Dame Kiri Te Kanawa — 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
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

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Artist

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

40 episodes

Chosen over the decades

40

Total castaways

1980s

Peak decade

5

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Abi Morgan
Antonia Fraser
Antony Sher
Athene Seyler
Bernard Levin
Captain Eric Brown (Winkle)
Christabel Bielenberg
Dame Edna Everage
Danielle de Niese
David Davis MP
Dr Gwen Adshead
Duncan Goodhew
James Burke
Jane Lapotaire
Jenny Beavan
Jeremy Lloyd
Joan Collins
Julia Cleverdon
Kate Adie
Lady Margaret Tebbit
Lord Alexander
Maggie Alphonsi
Malcolm Muggeridge
Mary Ellis
more

Professor Michele Dougherty
Castaway · 1 February 2026Lauren Laverne
Maggie Alphonsi
Castaway · 17 August 2025Lauren Laverne
Jenny Beavan

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

Castaway · 19 February 2023

·Lauren Laverne

01°00′S 131°35′W

Simon Reeve

Castaway · 9 January 2022Lauren Laverne

Danielle de Niese

19°36′S 058°03′W

Danielle de Niese

Castaway · 16 September 2018Kirsty Young

12°43′S 047°50′W

Abi Morgan

Castaway · 6 May 2018Kirsty Young

Professor Dame Carol Black

07°11′S 135°47′W

Professor Dame Carol Black

Castaway · 7 February 2016Kirsty Young

Julia Cleverdon

03°28′S 114°03′W

Julia Cleverdon

Castaway · 18 January 2015Kirsty Young

Captain Eric Brown (Winkle)

10°46′S 156°13′W

Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown

Castaway · 14 November 2014Kirsty Young

12°19′S 076°07′W

Vidal Sassoon

Castaway · 9 October 2011Kirsty Young

Dr Gwen Adshead

21°47′S 111°29′W

Dr Gwen Adshead

Castaway · 11 July 2010Kirsty Young

05°11′S 049°57′W

David Davis MP

Castaway · 16 November 2008Kirsty Young

01°22′S 083°04′W

Antonia Fraser

Castaway · 27 July 2008Kirsty Young

Thomas Keneally

01°16′S 034°11′W

Thomas Keneally

Castaway · 22 July 2007Kirsty Young

Rt Hon David Cameron MP

08°16′S 061°39′W

Rt Hon David Cameron MP

Castaway · 28 May 2006Sue Lawley

Sir Harry Secombe

19°43′S 092°31′W

Sir Harry Secombe

Castaway · 21 December 1997Sue Lawley

19°12′S 079°30′W

Lord Alexander

Castaway · 17 March 1996Sue Lawley

Lady Margaret Tebbit

05°26′S 166°58′W

Lady Margaret Tebbit

Castaway · 31 December 1995Sue Lawley

08°07′S 067°26′W

Kate Adie

Castaway · 15 May 1994Sue Lawley

11°19′S 109°08′W

Sybil Marshall

Castaway · 7 November 1993Sue Lawley

Rt Hon Virginia Bottomley MP

01°48′S 048°15′W

Rt Hon Virginia Bottomley MP

Castaway · 3 October 1993Sue Lawley

Sir Robin Butler

02°44′S 156°01′W

Sir Robin Butler

Castaway · 21 February 1993Sue Lawley

Christabel Bielenberg

11°10′S 075°14′W

Christabel Bielenberg

Castaway · 8 November 1992Sue Lawley

06°43′S 036°17′W

Duncan Goodhew

Castaway · 7 June 1992Sue Lawley

10°58′S 003°41′W

Will Carling

Castaway · 10 May 1992Sue Lawley

Reverend David Jenkins

09°58′S 134°11′W

Reverend David Jenkins

Castaway · 19 January 1992Sue Lawley

05°21′S 162°19′W

Joan Collins

Castaway · 25 June 1989Sue Lawley

08°10′S 128°04′W

Athene Seyler

Castaway · 2 October 1988Michael Parkinson

Dame Edna Everage

22°12′S 012°55′W

Dame Edna Everage

Castaway · 17 July 1988Michael Parkinson

10°13′S 075°30′W

James Burke

Castaway · 6 March 1988Michael Parkinson

06°12′S 087°33′W

Antony Sher

Castaway · 6 December 1987Michael Parkinson

16°47′S 179°13′W

Bernard Levin

Castaway · 25 October 1987Michael Parkinson

16°26′S 031°15′W

Jeremy Lloyd

Castaway · 18 January 1987Michael Parkinson

18°26′S 027°25′W

Jane Lapotaire

Castaway · 17 August 1986Michael Parkinson

Robert Burchfield

06°42′S 047°14′W

Robert Burchfield

Castaway · 20 April 1985Roy Plomley

02°57′S 146°01′W

Michael York

Castaway · 25 February 1984Roy Plomley

19°11′S 079°16′W

Mary Ellis

Castaway · 25 December 1982Roy Plomley

Sir William Walton

08°57′S 112°49′W

Sir William Walton

Castaway · 27 March 1982Roy Plomley

Malcolm Muggeridge

13°07′S 116°14′W

Malcolm Muggeridge

Castaway · 19 September 1981Roy Plomley

05°41′S 066°31′W

Ronald Lockley

Castaway · 4 October 1980Roy Plomley

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa — Artist · desert is.land