Little Richard — 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

Little Richard — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Artist

Little Richard

17 episodes

Chosen over the decades

16

Total castaways

1980s

Peak decade

5

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Billy Connolly
Carol Klein
Cilla Black
David Essex
David Nott
Fay Godwin
Jimmy Tarbuck
Michael Gambon
Molly Parkin
Paul McCartney
Rita Tushingham
Rocco Forte
Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke MP
Rt Hon Michael Howard MP
Sir Christopher Meyer
Yusuf Cat Stevens

Carol Klein
Carol Klein on keeping a welcome home sign under her bed for a year
Castaway · 6 July 2025Lauren Laverne
Rita Tushingham
Rita Tushingham on how people shouted 'Black and white don't mix' at her and Paul Danqua
Castaway · 19 June 2022Lauren 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

Yusuf Cat Stevens

Yusuf Cat Stevens on being treated in the same hospital where Boris Karloff died

Castaway · 27 September 2020Lauren Laverne

17°09′S 045°11′W

David Nott

David Nott on operating on an IS fighter as six gunmen burst into the operating theatre

Castaway · 5 June 2016Kirsty Young

22°36′S 159°33′W

Molly Parkin

Molly Parkin on lying in the gutter in a gold llama outfit

Castaway · 8 May 2011Kirsty Young

Rt Hon Michael Howard MP

18°39′S 077°17′W

Rt Hon Michael Howard MP

Michael Howard on his aunt surviving three trips to the Auschwitz gas chamber

Castaway · 4 July 2004Sue Lawley

04°11′S 011°56′W

Jimmy Tarbuck

Jimmy Tarbuck on being brought home by policemen for stealing apples

Castaway · 11 January 2004Sue Lawley

Sir Christopher Meyer

22°51′S 040°15′W

Sir Christopher Meyer

Christopher Meyer on leaving behind the Ambassadorial Bentley

Castaway · 23 November 2003Sue Lawley

21°36′S 156°48′W

Fay Godwin

Fay Godwin on her mother's death on her 17th birthday

Castaway · 17 March 2002Sue Lawley

18°17′S 124°34′W

Billy Connolly

Billy Connolly on being humiliated daily by his Auntie Mona

Castaway · 18 November 2001Sue Lawley

Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke MP

09°31′S 140°24′W

Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke MP

How rude remarks made Kenneth Clarke wear suede shoes defiantly

Castaway · 20 February 1994Sue Lawley

01°00′S 026°05′W

Rocco Forte

Rocco Forte on throwing down his sabre and quitting fencing forever

Castaway · 5 February 1989Sue Lawley

18°58′S 071°56′W

Cilla Black

Cilla Black on being told 'You was robbed' after her nose job

Castaway · 16 October 1988Michael Parkinson

11°52′S 003°47′W

David Essex

David Essex on the music from a Soho basement that felt like a star over Bethlehem

Castaway · 10 July 1988Michael Parkinson

07°31′S 020°47′W

Michael Gambon

Michael Gambon on painting scenery after walking past a theatre

Castaway · 24 April 1988Michael Parkinson

In memory of comedian

12°09′S 034°45′W

In memory of comedian and writer Barry Cryer

Barry Cryer on making a living out of glibness

Castaway · 22 November 1987Michael Parkinson

09°36′S 013°21′W

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney on swapping his trumpet for a guitar and discovering he was left-handed

Castaway · 30 January 1982Roy Plomley