Radio — 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
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

Radio — Luxury · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Luxury

Radio

20 episodes

Chosen over the decades

20

Total castaways

1960s

Peak decade

7

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Andrew Neil
Anthony Dowell
Boy George
Canon Noel Duckworth
Clarissa Dickson Wright
C Northcote Parkinson
Edith Day
Ernest Lough
Helen Bamber
Joe Loss
Ken Loach
Lord Joffe
Lord Thomson of Fleet
Mark Strong
Nicholas Parsons
Oda Slobodskaya
Rory Bremner
Roy Fox
Sandy MacPherson
Terry O'Neill

Mark Strong
How three chords in a magazine led Mark Strong to start a band
Castaway · 7 March 2021Lauren Laverne
Nicholas Parsons
Nicholas Parsons on his mother's fear that show business would deprave him
Castaway · 4 November 2007Kirsty Young

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

Joffe on first meeting Nelson Mandela in a prison consulting room

Castaway · 28 October 2007Kirsty Young

18°08′S 169°01′W

Andrew Neil

Andrew Neil on the scoop that got his source kidnapped by Mossad

Castaway · 25 February 2007Kirsty Young

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°59′S 101°40′W

Terry O'Neill

Terry O'Neill on accidentally photographing a sleeping Rap Butler at Heathrow

Castaway · 28 January 2001Sue Lawley

Clarissa Dickson Wright

21°32′S 017°37′W

Clarissa Dickson Wright

Clarissa Dickson Wright on the carrots her father fed her, still with slugs on them

Castaway · 21 November 1999Sue Lawley

02°10′S 030°35′W

Helen Bamber

Helen Bamber on finding survivors clinging to her at Belsen

Castaway · 2 May 1999Sue Lawley

04°29′S 013°19′W

Ken Loach

Ken Loach on having his documentaries banned from television

Castaway · 18 April 1999Sue Lawley

23°41′S 043°21′W

Boy George

Boy George on seeing his mother's sad face on the news

Castaway · 22 January 1989Sue Lawley

C Northcote Parkinson

20°11′S 056°50′W

C Northcote Parkinson

C. Northcote Parkinson on being too busy writing books to play discs

Castaway · 14 July 1979Roy Plomley

13°32′S 088°18′W

Anthony Dowell

Anthony Dowell on starting ballet at age four at the Hampshire School

Castaway · 26 July 1975Roy Plomley

10°51′S 006°50′W

Roy Fox

Roy Fox on naming Jean Harlow

Castaway · 16 February 1974Roy Plomley

Lord Thomson of Fleet

08°04′S 067°30′W

Lord Thomson of Fleet

Castaway · 31 August 1964Roy Plomley

05°39′S 088°21′W

Joe Loss

Castaway · 17 June 1963Roy Plomley

12°01′S 165°03′W

Edith Day

Castaway · 20 August 1962Roy Plomley

Canon Noel Duckworth

10°07′S 045°51′W

Canon Noel Duckworth

Castaway · 9 October 1961Roy Plomley

Oda Slobodskaya

06°44′S 006°40′W

Oda Slobodskaya

Castaway · 5 December 1960Roy Plomley

00°47′S 006°54′W

Ernest Lough

Castaway · 24 October 1960Roy Plomley

Sandy MacPherson

06°36′S 118°16′W

Sandy MacPherson

Castaway · 29 December 1958Roy Plomley