Fredrick Forsyth, the writer and former Mi6 agent who books included The Day of the Jackal and The Fourth Protocol.

Uriah Rennie who made history as the Premier League’s first black referee.

And the author Edmund White whose semi-autobiographical books A Boys Own Life and The Beautiful Room is Empty chronicled his experiences as a young gay man in America.

Interviewee: Charles Cumming Interviewee: Ashley Hi...

Kirsty Lang on

Wildlife conservationist Valmik Thapar who spent five decades trying to protect India’s tigers

Nancy Blaik, the driving force behind the creation of Scotland’s first children’s hospice

Norma Meras Swenson, the co-author of the influential book ‘Our Bodies, Ourselves’

Doctor Stuart Farrimond who became a popular science writer after being diagnosed with a brain tumour

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used: Tony Livesey – Steffan Powell sitting in, BBC Radio 5 Live, 28/04/2025; Tiger Crisis: Update, BBC Two, 08/01/1997; Wild: The Natural World – The Tigers' Fortress, BBC Two, 29/10/200...

Matthew Bannister on Alan Yentob, the BBC’s only Creative Director, who commissioned many successful TV programmes, was known as an impresario of talent and also presented Imagine.

Richard Garwin, the American physicist who developed the Hydrogen bomb, but then devoted his life to nuclear disarmament.

Dr. Joy Shaverien, the psychoanalyst who identified “boarding school syndrome” suffered by some who were sent away to school at an early age.

Dr Anne Merriman, the former nun who made it her life’s work to bring effective palliative care to Africa.

Producer: Ed Prendevi...

Matthew Bannister on

Hannah Deacon who ran a successful campaign to allow her son – and many others – to be treated with cannabis after he was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy.

Andrew Norfolk, the journalist who exposed the Rotherham grooming gang scandal.

Dame June Clark, the President of the Royal College of Nursing who argued for more education to increase the skills of the nursing profession.

Martin Graham the businessman who built his own opera house in the Cotswolds so he could stage Wagner’s Ring Cycle.

Producer: Ed Pre...

Matthew Bannister on:

Sir Tom Farmer, the Edinburgh born businessman who built up the tyre and exhaust company Kwik Fit.

Elaine Wynn, who worked with her husband Steve to create a casino empire in Las Vegas.

Sue Stapely, who transformed the way the legal profession communicates with the public and the media.

Joseph Nye, the American political analyst who came up with the concept of “soft power” in international relations

Interviewee: Michael Welch Interviewee: Douglas Fraser Interviewee: David Sanger Interviewee: David McNeill Interviewee: Christina Binkley

Producer: Gareth Nels...

Kirsty Lang on

The author Jane Gardam, whose works included The Queen of the Tambourine and Old Filth.

Sir Roger Birch, the former Chief Constable of Sussex Police who oversaw the investigation following the IRAs' Brighton bomb attack in 1984.

Mike Peters, the lead singer of the band The Alarm, whose own battle with cancer saw him become a campaigner and fundraiser for cancer treatment.

Professor Francoise Hampson, a lawyer who specialised in human rights in conflict zones.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive: Front Row, BBC Radio 4, Presenter Kirsty...

Matthew Bannister on

Virginia Giuffre, who waived her anonymity to accuse the billionaire Jeffrey Epstein and his friend Ghislaine Maxwell of sex abuse and trafficking.

Rosy Bremer, a leading campaigner against nuclear weapons at the women’s protest at Greenham Common airbase.

LJ Smith, author of the best-selling “Vampire Diaries” series of novels

And the influential folk and blues guitarist Wizz Jones. His friend Ralph McTell pays tribute.

If you have been affected by the issues reflected in tthis programme, you can visit https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline

I...

Matthew Bannister on

Pope Francis, the first Latin American Pope who was noted for his humility and modest lifestyle.

Paddy Higson, the TV and film producer once described as “the mother of the Scottish film industry”. Jed Mercurio and Clare Grogan pay tribute.

And David Sassoon, the fashion designer who dressed royalty and film stars. Dame Zandra Rhodes tells us about his life.

Interviewee: David Willey Interviewee: Rogelio Pfirter Interviewee: Frances Higson Interviewee: Clare Grogan Interviewee: Jed Mercurio Interviewee: Dame Zandra Rhodes

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive used:

Matthew Bannister on

Anne Scargill, who founded the Women Against Pit Closures group when her husband Arthur was leading the Miners Strike of the 1980s. The actor Maxine Peake pays tribute.

Ronnie Appleton who was Chief Crown Prosecutor for Northern Ireland during the height of the troubles.

Cecil Wright, the Jamaican born cricketer who made his mark playing alongside some of his countrymen in the Lancashire league.

