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Last Word

BBC

Last Word

A weekly Society and Culture podcast featuring Matthew Bannister, Kirsty Lang and John Wilson
 1 person rated this podcast
Last Word

BBC

Last Word

Episodes
Last Word

BBC

Last Word

A weekly Society and Culture podcast featuring Matthew Bannister, Kirsty Lang and John Wilson
 1 person rated this podcast
Rate Podcast

Episodes of Last Word

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Matthew Bannister on:Sir Paul Fox, the respected TV executive who commissioned some of the best loved programmes of the 1960s and 70s. We have a tribute from his former colleague Sir David Attenborough. Lynne Reid Banks, the author best known f
Matthew Bannister onProfessor Peter Higgs, the physicist who won the Nobel prize for explaining why the building blocks of the universe have mass. Trevor Griffiths, the playwright whose stage and TV dramas focused on left wing politics an
Matthew Bannister onJoe Lieberman, the US Democrat politician who fell out with his party over the Iraq War.Diana Baring, the respected literary agent. We have a tribute from her client Frederick Forsyth.Lynn Kinnear, who was one of th
John Wilson onRichard Taylor, who became a tireless campaigner against knife crime and supported disadvantaged young people. Lisa Lane, the chess champion who was the first player to feature on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Rose Dugdale, the
In this special edition of Last Word, John Boyega pays tribute to campaigner Richard Taylor, the father of Damilola Taylor who was killed 24 years ago.Richard Taylor - a Nigerian civil servant - dedicated years to improving the lives of disadva
Matthew Bannister onVince Power, the live music promoter whose Mean Fiddler group operated a string of London venues and built up the Reading and Leeds festivals.Olga Murray, the American lawyer who devoted her later life to helping the c
Matthew Bannister onAudrey Adams who became a tireless campaigner for the rights of black people after her son was stabbed to death in a racist attack.Nicola Trahan, who joined the French Resistance as a teenager and was later awarded the Croix
Matthew Bannister onIris Apfel the colourful fashion and interior designer whose own dress sense made an impact until her death aged 102.Dr Colin Murray Parkes, the psychiatrist once described as “the David Attenborough of the bereavement world
John Wilson on the celebrated sculptor Nicholas Dimbleby, responsible for numerous well known commissions around the country. Lord Patrick Cormack the politician, historian and prolific author.Wendy Mitchell, the author and blogger who was diag
John Wilson onAlexei Navalny, the anti-corruption campaigner and leading opponent of President Vladimir Putin, who has died in a Russian state prison. Dr Brooke Ellison, an American academic and disabilities rights advocate who drew on her own
Matthew Bannister onThe much-loved Radio 1 and 2 DJ Steve Wright. We have a tribute from his former colleague Simon Mayo.Baroness Flather, who was the first Asian woman to sit in the House of Lords.Alan Mills, the Wimbledon tennis referee who h
Matthew Bannister onDr Lowitja O’Donoghue who overcame a traumatic childhood to become one of Australia’s leading campaigners for the rights of indigenous people.Ian Lavender, the actor best known for playing Private Pike in Dad’s Army.Robie Ha
Matthew Bannister onFrank Farian, the German music producer behind the hugely successful group Boney M, who caused controversy when it was revealed that his duo Milli Vanilli had been miming at all their live shows. We hear from Boney M singer
Matthew Bannister onNorma Barzman, the screenwriter from the Golden Age of Hollywood who fled to Europe after facing being blacklisted from the House Un-American Activities Committee for her Communist views. Lord Saye and Sele, the aristocrat w
Matthew Bannister onAnnie Nightingale who was Radio 1’s first female presenter and its longest serving DJ. Her son remembers meeting Jimi Hendrix over breakfast in her kitchen and the 72-hour-party at her home featuring some of the biggest name
Matthew Bannister onCamila Batmanghelidjh who founded the charity Kids Company to help disadvantaged children. The charity collapsed amidst controversy, although she was later cleared of any wrongdoing.Sir Roy Calne, the surgeon who carried out
Matthew Bannister onJohn Pilger, the campaigning journalist who made award winning films about human rights abuses and was an outspoken critic of British and US foreign policy.K.M. Peyton, the author of many “pony” books for children and adoles
Kirsty Lang on Jacques Delors, the politician and architect of the modern EU. Nancy Pearce, the founder of a charity to help people with eating disorders. Elinor Otto, the American factory worker who was one of the original 'Rosie the Riveter
Matthew Bannister onMaureen Sweeney, the postmistress from the west of Ireland whose weather forecast postponed D-Day by 24 hours.Sir Tim Brighouse, the educationalist credited with transforming the performance of London’s schools.Shirley Anne
Matthew Bannister on The dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah who overcame childhood trauma to become an acclaimed performer and writer.Laura Lean, who volunteered for the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, helping to support distressed families after The Gren
Matthew Bannister onShane MacGowan the lead singer of The Pogues who was famous for his song writing but also his abuse of drugs and alcohol. His sister joins us to discuss the roots of his talent and his excesses. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor,
Matthew Bannister onHenry Kissinger, a towering figure in international diplomacy, who won the Nobel Peace Prize but was condemned by some as a war criminal. Also, Terry Venables, the colourful manager who took the England Football team to the
Matthew Bannister onCaptain Don Walsh, the American submariner who made the first descent to the deepest place in the ocean – the Mariana Trench. His friend and fellow deep sea explorer Victor Vescovo relives the experience for us.Dame A.S. Bya
Matthew Bannister on Peter Betts, who was the UK’s lead negotiator at international climate change summits.Audrey Salkeld, the mountaineering historian best known for her work on the ill-fated Mallory and Irvine expedition.Heather Rogers KC, th
Matthew Bannister onKen Mattingly, the astronaut who missed flying into space on the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission because he had been exposed to German measles. We have a tribute from Fred Haise who did take part in that hazardous flight.Anne Wr
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