12°04′S 060°10′W

Lord Healey

Denis Healey on why he now regrets not becoming Prime Minister

Castaway · 14 June 2009·Kirsty Young

14°02′S 041°19′W

Nicholas Parsons

Nicholas Parsons on his mother's fear that show business would deprave him

Castaway · 4 November 2007·Kirsty Young

00°36′S 024°29′W

Pen Hadow

Pen Hadow on hitting a polar bear on the head with a saucepan

Castaway · 16 May 2004·Sue Lawley

19°50′S 164°06′W

Frank McCourt

Frank McCourt on writing his earliest memory in the present tense

Castaway · 17 June 2001·Sue Lawley

23°51′S 153°03′W

Sir John Sulston

John Sulston on holding the human genome on a CD-ROM

Castaway · 13 May 2001·Sue Lawley

20°57′S 074°16′W

Sir John Mortimer

John Mortimer on his blind father hiding in the herbaceous border from visitors

Castaway · 4 February 2001·Sue Lawley

16°38′S 032°20′W

Joanna Trollope

Joanna Trollope on coming out of the historical cupboard

Castaway · 11 September 1994·Sue Lawley

04°50′S 055°03′W

Rt Hon Lord Sainsbury

David Sainsbury on his week as a professional actor

Castaway · 11 October 1992·Sue Lawley

02°31′S 073°19′W

Chad Varah

Chad Varah on the child whose suicide inspired his sex education teaching

Castaway · 27 September 1992·Sue Lawley

21°15′S 019°56′W

Sir Robin Day

Robin Day on the time he thought he would be arrested for making an interruption

Castaway · 21 January 1990·Sue Lawley

18°16′S 034°54′W

Trevor Huddleston

Castaway · 25 September 1988·Michael Parkinson

12°01′S 018°56′W

Alison Lurie

How writing a memoir after a friend's death helped Alison Lurie get published

Castaway · 9 March 1985·Roy Plomley

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 1984·Roy Plomley

22°11′S 019°43′W

Mike Harding

Mike Harding on advising John Lennon to get better suits

Castaway · 23 October 1982·Roy Plomley

16°35′S 065°14′W

John Mortimer QC

John Mortimer on playing all the parts in Shakespeare as an only child, including duelling with himself

Castaway · 3 July 1982·Roy Plomley

20°56′S 022°29′W

Earl of Harewood

Earl of Harewood on worrying his royal bargaining power as a POW was a bluff

Castaway · 26 December 1981·Roy Plomley

18°20′S 057°23′W

Sir John Tooley

John Tooley on accepting he lacked the talent to be a singer

Castaway · 11 October 1980·Roy Plomley

06°19′S 147°59′W

Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl on being unable to turn off the light after reading Ambrose Bierce

Castaway · 27 October 1979·Roy Plomley

23°37′S 077°34′W

Sir Lennox Berkeley

Lennox Berkeley on Nadia Boulanger showing him what was missing in his music

Castaway · 13 May 1978·Roy Plomley

04°03′S 116°32′W

Dorothy Edwards

Dorothy Edwards on writing her first story aged four and finding it after her grandmother's death

Castaway · 31 December 1977·Roy Plomley

04°09′S 165°56′W

Gemma Jones

Gemma Jones on being a queen's guide

Castaway · 11 December 1976·Roy Plomley

12°31′S 121°17′W

Alan Keith

Alan Keith on playing truant from school to go to the theatre

Castaway · 6 February 1971·Roy Plomley

13°44′S 006°59′W

Dr Robert Stopford

Castaway · 12 November 1962·Roy Plomley

13°46′S 149°06′W

Sir John Gielgud

John Gielgud on his bargain with his father to try acting until age 25

Castaway · 29 January 1962·Roy Plomley

14°37′S 156°02′W

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock on describing Psycho as 'a rather gentle horror picture'

Castaway · 19 October 1959·Roy Plomley

12°37′S 069°04′W

Malcolm Arnold

Castaway · 23 March 1959·Roy Plomley

11°59′S 086°48′W

Wilfred Pickles

Castaway · 2 January 1953·Roy Plomley