Mario Vargas Llosa, the Nobel prize winning novelist who was a candidate for the Presidency of his native Peru.

Producer: Ed Prendeville<...

Matthew Bannister on

Lord Kalms, who turned his family’s camera shop into the multi-million-pound Dixons electronics chain.

Melissa Llewellyn-Davies, the anthropologist who made an acclaimed TV series about Kenya’s Masai tribe before turning her camera on the UK.

Rex Cowan, the lawyer who changed career to become one of the world’s most successful shipwreck hunters.

Wilma Finlay, who worked with her husband David to introduce what they saw as more ethical animal husbandry on their farm in the Scottish borders.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

**In this e...

Matthew Bannister on The Hollywood actor Val Kilmer, best known for his roles in Top Gun, Batman Forever and The Doors. Jane Reed, the media executive who made Woman’s Own magazine a powerful voice for its readers at a time of changing roles for women in society. Sir Torquil Norman, who used the proceeds from the sale of his successful toy business to restore the fortunes of the Roundhouse Arts Centre in London. Dr Marika Sherwood, the Hungarian-born academic who wrote groundbreaking books on the history of black people in Britain.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Ar...

Matthew Bannister on Oleg Gordievsky, the KGB agent who defected to Britain and became a valued source of secret intelligence during the 1970s and 80s.

Renee Goddard, the actress and TV commissioner who fled Nazi persecution only to be interned in Britain.

Professor Richard Fortey, the palaeontologist who used his expertise in trilobites to tell stories about the origins of life on earth. Bill Bryson pays tribute.

Sofia Gubaidulina, the composer whose large scale religious works attracted criticism from the Soviet authorities.

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive: Friendly Enemy Aliens...

Matthew Bannister on:

Group Captain John Allman ‘Paddy’ Hemingway DFC , the last surviving pilot who fought in the Battle of Britain during the second world war.

Dame Julie Kenny, the successful businesswoman from Rotherham who led the regeneration of one of Britain’s largest stately homes.

Tuppy Owens, who campaigned for greater openness about sex – and set up charities to help disabled people enjoy fulfilling relationships.

Dick McTaggart, the only Scottish boxer to win an Olympic gold medal. Described as a “legend” in the world of boxing.

Interviewee: Brian Hemingway In...

Kirsty Lang on: Athol Fugard, the playwright whose art became synonymous with exposing the inequities of the Apartheid regime in South Africa.

Janet Pharaoh, the dancer from Yorkshire who became the artistic director at the Moulin Rouge in Paris.

Alison Halford who rose through the ranks to become the first female Assistant Chief Constable. Johnny Green, the former roadie and tour manager for The Clash. His friend, the poet John Cooper Clarke pays tribute.

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive used:

Athol Fugard interview, Third Ear, BBC Radio 3, 12/02/1991; Inside The Mind...

Matthew Bannister on

Bill Dare, the writer and producer behind some of Radio 4’s best loved comedies, including “The Now Show” and “Dead Ringers”. Jan Ravens pays tribute.

Clint Hill, the American Secret Service agent who threw himself across President John F. Kennedy’s body after he was shot in Dallas.

Valérie André, the first woman General in the French military who was also a field surgeon and an accomplished helicopter rescue pilot.

And Gene Hackman, the Oscar winning actor best known for his roles in The French Connection and Unforgiven

John Wilson on:

Musician Roberta Flack, best known for The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly.

Dr David Hessayon, the author of a series of gardening books known as The Expert guides. His one word advice to keen gardeners was 'mulch'.

Keith Dewhurst whose work for television and stage included the National’s unconventional adaptation of Lark Rise to Candleford.

And Rose Hanks the motorcycle sidecar passenger who became the first woman to stand on the winner’s podium at the Isle of Man TT in 1968.

John Wilson on Rick Buckley, the drummer in The Jam, one of the most popular and influential British bands of the 70s and 80s. Margaret Miles-Bramwell who founded Slimming World in response to what she saw as humiliation tactics by weight loss groups. World War Two fighter pilot Harry Stewart Jr, part of the all-African American Tuskegee Airmen who despite huge successes in aerial combat, faced discrimination and segregation on the ground. Maureen Halton, the biology lecturer who introduced and popularised the Frisbee in the UK.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive: Interview with WW2 Veteran Harry...

Matthew Bannister on

Nigel McCrery, the former police officer who created the popular TV series “Silent Witness” and “New Tricks”.

Andrée Dumon, who rescued many allied service men during the Second World War by escorting them along “The Comet Line” from Brussels to Paris.

Lord Elis-Thomas, the former leader of Plaid Cymru and the first Presiding Officer of the National Assembly.

