Paul Desmond — 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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Most requested
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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

Paul Desmond — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Composer

Paul Desmond

11 episodes

Chosen over the decades

11

Total castaways

2000s

Peak decade

5

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Benjamin Zephaniah
David Suchet
Donald Sutherland
Frank McCourt
Imtiaz Dharker
Len Goodman
Lord Coe
Peter O'Sullevan
Professor Tanya Byron
Tahra Zafar
Wilbur Smith

Tahra Zafar
Tahra Zafar on her husband climbing Mount Etna with a prosthetic leg
Castaway · 8 February 2026Lauren Laverne
Imtiaz Dharker
How a Tannoy announcement led Imtiaz Dharker to her first marriage
Castaway · 12 July 2015Kirsty Young
Professor Tanya Byron

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

Tanya Byron on how her grandmother’s murder sparked her interest in psychology

Castaway · 27 October 2013Kirsty Young

01°18′S 034°16′W

Len Goodman

Len Goodman on his childhood Saturday night sing-songs by the fireplace

Castaway · 19 June 2011Kirsty Young

03°45′S 025°32′W

Lord Coe

How a father screamed 'You're killing him!' at Sebastian Coe's dad after a race

Castaway · 13 December 2009Kirsty Young

04°25′S 106°44′W

David Suchet

David Suchet on looking in the mirror for 20 seconds to become himself

Castaway · 8 February 2009Kirsty Young

19°50′S 164°06′W

Frank McCourt

Frank McCourt on writing his earliest memory in the present tense

Castaway · 17 June 2001Sue Lawley

Donald Sutherland

08°15′S 120°33′W

Donald Sutherland

How being called 'You with the big ears' got Donald Sutherland his first speaking role in The Dirty Dozen

Castaway · 18 June 2000Sue Lawley

Peter O'Sullevan

21°59′S 044°28′W

Peter O'Sullevan

How the Blitz cured Peter O'Sullevan's acne-induced loneliness

Castaway · 28 September 1997Sue Lawley

Benjamin Zephaniah

00°21′S 106°28′W

Benjamin Zephaniah

Benjamin Zephaniah on writing his first book when he could hardly read or write

Castaway · 8 June 1997Sue Lawley

21°16′S 109°58′W

Wilbur Smith

Wilbur Smith on writing his first novel on government stationery

Castaway · 25 September 1982Roy Plomley