Last Word

Matthew Bannister on

Frank Farian, the German music producer behind the hugely successful group Boney M, who caused controversy when it was revealed that his duo Milli Vanilli had been miming at all their live shows. We hear from Boney M singer Liz Mitchell.

Medical journalist Caroline Richmond who founded the Campaign Against Health Fraud, now known as HealthSense.

Professor Phil Baines, the respected typographer who designed many book covers and public signs as well as the memorial to the victims of the 7/7 2005 bombings in London.

Norma Izard, who managed the England Women’s Cricket team, leading them to win the World Cup and creating the trophy for the women’s Ashes series.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used:

Matthew Bannister on

Norma Barzman, the screenwriter from the Golden Age of Hollywood who fled to Europe after facing being blacklisted from the House Un-American Activities Committee for her Communist views.

Lord Saye and Sele, the aristocrat who served in the army during the Second World War, then worked to restore the historic family seat Broughton Castle.

James 'Jim' Hobson, the Assistant Chief Constable of West Yorkshire who was in charge of the Yorkshire Ripper enquiry when Peter Sutcliffe was arrested.

Susan Campbell, the illustrator who co-founded the Walled Kitchen Garden Network.

Interviewee: Larry Ceplair

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive used:

CSULB Human Rights Forum - Norma Barzman, the Advanced Media Production Center, California State University Long Beach, Beach TV CSULB, YouTube, uploaded 06/04/2009; The Locket (1946), RKO Radio Pictures; Norma Barzman, Hollywood Exiles, Podcast, BBC World Service, 15/01/2024; The House Committee of Un-American Activities Actuality, Omnibus, Hollywood on Trial, BBC Two, 04/11/1973; Give us This Day (1949) Dir, Edward Dmytryk; IMDB; Lord Saye and Seye interview, From D-Day to Bergen-Belsen: Lord Saye & Sele, Dir/Prod Nathan Portlock-Allan, YouTube uploaded 26/01/2021; Lord Seye and Sele, SignPost, BBC, 25/04/1962; News Conference, Newsbeat, BBC Radio, 04/09/1979; The Yorkshire Ripper Files: A Very British Crime Story, BBC Four, 11/04/2019; Susan Campbell "Trained Fruit in Historic Kitchen Gardens", Garden Conservation YouTube uploaded 30/09/2022; Susan Campbell makes her first visit to Althorp, Episode 8, Walled Garden Historian, spencer1508.com;

Matthew Bannister on

Annie Nightingale who was Radio 1’s first female presenter and its longest serving DJ. Her son remembers meeting Jimi Hendrix over breakfast in her kitchen and the 72-hour-party at her home featuring some of the biggest names of the dance music scene.

Isca Salzberger-Wittenberg, the psychoanalyst who changed the approach to treating young people’s mental health.

Bryan Ansell, the games designer who co-created Warhammer and helped led the growth of the Games Workshop company.

And Charlie Allan who was a Scottish farmer, an economist, a broadcaster and a caber tossing champion.

Interviewee: Alex Nightingale

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive used:

Matthew Bannister on

Camila Batmanghelidjh who founded the charity Kids Company to help disadvantaged children. The charity collapsed amidst controversy, although she was later cleared of any wrongdoing.

Sir Roy Calne, the surgeon who carried out the UK’s first successful liver transplant operation. He was also a talented artist.

Glynis Johns, the actor best known for playing the suffragette Winifred Banks in the film of Mary Poppins.

JPR Williams, one of the greatest full backs in rugby history, who made many appearances for Wales and the British & Irish Lions. Sir Ian McGeechan pays tribute.

Interviewee: Steve Chalke

CORRECTION: in this episode, Professor John Wallwork is credited as a former Chairman of Royal Papworth Hospital, NHS Foundation. He was in fact the current Chairman at time of recording.

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive used:

Matthew Bannister on

John Pilger, the campaigning journalist who made award winning films about human rights abuses and was an outspoken critic of British and US foreign policy.

K.M. Peyton, the author of many “pony” books for children and adolescents, including the “Flambards” trilogy.

Paula Murphy, the American racing driver once described as “the fastest woman on wheels”.

Michael Blakemore, the versatile theatre director who was the only person to win Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Musical in the same year.

Interviewee: Sam Pilger

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive used:

Kirsty Lang on Jacques Delors, the politician and architect of the modern EU.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Matthew Bannister on

Maureen Sweeney, the postmistress from the west of Ireland whose weather forecast postponed D-Day by 24 hours.

