Sir Roger Bannister, Prof Kevin Warwick, Rachael Stirling, Diana Darke

04/16/14 • 41 min

Libby Purves meets former athlete Sir Roger Bannister; professor of cybernetics Kevin Warwick; actor Rachael Stirling and writer Diana Darke.

Kevin Warwick is a professor of cybernetics and deputy vice-chancellor for research at the University of Coventry. Since 1998 he has been implanting computer chips into his body, some directly communicating with his nervous system. He was dubbed the world's first cyborg when he had a silicon chip implanted in his arm and is currently attempting to get ethical approval to have a chip implanted into his brain.

Sir Roger Bannister CBE is a former Olympic athlete who is best-known for being the first person to run the mile in under four minutes in 1954. In his new autobiography, Twin Tracks, Sir Roger tells the full story of the dedication and talent that led to his unprecedented achievement and of his professional life as a distinguished doctor and neurologist. Twin Tracks is published by Biteback.

Diana Darke is a writer and translator who has specialised in the Middle East for over 30 years. In 2005 she bought and restored a house in the heart of Damascus. In September 2012, as fighting intensified and millions were forced to flee their homes, she offered her house as a sanctuary to Syrian friends. Up to 40 people continue to find refuge there today. My House in Damascus: An Inside View of the Syrian Revolution is published by Haus Publishing.

Actor Rachael Stirling is currently starring in Mike Bartlett's new play, An Intervention, about two friends who make very different decisions in life. Her acting credits range from The Bletchley Circle and Tipping the Velvet on television to theatre productions The Recruiting Officer and An Ideal Husband. Intervention is at the Watford Palace Theatre.

Producer: Paula McGinley.

Libby Purves meets former athlete Sir Roger Bannister; professor of cybernetics Kevin Warwick; actor Rachael Stirling and writer Diana Darke.

Producer: Paula McGinley.

Previous Episode

Eric Carter, Ray Cooney, Cambridge Jones, Eve Ferret

Libby Purves meets cabaret performer Eve Ferret, World War Two Hurricane pilot Eric Carter, director and playwright Ray Cooney and photographer Cambridge Jones.

Eve Ferret is a cabaret performer. She first performed at the Blitz club in London in the late 70s and early 80s and appeared in the film Absolute Beginners with David Bowie. After a 30 year gap from performing, she is back with a new show Ferret Up the Arts at the Arts Theatre in London. Her first album (as yet unnamed) is also about to be released. She also starts her Don't Be So Shellfish tour of British seaside towns in April. Ferret Up the Arts is at the Arts Theatre, London

Eric Carter is the sole survivor of 81 Squadron, a Royal Air Force fighter squadron which took part in a secret mission to the Soviet Union in June 1941. The mission, code named Force Benedict, was initiated to defend the port of Murmansk which was the country's only port not under Nazi occupation. RAF Wing 151 - comprising 81 and 154 Squadrons - had a range of objectives which included teaching Russian pilots to fly Hurricanes, escorting Russian bombers over German lines and flying numerous patrols against the Luftwaffe. Eric's book, Force Benedict, written with Antony Loveless, is published by Hodder & Stoughton.

Ray Cooney is a writer, director and actor. His play, Two Into One about a philandering MP is currently at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Ray's theatrical career began as a boy actor in 1946 before he went into repertory theatre and joined the Brian Rix Company at the Whitehall Theatre. His writing career includes the hits Move Over Mrs Markham, Run For Your Wife, Out of Order for which he won an Olivier Award. Two Into One is at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

Cambridge Jones is a photographer whose subjects have included several Prime Ministers, members of the Royal Family, Hollywood celebrities and rock stars. His latest exhibition, 26 Characters, at the Story Museum in Oxford features many of Britain's best loved writers and storytellers transforming themselves into their favourite character from a childhood book. Participants include Julia Donaldson, Shirley Hughes, Terry Pratchett and Malorie Blackman. 26 Characters is at the Story Museum in Oxford.

Producer: Annette Wells.

Next Episode

Baroness Trumpington, David Adam, Pauline Butcher Bird, James Sawyer

Libby Purves meets Baroness Jean Trumpington; Pauline Butcher Bird, former secretary to Frank Zappa; science writer David Adam and James Sawyer of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).

James Sawyer is director of disaster management at the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). He leads teams which respond to disasters around the world including the tsunami in Japan and the Haiti earthquake. In a BBC Two documentary, Vets in the Disaster Zone, James and his team travel to the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan to try and save the lives of animals caught up in the crisis. Vets in the Disaster Zone is on BBC Two.

Baroness Jean Trumpington of Sandwich is a former Conservative Minister and one of the oldest members of the House of Lords. In her autobiography, Coming Up Trumps, she looks back over her remarkable life. She writes about her student days in Paris, working as a land girl on Lloyd George's farm, a stint in naval intelligence at Bletchley Park and her long career in politics. Coming Up Trumps is published by MacMillan.

David Adam is a science writer and editor at Nature magazine who has suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) for 20 years. In his book, The Man Who Couldn't Stop, he attempts to understand the condition and his own experiences. He writes about the latest neurological research and recounts historical accounts of patients and their treatments. The Man Who Couldn't Stop - OCD and the True Story Of A Life Lost In Thought is published by Picador.

In 1967 Pauline Butcher Bird - a young English girl - met the unconventional, avant-garde rock star, Frank Zappa, while he was on a trip to London. Pauline followed him to Hollywood where she lived and worked in Zappa's house amid an entourage of musicians, freaks and other rock stars. Her memoir, Freak Out, has now been adapted into a radio play, Frank Zappa and Me for BBC Radio Four.

Paula McGinley.