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Last Word

BBC Radio 4

Radio 4"s weekly obituary programme, telling the life stories of those who have died recently

society & culture personal journals

All Episodes

27:51

David Richardson, Doris Lockhart Saatchi, Dame...

Last Word ·

2025/08/29

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 charactersProducer: Ed

27:37

Terence Stamp, Stephanie Shirley, Kay Dunbar, Eric...

Last Word ·

2025/08/22

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 Stamp, the pioneering computer scientist and founder of her own software companyKay Dunbar who founded the Ways with Words literacy festival which ran in Devon for 30 years Eric Midwinter was one of the three co-founders of u3a to encourage continued learning in retirementProducer: Ed PrendevilleArchive used:Desert Island Discs, BBC, 12/03/2006; Billy

27:53

15/08/2025

Last Word ·

2025/08/15

Matthew Bannister onJim 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

27:51

Dame Stella Rimington, Sylvia Young, Sir Jamie...

Last Word ·

2025/08/08

Matthew Bannister onDame 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 MitchellArchive:Al Murray’s Great British Spy

27:46

Dame Cleo Laine, Hulk Hogan, Margaret Boden, Tom Lehrer

Last Word ·

2025/08/01

Matthew Bannister onDame 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

27:51

Ozzy Osbourne, Connie Francis, Jacqui Browne, Douglas...

Last Word ·

2025/07/25

Matthew Bannister onOzzy 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

27:51

Sir Ian Blair, Jennie Street, Dr Anna Ornstein,...

Last Word ·

2025/07/18

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 JonesProducer: Ed PrendevilleArchive used: BBC Radio 4, 31/12/1983; BBC News, 05/01/1984; Newshour Extra, BBC, 03/04/2015;

27:53

Lord Tebbit, Daphne Boden, James Leprino, Sir Francis...

Last Word ·

2025/07/11

Matthew Bannister onLord 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

27:50

Courtney Griffiths KC, Sara Venn, Nina Kuscik,...

Last Word ·

2025/07/04

Matthew Bannister onCourtney 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 PowellArchive used: BBC News: Courtenay Griffiths,

27:50

Michael Lachmann, Pik-sen Lim, Leon Krier, David...

Last Word ·

2025/06/27

Matthew Bannister onThe 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

27:43

Sir Geoff Palmer, Barbara Holdridge, Kim Woodburn,...

Last Word ·

2025/06/20

John Wilson onSir Godfrey “Geoff” Palmer, the scientist whose discovery of a new brewing method revolutionized the industry and saved them millions of poundsBarbara 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

27:52

Brian Wilson, Frederick Forsyth, Uriah Rennie, Edmund...

Last Word ·

2025/06/13

Kirsty Lang onBrian 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

27:50

Valmik Thapar, Nancy Blaik, Norma Meras Swenson, Dr...

Last Word ·

2025/06/06

Kirsty Lang on Wildlife conservationist Valmik Thapar who spent five decades trying to protect India’s tigersNancy Blaik, the driving force behind the creation of Scotland’s first children’s hospiceNorma 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 tumourProducer: Ed PrendevilleArchive used:Tony Livesey – Steffan Powell sitting in, BBC Radio 5 Live, 28/04/2025; Tiger

27:58

Alan Yentob, Richard Garwin, Dr Joy Schaverien, Anne...

Last Word ·

2025/05/30

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

27:51

Hannah Deacon, Andrew Norfolk, Dame June Clark,...

Last Word ·

2025/05/23

Matthew Bannister onHannah 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

27:42

Sir Tom Farmer, Elaine Wynn, Sue Stapely, Joseph Nye

Last Word ·

2025/05/16

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 relationsInterviewee: Michael WelchInterviewee: Douglas Fraser Interviewee: David

27:53

Jane Gardam, Sir Roger Birch, Mike Peters, Francoise...

Last Word ·

2025/05/09

Kirsty Lang onThe 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

27:44

Virginia Giuffre, Rosy Bremer, LJ Smith, Wizz Jones

Last Word ·

2025/05/02

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 novelsAnd 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

27:49

Pope Francis, Paddy Higson, David Sassoon

Last Word ·

2025/04/25

Matthew Bannister onPope 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 WilleyInterviewee: Rogelio Pfirter Interviewee: Frances Higson Interviewee: Clare Grogan Interviewee:

27:52

Anne Scargill, Ronnie Appleton, Cecil Wright, Mario...

Last Word ·

2025/04/18

Matthew Bannister onAnne 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

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