Harmonica — Luxury · 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
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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

Harmonica — Luxury · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Luxury

Harmonica

7 episodes

Chosen over the decades

7

Total castaways

1990s

Peak decade

4

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

David Wynne
Ewan McGregor
Geraint Evans
Lynda La Plante
Neil Simon
Sir Tim Berners-Lee
Tommy Reilly

Sir Tim Berners-Lee
Tim Berners-Lee on his mother's motorbike and a tent made from parachute material
Castaway · 16 November 2025Lauren Laverne
Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor on running away from home with sandwiches, milk, and the dog
Castaway · 30 December 2001Sue Lawley

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

David Wynne

David Wynne on sending a cheeky note to Jacob Epstein

Castaway · 11 May 1997Sue Lawley

12°37′S 043°22′W

Neil Simon

Neil Simon on his brother predicting at age 15 he’d be America’s best comedy writer

Castaway · 14 May 1995Sue Lawley

Lynda La Plante

22°35′S 159°32′W

Lynda La Plante

Lynda La Plante on the moment she knew she'd never act again

Castaway · 23 October 1994Sue Lawley

11°40′S 085°57′W

Geraint Evans

Castaway · 15 July 1963Roy Plomley

15°16′S 132°16′W

Tommy Reilly

Tommy Reilly on getting harmonicas from a German welfare officer in a prison camp

Castaway · 2 October 1961Roy Plomley