Last Word

Matthew Bannister onThe Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts. We have a tribute from the boogie woogie pianist who played with Charlie in his other band.The maverick Labour MP and TV presenter Austin Mitchell who fought for the fishing industry in his constituency of Great Grimsby, once changing his surname to 'Haddock' as a publicity stunt.The composer Hugh Wood, remembered by his former student the pianist Joanna MacGregor. And the comedian Sean Lock, a regular on Channel Four’s panel show '8 Out of 10 Cats'. His friend and fellow comic Lee Mack pays tribute.Producer: Lucy WaiArchive clips used: Daily Politics: BBC Two, TX 13.11.12; BBC NEWS: BBC One, TX 1.2.1989; Woman's Hour: Radio 4, TX 23.8.2014; YORKSHIRE TV - September 1974; BBC Proms 2019: Radio 3, TX 29.8.2019; Cheltenham Festival 1999: London Mozart Players & Chilingirian Quartet; 15 Storeys High: Radio 4, TX 24.11.1999; Channel 4, You Tube page.

Matthew Bannister onUna Stubbs, the actor who first came to fame in the 1960s TV sitcom 'Till Death Us Do Part', then attracted a new generation of fans as Aunt Sally in Worzel Gummidge. She was also an acclaimed stage performer and ended her career as Mrs Hudson in the Sherlock TV series. Gino Strada, the Italian surgeon who set up the charity Emergency to provide state of the art hospital facilities in some of the world’s poorest countries, including Afghanistan. The photographer Giles Duley pays tribute.Mo Hayder, the best-selling crime writer known for describing the grisly details of violence, who in a previous life was a glamour model and TV actor.Producer: Laura NorthedgeInterviewed guest: Christian Henson Interviewed guest: David Benedict Interviewed guest: Giles Duley Interviewed guest: Alice Jolly Interviewed guest: Selina Walker Archive clips used: Yorkshire Films Archive, Dairy Box advert 1958; Ivy Films, Summer Holiday 1963; Southern Television, Worzel Gummidge 1979; Freemantle/Thames TV, 5's Co

Matthew Bannister on The Jamaican-born poet Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze MBE, who was known for her compelling performances. We have a tribute from Linton Kwesi Johnson.Sir Nicholas Goodison, chairman of the stock exchange at the time of the Big Bang in the 1980s and also a noted expert on antique clocks.Shaykh Abdalqadir as-Sufi, the influential Muslim teacher who was born Ian Dallas, worked as an actor and script writer in the 1960s and converted to Islam after a visit to the holy city of Fez in Morocco. Joyce Shrubbs, who joined the Royal Observer Corps during World War II and rose to become its highest ranking woman officer.Producer: Laura NorthedgeInterviewed guest: Justin Urquhart Stewart Interviewed guest: Jonathan Betts Interviewed guest: Linton Kwesi Johnson Interviewed guest: Dona Croll Interviewed guest: Shaykh Paul Salahuddin Armstrong Interviewed guest: Yasin Dutton Interviewed guest: Michael Marks Interviewed guest: Edwina HoldenArchive clips used: Pathe News, London stock exchange during Second World

Julian Worricker on:The opera director, Sir Graham Vick, who challenged people's perceptions by discovering new performers and new audiences.Carmel Budiardjo, the human rights campaigner whose work was influenced by time spent in jail in Indonesia.The award-winning radio documentary maker, Piers Plowright, who set out to shine a light on the everyday lives of ordinary people.And Dusty Hill....the bearded bass player from Texas, who enjoyed worldwide success as part of ZZ Top.Producer: Laura NorthedgeInterviewed guest: Simon Halsey Interviewed guest: Nicholas Payne Interviewed guest: Jonathan Head Interviewed guest: Barbara Patilla Interviewed guest: Simon Elmes Interviewed guest: Sam Dunn

Matthew Bannister onJackie Mason, the comedian and former rabbi whose observations of Jewish life took him from the Borscht Belt to Broadway. John Woodcock, the veteran cricket writer who reported on some of the greatest matches of the twentieth century.Dinah Murray, a tireless campaigner for the rights of autistic people.Billy Lacey, thought to be the last of the Norfolk marshmen who used traditional methods to clear dykes and cut reeds. Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Michael Goldfarb Interviewed guest: Jonathan Agnew Interviewed guest: Fergus Murray Interviewed guest: Dr Rebecca Wood Interviewed guest: Sue GoodchildArchive clips used: 20th CENTURY FOX, Simpsons episode 8F05, 1991; WARNER, The World According To Me, 1987; YouTube, A Bi Geznut The Genius Which is Jackie Mason; Angel/EMI, Look Who's Laughing - Live at the London Palladium, 1997; SPORTS BOOK AWARDS, John Woodcock, 2018; WISEArchive, Bill Lacey interview, 2021.