Diana Melly, the author known for her unconventional marriage to the jazz singer and art expert George Melly.

Interviewee: William Ivory Interviewee: Dr Helen Fry Interviewee: Professor Laura McAllis...

Matthew Bannister on

Tony Martin, the Norfolk farmer who shot dead a burglar and started a national debate about the rights of householders to defend themselves.

Pete Wilkinson, the co-founder of Greenpeace UK, known for his high-profile direct-action campaigns.

Loretta Ford, who pioneered the role of nurse practitioner in American health care.

Marianne Faithfull, the singer and actress who came to fame in the 1960s and overcame drug addiction and ill health to continue performing.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive: The World at One, BBC, 1985; Today, BBC, 1985; Sizewell...

Matthew Bannister on

The Reverend Don Cupitt, the controversial theologian whose TV series “The Sea of Faith” asked in what form - if any - is Christian faith possible for us today?

Phyllis Dalton, the Oscar winning costume designer who worked on classic films, including “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Doctor Zhivago” and “Oliver!”.

Cecile Richards, the American activist who campaigned for women’s right to have abortions.

Michael Longley, the Northern Irish poet whose subjects included love, war and the natural world.

Interviewee: Professor Catherine Pickstock Interviewee: Alexander Ballinger Interviewee: Laura Kusisto Inte...

Matthew Bannister on

Dame Joan Plowright, one of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation who was married to Laurence Olivier. Dame Judi Dench pays tribute.

Sir Jim Walker, who built up his family business from a small bakery in the North of Scotland to become a global food exporter.

Barbara Clegg, the first woman to write a story for Dr Who.

Denis Law – the Scottish born footballer who was part of Manchester United’s “Holy Trinity” alongside Bobby Charlton and George Best.

Producer: Ed Prendiville

Archive: Doctor W...

Matthew Bannister on

The comedian and actor Tony Slattery. Sir Stephen Fry reflects on his friend’s talent – and struggle with addiction and poor mental health.

Dame Rosalind Savill, the respected director who brought new audiences to the Wallace Collection in London.

Paddy Hill, one of six men wrongly convicted of carrying out pub bombings in Birmingham in 1974.

Noreen Riols, who helped to train S.O.E. agents for undercover work during the Second World War

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive: Birmingham Six Case Reopens, BBC News, 1990; Release of t...

Tony Slattery was known for his quick-witted improvisations on the popular Channel 4 show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, from 1988 onwards. He also played comedic and serious roles in films such as crime thriller The Crying Game, Peter's Friends and the dark comedy How to Get Ahead in Advertising.

Tony died on 14th January 2025.

For Last Word, Matthew Bannister talks to Sir Stephen Fry about his friend. Stephen and Tony met at Cambridge University and would go on to perform in the Footlights group together. They would remain lifelong friends.

In his thirties, Tony...

Matthew Bannister on Jean-Marie Le Pen, who built up the French right wing National Front Party before being ejected from it by his daughter.

Catherine Brown, the food writer who championed traditional Scottish cuisine.

Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes, the parliamentarian who fought for consumer rights.

And the radio DJ Johnnie Walker, known for his passion for music and his rebellious attitude. Bob Harris pays tribute.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive: Birmingham Six Case Reopens, BBC News, 1990; Release of the Birmingham Six, BBC News, 1991; Hard Talk, BBC, 2000; BBC Radio 4, 1974; Anti-IRA Marches, BBC News, 1974...

Kirsty Lang on

Former US President Jimmy Carter whose time in office between 1976 and 1980 was beset by economic and diplomatic crises.

Caroline Miller OBE, the former Chief Executive of Birmingham Royal Ballet who commissioned bold and experimental productions to great acclaim.

Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh – considered to be the architect of the country’s economic liberalisation.

Children’s author and illustrator Jean Adamson, whose Topsy and Tim books sold over 25 million copies around the world.

Producer: Catherine Powell

Archive: Outlook, BBC World Service, 1976; Jimmy Carter, BBC On...

John Wilson on Nikki Giovanni, a leading poet in the 1960s Black Arts Movement who is hailed as one of the most important artist-intellectuals of the 20th century.

Gerd Heidemann, the German journalist who found himself at the centre of one of the greatest journalist scandals of the 20th century, the Hitler diaries hoax.

Cherry Hill, the award-winning model engineer who created detailed, functioning scaled-down models of Victorian traction engines.

Sir Richard Carew Pole, the aristocrat who was a driving force behind the creation of Cornwall's Eden Project and Tate St Ives.

Matthew Bannister on

Baroness Wilkins who became a wheelchair user after an accident aged 19 and went on to present TV programmes on disability issues and to campaign for the rights of disabled people.

