Last Word

Pictured: Margaret MaughanJulian Worricker on Britain’s first Paralympic gold medallist, Margaret Maughan; Tanni Grey-Thompson compares the games of 1960 and now….The music promoter and producer, John Cumming, co-founder of the London Jazz Festival….Jerry Givens, once a state executioner….but then a leading campaigner in the United States for the abolition of the death penalty….And the comedy writer, John Langdon; his friend and colleague Rory Bremner, recalls some of his best lines….Interviewed guest: Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE Interviewed guest: Peter White Interviewed guest: Nod Knowles Interviewed guest: Abraham Bonowitz Interviewed guest: Rory BremnerProducer: Neil GeorgeArchive clips from: Rome Olympics 1960, Pathe News; No Triumph, No Tragedy, Radio 4 29/04/2013; Cerys on 6, 6 Music 05/11/2017; John Cumming interview, Jazz FM 17/11/2013; Former executioner opposes death penalty, Washington Post 11/02/2013; Week Ending, Radio 4 21/03/1980; Two Decades of Week Ending, Radio 4 07/09/1990; The News Quiz, Radio 4 03/09/1994; Bremner, Bird and Fortune: Silly Money, Vera Productions Ltd / Channel 4 02/11/2008.

Pictured: Lord Robert May of OxfordMatthew Bannister onLord May, a former Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK government and President of the Royal Society. He developed the concept of the R value in tracking the spread of infectious diseases and laid down key principles for scientific advice to politicians.Judith Darmady, the paediatrician who travelled to Romania to help thousands of children who had been abandoned in so-called orphanages.Mark Barkan, the songwriter and record producer who wrote “Pretty Flamingo” which was a hit for Manfred Mann and many other artists. Singer Paul Jones pays tribute. Saroj Lal, the Indian-born teacher who played a leading role in campaigning for racial equality in Scotland. Interviewed guest: Lord John Krebs of Wytham Interviewed guest: Jane Waldron Interviewed guest: John Illman Interviewed guest: Bridget Barkan Interviewed guest: Paul Jones Interviewed guest: Vineet LalProducer: Neil GeorgeArchive clips from: Desert Island Discs: Lord Robert May, Radio 4, 05/06/2012; Ceausescu's Children, BBC News, 30/01/2010; Heaven and Hell, National Museum of Scotland, 2000; The Usual Suspects, Radio Scotland, 13/12/1996; I Believe, You Believe, BBC One Scotland, May 1984.

Matthew Bannister onThe rock 'n' roll pioneer Little Richard, whose flamboyant performances and powerful vocal style influenced many who came after him.Janet Carr, the psychologist whose long-running study changed attitudes to people with Down’s Syndrome.John Horton Conway, the playful mathematician who invented the Game of Life.Florian Schneider, the co-founder of the mould-breaking German electronic band Kraftwerk.Interviewed guest: Geoff Barker Interviewed guest: Sally Carr Interviewed guest: Penny Warren Interviewed guest: Sir Roger Penrose OM FRS Interviewed guest: Colm Mulcahy Interviewed guest: Adam Sweeting Producer: Neil GeorgeArchive clips from: Little Richard In His Own Words, 6 Music 11/05/2020; Little Richard - A Whop Bop A Lua A Whop Bam Boom, Radio 2 05/12/2012; John Horton Conway: Life, Death and the Monster, Numberphile 09/05/2014; Florian Schneider Interview, Silverstar Club 1998; Florian Schneider, Parley x COP21: Oceans, Climate, Life 08/12/2015.

Pictured: Catherine HamlinMatthew Bannister onCatherine Hamlin the obstetrician who, with her husband, set about tackling the devastating effects of obstetric fistulae in the women of Ethiopia.Irrfan Khan, the actor whose career brought stardom in both Indian and Hollywood films, like Jurassic World, Slumdog Millionaire and The Amazing Spiderman.The South African anti-apartheid activist Denis Goldberg who stood trial alongside Nelson Mandela.Anne Sayer, the long distance walker who was the first British woman to cover 100 miles in less than 24 hours.Interviewed guest: Julia Langdon Interviewed guest: Asjad Nazir Interviewed guest: Sir Nicholas Stadlen Interviewed guest: Julie WelchProducer: Neil GeorgeArchive clips from: The Oprah Winfrey Show, Syndication/Harpo Studios 2014; Asian Network's Big Debate, Asian Network 29/04/2020; The Lunchbox, directed by Ritesh Batra, Sikhya Entertainment 2013; Jurassic World, directed by Colin Trevorrow, Universal Pictures 2015; Piku, directed by Shoojit Sircar, MSM Motion Pictures 2015; Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan, Celador Films/Film 4 2008; Pienaar’s Politics, 5 Live 24/01/2016.

Pictured: Ronan O’RahillyMatthew Bannister onRonan O’Rahilly, the Irish businessman who ran the pirate radio station Radio Caroline on a ship off the coast of Essex.Sir John Houghton, the atmospheric physicist who was Director of the Met Office and co-chair of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change.Sue Davies, who founded and ran the Photographers' Gallery in London, supporting the careers of many leading photographers.Barbara Smoker, the outspoken atheist and anarchist who was President of the National Secular Society.Interviewed guest: Ray Clark Interviewed guest: Hannah Malcolm Interviewed guest: Dave Roberts Interviewed guest: Paul Hardaker Interviewed guest: Amanda Hopkinson Interviewed guest: Chris Steele-Perkins Interviewed guest: Professor Anthony Costello Interviewed guest: Denis CobellProducer: Neil GeorgeArchive clips from: Arena: Caroline 199: A Pirate's Tale, BBC Two 01/03/1991; The Story of Pop, Radio 1 26/01/1974; Ray Clark on Radio Caroline 1987; Belief, Radio 3 10/06/2012; Interview with Sue Davies, courtesy of The Photographers’ Gallery; Seeds of Faith, Radio 4 14/07/1996; Today, Radio 4 16/12/2002.

