Bryan Ferry

desert is.landest. 1942

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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
Report a fault

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

Bryan Ferry — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Artist

10 episodes

Chosen over the decades

Total castaways

2010s

Peak decade

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Arthur Edwards
Carl Hester
Dame Zaha Hadid
Danny Dyer
Gok Wan
John Hegarty
Peter Mayle
Roger Vadim
Sinead Cusack
Vidal Sassoon

Danny Dyer
How sitting on the toilet after the NTAs made Danny Dyer address his addiction
Castaway · 11 May 2025Lauren Laverne
Carl Hester
Carl Hester on seeing his biological father on television
Castaway · 21 November 2021Lauren Laverne

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

Dame Zaha Hadid

Zaha Hadid on learning that buildings can't float

Castaway · 21 February 2016Kirsty Young

Vidal Sassoon

12°19′S 076°07′W

Vidal Sassoon

How Vidal Sassoon fought fascists on the streets of London at 17

Castaway · 9 October 2011Kirsty Young

Arthur Edwards

10°00′S 093°23′W

Arthur Edwards

Arthur Edwards on photographing Lady Diana in a see-through skirt

Castaway · 25 September 2011Kirsty Young

Gok Wan

14°55′S 033°55′W

Gok Wan

Gok Wan on looking at his naked reflection in a wardrobe mirror

Castaway · 7 February 2010Kirsty Young

Sinead Cusack

16°06′S 052°52′W

Sinead Cusack

Sinead Cusack on being expelled for a school sketch about the Profumo affair

Castaway · 15 December 2002Sue Lawley

Peter Mayle

10°49′S 074°39′W

Peter Mayle

How Peter Mayle coined the 'Nice One, Cyril' catchphrase

Castaway · 4 July 1993Sue Lawley

John Hegarty

04°17′S 064°02′W

John Hegarty

John Hegarty on being told he was the worst painter at Hornsey Art School

Castaway · 23 June 1991Sue Lawley

Roger Vadim

01°30′S 069°00′W

Roger Vadim

Roger Vadim on sending the wrong child to the wrong mother

Castaway · 27 July 1986Michael Parkinson