Charles Handy, the social philosopher and management theorist who predicted many changes to the world of work.

Renee Bornstein who, as a child, survived being imprisoned by the Nazis.

Tony Brignull, the acclaimed copywriter behind famous ads for Cinzano, Fiat Cars and Parker Pens.

Producer: Ed Prendiville

Archive: France Crumbles, AP Archive, Uploaded to...

Matthew Bannister on Wolfgang Stange, the director and choreographer who founded the Amici Dance Theatre Company which integrates able bodied and disabled performers. Sir Ben Kingsley pays tribute. Lord Renfrew, the leading archaeologist who used scientific techniques to challenge the received wisdom in his chosen discipline. Julie Stevens, the actor who was also one of the earliest presenters of Play School. Johnny Ball shares his memories of working with her. And Mary McGee, the American motorsport pioneer who competed in both motorcycle and car racing.

Producer: Catherine Powell

Archive: Cabbages and Kings: The Romans are...

Matthew Bannister on

Vicky Stone, the film maker who travelled to the remotest parts of Africa to make her award winning wildlife documentaries.

Penny Chuter the medal winning rower who became coach of the GB team.

Clifton Wharton Junior, the first black chancellor of a primarily white US university, the first African American to run a Fortune 500 company and the first to become Deputy Secretary of State.

Peter Sinfield who wrote lyrics for King Crimson, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Leo Sayer, Bucks Fizz and Celine Dion.

Producer: Ed Prendeville<...

Matthew Bannister on

Madeleine Riffaud, the French resistance fighter who was tortured by the Gestapo, became a journalist and was embedded with the Vietcong in Vietnam.

Chris Topp, the blacksmith who restored ironwork at Buckingham Palace, York Minster and St Paul’s Cathedral.

Barbara Taylor Bradford, the best-selling author of A Woman of Substance and many other novels.

Dr Julian Litten, whose fascination for the rituals surrounding death led to him being called “England’s foremost funerary historian”.

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive: General Charles De Gaulle speech, BBC Radi...

Matthew Bannister on

Lord Prescott, the working-class lad who became Deputy Prime Minister.

Stephanie Collie, whose costume designs for “Peaky Blinders” and “Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” inspired street fashion.

Dame Janet “Jinty” Nelson, the leading mediaeval historian who wrote an acclaimed biography of the Frankish King Charlemagne.

Frank Auerbach, one of the twentieth century’s finest artists. We speak to the art historian Catherine Lampert who sat for him every week for over forty years.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Matthew Bannister on the versatile actor Timothy West whose roles ranged from Shakespeare to soap operas. Sir Ian McKellen pays tribute.

Sir John Nott, the Conservative politician who was Defence Secretary at the time of the Falklands War.

June Spencer who played the matriarch of Ambridge, Peggy Wooley. She was the last original cast member.

Nadia Cattouse, who was born in what is now Belize. She signed up to serve Britain during the second world war and became a singer and advocate for the Windrush generation.

Interviewee: Sir Ian McKellen Interviewee...

Matthew Bannister on

Quincy Jones, the music producer, composer and arranger who worked with artists ranging from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson.

Janey Godley, the comedian who used her challenging childhood and youth in Glasgow as material for her shows.

Lyudmila Trut, the Russian geneticist who dedicated her life to a revolutionary – and evolutionary - experiment investigating the domestication of silver foxes

Dr Paul Stephenson, who led the Bristol bus boycott to end race discrimination in employment.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used: Jeremy Vine : Live from Glasgow, Ra...

Matthew Bannister on Dick Pope, the cinematographer who worked closely with Director Mike Leigh on films like “Secrets and Lies” and “Mr Turner”. Mike pays tribute. Sister Sally Butler, the American nun who blew the whistle on historic child sex abuse in her New York parish. Professor Tim Darvill OBE, the archaeologist best known for his work on the history of Stonehenge. Patti McGee, the first woman professional skateboarder. We have a tribute from skateboarding legend Tony Hawk.

Interviewee: Sir Roger Deakins Interviewee: Mike Leigh Interviewee: Fr Ron Lemmert Interviewee: Dr Miles Russell Interviewee: Hailey Villa Interviewee: Tony Haw...

Matthew Bannister on

General Sir Mike Jackson, the Chief of the General Staff at the time of the Iraq War.

Lily Ledbetter, whose campaign for equal pay led to an Act of Congress.

Safeya Binzagr, the pioneering Saudi Arabian artist whose career flourished despite the cultural restrictions on women in her society

Steve Piotrowski, the ornithologist who ringed 100,000 birds and helped to increase the barn owl population of Suffolk.

