Last Word

Matthew Bannister onRhodri 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.

Matthew Bannister onThe 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.

Matthew Bannister onRobert 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.

Matthew Bannister onThe 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.

Matthew Bannister onThe 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.

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.

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.

Matthew Bannister onPlaywright 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.

Matthew Bannister onMartin 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.

Matthew Bannister onThe racing driver John Surtees who won world championships on two wheels and four.Gordon Thomas who wrote best selling books about espionage and religion.Sir Howard Hodgkin - one of the UK's most admired modern painters.H. Boyd Woodruff, the microbiologist who isolated life saving antibiotics in soil.Joni Sledge one of four singing sisters in the disco group Sister Sledge.Producer: Neil George.

Matthew Bannister on The human rights lawyer Sir Nigel Rodley. He helped to draft the United Nations Convention Against Torture and became its special rapporteur on the issue. Pete Overend Watts, the bass player from Mott the Hoople. His platform soled boots were so high that if he fell over on stage he needed a roadie to put him back on his feet again. Louise Hulton the maternal health expert who worked tirelessly to improve conditions for childbirth around the world.And Sir Cosmo Haskard, the colourful Governor of the Falkland Islands, who helped to stop the Labour government from handing them to Argentina in the 1960s. Producer: Neil George.

Julian Worricker on:The long-serving Labour MP and former minister, Gerald KaufmanThe prolific Dutch illustrator and author Dick BrunaCardinal Desmond Connell, who as Archbishop of Dublin presided over the Church's handling of the child abuse scandalControversial city mayor Rita Barbera, who ran Valencia in Spain for twenty yearsWriter and broadcaster, Frank Delaney, best known for Radio 4 programmes Bookshelf and Word of Mouth.Producer: Neil George.

Kate Silverton on Stanley Bard, the enigmatic proprietor of New York's Chelsea Hotel who created a haven for artists, writers and rock stars and presided over one of the greatest experiments in bohemian living in the history of New York Norma McCorvey, known as Jane Roe, the anonymous plaintiff in the Roe v Wade case by which the US supreme court legalised abortion, who became an unlikely icon for feminismMichael Ember, the Hungarian émigré who fled his country's uprising to become one of the BBC's most respected radio producers - creating programmes In the Psychiatrist's chair and Stop the Week And Peter Skellern - the singer, songwriter and pianist who found fame with 'you're a lady' and forged an enduring musical partnership with his colleague and friend Sir Richard Stilgoe.Producer: Neil George.

Matthew Bannister onBetty Tebbs who devoted her life to fighting for women's rights and nuclear disarmament.Sir Peter Mansfield, the Nobel Prize winning physicist who led the development of MRI scanning.Dame Jennifer Jenkins, chairwoman of the Consumers Association and the National Trust.Hans Rosling the statistician known for his skill as a communicator who worked to end poverty.Al Jarreau the versatile singer who won Grammy awards for jazz, pop and R&B.

Matthew Bannister onThe comedy writer Alan Simpson. With his partner Ray Galton, he created classic sitcoms including Hancock's Half Hour and Steptoe and Son.Brunhilde Pomsel who was the secretary to the Nazi propaganda chief Josef Goebbels.Sir Ken Morrison, the Yorkshireman who built up the family grocery firm to become Britain's fourth largest supermarket chain.And the Nigerian born novelist Buchi Emecheta who overcame prejudice to follow her passion for writing.

Matthew Bannister on Sir John Hurt, the actor whose outstanding roles included Quentin Crisp, the Elephant Man and Caligula.Margaret Pereira, the pioneering forensic scientist who was known as "Miss Murder" by the press.Sir Christopher Bland who chaired LWT, the BBC and BT.Emma Tennant, the author from an aristocratic background whose work included sequels to classic novels.And Mary Tyler Moore, the American TV star whose sitcom made her a role model for independent career women. Producer: Neil George.

Matthew Bannister onThe Labour MP Tam Dalyell who asked the West Lothian Question and pursued Margaret Thatcher over the sinking of the Belgrano. Victor Lownes who ran Playboy's clubs in the UK - and lived up to the magazine's lifestyle and values. Children's author Babette Cole, best known for writing and illustrating Princess Smartypants and The Trouble with Mum.The Chinese economist and linguistics expert Zhou Youguang who came up with the Pinyin system of turning Chinese characters into Roman letters.And the actor Gorden Kaye, best known for playing the cafe owner Rene in the comedy series 'Allo 'Allo. Producer: Neil George.

Matthew Bannister onBaroness Rachael Heyhoe Flint who captained the England women's cricket team to victory in the World Cup.Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, one of the key players in the country's revolution.Dr. Una Kroll, a tireless campaigner for the ordination of women.William Peter Blatty who wrote the book and the film "The Exorcist"And Sir James Mancham, the first President of the Seychelles Producer: Neil George.

Matthew Bannister onLord Snowdon - renowned photographer and Princess Margaret's former husband.Graham Taylor - the football manager who had success with Watford and Aston Villa, but was lampooned for his performance with England. Jill Saward, the rape survivor who campaigned for the rights of those who suffer sexual violence. The singer and songwriter Peter Sarsdedt, best known for the song "Where Do You Go To My Lovely?"And Clare Hollingworth, the war reporter who broke the story of the Nazi invasion of Poland. Producer: Neil George.

Julian Worricker on:The writer and art critic John BergerMother and daughter actresses, Debbie Reynolds and Carrie FisherThe surgeon who came up with the life-saving heimlich manoeuvre, Henry HeimlichThe linguist Patsy Crampton, who worked at the Nuremberg trials before going on to translate more than 200 children's booksBroadcaster Brian Widlake, well known for the Money Programme and the World at OneAnd one of the biggest names in popular music, George Michael.Producer: Neil George.