Benjamin Britten — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Tuning in…

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

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Most requested
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Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
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Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Benjamin Britten — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Artist

Benjamin Britten

16 episodes

Chosen over the decades

16

Total castaways

1970s

Peak decade

5

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

André Previn
Angela Harding
Ben Kingsley
Caroline
Christopher Fry
Dr Jacob Bronowski
Jane Glover
Leslie Baily
Malcolm Williamson
Marisa Robles
Peter Pears
Quentin Blake
Robert Fisk
Rt Hon Shirley Williams
Sir Oliver Millar
Stan Barstow

Angela Harding
Angela Harding on cycling to art school with roadkill tied to her handlebars
Castaway · 5 October 2025Lauren Laverne
Caroline
Caroline on discovering her mother's secret suitcase of spy inks
Castaway · 31 May 2009Kirsty Young
Robert Fisk

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

Find a castaway
Most requested
Browse the archive
About

Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
Report a fault

Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

How Robert Fisk hit back when attacked by Afghan refugees

Castaway · 15 October 2006Kirsty Young

23°48′S 059°10′W

Quentin Blake

Quentin Blake on drawing with a waverly nib

Castaway · 1 October 2006Kirsty Young

05°47′S 036°33′W

Stan Barstow

Stan Barstow on the moment a book by H.E. Bates showed him what to write about

Castaway · 24 August 1986Michael Parkinson

07°50′S 040°41′W

Jane Glover

Jane Glover on her childhood ambition to be a policewoman

Castaway · 30 March 1986Michael Parkinson

Rt Hon Shirley Williams

14°33′S 084°21′W

Rt Hon Shirley Williams

How a tip-off about concentration camps sent Shirley Williams to America

Castaway · 23 March 1986Michael Parkinson

21°16′S 128°01′W

Ben Kingsley

Ben Kingsley on watching Ian Holm play Richard III

Castaway · 16 February 1986Michael Parkinson

Christopher Fry

00°56′S 011°49′W

Christopher Fry

Christopher Fry on taking letters to the post at midnight

Castaway · 7 October 1978Roy Plomley

Sir Oliver Millar

16°32′S 073°21′W

Sir Oliver Millar

Oliver Millar on insisting the Bible must be the King James's version

Castaway · 4 June 1977Roy Plomley

21°56′S 134°17′W

Marisa Robles

Marisa Robles on winning a radio competition at nine only to have her bicycle prize taken away

Castaway · 28 May 1977Roy Plomley

Malcolm Williamson

00°52′S 142°01′W

Malcolm Williamson

How treading on a lady’s foot ended Malcolm Williamson’s conducting career

Castaway · 12 June 1976Roy Plomley

Dr Jacob Bronowski

04°24′S 046°38′W

Dr Jacob Bronowski

Jacob Bronowski on telling the BBC he didn't mean to make a science series like Kenneth Clark's

Castaway · 5 January 1974Roy Plomley

06°05′S 034°50′W

Peter Pears

Peter Pears on his first concert with Benjamin Britten for Spanish Republican funds

Castaway · 21 July 1969Roy Plomley

13°28′S 174°12′W

André Previn

André Previn on being happiest to get away from the telephone

Castaway · 7 October 1967Roy Plomley

07°51′S 040°43′W

Leslie Baily

Leslie Baily on persuading Marconi to recount his first transatlantic wireless signal

Castaway · 13 January 1964Roy Plomley