Interviewee: Lord Richards Interviewee: Noreen Farrell Interviewee: Melissa Gronlund Interviewee: Kathy Piotrowski

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive...

Kirsty Lang on

Alex Salmond, the former First Minister of Scotland.

Ethel Kennedy, wife of Robert F Kennedy who went onto become a campaigner for Human Rights.

Ratan Tata, the businessman who led the Tata Group for more than two decades.

Fleur Adcock, the poet who's conversational, irreverent style made her one of the most popular voices in British poetry.

Interviewee: Brian Taylor Interviewee: Michael Posner Interviewee: Sameer Hashmi Interviewee: Deryn Rhys-Jones Interviewee: Neil Astley Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive used:

Alex Salmond, Desert Island Discs...

John Wilson on Lord Ouseley, the co-founder of the anti-racism football campaign ‘Kick it Out’ and former Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality.

The landscape artist and printmaker Norman Ackroyd whose work celebrates some of the most remote and inhospitable areas of the UK.

Lore Segal, the author whose book ‘Other People’s Houses’ told the story of her fleeing the Nazis on a Kindertransport and being fostered in England.

The Grammy Award winning singer Cissy Houston was a leading light in gospel music and sung with a range of artists including Elvis, Van...

John Wilson on

Kris Kristofferson, the singer, songwriter and actor who appeared with Barbra Streisand in ‘A Star is Born’

Camilla Carr, the aid worker who along with her partner was kidnapped and held hostage for 14 months in Chechnya.

Hassan Nasrallah, for over 30 years he was the leader of Lebanon’s militant Shia Islamist movement, Hezbollah. The group was designated as a terror organisation by Israel, the US, UK and other countries.

María Benítez, a dancer, choreographer, and director. She was celebrated for her significant contributions to Spanish dance and flam...

Matthew Bannister on

Peter Jay, who was economics editor at the Times and the BBC and also Britain’s Ambassador to the United States.

Ed Johnson, the CIA agent who played a key role in the Argo operation to smuggle US diplomats out of Iran – but kept his involvement secret until his death. His wife tells us she had no idea what his work involved.

Dame Elizabeth Esteve-Coll, who made controversial changes aimed at bringing more visitors to the Victoria and Albert Museum

Deborah Roberts, the acclaimed soprano who co-founded the Brig...

Matthew Bannister on

Dr George Berci, the surgeon who pioneered the use of miniature cameras in operations to minimise cutting and accelerate patients’ recovery times.

Olga Craig, the respected journalist from Northern Ireland who reported from war zones and covered the aftermath of the bombing in Omagh.

Michaela Mabinty DePrince, the orphan from war-torn Sierra Leone who realised her dreams of becoming a ballerina.

Tony Strong, the scenic artist who worked with film directors like Stanley Kubrick, Ken Russell and Sir Ridley Scott.

Interviewee: Dr L Michael Brunt Interviewee: Si...

Matthew Bannister on James Earl Jones, the versatile actor whose roles ranged from the voice of Darth Vader to Tennessee Williams and Shakespeare. Adrian Lester pays tribute. Dr. Helen Fisher, the biological anthropologist who researched the science behind romantic love. Sergio Mendes, who introduced the world to his unique style of Brazilian music. His friend Herb Alpert shares memories of creating classic albums together. Maureen Nicol who founded the National Housewives’ Register to bring together homemaking women for stimulating conversation.

Interviewee:- Adrian Lester Interviewee:- Dr Justin Garcia Interviewee:- Herb Alpert Interviewee:-Simon Nicols Interviewee...

Matthew Bannister on

Claire Lomas MBE, who was paralysed from the chest down after a riding accident and went on to complete the London Marathon wearing a bionic suit.

Phil Swern, the music producer known as “The Collector” because he owned millions of records. Ken Bruce pays tribute.

Countess of Airlie, the American heiress who married into the aristocracy and became a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II.

Geoff Mumford, a pioneer of the craft beer movement who co-founded the Burton Bridge Brewery.

Interviewee: Natalie Hill Interviewee: Ken...

Matthew Bannister on Mike Lynch, who was one of the UK’s most successful tech entrepreneurs.

Nell McCafferty, the Irish journalist and feminist campaigner who took part in the “contraceptive train” protest in 1971.

Ruth Colvin, who founded the American “Literacy Volunteers” organisation to help adults who couldn’t read or write

Sven-Göran Eriksson, the Swedish born football manager who became the first non-British coach of the England football team.

Interviewee: Suranga Chandratillake Interviewee: David Davis Interviewee: Susan McKay Interviewee: Judy Cheatham Interviewee: Henry Winter

Producers: Ben Mitchell and Ed Prendevill...

