BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

Society EN ↓ 2000 episodes

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Author

BBC Radio 4

Episodes

Joseph Cotten 32:47

Roy Plomley's castaway is actor Joseph Cotten. Favourite track: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor by Johannes Brahms Book: Gardening manual Luxury: Boat building book

Patrick Lichfield 33:20

Roy Plomley's castaway is photographer Patrick Lichfield. Favourite track: As Time Goes By by Dooley Wilson Book: Book with blank cork pages Luxury: Astronomical telescope

Professor Glyn Daniel 35:02

Roy Plomley's castaway is archaeologist Professor Glyn Daniel. Favourite track: Partita No. 1 in B Flat by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable Luxury: Wine

James Clavell 33:42

Roy Plomley's castaway is novelist James Clavell. Favourite track: The Impossible Dream by Roberta Flack Book: The Koran

Diana Dors 34:23

Roy Plomley's castaway is actress Diana Dors. Book: Autobiography by Diana Dors Luxury: Chocolates

Sir Douglas Bader 31:14

Roy Plomley's castaway is RAF pilot Sir Douglas Bader. Favourite track: I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing by The New Seekers Book: Complete works by Lord Tennyson Luxury: Sand iron and golf balls

Alan Howard 29:10

Roy Plomley's castaway is actor Alan Howard. Favourite track: Symphony No. 15 In D by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: Piano manual Luxury: Piano

Jack Higgins 41:15

Roy Plomley's castaway is writer Jack Higgins. Favourite track: Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Minor by Sergei Rachmaninov Book: The Four Quartets by T S Eliot Luxury: Writing materials

Helene Hanff 32:38

Roy Plomley's castaway is writer Helene Hanff. Favourite track: In Tears Of Grief by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: Memoirs by Louis De Rouvroy Luxury: Scrabble

Earl of Harewood 35:07

Roy Plomley's castaway is the managing director of the ENO George Lascelles. Favourite track: Piano Sonata In A by Franz Schubert Book: Anthology of Poetry Luxury: Typewriter

Trevor Brooking 32:08

Roy Plomley's castaway is footballer Trevor Brooking. Favourite track: What Kind Of Fool by Barbra Steisand & Barry Gibb Book: Crossword puzzles and pencils Luxury: Golf clubs and balls

Martin Gilbert 35:38

Roy Plomley's castaway is historian Martin Gilbert. Favourite track: M'Appari by Beniamino Gigli Book: The document volumes of the Churchill biography by Martin Gilbert Luxury: Drawings of his two children

Angela Rippon 34:05

Roy Plomley's castaway is broadcaster Angela Rippon. Favourite track: Jupiter by Gustav Holst Book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Luxury: Water colours, brushes and paper

Frankie Howerd 35:33

Roy Plomley's castaway is comedian Frankie Howerd. Favourite track: Jerusalem by Blake/Parry Book: David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Luxury: Cross given to him by his mother

Paul McCartney 33:09

Roy Plomley's castaway is Beatle Paul McCartney Presented by Roy Plomley. Favourite track: Beautiful Boy by John Lennon Book: Linda's pictures by Linda McCartney Luxury: Guitar

Professor J K Galbraith 34:56

Roy Plomley's castaway is former US ambassador Professor J K Galbraith. Favourite track: Oh What A Beautiful Morning by Alfred Drake Book: Personally compiled anthology Luxury: Typewriter and paper

Sir Christopher Leaver 34:37

Roy Plomley's castaway is Lord Mayor of London Sir Christopher Leaver. Favourite track: Triple Concerto in C Major by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians Luxury: Wine cellar

Petula Clark 31:28

Roy Plomley's castaway is actress Petula Clark. Favourite track: Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss Book: Short Stories by John Steinbeck Luxury: Piano

John Osborne 36:08

Roy Plomley's castaway is playwright John Osborne. Favourite track: The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams Book: Holy Living and Holy Dying by Jeremy Taylor Luxury: Piano and an instruction book

Dame Eva Turner 36:37

Roy Plomley's castaway is prima donna Dame Eva Turner. Favourite track: Umbra Di Nube by Claudia Muzio Book: Inferno by Dante Alighieri Luxury: Castanets

George Chisholm 29:31

Roy Plomley's castaway is jazz trombonist George Chisholm. Favourite track: I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan by Jack Teagarden Book: Novels by P G Wodehouse Luxury: Engraved glass and supply of bitter lemon

Lord Bernard Miles 35:18

Roy Plomley's castaway is founder of the Mermaid Bernard Miles. Favourite track: Piano Concerto No. 24 In C Minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: The Odyssey (Translation by W H D Rouse) by Homer Luxury: Box of notebooks, pencils and sharpeners

Sir William Walton 32:08

Roy Plomley's castaway is composer Sir William Walton. Favourite track: Violin Concerto by William Walton Book: The Education of a Gardener by Russel Page Luxury: Funicular for hills

Richard Armstrong 35:14

Roy Plomley's castaway is conductor Richard Armstrong. Favourite track: Tristan's Monologue by Richard Wagner Book: Piano Sonatas by Beethoven Luxury: Piano

Julia McKenzie 31:51

Roy Plomley's castaway is actress Julia McKenzie. Favourite track: Skylark by Johnny Mandel and his Orchestra Book: Act One by Moss Hart Luxury: Painting materials