Bette Midler — 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

Find a castaway
Most requested
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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

Bette Midler — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Artist

Bette Midler

17 episodes

Chosen over the decades

17

Total castaways

2000s

Peak decade

5

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Baroness Haleh Afshar
Bill Cullen
Bill Morris
Celia Imrie
Dame Sue Campbell
Des Lynam
Dr Robert Langer
Dustin Hoffman
Imelda Staunton
Jerry Springer
Josephine Cox
Minette Batters
Mohamed Amin
Pauline Quirke
Ruth Jones
Sir Digby Jones
Sir Robert Helpmann

Minette Batters
Minette Batters on the doctor who drove out to test her son for diabetes
Castaway · 13 December 2020Lauren Laverne
Dame Sue Campbell
How Sue Campbell's mother gave her life twice
Castaway · 19 January 2020Lauren Laverne
Ruth Jones

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

Ruth Jones on the real-life wedding song that inspired Nessa

Castaway · 13 January 2019Lauren Laverne

Dr Robert Langer

14°27′S 170°29′W

Dr Robert Langer

Robert Langer on a senior faculty member blowing smoke in his face

Castaway · 16 October 2016Kirsty Young

04°12′S 079°15′W

Dustin Hoffman

How slipping his headshot under a door helped Dustin Hoffman deal with rejection

Castaway · 2 December 2012Kirsty Young

05°42′S 047°42′W

Celia Imrie

Celia Imrie on being told she was too big for ballet at age 11

Castaway · 13 February 2011Kirsty Young

09°42′S 152°44′W

Jerry Springer

Jerry Springer on resigning from Cincinnati City Council after visiting a prostitute

Castaway · 1 November 2009Kirsty Young

Baroness Haleh Afshar

15°45′S 141°37′W

Baroness Haleh Afshar

Haleh Afshar on how reading Jane Eyre inspired her to leave Iran

Castaway · 28 December 2008Kirsty Young

Sir Digby Jones

19°36′S 069°47′W

Sir Digby Jones

Digby Jones on being teased for his unusual name

Castaway · 21 May 2006Sue Lawley

Imelda Staunton

20°05′S 049°32′W

Imelda Staunton

Imelda Staunton on not knowing the police in Vera Drake were actors

Castaway · 15 May 2005Sue Lawley

07°26′S 057°40′W

Josephine Cox

Josephine Cox on writing her first novel while confined to bed

Castaway · 8 May 2005Sue Lawley

18°14′S 075°47′W

Bill Cullen

Bill Cullen on his grandmother marking his forehead with an ash cross

Castaway · 19 October 2003Sue Lawley

19°20′S 151°05′W

Des Lynam

Des Lynam on not recognising his father when he picked him up as a child

Castaway · 19 November 2000Sue Lawley

10°19′S 177°00′W

Bill Morris

Bill Morris on being told sawdust grows on trees

Castaway · 22 November 1998Sue Lawley

05°37′S 178°53′W

Pauline Quirke

Pauline Quirke on having a plaster cast made for The Sculptress

Castaway · 5 May 1996Sue Lawley

13°03′S 082°53′W

Mohamed Amin

How a chance phone call put Mohamed Amin through to Idi Amin

Castaway · 12 July 1992Sue Lawley

Sir Robert Helpmann

06°15′S 162°30′W

Sir Robert Helpmann

Robert Helpmann on seeing his mother in Katherine Hepburn's Portia

Castaway · 23 December 1978Roy Plomley