Last Word
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    per episode

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Last Word episodes

  • Brendan Duddy, Nina Lowry, Roger Ailes, Osmund Reynolds, Roger Moore

    Andrea Catherwood on

    Brendan Duddy, the businessman from Derry who played a key but unsung role in the Northern Ireland peace process hosting secret talks between MI6 and the IRA.

    Nina Lowry, the first woman to become an Old Bailey judge, who helped toughen up sentencing on sex crimes.

    Roger Ailes, the controversial figure who conceived and ran Rupert Murdoch's Fox News Network for two decades before being ousted over sexual harassment claims.

    Osmund Reynolds, a founder of neo-natal medicine who's pioneering work changed the outcome for a generation of premature babies.

    And Sir Roger Moore, the actor and film star best know for his portrayal of British secret agent 007, James Bond

    Produced by Neil George.

    29 min
  • Rhodri Morgan, Michael Wearing, Dr Helen Szamuely, Ian Brady, Robert Miles

    Matthew Bannister on

    Rhodri Morgan the former Welsh First Minister, known as the Labour Party's "Father of Welsh devolution".

    Michael Wearing the TV producer behind award winning series like "Boys From The Blackstuff" and "Edge of Darkness".

    Helen Szamuely who helped to start the Anti Federalist League - which became the UK Independence Party.

    The Moors murderer Ian Brady.

    And the DJ Robert Miles - best known for his international hit "Children".

    Producer: Neil George.

    29 min
  • Ueli Steck, Lord Williams of Baglan, Sylvia Moy, Captain James Dickson MBE, Jon Prinz

    Matthew Bannister on

    The Swiss climber Ueli Steck, famous for his daring high speed ascents of the world's most challenging mountains without the use of oxygen.

    Lord Williams the human rights expert who advised three Labour Foreign secretaries.

    Sylvia Moy who co-wrote many of Stevie Wonder's best known songs, including "I Was Made To Love Her" and "My Cherie Amour."

    Captain James Dickson, the experienced seaman who was winched down onto the deck of the oil tanker Braer when it ran aground in high seas on the coast of Shetland.

    And Jon Prinz, the food scientist and custard expert described by Heston Blumenthal as "brilliant and barking mad in equal measure".

    Producer: Neil George.

    29 min
  • Robert Pirsig, Shobha Nehru, Michael Ballhaus, Leo Baxendale, Bruce Langhorne

    Matthew Bannister on

    Robert Pirsig, author of the best selling book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

    Shobha Nehru, the Hungarian woman who married into India's most powerful political dynasty - and used her position to confront Prime Minister Indira Ghandi about human rights abuses.

    Michael Ballhaus, the cinematographer who worked closely with Martin Scorsese.

    Leo Baxendale, the cartoonist and publisher who created the Bash Street Kids and Minnie the Minx.

    And Bruce Langhorne, the guitarist on some of Bob Dylan's best known songs.

    Producer: Neil George.

    29 min
  • Jonathan Demme, Robert Taylor, Cathy Hopkins, Peter Farrer, Dorothy Torry

    Matthew Bannister on

    The film director Jonathan Demme - best known for the multi Oscar winning films Silence of the Lambs and Philadelphia.

    Robert Taylor who helped to develop the first networked computers - a forerunner of the internet - and inspired the creation of modern personal computers.

    Cathy Hopkins who campaigned for the residents of St Helena to get back their British citizenship.

    Peter Farrer, the Liverpool tax inspector who enjoyed cross dressing and became an expert on the history of women's costume.

    And Dorothy Torry, secretary to six BBC Directors General, including Lord Reith.

    Producer: Neil George.

    29 min
  • Michael Bogdanov, Louis Sarno, Sheila Abdus Salaam, Dick Potts, Don Rickles

    Matthew Bannister on

    The theatre director Michael Bogdanov, who co-founded the English Shakespeare Company. His National Theatre production of the Romans In Britain led to an obscenity trial.

    The ethnomusicologist Louis Sarno who fell in love with the music of an obscure tribe of pygmies in the Central African Republic and went to live with them.

    Sheila Abdus Salaam, who became the first African American woman to serve as a judge on New York's highest court.

    Dick Potts, the ecologist who worked to save Britain's grey partridge population.

    Don Rickles, the American comedian who made his name by insulting Frank Sinatra and was the voice of Mr Potato Head in the Toy Story films.

    29 min
  • Masha Leon, Tim Pigott-Smith, Christopher Morahan, Parv Bancil, Marthe Gosteli, Brian Matthew

    Julian Worricker on:

    The society columnist and Holocaust survivor, Masha Leon....

    Actor Tim Pigott-Smith and director Christopher Morahan, who worked together on ITV's The Jewel in the Crown....

    Playwright Parv Bancil whose work tackled issues affecting young British Asians....

    Marthe Gosteli, who was at the forefront of the campaign to get women the vote in Switzerland....

    And the broadcaster, host of 'Sounds of the Sixties', Brian Matthew.

    29 min
  • Darcus Howe, Andy Coogan, Dr Sylvia Moody, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Peter Shotton

    Matthew Bannister on

    the Black Power activist and journalist Darcus Howe. He was a leading campaigner for equal rights in the 1970s and 80s.

    Athletics coach Andy Coogan who spent three and a half years as a prisoner of the Japanese during the second world war.

    Dr Sylvia Moody, the clinical psychologist who pioneered greater understanding of dyslexia in adults.

    The Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko who became a star in the West during the 1960s.

    Peter Shotton - who was at school with John Lennon, played the washboard in the Quarrymen and made his fortune from a chain of American-style diners.

    28 min
  • David Storey, Ahmed Kathrada, Barbara Buss, Aloysius 'Lucky' Gordon

    Matthew Bannister on

    Playwright and novelist David Storey who drew on his experiences as a professional rugby league player in some of his work.

    The South African anti apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada who spent twenty six years in prison with Nelson Mandela and then became his parliamentary adviser.

    Barbara Buss who edited Woman Magazine in its 1970s heyday.

    And Lucky Gordon, the drug dealer, jazz singer and cook whose brief relationship with Christine Keeler led to the uncovering of the Profumo Affair in the 1960s.

    Producer: Neil George.

    29 min
  • Martin McGuinness, Chuck Berry, Sir Derek Walcott, Salome Karwah, Colin Dexter

    Matthew Bannister on

    Martin McGuinness, who went from being a violent IRA commander to a peace making politician.

    Chuck Berry, hailed as the father of rock n roll by musicians from Keith Richards to John Lennon and Bruce Springsteen.

    The Nobel prize winning poet Sir Derek Walcott, who brought the Caribbean experience to the wider world.

    Salome Karwah, who survived Ebola in her native Liberia, went back to help other sufferers and then died from complications after childbirth.

    And Colin Dexter, creator of the immortal detective Inspector Morse.

    Producer: Neil George.

    29 min

About Last Word

From the publisher's feed

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

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