Last Word

John Wilson on

Joe Bugner, the heavyweight boxer who fought the titans of the sport from Henry Cooper, Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier.

Ann McManus, the writer for Coronation Street who went on to be one…

John Wilson on: Broadcaster David Richardson who was for over 60 years a leading voice in the farming community Doris Lockhart Saatchi, the Art collector who along with her former husband Charl…

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Actor Terence Stamp, the Oscar nominated 60s screen icon who went onto play many villains in his later film career

Baroness Stephanie Shirley, the pioneering computer scientist and fo…

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Jim Lovell, the astronaut who commanded the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission.

Biddy Baxter, the editor who left an indelible stamp on the children’s TV show Blue Peter. Sarah Greene pay…

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Dame Stella Rimington, the first woman to be Director General of MI5, who made the service more open and accountable.

Sylvia Young, whose drama school turned out countless stars of…

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Dame Cleo Laine, whose glorious voice was equally at home singing jazz, pop and classical music. Her daughter Jacqui Dankworth shares her memories.

Hulk Hogan, who spearheaded the …

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Ozzy Osbourne, the Black Sabbath lead singer known for his outrageous antics, many while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Jacqui Browne, the Thalidomide survivor who campa…

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Lord Blair the former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

Jennie Street who helped to rehabilitate people on her suburban farm.

Dr Anna Ornstein, a psychoanalyst and survivor…

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Lord Tebbit, who as Norman Tebbit was a member of Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet, introducing trade union reform and privatisation.

Daphne Boden, the harpist who played for the Queen…

Matthew Bannister on Courtney Griffiths, one of the first black lawyers to become a Queen’s Counsel. Sara Venn, who turned unloved spaces in Bristol into community gardens growing food for low-i…

Matthew Bannister on The TV director Michael Lachmann who made some of the most acclaimed documentaries about science. Professor Brian Cox and Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock pays tribute. Pik-sen Lim…

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Sir Godfrey “Geoff” Palmer, the scientist whose discovery of a new brewing method revolutionized the industry and saved them millions of pounds

Barbara Holdridge, the entrepreneur who co…

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Brian Wilson, the driving force behind The Beach Boys who were one of the most successful bands of the 1960s.

Fredrick Forsyth, the writer and former Mi6 agent who books included The Da…

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Wildlife conservationist Valmik Thapar who spent five decades trying to protect India’s tigers

Nancy Blaik, the driving force behind the creation of Scotland’s first children’s hospice

N…

Matthew Bannister on Alan Yentob, the BBC’s only Creative Director, who commissioned many successful TV programmes, was known as an impresario of talent and also presented Imagine.

Richard Garwin, th…

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Hannah Deacon who ran a successful campaign to allow her son – and many others – to be treated with cannabis after he was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy.

Andrew Norfolk, t…

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Sir Tom Farmer, the Edinburgh born businessman who built up the tyre and exhaust company Kwik Fit.

Elaine Wynn, who worked with her husband Steve to create a casino empire in Las…

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The author Jane Gardam, whose works included The Queen of the Tambourine and Old Filth.

Sir Roger Birch, the former Chief Constable of Sussex Police who oversaw the investigation followi…

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Virginia Giuffre, who waived her anonymity to accuse the billionaire Jeffrey Epstein and his friend Ghislaine Maxwell of sex abuse and trafficking.

Rosy Bremer, a leading campaig…

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Pope Francis, the first Latin American Pope who was noted for his humility and modest lifestyle.

Paddy Higson, the TV and film producer once described as “the mother of the Scottis…