Last Word

BBC Radio 4 FM

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BBC Radio 4 LW

Factual: Life Stories

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

Last Word: Sir Tony O'Reilly, President Ebrahim Raisi, Penny Simkin, Professor Alasdair Geddes

Sir Tony O'Reilly, President Ebrahim Raisi, Penny Simkin, Professor Alasdair Geddes

BBC Radio 4 - Last Word, Sir Tony O'Reilly, President Ebrahim Raisi, Penny Simkin, Professor Alasdair Geddes

Matthew Bannister on a businessman, a president, a doula and an infectious diseases expert

Matthew Bannister on businessman Sir Tony O'Reilly, President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran, birth doula Penny Simkin and infectious diseases expert Professor Alasdair Geddes.

Matthew Bannister on

The Irish rugby star and businessman Sir Tony O’Reilly. He made billions but ended up bankrupt.

The hardline President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi.

Penny Simkin, who championed the role of birth doulas to help mothers during and after labour.

Professor Alasdair Geddes, the infectious diseases expert who diagnosed the world’s last ever case of smallpox – in Birmingham.

Producer: Ed Prendeville

Archive used:
Penny Simkin, YouTube upload, PSfromPenny, 27/10/2009; Penny Simkin, YouTube upload, PSfromPenny, 22/03/2011; Today Programme, Radio 4, BBC, 20/05/2024; Newshour, BBC World Service, 20/05/2024; News report by Philip Hayton, Sound Archive, BBC Radio 4,  11/02/1979; Ebrahim Raisi interviewed by Lesley Stahl, CBS Interactive Inc., YouTube upload, 60 Minutes, 19/05/2024; BBC profile on Tony O’Reilly, 24/01/1975; Conversation Piece, Radio 4, 02/12/1985; People in profile, Radio Ulster, 06/09/1980; The Last Case of Smallpox in the UK, BBC News, 31/08/2016

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Last Word

Sir Tony O'Reilly, President Ebrahim Raisi, Penny Simkin, Professor Alasdair Geddes

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