Matthew Bannister onGillian Sheen, the first and only British person to win an Olympic Gold Medal for fencing.Professor William 'Twink' Allen, the equine fertility expert whose request for permission to clone a horse was turned down by regulators.Squadron Leader Lawrence 'Benny' Goodman, the bomber pilot who flew highly dangerous missions with the 617 squadron during the second world war.Alan Lewis, the publisher and editor who presided over some of the most successful music magazines of the late twentieth century, including 'Sounds', 'NME' and 'Kerrang!'.Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Bruce Donaldson Interviewed guest: Malcolm Fare Interviewed guest: Richard Greenwood Interviewed guest: Dr. Robert Owen Interviewed guest: James BrownArchive clips used: BRITISH FENCING interview, 2012; PATHE, Olympian wins at foil competition, 1957; CSA The Melbourne Rendezvous film, 1956; Global Entertainment Test Tube Foals, 2016; MYFOOTAGE.COM Bombers Sink Nazi Battleship, 1944; PATHE RAF's New 10 Ton Bomb, 1945; E

Matthew Bannister on Jehan Sadat, the wife of president Anwar Sadat of Egypt, who campaigned for women’s rights, supported the disabled and disadvantaged people and forged an academic career.Michael Horovitz, the anarchic poet who staged chaotic 'happenings' and supported new talent.Richard Ernst, the Swiss chemist who won the Nobel prize for his work on nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.Dilip Kumar, the Bollywood actor known as 'the king of tragedy'.Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Noah Bakr Interviewed guest: Shibley Telhami Interviewed guest: Adam Horovitz Interviewed guest: John Hegley Interviewed guest: Matthias Ernst Interviewed guest: Professor Kurt Wüthrich Interviewed guest: Anil SinananArchive clips used: ABC NEWS, 06/10/1980; SPINE TV, 21/12/2011; Optic Nerve Ltd 2011-2021; Martin Packard, You Tube 2010; Devdas film, 1955; Kohinoor film, 1960; Mughal-E-Azam film, 1960.

Matthew Bannister onDonald Rumsfeld, the US Secretary of Defense who challenged the military bureaucracy, advocated the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and was blamed for many of the failings of that operation.Menelik Shabazz, the pioneering film director who supported the careers of many other black film makers.Elizabeth French, the archaeologist who was a leading expert on the pottery of the ancient Greek city of Mycenae.Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Justin Webb Interviewed guest: Andrew Cockburn Interviewed guest: Joy Francis Interviewed guest: David Somerset Interviewed guest: John BennetArchive clips used: C-SPAN 19/03/2003; CNN 02/12/2002; AP 13/05/2004; Step Forward Youth 1977 by Menelik Shabazz; Burning an Illusion 1981 by Menelik Shabazz; Blood Ah Go Run 1981 by Menelik Shabazz; Autumn Breeze Movies, Mycenaean War and Peace 24/05/2010; Introduction to Mycenaeans and Mycenaean Culture, History with Cy 21/06/2019; History Victorum, The Citadel of Mycenae 04/06/2020.

Matthew Bannister on The controversial American businessman John McAfee who made his first fortune selling anti-virus software, retreated into a compound in Belize where he was suspected of links with organised crime, campaigned to win the Presidential nomination for the Libertarian party and was found hanged in a Spanish prison cell after facing extradition on fraud and tax evasion charges. General Trần Thiện Khiêm, a key player in the 'snake pit' of coup and counter coup that destabilised the government of South Vietnam during the war of the 1960s.Karla Burns, the Broadway and West End singer who became the first black person to win an Olivier Award. Horace 'Lyle' Hutley, thought to be the last surviving prisoner of war who worked on the infamous bridge over the River Kwai.Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Michael Carlson Interviewed guest: Nanette Burstein Interviewed guest: Professor Lien-Hang T. Nguyen Interviewed guest: Bill Ripper Interviewed guest: Allan MallinsonArchive clips used: CNBC News, 2

Pictured: President Kenneth KaundaMatthew Bannister onThe Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda who fought for independence then ruled his country for nearly thirty years, but was voted out of office in the first multi-party elections of 1991. Janet Malcolm, the American writer whose works questioned the ethics of journalists and biographers, including herself. Penny Kemp, who brought passion and professionalism to the campaigns of the Green Party. Bob Swash, the theatre producer whose hits included Evita and Blood Brothers.Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Maureen Nkandu Interviewed guest: Katie Roife Interviewed guest: Darren Johnson Interviewed guest: Caroline Lucas Interviewed guest: Michael Coveney Interviewed guest: Willy RussellArchive clips used: Zambian Independence Celebrations, BBC Archives, October 1964; Reading Chekhov, Radio 3 08/07/2004; A Brunch Conversation with Janet Malcolm, Kelly Writers’ House 19/03/2013; Today, Radio 4 13/09/2002; Greens On The Record, BBC One 24/09/1989; The Wor

