PODCAST

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

Dr Ruth Westheimer, Mike Corfield, Shelley Duvall,...

Last Word ·

2024/07/19

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

27:49

Dr Richard Taylor, Jack Rowell, Claudia Williams,...

Last Word ·

2024/07/12

Matthew Bannister onDr 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

27:44

Frank Duckworth, Leah Levin, Professor Mary-Lou...

Last Word ·

2024/07/05

Matthew Bannister onFrank 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

27:44

Sir Howard Bernstein, Joan Brady, Gene Nora Jessen,...

Last Word ·

2024/06/28

Matthew Bannister onSir 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

27:49

Sir Oliver Popplewell, Lynn Conway, Tony Bramwell,...

Last Word ·

2024/06/21

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 FryInterviewee: Charles Rogers Interviewee: Roag Best Interviewee: Laura BartonProducer: Catherine PowellArchive used: Get Carman: The Trials of George Carman QC BBC 2 5th April 2002; The Today Programme

26:52

Nora Cortiñas, Belinda Belville, John Burnside, Roger...

Last Word ·

2024/06/07

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

27:50

Richard M Sherman, Professor Wendy James CBE , Morgan...

Last Word ·

2024/05/31

Matthew Bannister onRichard 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 SibleyInterviewee: Dr Douglas

27:50

Sir Tony O'Reilly, President Ebrahim Raisi, Penny...

Last Word ·

2024/05/24

Matthew Bannister onThe 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 PrendevilleArchive used:Penny Simkin, YouTube upload, PSfromPenny, 27/10/2009; Penny Simkin, YouTube upload,

27:48

Dame Shirley Conran, Doreen Massey, Beverley LaHaye,...

Last Word ·

2024/05/17

Matthew Bannister onDame 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 AssociationBeverly 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 PrendevilleArchive used: National Women’s Coalition for Life, National

27:45

Anne Dagg, Ross Anderson, Cecil Murray, Kris Hallenga

Last Word ·

2024/05/10

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

27:49

C.J.Sansom, Olga Fikotová-Connolly, Dr Jenny Vaughan...

Last Word ·

2024/05/03

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

27:50

Terry Anderson, Trina Robbins, Lord Field, Ann...

Last Word ·

2024/04/26

Matthew Bannister onThe 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

23:21

“I was born while my father was a hostage”

Last Word ·

2024/04/26

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

27:49

Sir Paul Fox, Lynne Reid Banks, Joan Hills, Amnon...

Last Word ·

2024/04/19

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

27:40

Peter Higgs, Trevor Griffiths, Hella Pick, Margaret...

Last Word ·

2024/04/12

Matthew Bannister onProfessor 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

27:43

Joe Lieberman, Diana Baring, Lynn Kinnear, Kay Benbow

Last Word ·

2024/04/05

Matthew Bannister onJoe 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

27:31

Richard Taylor, Lisa Lane, Rose Dugdale, Ian Green

Last Word ·

2024/03/29

John Wilson onRichard 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 PrendevilleArchive used:Rose Dugdale – Mná an IRA, Sé Merry Doyle Loopline Film, 2012; Rose Dugdale

18:19

John Boyega on campaigner Richard Taylor, father of...

Last Word ·

2024/03/29

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

27:31

Vince Power CBE, Olga Murray, Akira Toriyama, Cecilia...

Last Word ·

2024/03/22

Matthew Bannister onVince 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:

27:26

Audrey Adams, Nicola Trahan, Edward Bond, Eric Carmen

Last Word ·

2024/03/15

Matthew Bannister onAudrey 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

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