Last Word

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;

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 stepsister.
Producer: Ed Prendeville
Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan
Researcher: Jesse Edwards
Editor: Glyn Tansley
Archive used
Breakfast Time, BBC 1, 12/02/1986; Outlook, BBC World Service,27/01/2022; BBC Sound Archive, Murrow, Edward R, CBS Recording, 13/03/1938; BBC Sound Archive, Sinclair W.A.,19/05/1940; Learning about the Past to Make a Better Future, YouTube Upload, Anne Frank Trust UK, 24/03/2021; News – Gulf War special, BBC 1, 20/01/1991; Neighbours Shall Speak, BBC Archives; Archive on 4 : Close to Home - The Story of Local Radio, BBC Radio 4, 12/11/2017; The Time of your life – Molly Parkin, BBC 1, 08/06/1984; Molly Parkin – Desert Island Discs, BBC Radio 4, 13/05/2011; The Seven Ages of Man : Molly Parkin, BBC 2, 12/08/1996; Wogan, BBC 1, 03/12/1990; Dr Harriet Harden-Davies’ personal recording of Kristina Gjerde, 2024

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-Bourke who transformed the Glanusk estate in the Black Mountains and was for many years lady in waiting to Princess Anne
Producer: Ed Prendeville
Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan
Researcher: Josie Hardy
Editor: Glyn Tansley
Archive
The Lady of Glanusk: Winter, BBC Two Wales, 28/09/2006​; The Lady of Glanusk: Summer, BBC Two Wales, 14/09/2006​; The Lady of Glanusk: Autumn, BBC Two Wales, 21/09/2006​; The Lady of Glanusk: Spring, BBC Two Wales, 07/09/2006​; Reed Podcast, Sir Alec Reed at 91: A British Business Legend, Permission granted by James Reed; The Fast Show: The Last Fast Show Ever, BBC Two, 28/12/2000​; Daytime Live, BBC One, 16/03/1990​; …And God Created Woman (Official Trailer), 1956, Directed by Roger Vadim, Starring Brigitte Bardot, Curd Jürgens, Jean-Louis Trintignant​; Worldwide: France’s New-Look TV, BBC Two, 14/05/1975​; And God Created Bardot, BBC One, 28/09/1994​​; The World at One, BBC Radio 4, 25/04/1968​; Brigitte Bardot, BBC Archive, 01/11/1956