Matthew Bannister on American TV host Phil Donahue – pioneer of the daytime talk show.

Countess Diana Phipps Sternberg, the Czech born interior designer who was at the centre of a vibrant social scene in London during the swinging 60s.

Professor Mary Gibby OBE, the botanist who specialised in the study and classification of ferns.

Toumani Diabaté, the Malian musician known around the world for his virtuoso kora playing.

Interviewee: Bill Brioux Interviewee: Michael Žantovský Interviewee: Jess Barrett Interviewee: Suntou Susso

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive used: The Phil Donah...

Kirsty Lang on

Susan Wojcicki, the first woman to lead a major company in Silicon Valley.

Lord Colwyn, a jazz loving politician who cared passionately about improving the nation’s teeth.

Sir Ernest Hall, a piano playing entrepreneur, who oversaw the regeneration of a former textile mill in Halifax.

Mísia, the musician who found international acclaim by bringing a modern twist to traditional Portuguese Fado music.

Interviewee: Mike Isaac Interviewee: Lady Colwyn Interviewee: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath Interviewee: Jeremy Hall Interviewee: Carmo Cruz

Producer: Gareth Nel...

Matthew Bannister on

Lord Fellowes, who was private secretary to Queen Elizabeth during the 1990s.

Professor Helen Whitwell, the forensic pathologist who inspired the central character in the TV series “Silent Witness”.

David Power, the Irish businessman who co-founded one of the world’s biggest gambling companies – Paddy Power.

Irène Schweizer, the pianist and feminist who made a big impact in the male-dominated world of jazz.

Interviewee: Hugo Vickers Interviewee: Katy Thorne KC Interviewee: Nigel McCrery Interviewee: Paddy Power Interviewee: Kevin Le Gendre Interviewee: Maggie Nicols

Producer...

John Wilson on

Edna O’Brien, one of Ireland’s greatest writers. In a career spanning over 60 years she wrote 17 novels and many short stories, plays and essays.

Sir Kenneth Grange, the prolific designer whose works included the Kenwood Chef, the parking meter and the Intercity 125 train.

Groundbreaking Swedish rally driver Ewy Rosqvist.

The British blues musician John Mayall, the man who nurtured the young talents of Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood and many more.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used: Ewy Rosqvist: An Unexpected Champion, uploaded to Y...

Matthew Bannister on Dr Mildred Stahlman, the American paediatrician whose discovery helped to improve the outcomes of premature babies around the world.

Ray Reardon, the former miner and police officer who was a World Snooker Champion six times.

Val McIver, the Scottish local councillor who campaigned to set up the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Eddie Spence, who decorated elaborate wedding cakes for members of the royal family for decades.

Interviewee: Dr Meg Rush Interviewee: Martha Lott Interviewee: Ken Doherty Interviewee: Jen Mackenzie Interviewee: Dawn Pennington

Producer: Catherine...

Matthew Bannister on Dr Ruth Westheimer who offered frank advice about sex on TV and radio.

Mike Corfield, the conservator who developed new methods of preserving archaeological artefacts in the places where they were discovered.

Shelley Duvall, the actor who worked closely with Robert Altman, played Wendy in The Shining and Michal Palin’s star-crossed lover in Time Bandits. Michael shares his memories.

Veronica Smith, who, as a young woman, was forced to give up her baby for adoption. She later founded the “Movement for an Adoption Apology”.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

A...

Matthew Bannister on

Dr Richard Taylor, the retired hospital consultant who became the independent MP for Wyre Forest.

Jack Rowell, the rugby coach who transformed the fortunes of Bath and took England to the World Cup semi-finals.

The artist Claudia Williams, who painted large scale canvases including images of women and children who lost their homes in the Welsh village of Tryweryn.

Christophe Deloire, the French journalist who became director general of the organisation Reporters Without Borders.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used PILKINGTON CUP FINAL:BATH V...

Matthew Bannister on

Frank Duckworth, the statistician whose name will forever be associated with the Duckworth-Lewis method of calculating scores for rain affected cricket matches.

Leah Levin, who campaigned to overturn miscarriages of justice and gain reparations for victims of torture.

Professor Mary-Lou Pardue, the eminent biologist who fought against sexism at the American University, M.I.T.

Joss Naylor, the fell runner who broke the Lake District 24-hour record three times and ran the fastest known times on the Three Peaks and the Pennine Way.

Interviewee: Rob Eastaway ...

Matthew Bannister on

Sir Howard Bernstein, the Chief Executive of Manchester City Council credited with transforming the city after the IRA bomb of 1996.

Joan Brady, the author and former ballet dancer who won the Whitbread Prize for her novel “The Theory of War”.

