Matthew Bannister on Richard M Sherman who teamed up with his brother Robert to write some of Disney’s best loved songs. Professor Wendy James CBE, the anthropologist who studied the Uduk tribes of Sudan. June Mendoza OBE, the portrait painter whose subjects included members of the Royal Family, Prime Ministers and celebrities. Morgan Spurlock, the film maker best known for his Oscar nominated documentary about the fast food industry “Supersize Me”. Interviewee: Brian Sibley Interviewee: Dr...

Matthew Bannister on The Irish rugby star and businessman Sir Tony O’Reilly. He made billions but ended up bankrupt. The hardline President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi. Penny Simkin, who championed the role of birth doulas to help mothers during and after labour. Professor Alasdair Geddes, the infectious diseases expert who diagnosed the world’s last ever case of smallpox – in Birmingham. Producer: Ed Prendeville Archive used: Penny Simkin, YouTube upload, PSfromPenny, 27/10/2009; Penny Simkin,...

Matthew Bannister on Dame Shirley Conran, the journalist and author best known for her books “Superwoman” and “Lace”. Baroness Doreen Massey, the educator and former director of the Family Planning Association Beverly LaHaye the founder of Concerned Women of America who campaigned to stop the Equal Rights Amendment. Steve Albini, the controversial musician who worked many influential albums including Nirvava’s “In Utero”. Producer: Ed Prendeville Archive used: National Women’s Coalition for...

Matthew Bannister on Anne Dagg, the Canadian biologist known as The Woman Who Loves Giraffes for her lifelong study of the animals. Professor Ross Anderson, the computer scientist who was a leading expert on data protection and online security. Reverend Cecil Murray, the pastor of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles who played a pivotal role during the riots of 1992. Kris Hellenga, who was diagnosed with breast cancer aged 23 and set up the charity Coppafeel to...

Matthew Bannister on an author, a campaigner, an Olympic medallist, a conductor

Matthew Bannister on The American journalist Terry Anderson who was held captive in Lebanon for almost seven years. In an emotional interview, his daughter Sulome tells us how she followed in his footsteps as she tried to connect with a father she met for the first time when she was seven years old. Lord Field who, the Labour MP Frank Field who campaigned tirelessly for welfare reform. Trina Robbins the feminist cartoonist and writer who was the first woman to illustrate the Wonder Woman...

Sulome Anderson first met her father – journalist Terry Anderson – at the American Embassy in Damascus. She was seven years old and he had just been released from nearly seven years as a hostage in Lebanon. She desperately wanted to build a relationship with him, even going so far as to become a war correspondent herself and tracking down and meeting one of his captors. But Terry’s traumatic experiences made the task very challenging. When she was nearly kidnapped in the Middle East herself,...

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 for her novel “The L Shaped Room.” Joan Hills, the artist who played a key role in the art world of the 1960s and, with her husband and two children, was part of the Boyle Family quartet. Amnon Weinstein, the luthier who collected and restored violins...

Matthew Bannister on Professor 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 and social issues. We have a tribute from the actor Jack Shepherd. Hella Pick, the long serving Guardian foreign correspondent who enjoyed the company of many world leaders. Margaret Tynes, the African-American soprano who sang leading operatic roles...

Matthew Bannister on Joe 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 the most influential landscape architects of her generation. Kay Benbow, who commissioned and made many acclaimed TV shows for children. Interviewee: Matt Lieberman Interviewee: Frederick Forsyth Interviewee: Caroline Dawnay Interviewee: Sean...

John Wilson on Richard 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 English heiress and debutante who went onto join the IRA. Ian Green, the Scottish folk music champion who started the record label Greentrax. Producer: Ed Prendeville Archive used: Rose Dugdale – Mná an IRA, Sé Merry Doyle Loopline Film, 2012;...

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 disadvantaged children in the wake of his son's death via the Damilola Taylor Trust. Mr Taylor said he wanted his son to be remembered as a boy of hope and for his legacy to be a better life and opportunities for underprivileged young people. Boyega - best...

Matthew Bannister on Vince 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 children of Nepal. Cecilia Eckelmann-Battistello, the Italian businesswoman who ran a major container shipping company. Akira Toriyama, the Japanese manga artist who created the Dragon Ball series which has millions of fans around the...

Matthew Bannister on Audrey 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 de Guerre. Edward Bond, the controversial playwright who played a key role in the abolition of censorship in British theatre. The singer and songwriter Eric Carmen whose biggest hit “All By Myself” was based on a Rachmaninov piano...

Matthew Bannister on Iris 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.” Baroness Henig, the deputy House of Lords Speaker who was a historian and expert on the security industry. Jim Lawrence who became skipper of a Thames sailing barge aged eighteen and went on to set up a successful sail making business in Essex. ...

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 diagnosed with young onset dementia and worked tirelessly to help improve the understanding of the condition. Eleanor Fazan, the theatre director, choreographer and actor. Her career spanned almost 70 years and saw her working with some of the biggest...

John Wilson on Alexei 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 experience of living with quadriplegia. Gertrude Wright, who survived the bombing of her German home city during World War Two and went on to become a translator for Field Marshall Montgomery. And Steve Brown, the music composer who worked on comedy...

Matthew Bannister on The 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 had to deal with tantrums on court. Angela Peberdy, the train announcer known as “the golden voice of British Rail”. Producer: Ed Prendeville Archive Used The Six o’clock News, BBC 1, 25/06/1985; Network East: Big Talk, Asia 2 BBC 2, 14/11/1998; Daily...

Matthew Bannister on Dr 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 Harris, whose book explaining sex to children made her one of America’s most banned authors. Barry John, the Welsh and British and Irish Lions fly-half known simply as “The King”. Interviewee: Stuart Rintoul Interviewee: Paul Abbandonato Interviewee:...

Matthew Bannister on Frank 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 Liz Mitchell. Medical journalist Caroline Richmond who founded the Campaign Against Health Fraud, now known as HealthSense. Professor Phil Baines, the respected typographer who designed many book covers and public signs as well as the memorial to the...

Matthew Bannister on Norma 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 who served in the army during the Second World War, then worked to restore the historic family seat Broughton Castle. James 'Jim' Hobson, the Assistant Chief Constable of West Yorkshire who was in charge of the Yorkshire Ripper enquiry when Peter...

Matthew Bannister on Annie 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 names of the dance music scene. Isca Salzberger-Wittenberg, the psychoanalyst who changed the approach to treating young people’s mental health. Bryan Ansell, the games designer who co-created Warhammer and helped led the growth of the Games Workshop...

Matthew Bannister on Camila 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 the UK’s first successful liver transplant operation. He was also a talented artist. Glynis Johns, the actor best known for playing the suffragette Winifred Banks in the film of Mary Poppins. JPR Williams, one of the greatest full backs in rugby...

Matthew Bannister on John 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 adolescents, including the “Flambards” trilogy. Paula Murphy, the American racing driver once described as “the fastest woman on wheels”. Michael Blakemore, the versatile theatre director who was the only person to win Tony Awards for Best Play and Best...

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 Riveters'. Tony Allen, one of the pioneers of the alternative comedy scene. Producer: Ed Prendeville