Sir Tim Brighouse, the educationalist credited with transforming the performance of London’s schools.

Shirley Anne Field, the actor who appeared in classic 1960s films like The Entertainer, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and Alfie.

Juanita Castro, younger sister of the Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who became a CIA informer.

Interviewee: Fergus Sweeney

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive used:

D-Day Greatest Combined Operation In World's History (1944), British Pathe News, British Pathe News YouTube channel, uploaded 13/04/2014; Maureen Sweeney interview, RTE News, 2005; Maureen (née Flavin) Sweeney interview, Blacksod Lighthouse, Facebook, uploaded 17/12/2023; Tim Brighouse talks to Estelle Morris about his 45-year career in education, Alexander Street Video, uploaded 2006; Tim Brighouse on purpose of education, RM Education, YouTube uploaded 19/12/2023; Tim Brighouse news report, BBC News; Juanita Castro press conference, ABC News, 1964; Juanita Castro interview, AP Archive, 21/07/2015; Juanita Castro speaks out, New York Times, 28/11/2016; Castro Announces Take Over Of Us Owned Property (1960), British Pathe News, YouTube, uploaded 13/04/2014; Shirley Anne Field, Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 29/07/1994; Scene extract from the film The Entertainer, 1960; Scene extract from the film Saturday Night Sunday Morning, 1960;

Matthew Bannister on

The dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah who overcame childhood trauma to become an acclaimed performer and writer.

Laura Lean, who volunteered for the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, helping to support distressed families after The Grenfell Tower fire and greeting Afghan evacuees.

Stacy Marking, one of the first women directors in documentary television whose work focused on social issues.

Eric Freeman, the Gloucestershire farmer who played a key role in saving the county’s rare breeds of cattle, sheep and pigs.

Interviewee: Qian Zephaniah

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive Used:

Benjamin Zephaniah performance of Dis Poetry, BBC Radio 1, 05/06/1984; Benjamin Zephaniah, To Do Wild Me (trailer), Blood Axe Books, director: Pamela Robertson-Pearce, Uploaded 17/02/2013; Benjamin Zephaniah interview, Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 13/06/1997; Benjamin Zephaniah, I Luv Me Mudder, Benjamin Zephaniah Orchard Enterprises, YouTube uploaded 08/11/2014; Benjamin Zephaniah - What has Stephen Lawrence Taught Us?, AKL Concepts, YouTube, Uploaded 16/02/2012; Laura Lean interview, First Aid Nursing Yeomanry; fany.org.uk; 2022; Princess Alice inspects First Aid Nursing Yoemanry Unit and donated ambulances (1940), British Pathe, British Pathe YouTube channel, uploaded 11/11/2020; Eric Freeman interviews courtesy of Vernon Harwood, Eric Freeman, Auction Memories. Farming Today, BBC Radio 4, 17/04/2017; Eric Freeman Future of Rare Breeds. On Your Farm, BBC Radio 4 03/03/2013; Gloucester Cattle. Country Matters, BBC Radio Gloucestershire 19/05/2013; Wassail. Country Matters, BBC Radio Gloucestershire 14/01/2007;

Matthew Bannister on

Shane MacGowan the lead singer of The Pogues who was famous for his song writing but also his abuse of drugs and alcohol. His sister joins us to discuss the roots of his talent and his excesses.

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to be appointed to the US Supreme Court.

Lord Darling, the Labour politician who was Chancellor during the financial crash of 2008.

Joan Jara, whose husband, the singer Victor Jara was killed by the Pinochet regime in Chile. She campaigned for justice on behalf of thousands whose relatives died or disappeared.

Interviewee: Siobhan MacGowan

Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies

Archive used:

Matthew Bannister on

Henry Kissinger, a towering figure in international diplomacy, who won the Nobel Peace Prize but was condemned by some as a war criminal.

Also, Terry Venables, the colourful manager who took the England Football team to the semi-finals of Euro 96.

Paul Watson, the pioneer of reality TV whose “fly on the wall” techniques caused controversy. Sir Peter Bazalgette pays tribute.

And Rachel Heller the artist who was born with Down’s Syndrome and whose work was collected by fellow artists including David Hockney, Sir Peter Blake and Maggi Hambling.

Producer: Ed Prendeville