Stevie Wonder — 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

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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

Stevie Wonder — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Composer

Stevie Wonder

21 episodes

Chosen over the decades

21

Total castaways

2000s

Peak decade

6

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Antony Gormley
Chaka Khan
David Sedaris
David Wilkie
General Sir Charles Guthrie
Howard Goodall
Jenny Agutter
Jocelyn Stevens
Ken Follett
Margaret Busby
Martin Freeman
Penelope Wilton
Peter Schmeichel
Phil Edmonds
Rt Hon Virginia Bottomley MP
Sian Phillips
Thomas Quasthoff
Tidjane Thiam
Tony Robinson
Virginia Holgate
Whoopi Goldberg

Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan on the only Christmas she remembers as a child
Castaway · 16 August 2026Lauren Laverne
David Sedaris
David Sedaris on being called a big fat zero by his father
Castaway · 12 February 2023Lauren Laverne

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

Peter Schmeichel

Peter Schmeichel on not remembering Manchester United’s 1999 Champions League victory

Castaway · 31 October 2021Lauren Laverne

22°05′S 000°04′W

Margaret Busby

How a college conversation led Margaret Busby to co-found a publishing house with no experience

Castaway · 27 June 2021Lauren Laverne

02°17′S 124°41′W

Martin Freeman

Martin Freeman on auditioning for the wrong role in The Office

Castaway · 31 March 2019Lauren Laverne

23°32′S 043°34′W

Tidjane Thiam

Tidjane Thiam on his assistant stopping rebels from looting his office

Castaway · 4 November 2012Kirsty Young

23°59′S 052°32′W

Tony Robinson

How Tony Robinson's Blackadder role came from an act of desperation

Castaway · 3 July 2011Kirsty Young

Whoopi Goldberg

03°02′S 033°46′W

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg on writing to Alice Walker to play the dirt in The Color Purple

Castaway · 10 May 2009Kirsty Young

Thomas Quasthoff

17°05′S 097°36′W

Thomas Quasthoff

Thomas Quasthoff on being found singing melodies before he could talk

Castaway · 1 February 2009Kirsty Young

23°40′S 077°50′W

Howard Goodall

Howard Goodall on the first time a choir sang his music

Castaway · 25 May 2008Kirsty Young

Penelope Wilton

07°46′S 014°29′W

Penelope Wilton

Penelope Wilton on the warm air from a pantomime stage that made her want to act

Castaway · 30 March 2008Kirsty Young

11°34′S 080°54′W

Ken Follett

Ken Follett on reading his first James Bond story at age 12

Castaway · 25 November 2001Sue Lawley

General Sir Charles Guthrie

05°33′S 065°50′W

General Sir Charles Guthrie

How a bombing raid seemed frightfully exciting to a young Charles Guthrie

Castaway · 30 July 2000Sue Lawley

22°46′S 115°11′W

Antony Gormley

Antony Gormley on his wife giving him 'birth' through plaster body casts

Castaway · 10 May 1998Sue Lawley

Rt Hon Virginia Bottomley MP

01°48′S 048°15′W

Rt Hon Virginia Bottomley MP

Virginia Bottomley on being told she didn't enjoy being a child

Castaway · 3 October 1993Sue Lawley

Jocelyn Stevens

23°00′S 018°02′W

Jocelyn Stevens

How Jocelyn Stevens's father saw him as the murderer of his mother

Castaway · 8 March 1992Sue Lawley

02°05′S 161°50′W

Phil Edmonds

Phil Edmonds on his family being ostracized as 'Kaffa Booties' in Zambia

Castaway · 19 October 1986Michael Parkinson

Virginia Holgate

07°06′S 019°17′W

Virginia Holgate

Virginia Holgate on her mother's ultimatum: eat or stop riding

Castaway · 10 August 1986Michael Parkinson

23°55′S 085°25′W

Jenny Agutter

Jenny Agutter on the telegram that said 'not Nordic type'

Castaway · 1 May 1982Roy Plomley

17°30′S 155°25′W

Sian Phillips

How winning at the National Eisteddfod led to Sian Phillips's first broadcast

Castaway · 3 November 1979Roy Plomley

05°42′S 025°28′W

David Wilkie

David Wilkie on kicking air at the start and losing the 100m final

Castaway · 18 September 1976Roy Plomley