George Formby — Artist · desert is.land

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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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

George Formby — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Artist

George Formby

8 episodes

Chosen over the decades

8

Total castaways

2020s

Peak decade

5

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Benjamin Zephaniah
Frank Skinner
Harry Hill
Janet Street-Porter
Paul Johnson
Peter Layton
Professor Peter Hennessy
Russell Harty

Peter Layton
Peter Layton on his year in Israel with Habonim
Castaway · 7 June 2026Lauren Laverne
Harry Hill
How Eric Burden’s “You’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place” helped Harry Hill quit medicine
Castaway · 3 August 2025Lauren Laverne
Professor Peter Hennessy

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

Peter Hennessy on weeping as the Queen’s coffin passed the cenotaph

Castaway · 7 May 2023Lauren Laverne

02°21′S 140°57′W

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson on finding he didn’t enjoy power as editor of the New Statesman

Castaway · 15 January 2012Kirsty Young

05°28′S 005°01′W

Frank Skinner

Frank Skinner on being expelled for embezzling school dinner tickets

Castaway · 13 June 2010Kirsty Young

Janet Street-Porter

18°50′S 040°49′W

Janet Street-Porter

Janet Street-Porter on her childhood fantasy of being a swapped baby

Castaway · 23 November 2008Kirsty Young

Benjamin Zephaniah

00°21′S 106°28′W

Benjamin Zephaniah

Benjamin Zephaniah on writing his first book when he could hardly read or write

Castaway · 8 June 1997Sue Lawley

08°55′S 138°00′W

Russell Harty

Russell Harty on turning down a Granada job for teaching

Castaway · 21 March 1981Roy Plomley