Irving Berlin — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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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

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Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
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Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Irving Berlin — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Composer

Irving Berlin

42 episodes

Chosen over the decades

42

Total castaways

2000s

Peak decade

8

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Anthony Minghella
Athene Donald
Baroness Trumpington
Benny Hill
Betsy Blair
Cath Kidston
Clive James
Dame Harriet Walter
Dr Catherine Gavin
Eve Arnold
Eve Pollard
Frank McCourt
George Abbott
Greta Gerwig
Ian McMillan
Jack Higgins
James Bolam
Jane Somerville
Jan Morris
Jessica Mitford
John Mortimer
Julia Foster
Lord David Cobbold
Maggie Fitzgibbon
more

Professor Tim Spector
Tim Spector on the helicopter crash that caught fire
Castaway · 31 March 2024Lauren Laverne
Greta Gerwig
Greta Gerwig on the seventh-grade math test story her teacher pinned up
Castaway · 17 December 2023Lauren Laverne
Michael Pollan

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

Michael Pollan on his ego dissolving into blue post-it notes

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Castaway · 21 October 2007Kirsty Young

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Jack Higgins

Jack Higgins on the IRA bomb his step-grandfather carried him from

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Castaway · 23 May 2004Sue Lawley

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Jan Morris

Jan Morris on the Arabic music drifting through her Casablanca clinic window

Castaway · 16 June 2002Sue Lawley

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Frank McCourt

Frank McCourt on writing his earliest memory in the present tense

Castaway · 17 June 2001Sue Lawley

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Peter Nichols

Peter Nichols on his brother asking him to disguise the family more

Castaway · 2 July 2000Sue Lawley

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Clive James

How living in a basement stopped Clive James from jumping

Castaway · 11 June 2000Sue Lawley

Warren Mitchell

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Castaway · 28 November 1999Sue Lawley

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Paula Rego

Paula Rego on being alarmed by the smell of naked flesh in the life room

Castaway · 7 December 1997Sue Lawley

Anthony Minghella

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Anthony Minghella on sending actors home from Italy

Castaway · 9 November 1997Sue Lawley

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Peggy Mount

Peggy Mount on being told she had a character face

Castaway · 9 June 1996Sue Lawley

02°55′S 123°10′W

Eve Arnold

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Castaway · 4 February 1996Sue Lawley

Rt Hon Betty Boothroyd MP

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How the crown jewels could rescue Baroness Trumpington

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Rt Hon Barbara Castle

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Castaway · 11 November 1990Sue Lawley

Margaret Kelly - Miss Bluebell

22°06′S 150°54′W

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George Abbott

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Wilbur Smith

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Princess Grace of Monaco

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Mark Elder

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Sir Cecil Beaton

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Dr Catherine Gavin

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Jessica Mitford

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James Bolam

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Julia Foster

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Maggie Fitzgibbon

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Percy Merriman

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Benny Hill

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