Desert Island Discs is a long-running BBC Radio 4 programme. It was first broadcast on January 29 1942 and is said by the Guinness Book of Records to be the longest-running music programme in the history of radio. Guests are invited to imagine themselves castaways on a desert island, and to choose eight pieces of music to take with them; discussion of their choices permits a review of their life.

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  • Desert Island Discs is a long-running BBC Radio 4 programme. It was first broadcast on January 29 1942 and is said by the Guinness Book of Records to be the longest-running music programme in the history of radio. Guests are invited to imagine themselves castaways on a desert island, and to choose eight pieces of music to take with them; discussion of their choices permits a review of their life. Aside from music, they are permitted one book, excluding the Bible or other religious work and the complete works of Shakespeare, which are already present on the island to force more original choices. They also choose one luxury which must be inanimate and of no survival value, though large supplies of champagne seem to be allowed. The names and selections of some of the more recent guests are listed separately. The past six Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom have all been on the programme, although only John Major (choosing Oval Cricket Ground as his luxury) appeared while in office. The first castaway was Vic Oliver, and others include Jo Brand, Catherine Bramwell-Booth, Jacob Bronowski, David Cameron, Johnny Cash, George Clooney, Billy Connolly, Noël Coward, Richard Dawkins, Dame Judi Dench, George Foreman, Stephen Hawking, Benny Hill, Engelbert Humperdinck, Sid James, Stephen King, Fran Landesman, Matt Lucas, Paul McCartney, John Malkovich, Brian May, John Peel, Gene Pitney, Dennis Potter, Princess Margaret, Bobby Robson, J.K. Rowling, Rod Steiger and Rowan Williams. A few, such as Arthur Askey and Earl Hines, have been on more than once. Desert Island Discs was devised by its original presenter, Roy Plomley. After Plomley's death in 1985, it was presented by Michael Parkinson, and from 1988 by Sue Lawley. Unlike most Radio 4 programmes, Desert Island Discs cannot be heard on the BBC's [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/progs/listenagain.shtml Listen Again] service, which allows most programmes to be heard up to a week after transmission. The programme's website [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/desertislanddiscs.shtml] explains this is due to rights issues, as explained in The Sunday Times in 2006: Because Plomley was a freelance, Desert Island Discs became his copyright. After his death in 1985 it went to his wife, Diana Wong. She still owns it but is now in her eighties and their daughter, Almond, acts for her. Mother and daughter and the BBC agree to have Plomley mentioned in the credits and the corporation pays Diana an annual sum (£5,000 in 1996). However, the family and the BBC cannot agree a payment to make the programme available after the broadcast. This is why it is not available via the BBC’s website. Retro Gamer published a variety on the theme, Desert Island Disks, with celebrities choosing the video games they would take to a Desert Island (en)
  • Desert Island Discs ist der Titel einer wöchentlichen Kultursendung der BBC. Sie wurde erstmals am 29. Januar 1942 ausgestrahlt und zählt damit zu den am längsten laufenden Hörfunksendungen der Welt. Derzeit wird Desert Island Discs sonntags von 11.15 bis 12.00 auf BBC Radio 4 gesendet (Wiederholung: freitags zwischen 9.00 und 9.45 Uhr). (de)
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  • 1942-01-01 00:00:00.000000 (xsd:date)
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  • Present (en)
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  • 45 minutes (en)
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  • Desert Island Discs (en)
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  • Desert Island Discs is a long-running BBC Radio 4 programme. It was first broadcast on January 29 1942 and is said by the Guinness Book of Records to be the longest-running music programme in the history of radio. Guests are invited to imagine themselves castaways on a desert island, and to choose eight pieces of music to take with them; discussion of their choices permits a review of their life. (en)
  • Desert Island Discs ist der Titel einer wöchentlichen Kultursendung der BBC. Sie wurde erstmals am 29. Januar 1942 ausgestrahlt und zählt damit zu den am längsten laufenden Hörfunksendungen der Welt. Derzeit wird Desert Island Discs sonntags von 11.15 bis 12.00 auf BBC Radio 4 gesendet (Wiederholung: freitags zwischen 9.00 und 9.45 Uhr). (de)
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  • Desert Island Discs (en)
  • Desert Island Discs (de)
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