Last Word

Radio 4's weekly obituary programme, telling the life stories of those who have died recently

Radio 4,892 episodes

Episodes

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An actor, a Russian tycoon, a BBC producer, a Bangladeshi president and a Motown producer
John Wilson remembers Richard Griffiths, Boris Berezovsky, Zillur Rahman and Angela Bond.
29 Mar 2013,28 mins
A famous African author, a plotter against Hitler, a horror writer, an actor and an illustrator
Matthew Bannister remembers Chinua Achebe, James Herbert, Frank Thornton and Barbara Firth
22 Mar 2013,28 mins
A Swedish princess, a Khmer Rouge leader, a sports commentator, an HIV/Aids counsellor, and a blues-rock guitarist
Matthew Bannister on Ieng Sary, Princess Lilian of Sweden, Tony Gubba and John Shine.
15 Mar 2013,28 mins
A president, a jazz trumpeter, an economist, a socialite and codebreaker and a conductor
John Wilson on Hugo Chavez, Kenny Ball, William Letwin, Sarah Baring, Wolfgang Sawallisch.
08 Mar 2013,28 mins
A train robber, an actress, an animator, a TV executive and a human rights activist
John Wilson on Bruce Reynolds, Elspet Gray, Bob Godfrey, Denis Forman, Stéphane Hessel.
01 Mar 2013,28 mins
A sitcom favourite, a philosopher of law, a founder of Scottish skiing and a singer-songwriter
Matthew Bannister remembers Richard Briers, Ronald Dworkin, Eileen Fuchs and Kevin Ayers.
22 Feb 2013,28 mins
A table tennis champion, a zoo vet, a make-up artist, a radio presenter and a trombonist
Remembering Zhuang Zedong, David Taylor, Stuart Freeborn, Patricia Hughes and Paul Tanner.
15 Feb 2013,28 mins
A New York mayor, a Navy Seal, an anti-apartheid activist, a toymaker, a rock musician and an English king
Matthew Bannister on Amina Cachalia, Reg Presley, Chris Kyle, Andre Cassagnes, Richard III
08 Feb 2013,28 mins
An architect, a fox hunter, a publisher, a star of musicals, a pioneering sociologist and the last surviving Andrews Sister
On John Hopkins, Lizbeth Webb, Peter Carson, Mary McIntosh and Migs Greenall.
01 Feb 2013,28 mins
A human rights activist, a film director, an agony aunt, a laser pioneer and a culinary star
Matthew Bannister on Inez McCormack, Michael Winner, Pauline Phillips and Katie Stewart.
25 Jan 2013,28 mins
A broadcaster, Montreux Jazz Festival founder, medical missionary, Nobel-winning economist and nun-turned-sex-columnist
Matthew Bannister on Robert Kee, Claude Nobs, George Patterson and James Buchanan.
18 Jan 2013,28 mins
A Nobel-winning scientist, a French mountaineer, a sociologist, a former BBC DG and the voice of Listen With Mother
Matthew Bannister on Alasdair Milne, Rita Levi-Montalcini, Maurice Herzog, Stanley Cohen.
11 Jan 2013,28 mins
An American General, a legendary radio producer, a former Times editor, a British composer, a cricket commentator
Matthew Bannister on General Norman Schwarzkopf, Charles Chilton, Lord Rees Mogg and more.
04 Jan 2013,28 mins
A Russian opera diva, a famous British housebuilder, a reluctant union leader and a '60s trendsetter called 'Mr Freedom'
Matthew Bannister on Sir Lawrie Barratt, Galina Vishnevskaya, Jack Hart and Tommy Roberts.
21 Dec 2012,28 mins
An astronomer, a sitar player, a surgeon, an engineer, a singer and a newsreader
Matthew Bannister on Ravi Shankar, Joseph Murray, Sir Patrick Moore and Alex Moulton.
14 Dec 2012,28 mins
Brazil's most famous architect, an eminent jazz musician, an outrageous boxer and a radical Indian politician
Matthew Bannister on Oscar Niemeyer, Dave Brubeck, Bal Thackeray, Hector Camacho.
07 Dec 2012,28 mins
William Turnbull, Albano Harguindeguy, Martin Fay, Kenneth Cragg, Sir Philip Ledger
Matthew Bannister on William Turnbull, Albano Harguindeguy, Martin Fay and Kenneth Cragg.
23 Nov 2012,28 mins
Sir Rex Hunt, Valerie Eliot, Duke Vin, Susan Jeffers, Joe Melia
Matthew Bannister on Sir Rex Hunt, Valerie Eliot, Duke Vin, Susan Jeffers, Joe Melia.
16 Nov 2012,28 mins
Clive Dunn, Elliott Carter, Lord Lofthouse, Han Suyin, Brian Cobby
Matthew Bannister on Clive Dunn, Elliott Carter, Lord Lofthouse, Han Suyin, Brian Cobby.
09 Nov 2012,28 mins
Hans Werner Henze, Emanuel Steward, Jacques Barzun, Yash Chopra, Terry Callier
John Wilson on Hans Werner Henze, Emanuel Steward, Jacques Barzun and Yash Chopra.
02 Nov 2012,28 mins
George McGovern, Fiorenzo Magni, Paul Kurtz, Mike Morris, Roy Bates
John Wilson on George McGovern, Fiorenzo Magni, Paul Kurtz, Mike Morris and Roy Bates.
26 Oct 2012,28 mins
Keith Campbell, King Sihanouk, Wendy Greengross, Danny Sims, Sylvia Kristel
John Wilson on Keith Campbell, King Sihanouk, Wendy Greengross and Danny Sims.
19 Oct 2012,28 mins
Verghese Kurien, Helen Nicoll, Bobby Hogg, Tereska Torres, 'Big Jim' Sullivan
Matthew Bannister on India's milkman, a lost dialect, and two contrasting women writers.
12 Oct 2012,28 mins
Eric Hobsbawm, Michael Hurll, Jerome Horwitz, Harry Chambers, Eddie Bert
Matthew Bannister on Eric Hobsbawm, Michael Hurll, Jerome Horwitz and Harry Chambers.
05 Oct 2012,28 mins
Andy Williams, Charlie Richardson, Gertrude Hughes, Herbert Lom and Eva Figes
Matthew Bannister on Andy Williams, Charlie Richardson, Gertrude Hughes and Herbert Lom.
28 Sep 2012,28 mins
Prof Sid Watkins, Bill Moggridge, Stanley Long, George Hurst and Ken McManus
Matthew Bannister on Professor Sid Watkins, Bill Moggridge, Stanley Long and George Hurst.
21 Sep 2012,28 mins
Derek Jameson, Griselda Blanco, Allan Horsfall, Terry Nutkins and Joe South
Matthew Bannister on Derek Jameson, Griselda Blanco, Allan Horsfall, Terry Nutkins.
14 Sep 2012,28 mins
Rev Moon, Max Bygraves, Rhodes Boyson, Daire Brehan, Hal David
Matthew Bannister on Rev Sun Myung Moon, Max Bygraves, Sir Rhodes Boyson and Hal David.
07 Sep 2012,28 mins
Neil Armstrong, Meles Zenawi, Carlo Curley and Phyllis Diller
Matthew Bannister remembers Neil Armstrong, Carlo Curley, Meles Zenawi and Phyllis Diller.
31 Aug 2012,28 mins
Nina Bawden, Tony Scott, Eileen Beasley and Scott McKenzie
Matthew Bannister on Nina Bawden, director Tony Scott, Eileen Beasley and Scott McKenzie.
24 Aug 2012,28 mins