Last Word
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    per episode

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Last Word episodes

  • Professor Heinz Wolff, Aline Countess of Romanones, Tony Whitten, Fritz Lustig, Keely Smith

    Photo: Professor Heinz Wolff

    Matthew Bannister on

    Professor Heinz Wolff, the bioengineer who was known to millions of TV viewers as the presenter of "The Great Egg Race".

    Aline, Countess of Romanones, the model and socialite who wrote best selling books based on her experiences of spying on the Nazis during the war.

    Tony Whitten, the passionate conservationist who had eleven species named after him.

    Fritz Lustig who worked as a wartime secret listener, eavesdropping on the conversations of German prisoners of war.

    And the singer Keely Smith who, with her husband Louis Prima, became one of the most successful Las Vegas acts of the 1950s.

    29 min
  • Max Clifford, Norman Baker, Tony Garrett, Virginia Surtees, Keith Chegwin

    (Photo: Keith Chegwin)

    Matthew Bannister on

    The disgraced publicist Max Clifford who was known as the king of the kiss and tell story, made up many tabloid headlines and was convicted of eight charges of indecent assault against teenage girls.

    The adventurer Norman Baker who sailed with Thor Heyerdahl from Morocco to Barbados on a papyrus raft called Ra II.

    The businessman Tony Garrett who was chairman of Imperial Tobacco and a pioneer of sponsorship deals in sport and the arts.

    The art historian Virginia Surtees who championed the pre-Raphaelite painters.

    And Keith Chegwin, much loved children's TV presenter and entertainer.

    29 min
  • King Michael of Romania, Shashi Kapoor, Christine Keeler, Jenny MacGregor, Johnny Hallyday

    (Photo: Christine Keeler)

    Matthew Bannister on

    King Michael of Romania who ruled his country during the second world war and was forced to abdicate by the Soviet Union. .

    Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor who starred in more than a hundred Hindi films as well as English language titles like Shakespeare Wallah and Heat and Dust.

    Christine Keeler, the model who was at the centre of the Profumo Affair in the 1960s.

    Jenny MacGregor who rescued thousands of ponies and horses from neglectful or abusive owners.

    And Johnny Hallyday, France's best known rock star.

    29 min
  • Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Unity Spencer, Lewis Golden OBE, John Butler, Joy Lofthouse

    (Photo: Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky)

    Matthew Bannister on

    The Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, known for playing leading operatic roles - and for his silver hair and matinee idol looks.

    Unity Spencer who overcame a dysfunctional upbringing as the daughter of the painter Stanley Spencer to be recognised as an accomplished artist in her own right.

    Lewis Golden, the war veteran who set up the successful Everest Double Glazing business.

    John Butler - piano tuner to stars like Oscar Peterson, Sammy Davis Junior and Frank Sinatra.

    And Joy Lofthouse, one of the last surviving female pilots who delivered Spitfires to their airbases during the war.

    28 min
  • 24/11/2017

    Matthew Bannister on

    Lord Imbert, the Commissioner who tried to change the culture of the Metropolitan Police. He invited TV cameras to observe his officers at work, leading to a controversial film of them subjecting a rape victim to aggressive questioning.

    Pat Hutchins, the children's author and illustrator who created the book "Rosie's Walk" and presented the TV series "Rosie and Jim".

    Rodney Bewes, the actor best known for playing Bob in the Likely Lads.

    Charles Manson, one of the most notorious murderers of the 20th century.

    And David Cassidy, the singer and actor who was a heartthrob for millions of teenage girls in the 1970s.

    29 min
  • Lord Hutchinson of Lullington QC, Linda Nochlin, Dennis Banks, Geoff Tootill, Tim Gudgin

    Matthew Bannister on

    Lord Hutchinson of Lullington, the barrister who appeared in many celebrated cases, including defending the publication of Lady Chatterley's Lover and the director of the play Romans In Britain and securing the acquittal of Howard Marks on drug smuggling charges.

    Linda Nochlin the feminist art historian who wrote a celebrated article in the 1970s entitled "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?"

    Dennis Banks the Native American activist who campaigned for the rights of his people and took part in the siege of Wounded Knee.

    Geoff Tootill, who helped to design the world's first stored-programme computer, known as "Baby".

    28 min
  • Antonio Carluccio, Sima Wali, Richard Wilbur, Mary Reveley, Dudley Simpson

    Matthew Bannister on

    The chef Antonio Carluccio who transformed Italian cooking in the UK.

    Sima Wali who devoted her life to campaigning for the rights of Afghan women.

    The Pulitzer Prize winning American poet laureate Richard Wilbur.

    Mary Reveley, the Yorkshire based race horse trainer who saddled more than two thousand winners.

    And Dudley Simpson who composed the theme from the TV series Blake's Seven and incidental music for Dr Who.

    Interviewed guest: William Sitwell

    Interviewed guest: Suleiman Wali
    Interviewed guest: Michael Carlson
    Interviewed guest: Cornelius Lysaght
    Interviewed guest: Matthew Sweet.

    29 min
  • Harold Pendleton, Glenn Barr, Iona Opie, Gary Flather QC OBE, Sir John Manduell

    Matthew Bannister on

    Howard Pendleton who made the Marquee Club a launch pad for scores of rock stars including the Rolling Stones, the Who and David Bowie and started the Reading Festival.

    Glenn Barr, the Unionist leader who brought Northern Ireland to its knees for thirteen days.

    Iona Opie who devoted her life to collecting nursery rhymes and studying children's use of stories and language.

    Gary Flather QC, the eminent lawyer who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and campaigned to make the legal profession more accessible for disabled people.

    And Sir John Manduell who founded and led the Royal Northern College of Music, building its international reputation.

    28 min
  • Daphne Caruana Galizia, Fats Domino, Rodney Bickerstaffe, Geoffrey Schild, Rosemary Leach

    Matthew Bannister on

    The campaigning Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia who was killed by a car bomb after exposing corruption in politics and business.

    Fats Domino - the rock and roll pioneer who was second only to Elvis in record sales.

    Rodney Bickerstaffe, the trade union leader who campaigned for the minimum wage.

    Geoffrey Schild, the virologist who laid the foundations for the creation of a universal flu vaccine.

    And Rosemary Leach, the actress best known for roles in Jewel In The Crown on TV, A Room With A View on film and 84 Charing Cross Road on stage.

    29 min
  • Sean Hughes, Sir Brian Barder, David Marks, Major Khush Ahmad-ul-Mulk, Marge Calhoun

    Matthew Bannister on

    Sean Hughes, the comedian who pioneered stand up with a narrative and was a team captain on "Never Mind the Buzzcocks".

    Architect David Marks who mortgaged his house as he battled to turn his design for the London Eye into an international landmark.

    Major Khush Ahmad-ul-Mulk, the last surviving son of the Mehtar of Chitral who ruled the state in the North West of Pakistan for over forty years.

    Sir Brian Barder who was Britain's ambassador to Ethiopia during the famine of the 1980s. He was involved in delicate negotiations to get aid through to the starving.

    And Marge Calhoun from California - known as "The First Lady of Surfing".

    Interviewed guest: Terry Eselun

    Interviewed guest: Julia Barfield
    Interviewed guest: Asad Ul Mulk
    Interviewed guest: Owen Barder
    Interviewed guest: Jonathan Steele
    Interviewed guest: Rhona Cameron
    Interviewed guest: Bruce Dessau.

    28 min

About Last Word

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Radio 4's weekly obituary programme, telling the life stories of those who have died recently

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