Umpire and cricketer, Dickie Bird was one of cricket’s best-known and warmly regarded figures. Here, Mike Atherton, the the former England captain, and Times Chief Cricket Correspondent describes how no umpire before or since has been quite as famous. Dickie Bird had a long and illustrious career as an international umpire and a long-standing affiliation with his beloved Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Nobel prizewinning physicist Rainer Weiss, whose measurements of gravitational waves validated Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity - and all down to what was described as a ‘chirp.’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Redford was one of the most successful and influential figures in American cinema. A leading man who brought gravitas to stardom, he starred in hits like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Great Gatsby, and All the President’s Men, which he also produced. He later became a pivotal force in independent film with the founding of the Sundance Film Festival. Yet behind the fame was a man who distrusted Hollywood, guarded his privacy, and found solace in the wilderness of Utah.Aubrey Allegretti reads the obituary of Robert Redford, who died at the age of 89. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ricky Hatton was a two-weight world boxing champion, beloved for his fearless style in the ring and his laddish charm outside it. Nicknamed “the Hitman,” he won 45 of his 48 professional bouts - and outside the ring, he fought his own demons with the same relentless spirit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Duchess of Kent—known in non-royal life as Katharine Kent—was a woman who balanced royal duty with profound personal conviction. She embodied a spirit of “royal empathy” well before it became associated with Princess Diana, and is remembered for her warmth, her passion for tennis and music, and her quiet dedication to charitable work behind the scenes.Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From window dresser to fashion empire, Giorgio Armani reshaped modern fashion. This is his story, as told through the words of the obituary team at The Times.Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A career Royal Artillery officer, Major General Brian Pennicott played a pivotal role in the Falklands War, by chance, becoming one of the few witnesses to Argentina’s surrender in 1982. That night, he toasted the Queen beneath her hastily rehung portrait with a bottle of whisky. In retirement, he settled on the edge of Salisbury Plain - never far from the sound of gunfire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stuart Prebble rose through television’s ranks to become ITV’s chief executive, but found his biggest hit away from the boardroom - turning middle-aged men complaining into comedy gold with Grumpy Old Men. The show became a cultural phenomenon, spawning spin-offs, books, and even a West End show.Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joan Anderson, an Australian model, introduced the hula hoop to America in the 1950s. However, when the toy became a worldwide craze, she received none of the credit. Photo Credit: Chris Riess and Amy Hill Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once hailed as the “world’s best-looking man” - Terence Stamp was a striking presence who embodied the glamour of the swinging sixties, and went on to reinvent himself as one of cinema’s great villains. Charismatic, enigmatic, and forever restless, he was an actor of dazzling contradictions - never quite what the world expected him to be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

She turned yoghurt pots into treasure, pets into celebrities, and treated her young audience as valued "customers". For 26 years, Biddy Baxter was the driving force behind Blue Peter, transforming it into the cleverest show on children's television and attracting audiences of up to 12 million.Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim Lovell was the cool-headed astronaut who became one of the first men to orbit the moon, and later commanded the Apollo 13 mission - famously telling mission control, “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” In the days that followed, his skill and leadership helped bring the crew safely home, turning what could have been a disaster into one of NASA’s greatest recoveries. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the first female head of MI5 and the first chief to be publicly identified, Stella Rimington, brought freshness and innovation to MI5 and a much-needed openness during her time as director-general.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Allan Ahlberg was the beloved children’s author of Peepo! and The Jolly Postman. Capturing the everyday magic of childhood with his illustrator wife Janet, he wrote over 150 books. We remember the teacher-turned-writer whose work shaped generations of young readers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In January 1943, 21-year-old Margot Friedländer returned to her home in Berlin to find her family gone – her 17-year-old brother had been arrested by the Gestapo, and her mother had turned herself in to the authorities to be with him. She left Margot a note with just five words, urging her to "try to make your life." After 15 months in hiding, Margot was deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Decades after her liberation, Margot became one of the very few Berlin-born Holocaust survivors to return to Germany, saying Berlin was "how I actually discovered true humanity.”Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hulk Hogan helped turn wrestling into a global spectacle. Known for his flamboyant physique, yellow moustache and trademark bandana, he was one of WWE’s most iconic stars. But the story of Terry Bollea, the man behind the persona, was every bit as fascinating as the one he performed in the ring. Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Black Sabbath star, known as the Prince of Darkness, leaves behind a legacy that's shaped heavy metal rock music and inspired a generation of fans and musicians.Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the barracks to the presidential villa, Muhammadu Buhari was a strong and disciplined leader who left a lasting mark on Nigeria’s history – first as a firm military ruler in the 1980s, and three decades on, as its democratically elected president.Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The pioneering yet reclusive artist was one of founding figures of British pop art whose bold, vibrant work helped define a movement. Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lord Tebbit was one of the most combative figures in British politics, and was known as Thatcher's 'enforcer'. A key architect of 1980s union reform, he survived the Brighton bombing and later left frontline politics to care for his wife, Margaret, who was severely injured in the bombing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.