Ron Grainer

desert is.landest. 1942

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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
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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

Ron Grainer — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Composer

6 episodes

Chosen over the decades

Total castaways

1980s

Peak decade

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Dame Norma Major
David Frost
Joan Turner
Paul Johnson
Sir Hugh Greene
Tom Ilube

Tom Ilube
Tom Ilube on being blacked up for a school play
Castaway · 3 October 2021Lauren Laverne
Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson on finding he didn’t enjoy power as editor of the New Statesman
Castaway · 15 January 2012Kirsty Young
Dame Norma Major

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

Norma Major on crying during her first six months in Downing Street

Castaway · 21 May 2000Sue Lawley

Joan Turner

12°38′S 099°15′W

Joan Turner

Joan Turner on her nervous breakdown from juggling home, husband, and career

Castaway · 31 July 1988Michael Parkinson

Sir Hugh Greene

23°12′S 060°31′W

Sir Hugh Greene

How Hugh Greene stood close to Hitler but was never introduced

Castaway · 19 November 1983Roy Plomley

David Frost

04°27′S 166°39′W

David Frost

David Frost on his childhood terror of missionaries because of leprosy

Castaway · 15 April 1963Roy Plomley

Tom Ilube

Paul Johnson

Dame Norma Major

Joan Turner

Sir Hugh Greene

David Frost