Pictured: Alicia Alonso

Matthew Bannister on

Alicia Alonso, the Cuban ballerina who went on dancing when her sight began to fail. She also set up the National Ballet Company of Cuba.

Deborah Orr, the witty columnist who also edited the Guardian Weekend magazine.

Joyce Cansfield, the British Scrabble champion and 1983 Brain of Mensa who set more than a thousand crossword puzzles for the Times.

Clora Bryant, the American trumpeter who overcame sexism to forge a career in jazz.

Interviewed guest: Mike Lanchin

Interviewed guest: Sarah Crompton

Interviewed guest: Louisa Young

Interviewed guest: Nigel Williamson

Interviewed guest: Alyn Shipton

Producer: Neil George

Archive clips from: Witness: The First Lady of Cuban Ballet, BBC World Service 28/10/2015; Off the Page, Radio 4 19/07/2010; Carrie Fisher: Guardian column by Deborah Orr, 04/01/2017; Motherwell by Deborah Orr, Orion January 2020; Woman's Hour, Radio 4 26/12/2017; Catchword, BBC Two 02/02/1988; Cross Talk, Radio 4 07/01/2001; Countdown, Channel 4 1982; Central Avenue Sounds Part 3, Radio 3 24/02/2001.

Pictured: Alexei Leonov

Matthew Bannister on

The Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov who was the first person to walk in space.

Sally Soames, the photographer who made portraits of many leading politicians and celebrities as well as working in war zones. Her niece Claudia Winkleman and sister in law Eve Pollard pay tribute.

Kary Mullis, the Nobel Prize-winning biochemist who invented PCR - a revolutionary technique for speeding up the process of analysing DNA. He also enjoyed surfing and experimented with LSD.

Reg Watson, the TV producer behind the successful soap operas Crossroads and Neighbours.

Interviewed guest: Doug Millard

Interviewed guest: Claudia Winkleman

Interviewed guest: Eve Pollard

Interviewed guest: Nancy Mullis

Interviewed guest: Anthony Liversidge

Interviewed guest: Anthony Hayward

Producer: Neil George

Archive clips from: Soviet Astronaut Leaves Spacecraft During Flight, BBC Sound Archive 21/03/1965; Two Sides of the Moon, Radio 4 13/04/2004; Today, Radio 4 12/10/2019; South East At Six, BBC One 30/09/1983; Kary Mullis: Google Tech Talk 17/09/2010; Horizon: Psychedelic Science, BBC Two 27/02/1997; The Kary Mullis Nobel Prize, Bonhams Auctioneers 19/01/2016; Crossroads, ITV 1985; Eyewitness with Reg Watson, Daily Motion; Neighbours, BBC One 1987; Harry Enfield and Chums, BBC One 1997; The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Radio 4 September 2004.

Pictured: Ginger Baker

Matthew Bannister on

Su Beng, the activist known as the father of Taiwan independence.

Ginger Baker, the legendary drummer with rock super group Cream who struggled with drug addiction and an unpredictable temper.

John Haylett who was editor of the socialist paper the Morning Star at a crucial time in its history.

Diahann Carroll, the African American actress who starred in many films and stage shows as well as her own TV comedy "Julia" and the soap opera "Dynasty".

Interviewed guest: Felicia Lin

Interviewed guest: Cindy Sui

Interviewed guest: Adam Sweeting

Interviewed guest: Ben Chacko

Interviewed guest: Matt Wolf

Producer: Neil George

Archive clips from: Chiang Rattles The Sabre, Pathe News 1957; The Seven Ages of Rock, 6 Music 10/03/2015; Nationwide, BBC One 11/05/1978; Julia, 20th Century Fox Television/ Hancarr Productions / Savannah Productions 17 September 1968; Claudine, directed by John Berry, Third World Cinema / Twentieth Century Fox 1974; Dynasty, Aaron Spelling Productions 1 May 1982; One on One: Sir David Frost, BBC One 21/10/2002.

