Last Word

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BBC Radio 4 FM

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Factual: Life Stories

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

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Last Word: Jill Murphy (pictured), Len Gibson, Dame Elizabeth Blackadder, Nanci Griffith

Jill Murphy (pictured), Len Gibson BEM, Dame Elizabeth Blackadder, Nanci Griffith

Jill Murphy (pictured), Len Gibson, Dame Elizabeth Blackadder, Nanci Griffith

BBC Radio 4 - Last Word, Jill Murphy (pictured), Len Gibson, Dame Elizabeth Blackadder, Nanci Griffith

Matthew Bannister on an author, a prisoner of war, an artist, a country singer

Matthew Bannister on author Jill Murphy, prisoner of war Len Gibson, artist Dame Elizabeth Blackadder, country singer Nanci Griffith.

Matthew Bannister on:

The children’s author Jill Murphy who based her best-selling stories of the Worst Witch on her own schooldays.

Len Gibson, the former prisoner of war from Sunderland who worked on the notorious Burma railway and later taught Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics to play guitar.

Dame Elizabeth Blackadder, the acclaimed artist noted for her exquisite Japanese-influenced paintings of flowers and cats.

Nanci Griffith, the singer and songwriter from Texas who was known as the 'queen of folkabilly'.

Producer: Lucy Wai


Interviewed guest: Bob Harris
Interviewed guest: Alexandra Gladwell
Interviewed guest: Brian Burnie
Interviewed guest: Pamela Todd
Interviewed guest: Alice Strang
Interviewed guest: Duncan Macmillan

Archive clips used: BBC, Jackanory Words or Pictures 1995; CBBC/ZDF, The Worst Witch 2017; BBC, Woman's Hour 2016; Pathe News, Japanese planes 1943; WarGen, The War Memories of Len Gibson 2019; Daft as a Brush charity, Dave Stewart tribute to Len Gibson 2021; BBC, Conversation with Artists 1982; BBC, Words and Music 1994; BBC, Bob Harris' Country 2012.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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Last Word

Jill Murphy (pictured), Len Gibson, Dame Elizabeth Blackadder, Nanci Griffith

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