Gracie Fields — 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
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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

Gracie Fields — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Artist

Gracie Fields

26 episodes

Chosen over the decades

26

Total castaways

1970s

Peak decade

8

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Alice Thomas Ellis
Athene Seyler
Baroness Ryder of Warsaw (Sue)
Ben Helfgott
Dame Edna Everage
Dennis Potter
Des O'Connor
Emlyn Williams
Frances Perry
Gemma Jones
Gracie Fields
Graham Kerr
Jane Horrocks
Lord Bernard Miles
Mary Berry
Mary Stocks
Mollie Harris
Nemone Lethbridge
Patricia Hayes
Percy Press
Polly James
Richard Chamberlain
Sir Martin Sorrell
Sir Norman Wisdom
more

Nemone Lethbridge
Nemone Lethbridge on visiting the Führerbunker with her father
Castaway · 2 February 2025Lauren Laverne
Mary Berry
Mary Berry on contracting polio and being isolated in a glass-sided room
Castaway · 29 July 2012Kirsty Young
Sir Martin Sorrell

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

Martin Sorrell on the near-collapse of WPP in 1991

Castaway · 4 December 2011Kirsty Young

11°50′S 126°51′W

Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono on not recognising John Lennon when they first met

Castaway · 10 June 2007Kirsty Young

23°32′S 050°57′W

Ben Helfgott

Ben Helfgott on sleeping under sheets for the first time in three years

Castaway · 1 April 2007Kirsty Young

12°28′S 050°02′W

Jane Horrocks

Jane Horrocks on discovering her talent for impersonation

Castaway · 8 October 2006Kirsty Young

Sir Norman Wisdom

18°12′S 057°42′W

Sir Norman Wisdom

Norman Wisdom on falling into vases at Windsor Castle

Castaway · 6 August 2000Sue Lawley

Alice Thomas Ellis

20°27′S 132°27′W

Alice Thomas Ellis

Alice Thomas Ellis on adopting a pen name to roar anonymously

Castaway · 29 March 1998Sue Lawley

08°10′S 128°04′W

Athene Seyler

Athene Seyler on her jaws falling off during a hornpipe at age 8

Castaway · 2 October 1988Michael Parkinson

Dame Edna Everage

22°12′S 012°55′W

Dame Edna Everage

Edna Everage on hiding behind the curtains and pretending to be the wireless

Castaway · 17 July 1988Michael Parkinson

Baroness Ryder of Warsaw (Sue)

03°46′S 040°23′W

Baroness (Sue) Ryder of Warsaw

Sue Ryder on being taken to Yorkshire slums by district nurses at age seven

Castaway · 25 January 1987Michael Parkinson

05°09′S 008°43′W

Mollie Harris

Mollie Harris on her mother’s ribbon for a school concert

Castaway · 8 October 1983Roy Plomley

Lord Bernard Miles

13°21′S 173°45′W

Lord Bernard Miles

Bernard Miles on early morning trips to Covent Garden aged five

Castaway · 20 March 1982Roy Plomley

03°48′S 059°52′W

Frances Perry

Frances Perry on falling headfirst into a tub of liquid manure at 18 months

Castaway · 22 March 1980Roy Plomley

06°22′S 098°16′W

Dennis Potter

Dennis Potter on the moment he left hospital and saw the world washed clean

Castaway · 17 December 1977Roy Plomley

04°09′S 165°56′W

Gemma Jones

Gemma Jones on being a queen's guide

Castaway · 11 December 1976Roy Plomley

22°34′S 114°42′W

Patricia Hayes

Patricia Hayes on a down-and-out woman asking to sit on her lap

Castaway · 19 April 1975Roy Plomley

02°45′S 070°11′W

Emlyn Williams

How a biography of Charles Dickens led Emlyn Williams to create a one-man show

Castaway · 15 February 1975Roy Plomley

00°26′S 087°27′W

Percy Press

How a window display inspired Percy Press to modernise Punch and Judy

Castaway · 28 December 1974Roy Plomley

20°48′S 123°59′W

Polly James

How Polly James was left on the quayside while filming a boat scene

Castaway · 19 October 1974Roy Plomley

10°02′S 018°45′W

Graham Kerr

Graham Kerr on causing 17 questions in Parliament

Castaway · 4 December 1971Roy Plomley

Richard Chamberlain

11°35′S 058°17′W

Richard Chamberlain

How the musical Breakfast at Tiffany's flopped disastrously for Richard Chamberlain

Castaway · 14 March 1970Roy Plomley

23°22′S 170°10′W

Des O'Connor

Des O'Connor on being diabolical at his first professional show

Castaway · 1 September 1969Roy Plomley

14°07′S 075°24′W

Mary Stocks

How Mary Stocks confused a cricketer's name and foot

Castaway · 5 July 1965Roy Plomley

03°09′S 026°40′W

Gracie Fields

Gracie Fields on sitting on a step and singing for pennies

Castaway · 25 December 1961Roy Plomley

06°07′S 037°46′W

Emlyn Williams

Emlyn Williams on choosing eerie opening chords with producer Miles Mallison

Castaway · 7 June 1955Roy Plomley