Last Word

Matthew Bannister on
Sir Craig Reedie, the sports administrator who led London’s successful bid for the 2012 Olympics and went on to become President of the World Anti-Doping Agency. Lord Coe pays tribute.
Bronwen Naish, the musician who devoted her life to promoting the joys of the double bass.
Geoff Yeadon, the world record breaking cave diver from Yorkshire.
And Margareta Magnusson, best known as the author of the book “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning”.
Producer: Ed Prendeville
Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley

John Wilson on
Robert Fox the producer who had a career that spanned theatre, film and television. We have tributes from Colin Firth, Rupert Everett and Robert’s brother, the actor Edward Fox.
Mary Rand MBE, the first British woman to win an Olympic athletics gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Sir Tony Hoare, one of the world’s leading computer software designers who developed algorithms and languages which have become industry standards.
Biruté Galdikas, the primatologist and conservationist whose years of studying orangutans in their natural habitat helped understand and protect the primates.
Interviewee: Edward Fox
Interviewee: Rupert Everett
Interviewee: Colin Firth
Interviewee: Wendy Sly
Interviewee: Professor Bill Roscoe
Interviewee: Professor Erin Vogel
Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies
Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley
Archive used: Another Country movie promo, Another Country Trailer, 1984, director Marek Kanievska, writer Julian Mitchell, Goldcrest Films International,, YouTube Uploaded by Sundance Now, 04/10/2017; Another Country, Queen’s Theatre, directed by Stuart Burge, written by Julian Mitchell, 1982, broadcast on Newsnight, BBC Two, 02/03/1982; Mary Rand at the 1964 Olympics, BBC Sound Archive, commentary by David Coleman, 1964 Tokyo Olympics, 14/01/1964; An Interview with Tony Hoare, ACM 1980 A.M. Turing Award Recipient, Interviewer: Cliff Jones, Newcastle University, 24/11/2015, uploaded to Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) YouTube channel on 25/10/2016; Biruté Galdikas interview, Good Morning, BBC One, 15/02/1995; Biruté Galdikas, Great Apes Documentary, BBC Two, 29/02/1976; Biruté Galdikas interview, Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4, 16/02/1995;

Matthew Bannister on
The Woman’s Hour presenter Dame Jenni Murray. Mark Steel joins us to recall her triumphant debut as a stand-up comedian.
Len Deighton who created “anti-James Bond” novels including The Ipcress File, Billion Dollar Brain and Horse Under Water.
Lynda Hale, the footballer who battled against sexism to play in the first official England women’s international in 1972.
Jurgen Habermas, the German philosopher who came up with the influential concept of “the public sphere”.
Producer: Ed Prendeville
Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley
Archive:
Jurgen Habermas interview, YouTube Upload, Davidmeme, 1/02/2007; Jürgen Habermas Interview, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs (Georgetown University), 10/2011; Scotland v England, BBC News, 18/11/1972; South Today, BBC, 29/07/2025; South Today, BBC, 18/07/2022; Nationwide, BBC, 17/11/1972; Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 19/06/1976 The Lively Arts: Len Deighton, BBC Two, 18/12/1977; The Truth About Len Deighton, BBC Four, 01/08/2007; The Ipcress File, BBC Radio 4, 04/01/2015; Pebble Mill, BBC One, 13/05/1993; South Today, BBC (via TV Ark), 20/10/1983; Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 4, 19/01/1987; Comic Relief, BBC, 09/03/2011 BBC News, BBC, 21/12/2006; Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 4, 01/10/2020

Matthew Bannister on
Yanar Mohammed who campaigned for women’s rights in Iraq and set up a secret network of shelters for those fleeing abusive relationships. She was shot dead on 2nd March.
Phil Woolas, a key figure in the New Labour project who became MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth.
Professor Robin Weiss, the eminent virologist who carried out important work to understand HIV.
Jane Lapotaire, the classical actor who won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Edith Piaf.
Interviewee: Nawal Al-Maghafi
Interviewee: Nick Jones
Interviewee: Jonathan Weber
Interviewee: Zoë Wanamaker
Producer: Ribika Moktan
Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley
Archive used:
Outlook, BBC World Service, 09/05/2005; News 1800, BBC Radio 4, 14/12/2003; BBC News, 1/04/1992; BBC News, 02/05/1997; Daily Politics: 2010 Election, Debates: The Immigration Debate, 4/05/2010; BBC News at Ten, BBC, 07/05/2009; BBC News at One, 09/12/2010; BBC News, 21/11/1986; Frontiers, BBC Radio 4, 24/02/1996; Piaf, playwright Pam Gems, director Howard Davies, production by Royal Shakespeare Company, broadcast on Arena: Theatre, BBC 12/02/1979; The 35th Annual Tony Awards, dir Clark Jones, Producer Alexander H. Cohen, produced and written by Hildy Parks, A Bentwood Television Production, CBS, 07/06/1981; Desert island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 22/08/1986; Richard II, dir Gregory Dean, The Royal Shakespeare Company, 2013; Woman's Hour, Radio 4, 24/04/2003

Matthew Bannister on
Paul Conroy, the photojournalist who worked extensively in war zones in the Middle East and the Balkans. He was with the Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin when she was killed in Syria.
Kenith Trodd, the TV producer best known for his work with Dennis Potter on series like Pennies from Heaven and The Singing Detective. Stephen Poliakoff pays tribute.
Astrid Llewellyn who skippered the first all-female crew to take part in a Tall Ships Race.
Jo Purvis, the DJ who promoted LGBTQ+ ballroom dancing events in the 1970s and 1980s.
Interviewee: Stephen Poliakoff
Interviewee: Tim Llewellyn
Interviewee: Toni Krause
Interviewee: Peter Flockhart
Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies
Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley
Archive used:
Paul Conroy interview, Music on the Front Line, Music Matters, BBC Radio 3, 03/05/2025; Paul Conroy: My Escape from Homs, Outlook, BBC World Service, 22/01/2013; Caught on a Train, Play for Today, Playhouse, Director: Peter Duffell, Writer: Stephen Poliakoff , BBC Two, 31/10/1980; The Ballroom of Romance, Play for Today, Playhouse, Director: Pat O'Connor, Writer: William Trevor, BBC Two, 05/11/1982; Pennies From Heaven, Episode 4: Better Think Twice, Director: Piers Haggard, Writer: Dennis Potter, BBC One, 28/03/1978; The Singing Detective, BBC Promo, 1991; The Singing Detective, Night Waves, BBC Radio 3, 16/06/2014; Sunday Feature: Dennis Potter - With Aggressive Affection, BBC Radio 3, 04/08/2015; Astrid Llewellyn interview and actuality, The Tall Ships Race 1974, BBC Television, 07/08/1974; Jo Purvis interview, Purvette, taken from the film ondon. Director: Alex Eisenberg, Courtesy of Alex Eisenberg, 2024;