Last Word

Matthew Bannister on Dr Mildred Stahlman, the American paediatrician whose discovery helped to improve the outcomes of premature babies around the world.

Ray Reardon, the former miner and police officer who was a World Snooker Champion six times.

Val McIver, the Scottish local councillor who campaigned to set up the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Eddie Spence, who decorated elaborate wedding cakes for members of the royal family for decades.

Interviewee: Dr Meg Rush

Producer: Catherine Powell

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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 founded the “Movement for an Adoption Apology”.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

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Matthew Bannister on

Dr 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 Borders.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

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Frank 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 known times on the Three Peaks and the Pennine Way.

Interviewee: Rob Eastaway

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive used:

Frank Duckworth interview, Broadcasting House, BBC Radio 4, 21/06/2021; England Test Match Special, West Indies v England, BBC ONE, 16/03/1968; England Cricket Sport Report, BBC Sport, 30/01/2005; Leah Levin keynote speech, Kingston University graduation ceremony, 2019; Leah Levin interview, London Plus News, BBC ONE South East, 11/10/1984; Leah Levin , BBC Breakfast Time, BBC ONE, 04/10/1985; A Conversation with Mary Lou Pardue, MIT Department of Biology, YouTube Upload, 24/08/2020; Joss Naylor profile, Countryfile, BBC ONE 30/07/2018; Joss Naylor interview, Farming Today, BBC Radio 4, 19/06/2021; Joss Naylor interview, Nationwide, BBC ONE, 1973; Joss Naylor interview Cherry Pit Spitting , BBC News, 02/07/1981;

Matthew Bannister on

Sir 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 Selecter. His bandmate Pauline Black OBE pays tribute.

Interviewee: Paul Horrocks

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

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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 Fry

Producer: Catherine Powell

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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 Corby.

Roger Corman, the American film director and producer known for his prolific output of low budget pictures.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

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Richard 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 Sibley

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

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The 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 Prendeville

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Dame 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 Association

Beverly 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 Prendeville

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