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

27:49

Brigitte Bardot, Sir Alec Reed, Alwyn Crawshaw, Dame...

Last Word ·

2026/01/02

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

27:47

Antony Price, Sister Stan Kennedy, Ena Collymore...

Last Word ·

2025/12/26

Jon Kay on Fashion designer Antony Price who fused together the worlds of fashion and music in the 70s and 80sSister Stan Kennedy, the nun who founded one of Ireland’s largest homelessness charitiesEna 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 PrendevilleAssistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse

27:46

Rob Reiner, Joanna Trollope, Stanley Baxter, Sophie...

Last Word ·

2025/12/19

Matthew Bannister onRob 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 FreemanInterviewee: Linda

27:52

Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Vera Weisfeld, Frank Gehry,...

Last Word ·

2025/12/12

Matthew Bannister onIain 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 AngelesMartin Parr whose celebrated colourful photographs showed the messy details of British life.Producer: Ed

27:46

Sir Tom Stoppard, Pam Hogg, Yanxin He, Jack Shepherd

Last Word ·

2025/12/05

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

27:36

Jimmy Cliff, Charlotte Bingham, Skye Gyngell, David...

Last Word ·

2025/11/28

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

27:42

Baroness Newlove, Zoe Wicomb, Sir Geoffrey Bindman...

Last Word ·

2025/11/21

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

27:45

James Watson, Pauline Collins, Judith Vidal-Hall,...

Last Word ·

2025/11/15

Matthew Bannister onJames 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 worldDugald Ross, the crofter and palaeontologist from the Isle of Skye

27:55

Dick Cheney, Yvonne Brewster, Mary McGee, Peter Watkins

Last Word ·

2025/11/07

Matthew Bannister onDick 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 BBCProducer: Gareth

27:44

Prunella Scales CBE, Gillian Tindall, Roger Smith,...

Last Word ·

2025/10/31

Matthew Bannister onThe 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

21:23

SPECIAL EDITION: Prunella Scales

Last Word ·

2025/10/31

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

27:44

Raila Odinga, Bill Colley, Baroness Rosalind Howells,...

Last Word ·

2025/10/24

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:

27:45

Peter Gurney, Diane Keaton, Peter Hall, Angela Bond

Last Word ·

2025/10/17

Matthew Bannister onPeter 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

27:46

Patrick Bradley, Dame Jilly Cooper, Sara Jane Moore,...

Last Word ·

2025/10/10

Matthew Bannister onPatrick 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 PrendevilleArchive: With Bennett: Patricia Routledge, BBC Radio Ulster FM,

27:46

Dame Jane Goodall, Tony Harrison, Lord Menzies...

Last Word ·

2025/10/03

Matthew Bannister onDame 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

27:34

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, John Stapleton, Mary Elizabeth...

Last Word ·

2025/09/26

Matthew Bannister onSir 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

27:49

Robert Redford, Barbara Harvey, Rosa Roisinblit,...

Last Word ·

2025/09/19

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

27:31

The Duchess of Kent, Giorgio Armani, Valerie...

Last Word ·

2025/09/12

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 Preneville

27:52

Joe Bugner, Ann McManus, Angela Mortimer Barrett,...

Last Word ·

2025/09/05

John Wilson onJoe 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

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

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