Pictured: Edward de BonoMatthew Bannister onEdward De Bono, the psychologist who advocated lateral thinking – and sold the concept to companies around the world.Paul Van Doren, the American businessman whose Vans sneakers were adopted by skateboarders, making him a multi-millionaire.Alastair Hanton OBE, who set up the National Girobank and developed direct debits to allow greater access to banking before becoming a campaigner for ethical investing and greener transport.Violetta Elvin, the Russian ballerina who made her name as a rival to Dame Margot Fonteyn at the Royal Ballet.Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Sarah Tucker Interviewed guest: Steve Van Doren Interviewed guest: Nicholas Smith Interviewed guest: Angus Hanton Interviewed guest: Raffaele Lauro Interviewed guest: Ronald Hynd Translator: Martin EspositoArchive clips used: Logical and Lateral, Radio 4 29/12/1976; Today, Radio 4 29/04/1976; Fast Times at Ridgemont High, directed by Amy Heckerling, Universal Pictures 1982; LA Olympics Opening Cer

Matthew Bannister on Lee Evans, the world-record-breaking American sprinter who took part in black power protests at the 1968 Mexico Olympics.Yuan Longping, the plant scientist who developed hybrid varieties of rice that increased yields dramatically and so saved millions from hunger.Bill McCall, the General Secretary of the Institution of Professional Civil Servants who challenged Margaret Thatcher over union recognition at GCHQ.Alix Dobkin, the folk singer and lesbian activist who performed to women-only audiences. Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Tommie Smith Interviewed guest: Professor Douglas Hartmann Interviewed guest: Keith Bradsher Interviewed guest: Charles Harvey Interviewed guest: Liza CowanArchive clips used: Athletics_400 Metres Final: BBC One, TX 18.10.1968; A Classless Civil Service: Radio 3, TX 10.7.1968; BBC News: BBC One, TX 28.2.1984

Matthew Bannister onThe children’s author and illustrator Eric Carle, best known for creating The Very Hungry Caterpillar which has sold fifty-five million copies.Helen Murray Free, the American chemist who developed revolutionary simple tests for diabetes and other serious conditions. Michael Parsons, the engineer who designed some of the world’s longest suspension bridges, including the Severn Bridge and the Humber Bridge.Evelyn McNicol, the pioneering Scottish mountaineer who was a member of the first all-female British expedition to the Himalayas. Producer: Rabeka NurmahomedInterviewed guest: Oliver Jeffers Interviewed guest: Julia Eccleshare Interviewed guest: Dr Bill Carroll Interviewed guest: Philip Parsons Interviewed guest: Kate RossArchive clips used: Open Book: Radio 4, TX 4.5.1999; The Severn Bridge at 50_A High Wire Act: BBC One Wales, TX 7.9.2016; Ladies Scottish Climbing Club: Radio Scotland, TX 20.12.2006

Julian Worricker on:Sir Paul Cosford, who - as medical director of Public Health England - took on a prominent role during the Ebola outbreak and the Salisbury poisonings.The Formula One boss, Max Mosley, who helped turn his sport into a global spectacle and became an outspoken privacy campaigner.Dr Frances Rotblat, a haematologist, whose pioneering work led to significant advances in the treatment of haemophilia. And the veteran actor, Norman Lloyd, whose career began in the 1920s and who worked alongside Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock and Charlie Chaplin.Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Dr Gillian Leng Interviewed guest: Jeremy Hunt Interviewed guest: Simon Taylor Interviewed guest: Tom Brown Interviewed guest: Donogh O’BrienArchive clips used: BBC News: BBC One, TX 7.3.2018; BBC News, BBC One, TX 25.10.2014; Today Programme: Radio 4, TX 24.5.2021; On the Ropes: Radio 4, TX 1.3.2011; Today: Radio 4, TX 22.11.1984; Brain of Britain: Radio 4, TX 12.9.1977; Art for the Millions: Radio 4, TX 1.2.2018

Matthew Bannister onDr. Spencer Silver, the American chemist who invented the adhesive used in Post It Notes.Kevin Jackson, the writer, broadcaster and critic described as a “21st century man of letters”.Patricia Brown, who played a leading role in cracking German codes at Bletchley Park during the second world war.Asfaw Yemiru, the former street boy from Ethiopia who founded a school for orphans in Addis Ababa which has given free education to thousands of students. Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Linda Spencer Interviewed guest: Art Fry Interviewed guest: Tom Sutcliffe Interviewed guest: Iona Brown Interviewed guest: Dr Tessa Dunlop Interviewed guest: Beneberu Demissie Kassa Interviewed guest: Revd Canon Tim KinahanArchive clips used: Twenty Minutes_Dutch Icons_Vermeer: Radio 3, TX 8.10.2002; Saturday Review: Radio 4, TX 9.11.2019