Pictured: Jessye Norman

Julian Worricker on:

The multiple award-winning American soprano, Jessye Norman, whose performances wowed audiences around the world....

Peter Sissons, the acclaimed television journalist, who moved from ITN to the BBC to present Question Time and the main evening news....

The author, Al Alvarez, poetry editor of the Observer newspaper, and renowned poker player....

And Marita Lorenz, who survived Bergen-Belsen as a child, and went on to become a spy involved in a near-assassination of Fidel Castro....

Interviewed guest: Sir Clive Gillinson CBE

Interviewed guest: Norman Lebrecht

Interviewed guest: Iain Dale

Interviewed guest: Alexandra Pringle

Interviewed guest: Michael Carlson

Producer: Neil George

Archive clips from: International Profile, Radio 4 29/07/1988; Jessye Norman Interview, Radio 3 06/08/2000; CD Review, Radio 3 23/08/2014; ITN News 21/11/84; Question Time, BBC One 09/12/1993; BBC News, BBC One 30/03/2002; Desert Island Discs, Radio 4 19/03/2000; The World Of Books, Radio 4 25/05/1978; Timewatch, BBC Two 07/10/1992; Geraldo Rivera interviews Marita Lorenz, 23 Sep 2013; Archive Hour: Something Is Terribly Wrong, Radio 4 22/11/2003.

Pictured: Jacques Chirac

Julian Worricker on:

Jacques Chirac, mayor of Paris for eighteen years, who served twice as French Prime Minister and twice as French president....

The man who took on the toughest of managerial assignments - running British Leyland in the late 1970s - Sir Michael Edwardes....

US television journalist and presenter, Cokie Roberts, credited with changing the role of women in the newsroom....

Pat Cavendish O'Neill, the racehorse trainer and breeder, who built up a menagerie of rescue animals in Kenya and South Africa.

Interviewed guest: Agnes Poirier

Interviewed guest: Nick Jones

Interviewed guest: Michael Goldfarb

Interviewed guest: Mark McGinness

Producer: Neil George

Archive clips from:

Pictured: Chester Williams

Matthew Bannister on

Sheikh Yusuf Motala who founded the first traditional Islamic seminary in the UK, and trained hundreds of Imams.

Chester Williams, the only black rugby player in the South African team that won the World Cup in 1995.

Jan Ruff O'Herne who was forced to work in a brothel by the Japanese army during the war. She kept her story secret for fifty years, but ended her life campaigning against the use of rape as a weapon of war.

Ric Ocasek, the singer who wrote many hits for the American rock band The Cars, including 'Drive' and 'My Best Friend's Girl'.

Interviewed guest: Innes Bowen

Interviewed guest: Dr Riyaz Timol

Interviewed guest: Carol Ruff

Interviewed guest: Garth Cartwright

Producer: Neil George

Archive clips from: Sunday, Radio 4 15/09/2019; Australian Story: Australian Comfort Woman Jan Ruff O'Herne, ABC 2001; Chester Williams - Champion of a New South Africa, Real Rugby 10/08/2016; Outlook, BBC World Service 14/10/2015; South Africa win the 1995 RWC, World Rugby 04/05/2016; Speedster Williams bags four tries on debut, World Rugby 14/09/2015; Invictus, directed by Clint Eastwood, Warner Bros 2009; Nelson Mandela & Francois Pienaar moment at RWC 1995, World Rugby 24/06/2015; Entertainment Tonight, Syndicated 1985.

Matthew Bannister on

Hans Rausing, the Swedish-born industrialist who led the Tetra Pak company. In the 1990s he topped the Sunday Times Rich List ahead of the Queen. His daughter Sigrid pays tribute.

Sir Dawda Jawara the first President of independent Gambia who faced two coup attempts.

Sue Crockford, a feminist campaigner who made influential films about the social history of North London.

