U2 — 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

U2 — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Artist

U2

22 episodes

Chosen over the decades

22

Total castaways

2020s

Peak decade

5

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Anita Roddick
Bill Gates
Bob Champion
Chris Evans
Cillian Murphy
Dr Kevin Fong
Gary Lineker
Gordon Buchanan
Greg Jackson
Guy Martin
Hilary McGrady
Jane Horrocks
Joyce DiDonato
Lord Killanin
Noel Gallagher
Paulo Coelho
Paul Smith
Peter Melchett
Professor Noel Fitzpatrick
Sheryl Sandberg
Shirine Khoury-Haq
Sir Jony Ive

Guy Martin
Guy Martin on his inner chimp being Ben Kingsley
Castaway · 31 May 2026Lauren Laverne
Gordon Buchanan
Gordon Buchanan on crying himself to sleep in Sierra Leone aged 17
Castaway · 30 November 2025Lauren 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

How sleeping on the factory floor helped Jony Ive perfect the iPhone

Castaway · 23 February 2025Lauren Laverne

Shirine Khoury-Haq

15°07′S 064°13′W

Shirine Khoury-Haq

Shirine Khoury-Haq on losing her daughter 11 minutes after birth

Castaway · 9 June 2024Lauren Laverne

04°23′S 031°36′W

Cillian Murphy

How a text message convinced Steven Knight to cast Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby

Castaway · 11 February 2024Lauren Laverne

07°30′S 088°50′W

Greg Jackson

Greg Jackson on calling his product officer at 10pm to order 5,000 electric blankets

Castaway · 8 October 2023Lauren Laverne

Professor Noel Fitzpatrick

20°46′S 017°20′W

Professor Noel Fitzpatrick

Noel Fitzpatrick on having his copy book ruined by bullies

Castaway · 11 July 2021Lauren Laverne

04°16′S 132°44′W

Hilary McGrady

Hilary McGrady on a custodian who lifted a pipe bomb from a National Trust house

Castaway · 1 November 2020Lauren Laverne

15°40′S 133°45′W

Dr Kevin Fong

Kevin Fong on finding his father's file of rejection letters

Castaway · 6 August 2017Kirsty Young

Sheryl Sandberg

02°00′S 142°53′W

Sheryl Sandberg

How a phone call from the hospital helped Sheryl Sandberg face her grief

Castaway · 30 July 2017Kirsty Young

21°10′S 034°09′W

Joyce DiDonato

Joyce DiDonato on breaking her leg on stage and finishing on crutches

Castaway · 25 September 2016Kirsty Young

14°54′S 179°27′W

Bill Gates

Bill Gates on being sent to a child psychologist for being disruptive

Castaway · 31 January 2016Kirsty Young

01°17′S 166°36′W

Noel Gallagher

Noel Gallagher on not remembering walking on stage at Knebworth

Castaway · 19 July 2015Kirsty Young

12°28′S 050°02′W

Jane Horrocks

Jane Horrocks on discovering her talent for impersonation

Castaway · 8 October 2006Kirsty Young

12°21′S 008°21′W

Chris Evans

Chris Evans on walking out of school after a teacher punched him

Castaway · 6 November 2005Sue Lawley

23°11′S 128°44′W

Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho on escaping a psychiatric hospital twice

Castaway · 3 July 2005Sue Lawley

22°39′S 081°23′W

Peter Melchett

Peter Melchett on feeling nervous during direct action against GM crops

Castaway · 30 January 2000Sue Lawley

18°53′S 119°54′W

Paul Smith

How Paul Smith discovered the Filofax maker hidden under railway arches

Castaway · 20 December 1992Sue Lawley

02°31′S 118°05′W

Gary Lineker

Gary Lineker on using household lamps to play football in the winter dark

Castaway · 30 September 1990Sue Lawley

08°19′S 046°15′W

Bob Champion

Bob Champion on watching the Grand National on the Pathé News aged nine

Castaway · 20 November 1988Michael Parkinson

19°24′S 095°11′W

Anita Roddick

Anita Roddick on being turned down by a bank in a Bob Dylan t-shirt with her babies

Castaway · 22 May 1988Michael Parkinson

14°28′S 016°29′W

Lord Killanin

Killanin on being born a month after his father's death in the war

Castaway · 11 October 1987Michael Parkinson