Miriam Makeba — 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

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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

Miriam Makeba — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Artist

Miriam Makeba

16 episodes

Chosen over the decades

16

Total castaways

2000s

Peak decade

6

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Alex Crawford
Amanda Khozi Mukwashi
Bishop John Sentamu
Christina Dodwell
Dame Katherine Grainger
David King
David Scott Blackhall
Glynis Johns
Helen McCrory
Inga Beale
Margaret Busby
Michael Holding
Mohamed Amin
Sue MacGregor
Tom Sharpe
Wangari Maathai

Michael Holding
Michael Holding on his impromptu four-minute monologue on racism
Castaway · 12 September 2021Lauren Laverne
Margaret Busby
How a college conversation led Margaret Busby to co-found a publishing house with no experience
Castaway · 27 June 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

Amanda Khozi Mukwashi

Amanda Khozi Mukwashi on her grandfather's story about trees having a conversation about her

Castaway · 30 May 2021Lauren Laverne

00°45′S 130°46′W

Helen McCrory

Helen McCrory on being told to live a bit during her drama school audition

Castaway · 28 June 2020Lauren Laverne

Dame Katherine Grainger

08°40′S 010°49′W

Dame Katherine Grainger

Katherine Grainger on the day she failed to make the senior rowing team despite being convinced she would

Castaway · 26 February 2017Kirsty Young

05°53′S 127°18′W

Inga Beale

Inga Beale on coming out to her CEO during a job interview

Castaway · 15 May 2016Kirsty Young

03°33′S 170°19′W

Alex Crawford

Alex Crawford on her daughter saying you don't like us as much as work

Castaway · 10 January 2016Kirsty Young

Wangari Maathai

20°52′S 153°15′W

Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai on redefining her name after being given Christian names

Castaway · 1 July 2007Kirsty Young

05°07′S 075°56′W

David King

David King on being interrogated on the seventh floor of the Grays building

Castaway · 22 May 2005Sue Lawley

Bishop John Sentamu

16°50′S 134°18′W

Bishop John Sentamu

John Sentamu on reciting Psalms as guards went for lunch

Castaway · 22 June 2003Sue Lawley

23°18′S 162°01′W

Sue MacGregor

Sue MacGregor on crying privately over Brian Redhead's behaviour

Castaway · 24 February 2002Sue Lawley

Christina Dodwell

07°12′S 158°40′W

Christina Dodwell

Christina Dodwell on her raft flipping upside down in Papua New Guinea

Castaway · 6 March 1994Sue Lawley

13°03′S 082°53′W

Mohamed Amin

How a chance phone call put Mohamed Amin through to Idi Amin

Castaway · 12 July 1992Sue Lawley

05°42′S 178°45′W

Tom Sharpe

Tom Sharpe on losing £36,555 in his first month as a bank clerk

Castaway · 3 November 1984Roy Plomley

David Scott Blackhall

18°14′S 042°07′W

David Scott Blackhall

David Scott Blackhall on the pub outing that showed him people don't speak to the blind

Castaway · 26 July 1980Roy Plomley

08°31′S 095°26′W

Glynis Johns

Glynis Johns on making her first stage appearance at a few days old

Castaway · 24 April 1976Roy Plomley