Terrance Dicks, who was screenwriter and script editor for Dr Who and also wrote novelisations of the series.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed Guest: Esau Williams

Interviewed Guest: Matthew Sweet

Interviewed Guest: Sigrid Rausing

Interviewed Guest: Margaret Dickinson

Interviewed Guest: Anna Davin

Pictured: Robert Mugabe

Matthew Bannister on

The former President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe. He was once hailed as a hero of the liberation struggle but later seen by many as a tyrant.

Alla Verber, the Russian socialite who brought high fashion to the newly wealthy in the post-Soviet society.

Ciaran McKeown, who joined Mairead Corrigan and Betty Williams to found the Peace People of Northern Ireland.

Bill Anderson, described as Scotland's greatest ever Highland Games heavyweight athlete. He held countless records for throwing the hammer and tossing the caber.

Interviewed guest: Stanley Kwenda

Interviewed guest: Viv Groskop

Interviewed guest: Patrick Corrigan

Interviewed guest: Jack Davidson QC

Producer: Neil George

Archive clips from: Today, Radio 4 06/09/2019; Alla Verber: Leading Russia's Fashion Revolution, ABC News 09/04/2010; BBC Sound Archive, 13/08/1976; PM, Radio 4 27/11/1976; The World This Weekend, Radio 4 28/11/1976; The Heavies, BBC 2S 04/01/1982; Scotland on Film: Aberdeen And Grampian, BBC 2S 05/03/2006; Braemar Games Commentary, AP 1970; Interview with Bill Anderson, BBC Sound Archive, 05/09/1963.

Matthew Bannister on

Lord Bell, the advertising and public relations executive who helped Margaret Thatcher to win three elections.

Paule Marshall, the novelist who wrote about the experiences of black Americans of Caribbean origin.

David Koch, the American billionaire who poured money into right wing political causes.

Richard Booth, the second hand bookseller who was the self-styled King of Hay-on-Wye.

Interviewed guest: David Hopper

Interviewed guest: Michael Cockerell

Interviewed guest: Bonnie Greer

Interviewed guest: Lyn Innes

Interviewed guest: Daniel Schulman

Interviewed guest: Lucia Stuart

Producer: Neil George

Archive clips from: Tim Bell, Booktalk, BBC Parliament 04/12/2012; Coming Soon, Saatchi & Saatchi, 1979; PM, BBC Radio 4 4/05/1979; Newsnight, BBC Two 04/09/2017. Paule Marshall, A stranger in a strange land, Radio 3, 9/04/1993; Praisesong for the widow, Radio 4, 17/05/1993. Richard Booth, Down the River Wye, Radio 4 16/08/1987; BBC Wales News 27/05/88, Jamie Owen’s Wales, Radio Wales, 06/11/2013.

Pictured: Peter Fonda

Matthew Bannister on

Peter Fonda, the actor who became a hero of the 1960s counterculture, by riding his Harley Davidson across America in the classic film Easy Rider.

Princess Christina of the Netherlands who was born nearly blind. When her mother Queen Juliana consulted a soothsayer, a constitutional crisis followed.

Geoffrey Paul the respected long serving editor of the Jewish Chronicle.

Jim Bouton, the baseball player whose memoir caused a scandal by revealing the behind the scenes antics of his colleagues.

Interviewed guest: Roger Corman

Interviewed guest: Diane Ladd

Interviewed guest: Tim Bullamore

Interviewed guest: Jenni Frazer

Interviewed guest: Michael Carlson

Producer: Neil George

Archive clips from: Easy Rider, directed by Dennis Hopper, Pando Company Inc./Raybert Productions 1969; The Wild Angels, directed by Roger Corman, American International Pictures 1966; The Trip, directed by Roger Corman, American International Pictures 1967; The Big Fix, directed by Joshua Tickell, Big Picture Ranch/Green Planet Productions 2012; Holland Aka New Princess 1947, Pathe News 1947; Huwelijk Prinses Christina en Jorge Guillermo (1975), Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid 27/06/2013; Sunday Night, BBC One 16/01/1983; The Long Goodbye, directed by Robert Altman, Lion's Gate Films 1973; Jim Bouton: MLB All-Star, EaglesTalent 13/02/2012.