Matthew Bannister on:Olympia Dukakis, the Greek-American actor who won an Oscar for playing Cher’s mother in Moonstruck and became an LGBT icon after playing Anna Madrigal in Tales of the City. Its author Armistead Maupin pays tribute.Eric McGraw who founded and edited a magazine for prisoners called “Inside Time”. Former inmate Noel “Razor” Smith explains how it changed the course of his life.Anthony Thwaite, the poet, editor and critic who was a pivotal figure in British literary life. The former poet laureate Andrew Motion pays tribute. Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Gregory Pappas Interviewed guest: Armistead Maupin Interviewed guest: Rachel Billington Interviewed guest: Noel ‘Razor’ Smith Interviewed guest: Ann Thwaite Interviewed guest: Andrew MotionArchive clips used: Hardtalk: BBC One, TX 19.3.2001; In Living Memory: Strangeways riot: Radio 4, TX 20.4.2005

Matthew Bannister onBaroness O’Cathain, the successful businesswoman who became Managing Director of the Barbican Arts Centre in London but left after losing the confidence of staff and artists.Michael Collins, the Apollo 11 astronaut who stayed in the Apollo command module while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon.Sharon Matola, the former lion tamer who became an environmentalist in Belize, establishing a zoo to care for the country’s rare and rescued animals.Jim Steinman, the songwriter whose masterwork “Bat Out Of Hell” became one of the best-selling albums of all time.Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Lord Faulkner of Worcester Interviewed guest: Sir Nicholas Kenyon Interviewed guest: Lou Nicolait Interviewed guest: Andrea Polanco Interviewed guest: Meat Loaf Interviewed guest: Don BlackArchive clips used: The Farming Week: Radio 4, TX 1.8.1987; Woman's Hour: Radio 4, TX 17.10.1989; 13 Minutes to the Moon: World Service, TX 15.5.2019; Naomi's Nightmares of Nature: CBBC, TX 2.7.2014;

Matthew Bannister on:Geoff Crowther, the global traveller, writer and map maker whose work helped to build the success of the Lonely Planet guide books.Isamu Akasaki, the Nobel prize winning physicist whose discoveries paved the way for LED lighting.June Newton, who was a successful portrait photographer using the name Alice Springs to avoid comparisons with her husband and fellow photographer Helmut Newton.Les McKeown, the front man of the Scottish boy band The Bay City Rollers. At their height the band provoked the same hysteria from fans as the Beatles had done a decade earlier. Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Ashley Crowther Interviewed guest: Tony Wheeler Interviewed guest: Hiroshi Amano Interviewed guest: Professor Russell Dupuis Interviewed guest: Dana Thomas Interviewed guest: Billy Sloan Interviewed guest: Nina MyskowArchive clips used: Newsnight: BBC One, TX 5.8.1999

Matthew Bannister onHelen McCrory, the actor best known for playing the matriarch Aunt Polly in Peaky Blinders, but equally acclaimed for her classical stage performances. David Hare pays tribute.Hans Küng, the controversial Catholic theologian who often clashed with the Vatican and wrote many books including 'Does God Exist?” and “Can We Save The Catholic Church?”.Eric Gordon, the communist journalist who took his family to live in China under Chairman Mao and on his return bought the North London newspaper the Camden Journal and turned its fortunes around. George Reynolds, the colourful ex-offender who became a multi-millionaire, bought his local football club Darlington FC and once offered to pay off the mortgages of many of his employees and give them each a Mercedes car. Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: David Hare Interviewed guest: Mark Strong Interviewed guest: Michael Coveney Interviewed guest: David Willey Interviewed guest: Charles Curran Interviewed guest: Kim Gordon Interviewed guest: Mik

Matthew Bannister on:The Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Williams of Crosby. As Shirley Williams she was a Labour cabinet minister who abolished the 11-plus exam in many parts of the UK, then a member of the Gang of Four who founded the SDP and later the Lib Dem leader in the House of Lords. Her former colleague Lord Owen pays tribute.Glynn Lunney, who was the flight director on key American space missions, including the Apollo 11 moon landing and the aborted Apollo 13 mission, during which he played a key role in saving the astronauts' lives. His fellow flight director Gerry Griffin pays tribute.And Lyn Macdonald, the historian who documented the testimony of ordinary First World War soldiers. The author Sebastian Faulks tells us how she inspired his best-selling novel “Birdsong”. Producer: Neil GeorgeInterviewed guest: Julia Langdon Interviewed guest: Lord David Owen Interviewed guest: Gerry Griffin Interviewed guest: Kevin Fong Interviewed guest: Sebastian FaulksArchive clips used: Desert Island Discs - Sh