Last Word

John Wilson on

Tony Sirico, the former armed robber turned actor who found fame playing the role of mobster Paulie Walnuts in ground-breaking television series The Sopranos.

José Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled Angola as president for 37 years, steering the country through a bloody civil war, and reaping the benefits of an oil boom while being accused of huge levels of corruption.

Ann Shulgin, a therapist who pioneered the use of psychedelics and MDMA in therapy together with her chemist husband Sasha.

And Ivana Trump, the Czechoslovakian skier and model whose marriage to Donald Trump made her a fixture of tabloid and society pages for decades.

Producer: Tim Bano

Interviewed guest: Fr Robert Sirico

Archive clips used: Paramount Pictures, The First Wives Club (1996); American Playhouse, The Big Bang (1989); NBC Today, 20th Anniversary of 'The Sopranos' 10/01/2019; HBO, The Sopranos (1999); Miramax/ Sweetland Films/ Magnolia Production, Bullets Over Broadway (1994); YouTube, Comício José Eduardo dos Santos - Angola 1992 16/09/2010; BBC Sound Archive, Independence celebrations in Angola 11/11/1975; BBC Radio 4, News 23/02/2002; BBC News Archive, Angola vote in first election for 16 years 05/09/2008; BBC Two, Panorama - The Corrupt Billionaire 25/01/2020; Viveka Films, MDMA The Movie - Promo Clip (2016); CBS News, When Ecstasy was legal 1985; gaiamedia/ YouTube channel, Ask the Shulgins 17/03/2014; BBC One, Wogan - Ivana Trump interview 03/06/1992; CBS Sunday Morning, Ivana Trump interview 08/10/2017; BBC Radio 4, Woman's Hour - Ivana Trump interview 03/06/1992; HBO/ Harpo Productions, The Oprah Winfrey Show 25/04/1998; BBC One, Modern Times - The Fame Game 03/01/1996; Del Monte/ Brian Jackson, UK Del Monte pears advert (2014).

Kirsty Lang on

Shinzo Abe - Japan’s longest-serving prime minister who sought to end a wartime legacy of defeat and occupation and to tackle the economy through ‘Abenomics’.

Actor Mona Hammond is best known for her TV role in Eastenders.

Lorna de Smidt, the anti-apartheid and anti-racist activist who cut her political teeth in the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa in the late 1960s.

And Monty Norman - Composer and singer who wrote the James Bond main theme and a string of successful musicals as well.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Nakano Koichi

Archive clips used: BBC News, Report on death of Shinzo Abe, 08/07/2022; BBC Radio 4, The World This Weekend, Votes counted for Japanese election, 29/07/2007; BBC One, Eastenders 25/10/2010; Humphrey Barclay Productions for Channel 4, Desmond's S01E04 26/01/1989; BBC Radio 4, The Archers 28/12/2003; BBC Two, Storm Damage (1989), 23/01/2000; Paramount Pictures/ Albert S. Ruddy Productions/ Alfran Productions, The Godfather Part 1 (1972); BBC Radio 4, News Bulletin19/03/2001; BBC Two Omnibus - Monty Norman interview 17/10/1982.

Matthew Bannister on

Baroness Greengross, who championed the rights of older people as Director General of the charity Age Concern.

Sonny Barger, the leading American Hell’s Angel who was arrested 21 times and spent 13 years in prison.

Technoblade, the young Youtuber who amassed millions of followers for his commentaries on the video game Minecraft.

Qin Yi, the leading Chinese film star whose career spanned eight decades.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Gail Perry

Archive clips used: BBC Radio 4, Woman's Hour 07/03/2003; BBC Radio 4, Woman's Hour 03/03/2004; BBC News, News report on Dementia 03/07/2012; BBC Two, Hell's Angels 04/01/2004; BBC Four, Storyville - Gimme Shelter 11/12/2009; KSAN Radio/ Stefan Ponek/ from Storyville - Gimme Shelter, Sonny Barger Interview 11/12/2009; EricSalasProductions/ YouTube Channel, Sonny Barger Exclusive Interview 08/08/2012; Technoblade YouTube Channel, Minecraft Storymode Season 1 Episode 1 07/01/2019; Technoblade YouTube Channel, "so long nerds" 01/07/2022/; Technoblade YouTube Channel, the hypixel skyblock experience 14/06/2019; BBC Radio 4, Glenda Jackson interviews Peter Brook 19/04/2021; Shanghai Film Studio/ Tianma Film Studio, Woman Basketball Player No 5 (1957); Ningxia Film Group/ Shanghai Film Studios, Railway Guerrilla (1956); China Central Television, Under the Roofs of Shanghai (1982); BBC One, Eastenders 26/05/1997.

