Van Morrison — 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

Van Morrison — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Composer

Van Morrison

17 episodes

Chosen over the decades

17

Total castaways

2000s

Peak decade

4

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Andrew Motion
Betty Jackson
Boris Johnson MP
Brian Keenan
Chris Evans
Craig Brown
David Wynne
Emily Eavis
George Clooney
Gloria Hunniford
Harvey Goldsmith
James Nesbitt
Lee Mack
Mark Knopfler
Rick Stein
Rory Bremner
Suggs

Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler on his sister turning his tennis racket guitar the right way
Castaway · 4 August 2024Lauren Laverne
Emily Eavis
Emily Eavis on driving home from Glastonbury in just bin bags and pants
Castaway · 23 June 2019Lauren 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

Lee Mack on doing Bobby Ball impressions to fit in at a new school

Castaway · 29 September 2013Kirsty Young

14°31′S 016°10′W

Craig Brown

Craig Brown on his delight when his daughter refused to join in a ballet recital

Castaway · 12 August 2012Kirsty Young

Harvey Goldsmith

18°23′S 031°51′W

Harvey Goldsmith

Harvey Goldsmith on Keith Moon throwing a television into a swimming pool

Castaway · 5 July 2009Kirsty Young

22°28′S 005°17′W

James Nesbitt

James Nesbitt on his mother not speaking to him for a month

Castaway · 21 December 2008Kirsty Young

Gloria Hunniford

08°27′S 061°05′W

Gloria Hunniford

Gloria Hunniford on her father the magician

Castaway · 24 December 2006Kirsty Young

12°21′S 008°21′W

Chris Evans

Chris Evans on walking out of school after a teacher punched him

Castaway · 6 November 2005Sue Lawley

Boris Johnson MP

23°41′S 017°29′W

Boris Johnson MP

Boris Johnson on politicians being like crazed wasps in a jam jar

Castaway · 30 October 2005Sue Lawley

15°55′S 044°33′W

Rory Bremner

Rory Bremner on his father losing his job while in hospital with cancer

Castaway · 20 April 2003Sue Lawley

05°48′S 074°30′W

George Clooney

George Clooney on dressing as a leprechaun with a cigar on his dad's show

Castaway · 23 February 2003Sue Lawley

02°00′S 037°44′W

Suggs

Suggs on sticking a pin in a jazz encyclopedia to find his stage name

Castaway · 19 May 2002Sue Lawley

03°33′S 103°00′W

Betty Jackson

Betty Jackson on driving into a tree after her car's steering failed

Castaway · 28 April 2002Sue Lawley

05°48′S 126°33′W

Rick Stein

Rick Stein on his disco club being closed down by the police

Castaway · 1 August 1999Sue Lawley

10°02′S 033°05′W

Andrew Motion

Andrew Motion on the Hardy poem that made the hair on his neck stand up

Castaway · 22 March 1998Sue Lawley

12°28′S 031°04′W

David Wynne

David Wynne on sending a cheeky note to Jacob Epstein

Castaway · 11 May 1997Sue Lawley

15°45′S 107°27′W

Brian Keenan

Brian Keenan on driving his fellow hostage insane with his unmelodic singing

Castaway · 23 December 1990Sue Lawley