Benjamin Britten — Composer · 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
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

Composer

Benjamin Britten

124 episodes

Chosen over the decades

124

Total castaways

1980s

Peak decade

8

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

André Previn
Andrew Davies
Angela Harding
Anita Lasker-Wallfisch
Anne-Sophie Mutter
Anthony Dowell
Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Rolfe Johnson
Baroness Hale of Richmond
Benjamin Luxon
Ben Kingsley
Berthold Goldschmidt
Biddy Baxter
Caroline
Christopher Fry
Claire Bloom
Cleo Laine
Dame Fanny Waterman
Dame Joan Bakewell
Dame Ninette De Valois
Dame Sarah Connolly
Dan Pearson
David Attenborough
David Dimbleby
more

Angela Harding
Castaway · 5 October 2025Lauren Laverne
William Boyd
Castaway · 2 March 2025Lauren Laverne
Errollyn Wallen

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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 · 14 July 2024

·Lauren Laverne

Dame Sarah Connolly

19°36′S 021°09′W

Dame Sarah Connolly

Castaway · 10 October 2021Lauren Laverne

Baroness Hale of Richmond

20°23′S 117°37′W

Baroness Hale of Richmond

Castaway · 19 September 2021Lauren Laverne

04°38′S 084°27′W

Thea Musgrave

Castaway · 7 October 2018Lauren Laverne

21°10′S 034°09′W

Joyce DiDonato

Castaway · 25 September 2016Kirsty Young

12°37′S 174°44′W

Imtiaz Dharker

Castaway · 12 July 2015Kirsty Young

Harry Rabinowitz

10°19′S 012°00′W

Harry Rabinowitz

Castaway · 28 June 2015Kirsty Young

17°38′S 032°11′W

Pamela Rose

Castaway · 31 May 2015Kirsty Young

12°30′S 140°27′W

Dan Pearson

Castaway · 8 February 2015Kirsty Young

The Most Reverend Justin Welby

04°49′S 029°01′W

The Most Reverend Justin Welby

Castaway · 21 December 2014Kirsty Young

11°41′S 066°58′W

Sir Roy Strong

Castaway · 12 October 2014Kirsty Young

Sir Michael Marmot

06°40′S 028°31′W

Sir Michael Marmot

Castaway · 6 July 2014Kirsty Young

05°08′S 143°15′W

Biddy Baxter

Castaway · 1 June 2014Kirsty Young

Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP

13°13′S 105°39′W

Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP

Castaway · 9 December 2012Kirsty Young

Dame Fanny Waterman

12°46′S 085°05′W

Dame Fanny Waterman

Castaway · 4 July 2010Kirsty Young

12°11′S 049°41′W

Emma Thompson

Castaway · 28 March 2010Kirsty Young

23°57′S 059°19′W

John Copley

Castaway · 3 January 2010Kirsty Young

Dame Joan Bakewell

09°22′S 005°27′W

Dame Joan Bakewell

Castaway · 9 August 2009Kirsty Young

10°45′S 077°26′W

Caroline

Castaway · 31 May 2009Kirsty Young

Marcus du Sautoy

00°47′S 167°01′W

Marcus du Sautoy

Castaway · 7 December 2008Kirsty Young

09°37′S 013°00′W

Ian Bostridge

Castaway · 26 October 2008Kirsty Young

02°45′S 156°02′W

Felicity Lott

Castaway · 13 July 2008Kirsty Young

08°19′S 079°45′W

David Dimbleby

Castaway · 24 February 2008Kirsty Young

06°47′S 111°23′W

Andrew Davies

Castaway · 5 August 2007Kirsty Young

Anthony Horowitz

19°47′S 070°13′W

Anthony Horowitz

Castaway · 31 December 2006Kirsty Young

01°07′S 041°54′W

Robert Fisk

Castaway · 15 October 2006Kirsty Young

23°48′S 059°10′W

Quentin Blake

Castaway · 1 October 2006Kirsty Young

Rt Hon Shirley Williams

11°25′S 099°36′W

Rt Hon Shirley Williams

Castaway · 29 January 2006Sue Lawley

17°22′S 046°48′W

Maggi Hambling

Castaway · 18 December 2005Sue Lawley

06°24′S 061°09′W

Mary Midgley

Castaway · 20 November 2005Sue Lawley

Patrick Stewart

23°47′S 104°15′W

Patrick Stewart

Castaway · 17 April 2005Sue Lawley

Sister Frances Dominica

08°49′S 156°24′W

Sister Frances Dominica

Castaway · 8 February 2004Sue Lawley

12°17′S 128°35′W

Pat Barker

Castaway · 7 December 2003Sue Lawley

Professor A H Halsey

14°08′S 128°05′W

Professor A H Halsey

Castaway · 4 May 2003Sue Lawley

Sir Trevor Nunn

17°41′S 148°54′W

Sir Trevor Nunn

Castaway · 26 January 2003Sue Lawley

12°34′S 129°24′W

Fiona Reynolds

Castaway · 7 April 2002Sue Lawley

21°36′S 156°48′W

Fay Godwin

Castaway · 17 March 2002Sue Lawley

21°59′S 179°17′W

Sir Paul Nurse

Castaway · 10 February 2002Sue Lawley

11°55′S 048°52′W

Henry Sandon

Castaway · 11 March 2001Sue Lawley

Norman Painting

13°23′S 023°53′W

Norman Painting

Castaway · 26 December 2000Sue Lawley

09°10′S 030°18′W

Peter Nichols

Castaway · 2 July 2000Sue Lawley

18°25′S 140°24′W

Robert McCrum

Castaway · 5 March 2000Sue Lawley

Michael Crawford

03°03′S 142°19′W

Michael Crawford

Castaway · 24 December 1999Sue Lawley

Sir Roger Norrington

07°06′S 109°17′W

Sir Roger Norrington

Castaway · 15 August 1999Sue Lawley

11°15′S 087°45′W

Nina Cassian

Castaway · 14 February 1999Sue Lawley

03°36′S 133°20′W

Paul Daniel

Castaway · 1 November 1998Sue Lawley

15°20′S 035°27′W

Howard Brenton

Castaway · 19 July 1998Sue Lawley

Sir David Willcocks

09°07′S 124°19′W

Sir David Willcocks

Castaway · 17 May 1998Sue Lawley

Benjamin Britten — Composer · desert is.land