The Specials

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

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Artist

10 episodes

Chosen over the decades

Total castaways

2020s

Peak decade

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Claire Horton
Fiona Hill
Helen McCrory
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Jon Ronson
Kathy Burke
Lennie James
Maria Balshaw
Rupert Everett
Steve McQueen

Lennie James
Castaway · 26 October 2025Lauren Laverne
Jon Ronson
Castaway · 5 June 2022Lauren Laverne
Fiona Hill

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

Castaway · 8 May 2022

·Lauren Laverne

Claire Horton

03°53′S 059°45′W

Claire Horton

Castaway · 28 February 2021Lauren Laverne

Maria Balshaw

14°10′S 038°06′W

Maria Balshaw

Castaway · 9 August 2020Lauren Laverne

Helen McCrory

00°45′S 130°46′W

Helen McCrory

Castaway · 28 June 2020Lauren Laverne

Rupert Everett

19°51′S 081°51′W

Rupert Everett

Castaway · 5 January 2020Lauren Laverne

Steve McQueen

10°09′S 000°42′W

Steve McQueen

Castaway · 21 September 2014Kirsty Young

Kathy Burke

14°04′S 067°49′W

Kathy Burke

Castaway · 15 August 2010Kirsty Young

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

07°03′S 022°43′W

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Castaway · 26 July 2009Kirsty Young

The Specials — Artist · desert is.land