Podcast Episodes

James Watson, Pauline Collins, Judith Vidal-Hall, Dugald Ross

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 act…

Published on 8 hours ago

Dick Cheney, Yvonne Brewster, Mary McGee, Peter Watkins

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 …

Published on 1 week ago

Prunella Scales CBE, Gillian Tindall, Roger Smith, Anthony Grey

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 …

Published on 2 weeks ago

SPECIAL EDITION: Prunella Scales

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 scre…

Published on 2 weeks ago

Raila Odinga, Bill Colley, Baroness Rosalind Howells, Sister Marion Irvine

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 bu…

Published on 3 weeks ago

Peter Gurney, Diane Keaton, Peter Hall, Angela Bond

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 b…

Published on 4 weeks ago

Patrick Bradley, Dame Jilly Cooper, Sara Jane Moore, Dame Patricia Routledge

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 J…

Published on 1 month ago

Dame Jane Goodall, Tony Harrison, Lord Menzies Campbell, Danny Thompson

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 p…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, John Stapleton, Mary Elizabeth Dodd, Claudia Cardinale

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 Watchdo…

Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago

Robert Redford, Barbara Harvey, Rosa Roisinblit, Stuart Craig

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…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago