Last Word

Neil Sedaka, Drusilla Beyfus, Professor Dame Carole Jordan, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Matthew Bannister on Neil Sedaka the prolific songwriter who had Sixties hits with Oh Carol and Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen and made a Seventies comeback with Solitaire and Love Will Keep Us Together. Graham Gouldman pays tribute. Drusilla Beyfus, the journalist best known for her books on etiquette. Her daughter Alexandra Shulman shares her memories. Professor Dame Carole Jordan, the leading astronomer who was an authority on the coronae of the sun and cool stars. And Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran for over thirty years who was killed in an air strike. Interviewee: Nazila Fathi Interviewee: Lisa Verrico Interviewee: Graham Gouldman Interviewee: Professor Mike Lockwood Interviewee: Alexandra Shulman Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley Archive used: Revolution In Iran, BBC News, 11/02/1979; The death of Ayatolla Khomeni, BBC News, 04/06/1989; Iran street protests, BBC News, 1999 and 2009; Protests in Iran, BBC News, 29/06/2023; BBC News report, 01/03/2026; Neil Sedaka: King of Song, BBC Four, 28/10/2018; The Sky at Night: Exploring the ultraviolet sky, BBC 1, 07/05/1989; Drusilla Beyfus, recorded by Susan Irvine, 08/08/2018; Drusilla Beyfus interview, Castle in the Country, BBC Two, 18/03/2005; Drusilla Beyfus interview, Eight for Eight fifteen, BBC Radio 4, 12/06/1988;

Martyn Butler, Allan Massie, Professor Nicola Fear, Willie Colón

Matthew Bannister on Martyn Butler who was a central figure in the UK’s early response to HIV and AIDS. He was a co-founder of the Terrence Higgins Trust and gave his own home phone number as a helpline. Allan Massie, the Scottish author and critic whose hero was Sir Walter Scott. Sir Ian Rankin pays tribute. Professor Nicola Fear, the epidemiologist who studied the effects on military personnel of serving in the Iraq War and Afghanistan. Willie Colón, the American trombonist who was inspired by his Puerto Rican heritage to create salsa music. Interviewee: Tony Whitehead Interviewee: Sir Ian Rankin Interviewee: Professor Sir Simon Wessely Interviewee: Garth Cartwright Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Editor: Glyn Tansley Archive used: Martyn Butler seminar recording, Terrence Higgins Trust, THT YouTube channel, uploaded 26/06/2022; Terrence Higgins Trust actuality recording, Week In Week Out, BBC Wales, 29/10/1985; News report, BBC News, 08/01/1987; Advert: Iceberg, Department of Health and Social Security, Dir Nicolas Roeg, Voiceover: John Hurt, 1987; Allan Massie, The Book Programme: First Novels, BBC Two, 11/02/1978; Allan Massie interview, France Politics, Writers Revealed, BBC Radio 4, 06/07/1992; Allan Massie interview, General Election Report, BBC News, 10/04/1997; Nicola Fear, The Fear Factor: life as a military epidemiologist, King's College London, uploaded to YouTube on 23/04/2018; Iraq War news report, BBC News, 31/03/2009; Afghanistan News Report, BBC News, 27/10/2014; Willie Colon interview, Latin Music USA, BBC Four, 05/02/2010;

Reverend Jesse Jackson, Diane Munday, Philippe Gaulier, Lady Jean Wilson

Kirsty Lang on Reverend Jesse Jackson the leading American civil rights campaigner. Diane Munday who fought to make abortion legal and co-founded the British Pregnancy Advisory Service. Philippe Gaulier whose internationally renowned clown school which helped to shape the careers of many leading actors. Lady Jean Wilson who travelled the world building a charity that cured millions of avoidable blindness Interviewee: Lord Woolley of Woodford Interviewee: Sally Phillips Interviewee: Cal McCrystal Interviewee: Caroline Harper Interviewee: Andrew Copson Producer: Catherine Powell Assistant Producer: Ribika Moktan Editor: Glyn Tansley

Meredith Hooper, David Young, Dorothy Solomon, Derek Kelly

Matthew Bannister on: Meredith Hooper, the prolific author who wrote several books about Antarctica. We have a tribute from her son, the Oscar winning film director Tom Hooper. David Young, the American lawyer who was in charge of a team known as “The Plumbers” who tried to stop leaks of sensitive information from the Nixon White House. Dorothy Solomon, the manager and agent who steered the careers of The Dubliners, The Bachelors and many other stars of the 1960s and 70s. Sharon Osbourne pays tribute. Derek Kelly, the Essex farmer who revived the fortunes of the Bronze turkey - with a little help from Delia Smith. Interviewee: Tom Hooper Interviewee: Suannah Young Interviewee: Giles Alston Interviewee: Sharon Osbourne Interviewee: Dec Cluskey Interviewee: Paul Kelly Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley Archive used: Meredith Hooper interview, Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4, 20/08/2007; Meredith Hooper interview, Excess Baggage, BBC Radio 4, 04/02/2012; Tom Hooper, Best Director announcement and acceptance speech, OSCARS, 03/03/2011; Daniel Ellsberg interview, 1971 press conference, BBC Archive Facebook channel, uploaded 05/04/2016; Watergate Special News Report, CBS News, 04/11/1973; Derek Kelly, Delia Smith’s Christmas, BBC TWO, 22/11/1990;

Sir Nicholas White, Lord Wallace, Professor Deborah Cameron, Sly Dunbar

Matthew Bannister on Sir Nicholas White, whose research on tropical diseases saved millions of lives. Lord Wallace, the Liberal Democrat who served in the Scottish and Westminster parliaments and was Deputy to three First Ministers. Professor Deborah Cameron who studied the use of language from a feminist perspective. Sly Dunbar, the Jamaican drummer who played on hundreds of hit records and teamed up with bass player Robbie Shakespeare to form “The Riddim Twins”. Interviewee: Professor Nicholas Day Interviewee: Lord McConnell Interviewee: Professor Miriam Meyerhoff Interviewee: Jazzie B Interviewee: Kevin Le Gendre Producer: Gareth Nelson-Davies Assistant Producer: Catherine Powell Researcher: Jesse Edwards Editor: Glyn Tansley Archive used: Nick White: Improving the treatment of infectious diseases, Mahidol Oxford Research Unit (MORU) in Bangkok, Thailand, Tropical Medicine Oxford YouTube Channel, uploaded 08/03/2024; Professor Nick White: malaria, Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) interview, University of Oxford YouTube channel, uploaded 26 Jan 2012; Nicholas White, “Malaria Defeating The Curse”, Horizon, BBC Two, 05/06/2005; Nick White, Fatal Latitudes, BBC Two, 23/02/1993; Jim Wallace, Scottish Devolution Referendum, Reporting Scotland, BBC Scotland 1997; Coalition, Reporting Scotland, BBC Scotland 14/05/1999; Jim Wallace, Acting first minister clip, FMQs, Scottish Parliament, 15/11/2001; Jim Wallace interview, Stark Talk, BBC Radio Scotland, 09/06/2000; Deborah Cameron interview, Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 4, 31/10/2025; Deborah Cameron interview, Speak Up, BBC Radio 4, 02/08/2024;