Otis Redding — 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
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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

Otis Redding — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Artist

Otis Redding

15 episodes

Chosen over the decades

15

Total castaways

2000s

Peak decade

5

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Alan Parker
Annie Lennox
Baaba Maal
Bill Bryson
Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill
David Harewood
Dustin Hoffman
Gene Wilder
Janet Street-Porter
John Sessions
Lennie James
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Professor Dame Elizabeth Anionwu
Sarah Doukas
Suzi Quatro

Lennie James
Lennie James on writing a letter to the council after his home was taken away
Castaway · 26 October 2025Lauren Laverne
David Harewood
David Harewood on being told 'get out of my country' aged seven
Castaway · 29 May 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

Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill

Jessica Ennis-Hill on rubbing her hands on her shorts for confidence

Castaway · 18 July 2021Lauren Laverne

Professor Dame Elizabeth Anionwu

01°04′S 037°16′W

Professor Dame Elizabeth Anionwu

Elizabeth Anionwu on riding a scooter to meet her father for the first time

Castaway · 31 May 2020Lauren Laverne

04°12′S 079°15′W

Dustin Hoffman

How slipping his headshot under a door helped Dustin Hoffman deal with rejection

Castaway · 2 December 2012Kirsty Young

06°26′S 114°24′W

Sarah Doukas

Sarah Doukas on spotting a potential model in a Waitrose queue

Castaway · 10 October 2010Kirsty Young

03°39′S 009°16′W

Baaba Maal

Baaba Maal on promising his father he would make songs for the old

Castaway · 15 March 2009Kirsty 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

21°21′S 095°06′W

Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox on losing her first child

Castaway · 11 May 2008Kirsty Young

Linton Kwesi Johnson

03°27′S 061°00′W

Linton Kwesi Johnson

Linton Kwesi Johnson on turning down a six-album deal with Island Records

Castaway · 8 December 2002Sue Lawley

22°50′S 021°10′W

Alan Parker

Alan Parker on seeing his name misspelled as 'Alan Paker' in Paris

Castaway · 9 July 2000Sue Lawley

09°56′S 104°01′W

Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson on waking up in New Hampshire and realising his return to America was a catastrophe

Castaway · 31 January 1999Sue Lawley

11°04′S 139°05′W

Gene Wilder

Gene Wilder on making his mother laugh after her heart attack

Castaway · 2 February 1997Sue Lawley

06°17′S 046°20′W

John Sessions

John Sessions on talking to himself in the kitchen

Castaway · 25 February 1990Sue Lawley

09°25′S 001°01′W

Suzi Quatro

Suzi Quatro on being left the bass guitar in her all-girl band

Castaway · 21 September 1986Michael Parkinson