Last Word

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 pursu...

Matthew Bannister on 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 steps...

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 boo...

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...

Matthew Bannister on 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,...

Matthew Bannister on Iain Douglas-Hamilton, the zoologist who devoted his life to the study and conservation of African elephants. Vera Weisfeld, the businesswoman whose chain of What Every Woman Wants stores offered fashion designs at bargain prices. Frank Gehry, the architect best known for his flamboyant designs for the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles...

Matthew Bannister has a star-studded cast on this week’s Last Word: Sir David Hare pays tribute to his friend and fellow playwright Sir Tom Stoppard. Boy George recalls the flamboyant fashion designer Pam Hogg. Sir Mark Rylance gives an insight into the many talents of the actor, director and writer Jack Shepherd. We also remember Yanxin He, one of the last surviving speakers in a village that spo...

Kirsty Lang on: Jimmy Cliff, who took reggae music onto the global stage. His former record producer and founder of Island Records, Chris Blackwell pays tribute. Charlotte Bingham, the writer who mined the experience of her upbringing and relationships to pen dozens of novels and screenplays. Skye Gyngell, the Australian born chef whose devotion to fresh seasonal produce made a lasting impact on m...

Matthew Bannister on: Baroness Newlove, who turned a tragic event in her own life into a powerful campaign for victims’ rights. Zoe Wicomb, the South Africa-born author whose novels are set against the backdrop of the apartheid regime. Sir Geoffrey Bindman, the lawyer who helped to shape equality legislation, represented Labour politicians and fought many human rights cases. Roland Paxton, the civ...

Matthew Bannister on James Watson who shared the Nobel Prize for identifying the structure of DNA, but was widely condemned later in life for his racist and sexist views. Pauline Collins, the comic actor who triumphed in the role of Shirley Valentine on stage and screen. The play’s director Simon Callow pays tribute. Judith Vidal-Hall, who edited the Index on Censorship magazine and campaigned for...

Matthew Bannister on Dick Cheney, the Republican politician who was Vice President under George W Bush and played key roles in both Gulf Wars. Yvonne Brewster, the Jamaican-born director and actor who founded the Black British Theatre Company Talawa. Mary ‘May’ McGee, the Irish woman who brought s successful legal challenge against the country’s ban on contraception. Peter Watkins, the film maker...

Matthew Bannister on The actor Prunella Scales, best known for playing Sybil in the TV comedy Fawlty Towers. Her son Samuel West reflects on her long career and happy marriage to fellow actor Timothy West. Gillian Tindall, the writer who pioneered the technique of exploring history through the portal of a particular house or area. Roger Smith, who co-founded and ran the Great Outdoors Challenge, e...

In this special edition of Last Word, Matthew Bannister talks to the actor Samuel West about his mother Prunella Scales. Prunella died on the 27th October, aged 93. Known for her work on stage and screen over many decades – Prunella was particularly renowned for her role as Sybil on Fawlty Towers. In addition to countless other roles, she appeared as Queen Elizabeth II in Alan Bennett’s A Question...

Matthew Bannister on The influential Kenyan politician Raila Odinga, who was detained for his pro-democracy campaigns, but went on to be the country’s Prime Minister. Bill Colley, who designed and built traditional wooden racing boats. Baroness Rosalind Howells of St Davids, who campaigned for racial equality and supported the family of Stephen Lawrence after his murder. And Sister Marion Irvine,...

Matthew Bannister on Peter Gurney, the George Medal winning bomb disposal expert who regularly risked his life to defuse explosive devices, including the mortars that were fired at 10 Downing Street by the IRA in 1991. Diane Keaton, the actor best known for her collaboration with Woody Allen in Annie Hall and Manhattan. Peter Hall, the pioneering English winemaker from Sussex who turned his Breaky...

Matthew Bannister on Patrick Bradley, the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles. Dame Jilly Cooper, the best-selling author of the racy “Rutshire Chronicles”. Sara Jane Moore, the political extremist who tried to assassinate US President Gerald Ford. Dame Patricia Routledge, the actor best known for her portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket in the TV comedy Keeping Up A...

Matthew Bannister on Dame Jane Goodall, the primatologist and environmental campaigner who changed our understanding of animal behaviour. Chris Packham pays tribute. Tony Harrison, the Yorkshire born poet who took his writing to new audiences through theatre and TV. Michael Rosen assesses his work. Lord Menzies Campbell, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats. Danny Thompson, the upright bass...

Matthew Bannister on Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, the architect who designed the international terminal at London’s Waterloo Station and the Eden Project. John Stapleton, the TV presenter who fronted Watchdog with his wife and ITV’s breakfast and daytime shows. His friend Greg Dyke pays tribute. Mary Elizabeth Dodd, the physiotherapist who pioneered new treatments for cystic fibrosis. And the glamorous...

Matthew Bannister on: Robert Redford, the film star who believed his striking good looks could be a curse as well as a blessing. Barbara Harvey, the mediaeval historian who revealed fascinating details of the lives of the monks of Westminster Abbey. Rosa Roisinblit, one of Argentina’s Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo who finally tracked down the grandson who had been abducted at birth and given u...

John Wilson on: The Duchess of Kent, who stepped back from royal duties to teach music in primary schools. Giorgio Armani whose suit designs help define the look of the 1980s and beyond. Valerie Pearlman who made legal history by being the first judge in the UK finish a trial via fax machine and video link from her hospital bed. Rick Davies, who sold millions of records in the 70s and 80 as one of...

John Wilson on Joe Bugner, the heavyweight boxer who fought the titans of the sport from Henry Cooper, Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier. Ann McManus, the writer for Coronation Street who went on to be one of the founders of Shed Productions that created hit drama series such as Bad Girls, Footballer Wives and Waterloo Road. Angela Mortimer Barrett, the multiply Grand Slam winning tennis player – winne...

John Wilson on: Broadcaster David Richardson who was for over 60 years a leading voice in the farming community Doris Lockhart Saatchi, the Art collector who along with her former husband Charles Saatchi transformed the UK art scene in the 80s and 90s Dame Annette Brooke who for 14 years was the Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole Byron Rogers, the biographer and journalist who soug...

John Wilson on: Actor Terence Stamp, the Oscar nominated 60s screen icon who went onto play many villains in his later film career Baroness Stephanie Shirley, the pioneering computer scientist and founder of her own software company Kay Dunbar who founded the Ways with Words literary festival which ran in Devon for 30 years Eric Midwinter was one of the three co-founders of u3a to encourage contin...

Matthew Bannister on Jim Lovell, the astronaut who commanded the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission. Biddy Baxter, the editor who left an indelible stamp on the children’s TV show Blue Peter. Sarah Greene pays tribute. Razia Jan, the Afghan/American who founded a school for girls in Afghanistan after 9/11. Iris Williams, the Welsh born singer whose career took off after an appearance on Radio 2. Producer...

Matthew Bannister on Dame Stella Rimington, the first woman to be Director General of MI5, who made the service more open and accountable. Sylvia Young, whose drama school turned out countless stars of stage, screen and music. Sir Jamie McGrigor, the Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Highlands and Islands, who introduced a bill to protect tartan. And Joan Anderson the former m...