Pictured: Dame Jocelyn BarrowMatthew Bannister onThe artist, professor of architecture and expert on sacred geometry Keith Critchlow. He was a key figure in the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts and advised on the design of Islamic-influenced buildings all over the world.Dame Jocelyn Barrow who was an educator and leading campaigner against racial discrimination. She was the first black woman to be a Governor of the BBC.Leonard 'Nipper' Read, the respected detective who doggedly pursued the Kray twins.John Prine, the American country singer known for writing songs which offer a wry commentary on the human condition. Interviewed guest: Jon Allen Interviewed guest: Ian Skelly Interviewed guest: Baroness Valerie Amos Interviewed guest: Professor Dick Hobbs Interviewed guest: Bob HarrisProducer: Neil GeorgeArchive clips from: Britain's Best Buildings, BBC Two 16/11/2002; Night Waves, Radio 3 07/12/2004; Analysis, Radio 4 28/10/1976; It’s a Fair Cop: Leonard ‘Nipper’ Read, Radio 4 07/12/1976; BBC News, BBC One 13/10/1969.

Pictured: Sir Stirling Moss OBEMatthew Bannister on Sir Stirling Moss, the iconic British racing driver, noted for his courage and patriotism. Although he never won the world championship, he stormed to victory in many Formula 1 and sports car races. Professor Margaret Burbidge, the pioneering astronomer who carried out extensive work on quasars. Mahmoud Jibril, who became interim Prime Minister of Libya after the fall of Colonel Gaddafi. Tim Brooke-Taylor, the comic actor best known for his parts in The Goodies and I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue. Bill Oddie and Graeme Garden pay tribute.Interviewed guest: Simon Taylor Interviewed guest: Lord Martin Rees Interviewed guest: Amira Fathalla Interviewed guest: Chris Serle Interviewed guest: Graeme Garden OBE Interviewed guest: Bill Oddie OBEProducer: Neil GeorgeArchive clips from: HardTalk: Stirling Moss, BBC News 23/12/2010; The World Tonight, Radio 4 18/11/1971; HardTalk: Mahmoud Jibril, BBC News 23/10/2011; Woman’s Hour, Radio 4 03/08/1977; I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, Radio 4 04/01/2016; Front Row, Radio 4 26/09/2018; I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again, Radio 2 02/11/1977.

Pictured: Dr Bill FranklandJulian Worricker on:Dr Bill Frankland, who survived three years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, studied under Alexander Fleming, and brought the pollen count into the public arena….The radio drama producer, John Tydeman, whose work contributed to the success of Joe Orton and Sue Townsend….Alexander Thynne, better known as the Marquess of Bath, an artist and aristocrat, whose home was the Longleat estate in Wiltshire….And the actress, Honor Blackman, remembered most for her portrayals of Cathy Gale in The Avengers and Pussy Galore in Goldfinger.Interviewed guest: Paul Watkins Interviewed guest: Sir John Tusa Interviewed guest: Enyd Williams Interviewed guest: Nesta Wyn Ellis Interviewed guest: Dr Josephine BottingProducer: Neil GeorgeArchive clips from: Desert Island Discs: Bill Frankland, Radio 4 09/08/2015; See You Sunday, BBC One Wales 17/03/1991; BBC Oral Histories: John Tydeman; The Mole Truth, Radio 4 20/12/2008; Desert Island Discs: The Marquess of Bath, Radio 4 07/01/2001; The Thynne Blue Line, BBC TV 11/07/1971; Jools Holland, Radio 2 16/05/2011; The Avengers, ABC 1961. Interviews in this programme with John Tydeman were taken from his contribution to the BBC Oral History Collection, an archive of more than 600 interviews with former BBC staff. For more information see: https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/100-voices/

Pictured: Albert UderzoMatthew Bannister onValerie Pettit OBE, the senior MI6 officer in charge of the daring operation to get Soviet double agent Oleg Gordievsky out of Russia after his cover was blown.Albert Uderzo – the French cartoonist who created Asterix the Gaul.Reverend Joseph Lowery – the leading American civil rights activist who worked alongside Martin Luther King in the campaign for black equality.Julie Felix – the American-born singer who became known as the first lady of British folk.Interviewed guest: Ben Macintyre Interviewed guest: Agnes Poirier Interviewed guest: Dr Paul Smith Interviewed guest: Henrietta Giles Interviewed guest: Fran CollierProducer: Neil George

Picture Betty WilliamsMatthew Bannister on: Fuad Nahdi, the journalist, commentator and campaigner named as one of the world’s 500 most influential Muslims. Sol Kerzner, the South African businessman who made a fortune from hotels and casinos and built the controversial Sun City resort under apartheid. Betty Williams, the office receptionist from Belfast who teamed up with Mairead Corrigan to campaign for peace and won the Nobel Peace Prize. Kenny Rogers, one of America’s greatest country singers known for hits like “Lucille” and “Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town.”Interviewed guest: Abdul-Rehman Malik Interviewed guest: Bishop Toby Howarth Interviewed guest: Paul Martin Interviewed guest: Chris Ryder Interviewed guest: Garth Cartwright Interviewed guest: Bob Harris Producer: Neil George