'Its about death, the inevitability of death'

[Legolas]

I might post my thoughts later on today, should time allow it.

I don't know exactly what was said on the BBC broadcast, but what you're saying seems to be supported by this quote from the The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien in which Tolkien was denying some reader that had mistakenly labelled Gandalf as Jesus (or Eru incarnate). It is definitely one of his concerns, but not necessarily the only one:

Here I am only concerned with Death as part of the nature, physical and spiritual, of Man, and with Hope without guarantees.

[ March 08, 2003: Message edited by: Legolas ]