Matthew Bannister on

Dame Deborah James who raised millions of pounds for cancer research by talking openly about living with - and dying from - bowel cancer.

Yves Coppens, the charismatic French palaeontologist who led the team that discovered hominid remains estimated to be 3.2 million years old.

Revel Guest OBE, the documentary film producer who became chair of the Hay Literary Festival.

Samuel Bhima, the first Malawian to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Jude Rogers

Archive clips used: BBC Radio 5 Online, Raising a Glass to Deborah James 28/06/2022; BBC Two, The Making of Mankind - One Small Step 11/05/1981; FRANCE 24 English, Yves Coppens dies at 87 23/06/2022; PBS (US), PBS Ident by Paul Alan Levi; Trans Atlantic Film, Placido 1983; Dreamworks Pictures/ Touchstone Pictures/ Reliance Entertainment, War Horse (2011) Trailer; YouTube/ memoriesofrhodesia, 1957 Royal Tour of Nyasaland 29/10/2015; Meliza Bhima Personal interview archive with Samuel Bhima; BBC Sound Archive, Dr Hastings Banda Interview 27/02/1959.

Matthew Bannister on

Dom Phillips, the freelance journalist who was ambushed and shot dead on a trip into the Amazon rain forest.

Stephen S. Thompson, the novelist and screenwriter who won a BAFTA for his TV drama telling the story of his brother’s experiences during the Windrush scandal.

Caroline Drummond, who campaigned for greater links between farming and environmental protection – and oversaw the launch of Open Farm Sunday.

Maureen Hiron, the top-class bridge player who invented many new games including Continuo and Quizwrangle.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Sian Phillips

Archive clips used: BBC News 24, Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira 16/06/2022; Metrópoles - Café da Manhã Com Jornalistas 14/06/2022; BBC News Online, Amber Rudd's regret over scale of Windrush problem 26/04/2018; Edinburgh Television Festival, Sitting in Limbo - Edinburgh TV Festival 2021 12/06/2021; Left Bank Pictures/BBC/Ian Johnson Publicity, BBC Trailers Sitting in Limbo 01/06/2020; BAFTA, Sitting in Limbo wins Single Drama BAFTA TV Awards 2021 06/06/2021; BBC Radio 4, The Archers 07/06/2019; BBC Two, A Will To Win 20/10/1986; Granada TV, The Krypton Factor 1993.

Matthew Bannister on

Dame Paula Rego, the acclaimed Portuguese-born artist who later made her home in the UK and was renowned for making vivid and disturbing work focussing on the subjugation of women. We talk to her son Nick Willing.

Bruce Kent, the Catholic priest who became a leader of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

Hilary Devey CBE, who founded a multi-million pound freight distribution business and was one of the Dragons on the TV show Dragons Den.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Nick Willing

Archive clips used: BBC Radio 4, Desert Island Discs - Dame Paula Rego 07/12/1997; Kismet Film Company/ BBC, Paula Rego - Secrets and Stories 25/03/2017; Eric Minh Swenson Art Films, Samella Lewis - Pioneering Visual Artist and Educator 19/12/2016; BBC Radio Ulster, Bruce Kent documentary 13/03/1988; British Movietone, Aldermaston March - Natural Sound 12/04/1963; British Movietone, The March to Aldermaston in Trafalgar Square 10/04/1958; BBC Radio 4, PM - Cardinal Basil Hume interview 27/04/1983; BBC News, Troops Erect Fence Around RAF Molesworth Base 06/02/1985; CND - YouTube Channel, Bruce Kent - Why I joined CND 18/02/2018; BBC Radio 4, Desert Island Discs - Hilary Devey 02/11/2012; BBC Radio 4, Woman's Hour - Hilary Devey interview 24/05/2012; BBC One, Dragons' Den (Season 10) 2012; ITV Studios - YouTube Channel, Loose Women - Hilary Devey interview 03/06/2015.

Matthew Bannister on

Amanda Claridge, the archaeologist who was a leading expert on ancient Rome.