Gene Nora Jessen, the American pilot who was part of a group of women known as the Mercury 13 – who were subjected to tests to see if they were fit to become astronauts.

Arthur “Gaps” Hendrickson, the vocalist with the two- tone group The Selecter. His bandmate Pauline Black OBE pays t...

Kirsty Lang on the Judge and cricketer Sir Oliver Popplewell. His godson Stephen Fry pays tribute.

The computer pioneer and transgender advocate Lynn Conway.

The music mogul and friend to the Fab Four Tony Bramwell.

One of France’s best loved singer song-writers Francoise Hardy.

Interviewee: Stephen Fry Interviewee: Charles Rogers Interviewee: Roag Best Interviewee: Laura Barton

Producer: Catherine Powell

Archive used: Get Carman: The Trials of George Carman QC BBC 2 5th April 2002; The Today Programme BBC 15th May 1985; Michigan Engineering, University of Michigan 8 Oct 2014 uploaded from Yo...

Matthew Bannister on Nora Cortiñas, a founding member of Argentina’s “Mothers of the Disappeared” campaign group. Her son Gustavo was 24 when he was arrested by the country’s right-wing dictatorship. He was never seen again.

Belinda Bellville, the fashion designer who dressed every female member of the royal family apart from Queen Elizabeth. Her business partner David Sassoon shares his memories.

The poet John Burnside whose acclaimed work reflected his troubled childhood in Cowdenbeath and Corby.

Roger Corman, the American film director and producer known for his prolific output of low budget pi...

Matthew Bannister on

Richard M Sherman who teamed up with his brother Robert to write some of Disney’s best loved songs.

Professor Wendy James CBE, the anthropologist who studied the Uduk tribes of Sudan.

June Mendoza OBE, the portrait painter whose subjects included members of the Royal Family, Prime Ministers and celebrities.

Morgan Spurlock, the film maker best known for his Oscar nominated documentary about the fast food industry “Supersize Me”.

Interviewee: Brian Sibley Interviewee: Dr Douglas Johnson Interviewee: Anna Smith Interviewee: Kim Mackrell

Producer: Gareth Nelson...

Matthew Bannister on

The Irish rugby star and businessman Sir Tony O’Reilly. He made billions but ended up bankrupt.

The hardline President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi.

Penny Simkin, who championed the role of birth doulas to help mothers during and after labour.

Professor Alasdair Geddes, the infectious diseases expert who diagnosed the world’s last ever case of smallpox – in Birmingham.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used: Penny Simkin, YouTube upload, PSfromPenny, 27/10/2009; Penny Simkin, YouTube upload, PSfromPenny, 22/03/2011; Today Programme, Radio 4, BBC, 20/05/2024; Newshour, BBC World Service, 20/05/2024; News report by Phi...

Matthew Bannister on

Dame Shirley Conran, the journalist and author best known for her books “Superwoman” and “Lace”.

Baroness Doreen Massey, the educator and former director of the Family Planning Association

Beverly LaHaye the founder of Concerned Women of America who campaigned to stop the Equal Rights Amendment.

Steve Albini, the controversial musician who worked many influential albums including Nirvava’s “In Utero”.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used: National Women’s Coalition for Life, National Cable Satellite Corporation, C-Span, 03/04/1992; Former President Trump Speaks at Concerned Women for America Summit...

Matthew Bannister on Anne Dagg, the Canadian biologist known as The Woman Who Loves Giraffes for her lifelong study of the animals.

Professor Ross Anderson, the computer scientist who was a leading expert on data protection and online security.

Reverend Cecil Murray, the pastor of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles who played a pivotal role during the riots of 1992.

Kris Hellenga, who was diagnosed with breast cancer aged 23 and set up the charity Coppafeel to encourage other young women to check their breasts.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Matthew Bannister on an author, a campaigner, an Olympic medallist, a conductor

Matthew Bannister on

The American journalist Terry Anderson who was held captive in Lebanon for almost seven years. In an emotional interview, his daughter Sulome tells us how she followed in his footsteps as she tried to connect with a father she met for the first time when she was seven years old.

Lord Field who, the Labour MP Frank Field who campaigned tirelessly for welfare reform.

Trina Robbins the feminist cartoonist and writer who was the first woman to illustrate the Wonder Woman comics.

Ann Trevenen Jenkin the first woman...

Sulome Anderson first met her father – journalist Terry Anderson – at the American Embassy in Damascus. She was seven years old and he had just been released from nearly seven years as a hostage in Lebanon. She desperately wanted to build a relationship with him, even going so far as to become a war correspondent herself and tracking down and meeting one of his captors. But Terry’s traumatic experiences made the task very challenging. When she was nearly kidnapped in the Middle East herself, she became determined to break out of the “cycle of fascination with war” that had bedevilled...

