Last Word

Matthew Bannister on Andy Kershaw, the radio DJ who championed world music, traversing the globe to bring new and eclectic sounds to a mainstream audience. For a time he was roadie to Billy Bragg who recalls their life on the road together. Dame Averil Cameron, the leading historian who re-shaped our understanding of the Byzantine empire. Her friend, Professor Mary Beard, pays tribute. Dr Judith Rapoport, the child psychiatri...

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The Indian singer Asha Bhosle who soundtracked countless Bollywood films and collaborated with Boy George, Michael Stipe and Damon Albarn.

Sir Neil Cossons, a leading light in the development of the UK’s museums.

Professor Harold Ellis, the respected surgeon whose long career began at the same time as the foundation of the NHS.

Daphne Selfe, the elegant model who was rediscovered in her seventies and transformed th...

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 ...

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 indu...

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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 u...

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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 Aw...

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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 ta...

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Neil Sedaka the prolific songwriter who had Sixties hits with Oh Carol and Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen and made a Seventies comeback with Solitaire and Love Will Keep Us Together. Graham Gouldman pays tribute.

Drusilla Beyfus, the journalist best known for her books on etiquette. Her daughter Alexandra Shulman shares her memories.

Professor Dame Carole Jordan, the leading astronomer who was an authority on the c...

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Martyn Butler who was a central figure in the UK’s early response to HIV and AIDS. He was a co-founder of the Terrence Higgins Trust and gave his own home phone number as a helpline.

Allan Massie, the Scottish author and critic whose hero was Sir Walter Scott. Sir Ian Rankin pays tribute.

Professor Nicola Fear, the epidemiologist who studied the effects on military personnel of serving in the Iraq War and Afghani...

Kirsty Lang on

Reverend Jesse Jackson the leading American civil rights campaigner.

Diane Munday who fought to make abortion legal and co-founded the British Pregnancy Advisory Service.

Philippe Gaulier whose internationally renowned clown school which helped to shape the careers of many leading actors.

Lady Jean Wilson who travelled the world building a charity that cured millions of avoidable blindness

Interviewee: Lord Woolley of ...

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Meredith Hooper, the prolific author who wrote several books about Antarctica. We have a tribute from her son, the Oscar winning film director Tom Hooper.

David Young, the American lawyer who was in charge of a team known as “The Plumbers” who tried to stop leaks of sensitive information from the Nixon White House.

Dorothy Solomon, the manager and agent who steered the careers of The Dubliners, The Bachelors and ...

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Sir Nicholas White, whose research on tropical diseases saved millions of lives.

Lord Wallace, the Liberal Democrat who served in the Scottish and Westminster parliaments and was Deputy to three First Ministers.

Professor Deborah Cameron who studied the use of language from a feminist perspective.

Sly Dunbar, the Jamaican drummer who played on hundreds of hit records and teamed up with bass player Robbie Shakespear...

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Sir Mark Tully who reported on India for the BBC for decades, covering some of the most significant events in the country’s recent history.

Dame Gillian Wagner who campaigned to raise the standards of residential care in the UK.

Dr. Gladys West, the mathematician whose work paved the way for the development of GPS.

Richard Larn OBE, the diver who was one of the UK’s leading experts on shipwrecks.

Interviewee: Sara...

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Molly Burkett, who devoted her life - and her home - to rescuing thousands of injured birds and animals. At times these included a killer whale, a pigmy hippopotamus and a beer drinking crow.

Sir James Munby, the respected judge who was President of the Family Division and was instrumental in opening it up to greater public scrutiny.

Edith Flanigen, the chemist who invented molecular sieves or zeolites which have...

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Claudette Colvin the American civil rights campaigner who refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus, nine months before Rosa Parks’ celebrated protest.

Ian Balding, the racehorse trainer who saddled many winners for Queen Elizabeth II.

Gerry Gable, the anti-fascist activist and co-founder of Searchlight magazine, who wasn’t afraid to break the law in his relentless pursuit of the far right.

Juliet Robertson,...

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The colourful life of artist, fashion editor, sex columnist and bonkbuster author Molly Parkin. Her daughter shares the highs and lows of living with Molly.

Kristina Gjerde, the maritime lawyer who fought to protect the high seas.

Michael Barton, the BBC executive who oversaw the expansion of English local radio

Eva Schloss, the holocaust survivor who became Anne Frank’s stepsister.

Producer: Ed Prendeville Assista...

Jon Kay on

The French actor Brigitte Bardot who starred in over 40 films in the 1950s and 60s before a career-change saw her give up the big screen to campaign for animal welfare

Sir Alec Reed who founded the UKs most successful recruitment agency and, through his philanthropy, raised millions for charity

Alwyn Crawshaw, the artist who encouraged millions to paint landscapes through his how-to books and TV programmes

Dame Shan Legge...

Jon Kay on

Fashion designer Antony Price who fused together the worlds of fashion and music in the 70s and 80s

Sister Stan Kennedy, the nun who founded one of Ireland’s largest homelessness charities

Ena Collymore Woodstock, the Jamaican barrister and magistrate who throughout her career broke many barriers for women

John Carey, the academic and former chief literary critic for The Times who took no prisoners with his reviews.

Produce...

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Rob Reiner, the film director, screenwriter and actor behind pictures like “This Is Spinal Tap”, “Stand By Me” and “When Harry Met Sally”.

Stanley Baxter, the Scottish comedian best known for his impersonations of Hollywood stars and royalty. The actor Bill Paterson pays tribute.

And Joanna Trollope and Sophie Kinsella, two best-selling novelists who, in their different ways, told stories of modern life and rel...