Last Word

Julian Worricker on:

King Goodwill Zwelithini, who ruled the Zulu nation at a time of enormous change in South Africa

Interviewed guest: Simon Taylor

Desert Island Discs: Radio 4, TX 16.3.2014; 5 Live Sport Special - Murray Walker (BBC Podcast); BBC News: BBC One, TX 24.9.1994; BBC News: BBC One, TX 26.5.1991; The learning zone: BBC 2, TX 15.1.1998

Matthew Bannister on

Nicola Pagett, the acclaimed actor who made her name on TV in Upstairs Downstairs and as Anna Karenina but also excelled in classical stage roles. Later in life she suffered severe mental illness.

Stan Shaw, one of the last Sheffield craftsmen known as “little mesters”. He spent eighty years forging, grinding and finishing blades in the city’s cutlery industry.

Professor John Mallard, who led the team at Aberdeen University which developed the first full body MRI scanner.

Rupert Neve, the recording engineer who designed mixing desks revered by rock stars and music producers.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Simon Williams

Archive clips used: Woman’s Hour: Radio 4, TX 23.9.1997; Shelford Interviews: Rupert Neve discusses how technologies in the 60's changed sound engineering

Matthew Bannister on

Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, the Saudi oil minister who presided over the 1970s embargo that caused crises for Western economies.

Sidney Alford, the maverick explosives expert who created methods of defusing improvised explosive devices used in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and the Middle East. He also demolished large buildings and created spectacular effects for film makers.

Alison Lurie, the American novelist whose biting satires on academic life and manners have been compared to Jane Austen.

Chris Barber, the jazz trombonist and band leader who was a leading figure in the trad boom of the 1960s.

Producer: Neil George

Interviewed guest: Dr Mai Yamani

Archive clips used: Panorama: BBC One, TX 20.11.1973; Book at Bedtime – Foreign Affairs: Radio 4, TX 11.10.2004; Desert Island Discs: Radio 4, TX 9.3.1985; 15 Minute Drama - Imaginary Friends: Radio 4, TX 11.7.2011; Chris Barber - Leader of the Band: Radio 2, TX 20.4.2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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