Matthew Bannister on

Sir William Macpherson, the retired judge whose report on the investigation of the murder of Stephen Lawrence accused the Metropolitan Police of “institutional racism”.

Margaret Snyder, seen by some as the United Nations’ first feminist. She established funds and projects to support women in developing countries.

Eleanor Wadsworth, one of the last surviving women who delivered fighter planes during the second world war.

Iain Pattinson, who gave up a career as an oil company executive to write jokes once described as “blue chip filth” for “I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue”.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Lord Brown

Interviewed guest: Joshua Rozenberg

Interviewed guest: Marilyn Carr

Interviewed guest: Wanjira Mathai

Interviewed guest: Jon Naismith

Interviewed guest: Nick Utechin

Interviewed guest: Jack Dee

Archive clips from: Pathe News (A.T.A. 1943); Kaleidoscope: Radio 4, TX 9.2.1991; I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue: Radio 4, TX 15.12.2020 and TX 21.6.1999.

Matthew Bannister on:

Carlos Menem, the flamboyant President of Argentina during the 1990s who transformed the country’s economy, but was dogged by allegations of corruption.

Mary Wilson, a founding member of the Supremes who rivalled the Beatles for chart success during the 1960s.

Robin Pooley, the businessman who started in the meat trade before switching to become Chief Executive of the Potato Marketing Board and transforming the fortunes of that humble root vegetable.

Larry Flynt, the multi-millionaire pornographer who saw himself as a champion of free speech.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Jill Hedges

Interviewed guest: Professor Ernesto Calvo

Interviewed guest: John Tuckwell

Interviewed guest: Michael Pollitt

Interviewed guest: Adam White

Interviewed guest: Peter White

Archive clips from: Breakfast with Frost, BBC One, TX 25.10.1998; Midweek, Radio 4, TX 2.3.2011; Ken Bruce, Radio 2, TX 16.9.2019; BBC Breakfast, BBC One, TX 12.7.1994; No Triumph No Tragedy - Larry Flynt, Radio 4, TX 19.1.1999

Matthew Bannister on

George Shultz, the US Secretary of State during the Reagan years who came close to brokering a deal to abolish all US and Soviet nuclear weapons.

Yvonne Conolly, Britain’s first black female head teacher who overcame racism to become a role model for others.

Maureen Colquhoun, the first UK member of parliament to be openly in a same sex relationship. When they heard the news, her local Labour Party deselected her.

Christopher Plummer, the Canadian born actor who played many roles on stage and screen, but will always be remembered as Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Angela Errigo

Interviewed guest: Rose Gottemoeller

Interviewed guest: Philip Taubman

Interviewed guest: Denise Patrick

Interviewed guest: Dame Angela Eagle

Interviewed guest: Peter Tatchell

Archive clips from: Maureen Colquhoun on Countdown to Number 10, Radio 4 TX 3.5.1979; I Was Britain’s First Black Headteacher, BBC World Service TV, TX 8.3.2020; West Indian Teacher, Pathe News TX 1969; William Shatner’s memories of Christopher Plummer, BBC World News TX 5.2.2021

Matthew Bannister on

The biologist Lewis Wolpert who developed new theories about embryo development and was a passionate communicator of science.

The award winning actor Cicely Tyson, best known for portraying strong, dignified African American women on stage and screen.

Saudi Prince Khalid Abdullah who became one of the world’s most successful racehorse owners. His horses included the great Frankel who was unbeaten in 14 races.

Captain Sir Tom Moore, the second world war veteran who became a national hero when he raised millions of pounds for NHS charities as he approached his 100th birthday.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Julian Muscat

Interviewed guest: Brough Scott

Interviewed guest: Matt Wolfe

Interviewed guest: Prof Jim Smith

Archive clips from: Desert Island Discs, Radio 4 TX 25.6.1996; The Essay, Radio 3 TX 25.3.2008; Conversations, Radio 3 TX 27.3.1993; The Michael Ball Show, Radio 2 TX 6.9.2020

Matthew Bannister on

Larry King, the American TV interviewer whose long running show on CNN attracted guests ranging from Presidents to pop stars. Christiane Amanpour pays tribute.

Catherine Ennis, the organist at the City of London Church of St Lawrence Jewry who helped to design four major organs in the capital.

Dame Margaret Weston, the Director of the Science Museum who spread funding around the UK by opening the National Railway Museum in York and the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford.

Gerry Cottle, the charismatic circus owner who overcame bankruptcy and sex and cocaine addiction to evolve the art form as public tastes changed

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Christiane Amanpour

Interviewed guest: Michael Carlson

Interviewed guest: Sir Roger Gifford

Interviewed guest: Sir Andrew Parmley

Interviewed guest: Heather Mayfield

Interviewed guest: David Morgan

Interviewed guest: Professor Vanessa Toulmin

Interviewed guest: John Haze

Archive clips from: Profile, Radio 4 TX 26.03.1974; In Tune, Radio 3 TX 14.10.2016; Desert Island Discs, Radio 4 TX 21.9.1984

Matthew Bannister on:

Phil Spector, the influential record producer who created the “Wall of Sound”. He died while serving a prison sentence for murdering actress Lana Clarkson.