Matthew Bannister on:

Sir Paul Fox, the respected TV executive who commissioned some of the best loved programmes of the 1960s and 70s. We have a tribute from his former colleague Sir David Attenborough.

Lynne Reid Banks, the author best known for her novel “The L Shaped Room.”

Joan Hills, the artist who played a key role in the art world of the 1960s and, with her husband and two children, was part of the Boyle Family quartet.

Amnon Weinstein, the luthier who collected and restored violins which had been played in c...

Matthew Bannister on Professor Peter Higgs, the physicist who won the Nobel prize for explaining why the building blocks of the universe have mass. Trevor Griffiths, the playwright whose stage and TV dramas focused on left wing politics and social issues. We have a tribute from the actor Jack Shepherd. Hella Pick, the long serving Guardian foreign correspondent who enjoyed the company of many world leaders. Margaret Tynes, the African-American soprano who sang leading operatic roles and worked with Duke Ellington.

Interviewee: Roland Pease Interviewee: Dr Alan Walker Interviewee: Jack Shepherd Interviewee: Paul Allen Interviewee: Linda Christmas ...

Matthew Bannister on Joe Lieberman, the US Democrat politician who fell out with his party over the Iraq War. Diana Baring, the respected literary agent. We have a tribute from her client Frederick Forsyth. Lynn Kinnear, who was one of the most influential landscape architects of her generation. Kay Benbow, who commissioned and made many acclaimed TV shows for children. Interviewee: Matt Lieberman Interviewee: Frederick Forsyth Interviewee: Caroline Dawnay Interviewee: Sean Griffiths Interviewee: Kim Tserkezie

Producer: Catherine Powell Archive used: Joe Lieberman addresses the Senate floor, 04/09/1998, AP Archive, YouTube upload, 21/07/2015; Joe Lieberman interview, The Mehdi Hasan Show...

John Wilson on

Richard Taylor, who became a tireless campaigner against knife crime and supported disadvantaged young people.

Lisa Lane, the chess champion who was the first player to feature on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Rose Dugdale, the English heiress and debutante who went onto join the IRA.

Ian Green, the Scottish folk music champion who started the record label Greentrax.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used: Rose Dugdale – Mná an IRA, Sé Merry Doyle Loopline Film, 2012; Rose Dugdale charges, BBC News, 06/05/1974; Anti-war march 1967,BBC,26/03/1967; Alfred Beit – Russbo...

In this special edition of Last Word, John Boyega pays tribute to campaigner Richard Taylor, the father of Damilola Taylor who was killed 24 years ago.

Richard Taylor - a Nigerian civil servant - dedicated years to improving the lives of disadvantaged children in the wake of his son's death via the Damilola Taylor Trust. Mr Taylor said he wanted his son to be remembered as a boy of hope and for his legacy to be a better life and opportunities for underprivileged young people.

Boyega - best known for his roles in Star Wars sequel...

Matthew Bannister on Vince Power, the live music promoter whose Mean Fiddler group operated a string of London venues and built up the Reading and Leeds festivals. Olga Murray, the American lawyer who devoted her later life to helping the children of Nepal. Cecilia Eckelmann-Battistello, the Italian businesswoman who ran a major container shipping company. Akira Toriyama, the Japanese manga artist who created the Dragon Ball series which has millions of fans around the world.

Interviewee: Melvin Benn Interviewee: Shaun Clarkson Interviewee: Gina Parker Interviewee: Som Paneru Interviewee: Janet Porter Interviewee: Chris Gray Interviewee: Shao Dow

Matthew Bannister on

Audrey Adams who became a tireless campaigner for the rights of black people after her son was stabbed to death in a racist attack.

Nicola Trahan, who joined the French Resistance as a teenager and was later awarded the Croix de Guerre.

Edward Bond, the controversial playwright who played a key role in the abolition of censorship in British theatre.

The singer and songwriter Eric Carmen whose biggest hit “All By Myself” was based on a Rachmaninov piano concerto.

Interviewee: Lord Simon Woolley Interviewee: Reverend Eleanor Ranc...

Matthew Bannister on

Iris Apfel the colourful fashion and interior designer whose own dress sense made an impact until her death aged 102.

Dr Colin Murray Parkes, the psychiatrist once described as “the David Attenborough of the bereavement world.”

Baroness Henig, the deputy House of Lords Speaker who was a historian and expert on the security industry.

Jim Lawrence who became skipper of a Thames sailing barge aged eighteen and went on to set up a successful sail making business in Essex.

Interviewee: Dame Zandra Rhodes Interviewee: Laura Higginson Interviewee: Debb...