大象传媒

In a tribute to Elaine Morgan, we hear from Si芒n Phillips and Sir David Attenborough about what made Elaine Morgan so special in so many different fields. Journalist Trevor Fishlock and historian Dai Smith place her work in context, and leading young feminist Kat Banyard tells us how Elaine's writing changed her life.

Elaine Morgan was called Wales's greatest living lady of letters. In her time, she had been one of our top writers of TV drama, a feminist icon, scientific rebel and award-winning newspaper columnist. Her last book, Knock 'em Cold Kid, was her autobiography: the story of a truly inspirational life.

Her story reads like a history of the twentieth century. Born into a poor Rhondda mining family, she dated a GI and married an international Brigadier. Later, she started writing for television before she, or anybody she knew, owned a TV set. Smash-hit series like How Green Was My Valley, The Life and Times of Lloyd George and Testament of Youth saw her work with Si芒n Phillips and Stanley Baker, and scoop a host of awards.

Then, in the early 1970's, she changed tack, taking on the scientific establishment with a new theory of human evolution. The Descent of Woman made the housewife from Mountain Ash an unlikely feminist hero.