Last Word

Matthew Bannister on:
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 many other stars of the 1960s and 70s. Sharon Osbourne pays tribute.
Derek Kelly, the Essex farmer who revived the fortunes of the Bronze turkey - with a little help from Delia Smith.
Interviewee: Tom Hooper
Interviewee: Suannah Young
Interviewee: Giles Alston
Interviewee: Sharon Osbourne
Interviewee: Dec Cluskey
Interviewee: Paul Kelly
Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies
Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley
Archive used:
Meredith Hooper interview, Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4, 20/08/2007; Meredith Hooper interview, Excess Baggage, BBC Radio 4, 04/02/2012; Tom Hooper, Best Director announcement and acceptance speech, OSCARS, 03/03/2011; Daniel Ellsberg interview, 1971 press conference, BBC Archive Facebook channel, uploaded 05/04/2016; Watergate Special News Report, CBS News, 04/11/1973; Derek Kelly, Delia Smith’s Christmas, BBC TWO, 22/11/1990;

Matthew Bannister on
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 Shakespeare to form “The Riddim Twins”.
Interviewee: Professor Nicholas Day
Interviewee: Lord McConnell
Interviewee: Professor Miriam Meyerhoff
Interviewee: Jazzie B
Interviewee: Kevin Le Gendre
Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies
Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley
Archive used:
Nick White: Improving the treatment of infectious diseases, Mahidol Oxford Research Unit (MORU) in Bangkok, Thailand, Tropical Medicine Oxford YouTube Channel, uploaded 08/03/2024; Professor Nick White: malaria, Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) interview, University of Oxford YouTube channel, uploaded 26 Jan 2012; Nicholas White, “Malaria Defeating The Curse”, Horizon, BBC Two, 05/06/2005; Nick White, Fatal Latitudes, BBC Two, 23/02/1993; Jim Wallace, Scottish Devolution Referendum, Reporting Scotland, BBC Scotland 1997; Coalition, Reporting Scotland, BBC Scotland 14/05/1999; Jim Wallace, Acting first minister clip, FMQs, Scottish Parliament, 15/11/2001; Jim Wallace interview, Stark Talk, BBC Radio Scotland, 09/06/2000; Deborah Cameron interview, Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 4, 31/10/2025; Deborah Cameron interview, Speak Up, BBC Radio 4, 02/08/2024;

Matthew Bannister on
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: Sarah Tully
Interviewee: Qurban Ali
Interviewee: Lucy McCarraher
Interviewee: Carolyn West Oglesby
Interviewee: Steve Roue
Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies
Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Colin Paterson
Archive used:
Mark Tully interview with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Outlook, BBC World Service, 1975; Mark Tully interview, Desert Islands Discs, BBC Radio 4, 15/06/2003; Mark Tully news analysis, BBC World Report, 12/07/1971; Mark Tully report from Bhopal, BBC News, 04/12/1984; Mark Tully report from Ayodhya, BBC News, 06/12/1992; Mark Tully presenting, Something Understood, BBC Radio 4, 30/07/2000; Gillian Wagner, The Barnardo Family, BBC Radio 4, 23/04/1979; Gillian Wagner interview, Scene on Six, BBC News NI, 15/10/1981; Gillian Wagner, The Flower of the Flock, BBC Radio 4, 31/07/1981; Dr Gladys West interview, Today, BBC Radio 4, 31/12/2022; Gladys West interview, PBS News Hour, PBS, 20/01/2026; Hannah Fry: The Secret Genius of Everyday Life, BBC Two, 17/11/2022; Richard Larn interview, BBC News at One, 19/08/2010; Richard Larn , Richard Larn, Shipwrecks, Countryfile, BBC One, 25/02/2007; Richard Larn interview, The Mullion Pin Wreck, BBC, 07/08/1975; The Raising of the Mary Rose, BBC Radio 4, 10/10/1982; Richard Larn, Divers Midweek, 29/08/1974;

Matthew Bannister on
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 made a critical impact on the petroleum refining industry.
Aldrich Ames, who was one of the United States’ most damaging double agents. We hear from the CIA officer who unmasked him.
Producer: Ed Prendeville
Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley
Archive:
Torrey Canyon: The Toxic Tide, BBC Radio 4, 28/02/2007; Superpets – That’s Life!, BBC One, 24/12/1977; The Saturday Picture Show, BBC One, 17/08/1985; BBC Look North, BBC One, 16/02/1988; BBC Look North, BBC One, 12/06/2001; Match of the Day (Theme Tune), BBC TV; Our Dementia Choir Sings Again with Vicky McClure, BBC One, 10/10/2022; The World at One, BBC Radio 4, 03/08/2017; BBC News at Six, BBC One, 03/08/2017; Panorama: The Million Dollar Spy, BBC One, 20/02/1995; Storyville: Valentino – The Last Emperor, BBC Four, 07/07/2011

Matthew Bannister on
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, the Scottish educationalist who was a passionate advocate for outdoor teaching.
And a tribute to Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir from Don Felder of The Eagles.
Interviewee: Brough Scott
Interviewee: Andy Bell
Interviewee: Don Felder
Interviewee: David Cameron
Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies
Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell
Researcher: Jazz George
Editor: Glyn Tansley
Archive used:
Claudette Colvin interview, Outlook, BBC World Service, 23/02/2018; The Epsom Derby, Commentary, BBC One, 02/06/1971; Ian Balding interview, A View from the Boundary, BBC Radio 4, 26/07/2003; Gerry Gable, Witness History, BBC World Service, 12/10/2021; The Light and The Darkness War - documentary, BBC Radio 4, 16/03/1995; Life, Death and the Outdoors with Juliet Robertson, Scotland Outdoors, BBC Radio Scotland, 24/09/2025;