Desert Island Discs

Roy Plomley's castaway is writer and journalist Geoffrey Moorhouse. Favourite track: Notte E Giorno Faticar (Don Giovanni) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: Dictionary of National Biography Luxury: Recording of curlews and Indian spices

Roy Plomley's castaway is comedian and musician Max Boyce. Favourite track: The First Time by MacColl Book: I Can't Stay Long by Laurie Lee Luxury: Oil painting equipment

Roy Plomley's castaway is writer A N Wilson. Favourite track: Profisciere Anima Christiana by Edward Elgar Book: The Golden Treasury by Francis Palgrave Luxury: Bed and blankets

Roy Plomley's castaway is actor and comedian Arthur English. Favourite track: 1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Book: Britain's Heritage by John Julius Norwich Luxury: Weekend in Paris

Roy Plomley's castaway is retired Old Bailey Judge Sir Alan King-Hamilton. Favourite track: Symphony No. 5 In C Minor by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: Barclays World of Cricket by Jim Swanton Luxury: Television set

Roy Plomley's castaway is broadcaster Terry Wogan. Favourite track: The Young Prince and The Young Princess by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Book: His favourite book by P G Wodehouse Luxury: Vodka

Roy Plomley's castaway is actress Sinead Cusack. Favourite track: Concerto in G Minor No. 1 by Max Bruch Book: Novels by John Le Carre Luxury: Writing materials

Raymond Briggs began his career as an illustrator after studying art at the Slade School. He first achieved fame through his picture books for children, Father Christmas and Fungus the Bogeyman, but has since moved into the adult world with When the Wind Blows, in which an elderly couple struggle to survive a nuclear attack. As he told Roy Plomley when they met to choose his eight records, he has...

Sir Peter Pears has been acknowledged for many years as an outstanding interpreter of the vocal music of Benjamin Britten. He also helped Britten to found the Aldeburgh Festival and he still takes an active part in the running of it. In conversation with Roy Plomley, Sir Peter talks about his long career and chooses the eight records he would take to the mythical island. [Taken from the original p...

Fleur Cowles began her career as a columnist on one of the New York papers and before long she became the Associate Editor of the magazine Look. She became very influential and, in 1953, President Eisenhower asked her to be his personal ambassador to the UK for the Coronation. Before long, she made her home here and took up writing books and painting professionally. She has since had 34 exhibition...

Peter Maxwell Davies is not only a prolific composer, he is also Director of Music at Dartington Hall Summer School and Director of the Fires of London, a group specialising in twentieth-century music which he conducts on their many concert tours. Most of his composing is done in the tranquillity and isolation of his home in the Orkneys. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about the various...

Terry Jones first became well-known as one of the performers in Monty Python's Flying Circus in 1969. He had spent several years before that as a television script writer. More recently, he has been directing the Monty Python feature films, writing books and hosting a television chat show. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he discusses these multifarious activities and chooses the eight records he...

Julian Bream first played the guitar on radio in Children's Hour when he was only 13. This led to guest appearances in a series on the Light Programme, and so his career took off. Before long he also took up the lute and played his part in the revival of interest in early music. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his long career and chooses the eight records he would take to the myth...

Sir John Pritchard, now Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, has worked with many orchestras in many countries, but he remembers above all the many happy summers he spent with Glyndebourne Opera, where he started as a repetiteur and eventually became the Musical Director. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his long career and chooses the eight records he would take to the m...

John Gunter has been a set designer in the theatre for many years, but his astounding sets for two productions at the National Theatre - Guys and Dolls and The Rivals - have focused attention on him. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his career as a designer and of its many problems, and he chooses the eight records he would take to the mythical island. [Taken from the original prog...

Keith Waterhouse started his writing career on the Yorkshire Evening Post but it was not long before he had a huge success with a novel - Billy Liar. For many years, in a prolific partnership with Willis Hall, he wrote plays, television scripts and screenplays, although now he concentrates on his novels and his regular columns in Punch and the Daily Mirror. In conversation with Roy Plomley, this v...

Sir Frederick Gibberd includes among his designs a bridge, Liverpool Cathedral, the mosque in Regent's Park and Harlow New Town, but he says of himself "had I been less interested in people and more interested in building a monument, I'd probably have been a better architect". In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his career, his enthusiasm for landscape gardening, and he chooses the ei...

Peter Bull has become known in recent years as a teddy bear expert and the owner of Aloysius who appeared in Brideshead Revisited, but he has also had a long career as an actor, notably in plays such as Luther and Waiting for Godot. He has also made several forays into theatrical management. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his diverse career and chooses the eight records he would...

Malcolm Bradbury is Professor of American Studies at the University of East Anglia, but he is better known perhaps for his novels, The History Man and Eating People is Wrong, and for his academic books on literature. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his career and chooses the eight records he would take to the mythical island. [Taken from the original programme material for this ar...

Cindy Buxton made several successful wildlife films in Africa for television. Then, in 1978, she decided to film on the Falkland Islands and managed to persuade Annie Price to give up photographing children to become her assistant. In conversation with Roy Plomley, they talk about their experiences, about their life during the invasion, and they choose the four records each which they would take t...

Paul Jones first made his name as the lead singer with the group Manfred Mann. Later, he formed the Blues Band, but in the meantime he had started a second career as an actor when he appeared in the film Privilege. Since then, he has played Hamlet, Cassio in Othello and Macheath in The Beggar's Opera, and he even finds time to do session work on his harmonica. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he...

Charlotte Lamb first started to write in 1970 after doing a series of different jobs, including working in a bank and for the BBC. Since then, she has written over 60 romantic novels, some of them under different names, and she has become one of the most popular novelists of that genre. In conversation with Roy Plomley, she talks about her work and chooses the eight records she would take to the m...

Lionel Hampton is one of the legendary figures of the jazz world. For most of his career, he has led his own bands, although for a while he did play with Benny Goodman. His main instrument is the vibraharp, but there is always a second drum kit on stage for him to perform on, and he also plays the piano and sings. In conversation with Roy Plomley, this versatile musician talks about his long caree...

Ian Richardson has spent much of his acting career with the Royal Shakespeare Company. But, in recent years, he has made an impact on television in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Eyeless in Gaza and with his portrayal of Montgomery in Churchill and the Generals. In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about his career and chooses the eight records he would take to the mythical island. [Taken fro...

Rosemary Sutcliff began her career as a painter of miniatures and some of her work was shown at the Royal Academy. Since turning to writing, she has produced 43 books, most of which are historical novels for children. She particularly enjoys setting them in Roman Britain. In conversation with Roy Plomley, she talks about her career, about the difficulties caused by arthritis since she was a child...