Grace Robertson, the photojournalist known for chronicling working class life in post war Britain.

Paul Nihill, one of the world’s finest race walkers who won 96 consecutive races and was the first male British athlete to compete in four consecutive Olympic games.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Mick Brown

Interviewed guest: Prof. Amanda Hopkinson

Interviewed guest: David Ainsworth

Archive clips from: Five Master Photographers, Radio 3 TX 14.8.1990; Olympic Memories Part 3/6 - Mexico 1968, Radio 4 TX 1.4.1984; Olympics 1964: 50km walk, Radio 4 TX 18.10.1964

Julian Worricker on the film-maker Michael Apted, famous for his work on the 7UP documentary series, but who also directed nearly 30 feature films.

Kay Ullrich, an MSP after the first elections to the Scottish parliament, who Nicola Sturgeon described as one of the most influential figures in her life.

Katharine Whitehorn, whose column in the Observer revolutionised the journalism that women wrote....and read.

And the Vatican Latinist, Reginald Foster, who served four Popes, and who would never acknowledge that the language he was expert in was anything other than alive.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Claire Lewis

Interviewed guest: Shelley Joffre

Interviewed guest: Nicola Sturgeon

Interviewed guest: Julie Welch

Interviewed guest: David Willey

Archive from: Today Programme, Radio 4 TX 8.1.2021; On Top of A Column, Radio 4 TX 14.7.1971; A Point of View, Radio 4 TX 12.9.2008; Reginald Foster, High Priest of Latin, Radio 4 TX 16.4.1992; Today Programme, Radio 4 TX 27.12.2008; A World in Your Ear, Radio 4 TX 19.12.2003

Matthew Bannister on

Sir Brian Urquhart, the international civil servant and war veteran who played a key role in setting up United Nations peacekeeping forces.

Albert Roux, the French-born chef who, with his brother Michel, helped to revolutionise the quality of British restaurant cooking.

Dame Rachel Waterhouse, the chair of the Consumers’ Association whose campaigns were behind many significant improvements in consumer legislation.

And Gerry Marsden, lead singer of Gerry and the Pacemakers, best known for his hit versions of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Ferry ‘Cross The Mersey”.

Interviewed guest: Alison Bernays

Interviewed guest: Andrew Gilmour

Interviewed guest: Rowley Leigh

Interviewed guest: Brian Yates

Interviewed guest: Peter Parfet

Interviewed guest: Spencer Leigh

Producer: Neil George

Archive clips used: Profile: Brian Urquhart, Radio 4, 28.2.1981; Pathe News – Shaping the Future; The Liberation of Bergen Belsen –WS Historic Moments; Desert Island Discs: Albert & Michel Roux, Radio 4, 1986; Albert & Michel Roux on Roux Scholarship – YouTube; File on 4: Quangos, Radio 4, 7.6.1978; Farming Today, Radio 4, 17.10.1988

Matthew Bannister on

Stella Tennant, the iconic fashion model who rose to prominence in the 1990s, becoming the face of Chanel.

George Bizos, the South African human rights lawyer who represented Nelson Mandela at the Rivonia Trial.

Joan Feynman, the astrophysicist who made important breakthroughs in her study of auroras and solar cycles.

Actor Rishi Kapoor, who appeared in almost 100 films and defined Bollywood for a generation.

Interviewed guest: Plum Sykes

Interviewed guest: Sir Nicholas Stadlen

Interviewed guest: Christopher Riley

Interviewed guest: Laura Tenenbaum

Interviewed guest: Haroon Rashid

Archive clips from: HARDtalk, BBC News 11/10/2011; Remembering Rivonia, BBC World Service 06/03/2018; Nelson Mandela Released from Prison, BBC News Archive 11/02/1990; The Fantastic Mr Feynman, dir. Christopher Riley, BBC2 12/05/2013; Bobby, R.K. Films Ltd 28/09/1973; Prem Rog, K.R. Films Ltd. 31/07/1982; Agneepath, Dharma Productions/Eros International 26/01/2012.

Producer: Dan Hardoon

Julian Worricker on

Millie Jones, the singer who brought ska rhythms and Jamaican culture to a global audience with her hit song My Boy Lollipop.

JJ Williams, the Llanelli, Wales and British Lions winger who became one of the stars of world rugby.

Dame Fanny Waterman, who co-founded the Leeds International Piano Festival and introduced many of the greatest pianists of our time.

And consumer champion Maurice Healy, editor of Which? magazine and director of the National Consumer Council, who was instrumental in bringing in shopping on a Sunday, cheaper air fares and better food labelling.

Interviewed guest: Chris Blackwell

Interviewed guest: Chris Salewicz

Interviewed guest: Phil Bennett

Interviewed guest: Petroc Trelawny

Interviewed guest: Richard Thomas

Producer: Paul Waters