Sidhu Moose Wala, the acclaimed Indian rapper who was shot dead at the age of 28.

Mark Sykes, the upper-class gambler, con man, gun smuggler and playboy.

Paul Vance, who wrote the song 'Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini' and whose death was announced prematurely in 2006.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Richard Hodges

Archive clips used: BBC Radio 3, Night Waves - Roman Empire Exhibition 20/10/2000; BBC One, Nationwide - Pompeii 19/11/1976; BBC News 31/05/2022; ABP Sanjha / YouTube Channel, Sidhu Moose Wala in Big Trouble 04/05/2020; BBC Radio 4, Last Word 29/09/2006.

Matthew Bannister on

Dervla Murphy, the intrepid travel writer who cycled from her native Ireland to India.

Lester Piggott, the jockey who rode thousands of winners and broke many records, including winning the Derby 9 times.

Anne Howells, the acclaimed mezzo soprano known for her beautiful voice and sense of mischief.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Antonia Quirke

Producer: Neil George

Archive clips used: BBC Radio 4, Desert Island Discs - Dervla Murphy 17/01/1993; BBC Radio 4, Wheels Within Wheels ep 2 23/12/2001; BBC Radio 4, Intrepid Women 19/05/1980; BBC Radio 4, Wheels Within Wheels ep 3 30/12/2001; BBC Sport, AP McCoy tribute to Lester Piggott May 2022; BBC News 06/06/1970; BBC News, Frankie Dettori tribute to Lester Piggott 30/05/2022; BBC News, Willie Carson tribute to Lester Piggott 30/05/2022; British Pathé, Lester Piggott 56th win 1950; YouTube, 1970 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes win 25/07/1970; Ascot Racecourse, Lester Piggott interview 23/07/2020; Central Television/Spitting Image Productions, Spitting Image 1984-1996; BBC News, Lester Piggott tax evasion 23/10/1987; NBC Sports, Lester Piggott amazing ride on Royal Academy 27/10/1990; BBC Radio Archive, Music Now: Anne Howells 20/09/1975.

Matthew Bannister on

Baroness Haleh Afshar, the Iranian-born academic and activist who made her home in the UK and campaigned for women’s rights.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Emir of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab Emirates who led the transformation of his country and was a key ally of the West.

Kay Mellor, the TV writer best known for series like 'Band of Gold', 'Fat Friends' and 'The Syndicate'.

Vangelis, the prolific composer who won an Oscar for the soundtrack to the film 'Chariots of Fire'.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Molly Newton

Archive clips used: BBC Radio 4, Desert Island Discs - Baroness Haleh Afshar 28/12/2008; FOX 5 New York, The first minutes of the reporting of the 9/11 attacks from WNYW 11/09/2001; BBC Radio 4, Today Programme - Kay Mellor tribute 18/05/2022; BBC Radio 4, Desert Island Discs - Kay Mellor OBE 29/10/2017; Granada TV, Band of Gold (1995); Rollem Productions/ Tiger Aspect Productions/ Yorkshire Television, Fat Friends 2000; Isolde Films, Vangelis and the Journey to Ithaka - Documentary (2013); Al Jazeera English, Vangelis: A Message of Hope 22/01/2012.

Matthew Bannister on

Shireen Abu Akleh, the respected Al Jazeera reporter who was shot dead while covering an Israeli military raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

Robert Gillmor, the wildlife artist best known for his striking paintings of birds.

Leonid Kravchuk who oversaw Ukraine’s transition to independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union and became its President.

Carrie White, the hairdresser who styled some of Hollywood’s biggest stars and became addicted to drink and drugs.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Dalia Hatuqa

Archive clips used: BBC News 24, Newsday 12/05/2022; BBC News,14/05/2022; Al Jazeera English, 74 years of Nakba 2022; xeno-canto.org, Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta); BBC One, Animal Magic 23/11/1971; YouTube/Behind Nhu, Eurasian collared dove call 17/05/2020; BBC Radio 4, The World Tonight 28/04/1986; BBC News, Ukranian Referendum Results 02/12/1991; AP Archive, Ukraine - Preparations for Presidential Elections 25/06/1994; BBC One, six o'clock news - Ukraine Nuclear Weapons 14/01/1994; Connie Martinson YouTube channel, Upper Cut - Carrie White interview 31/10/2011.