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PODCAST

Desert Island Discs

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

society & culture personal journals

All Episodes

50:17

Sir Salman Rushdie, writer

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/12/21

Sir Salman Rushdie is a writer who has written over 20 books, seven of which have been nominated for the Booker Prize. In 1981 he won with his novel Midnight’s Children which also topped the polls for the 25th and 40th anniversaries of the prize, making it the most lauded novel in Booker history.He was born in Bombay in 1947 and educated at Rugby School in Warwickshire. After studying history at the University of Cambridge he worked as a copywriter at various advertising agencies before publishing

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51:13

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Computer Scientist

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/12/14

Sir Tim Berners-Lee is a computer scientist and the inventor of the World Wide Web. He was born in 1955, a golden year for technology innovators. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were also born in the same year. A curious child, he learned about electronics from his train set and spent his pocket money on transistors. His first significant connecting invention was building an intercom as a teenager for the family home before moving on to build his first computer. His parents were both

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51:34

Sally Mann, photographer and writer

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/12/07

Sally Mann is a photographer and a New York Times bestselling writer. She is best known for making large-format black and white photographs of the people and places in her immediate surroundings: her children, her husband, and the rural landscape of her home state and the American South.Sally was born in Lexington, Virginia, the youngest of three children to Robert and Elizabeth Munger. Her father was a doctor and gave Sally his old Leica camera to play with. After university, she wanted to be

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50:12

Lorraine Kelly, broadcaster

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/11/30

Lorraine Kelly is a journalist and broadcaster who has been a mainstay of daytime television for over 40 years. She has hosted her own show Lorraine since its launch in 2010 and she was awarded a lifetime achievement BAFTA in 2024.Lorraine was born in Glasgow and later moved with her family to the new town of East Kilbride. She became a junior reporter at the East Kilbride News when she was in her teens and in 1983 joined the BBC as a researcher. In 1984 she started at TV-am as a reporter

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51:32

Lennie James, actor

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/11/23

Lennie James is a British actor and writer. In 2025, he received the BAFTA for Leading Actor for his portrayal of Barrington Walker in the TV adaptation of Bernadine Evaristo’s novel Mr. Loverman.This award adds to his collection, which also includes accolades for writing. At seventeen, he wrote Trial and Error and won the National Youth Theatre–Texaco Playwriting Competition, earning the title of Most Prominent Playwright Under 21.For a decade, Lennie played Morgan Jones in The Walking Dead and its

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48:37

Mary Greenwell, makeup artist

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/11/16

Mary Greenwell is a makeup artist who has worked with some of the most famous faces in the world including Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, David Bowie and Cate Blanchett. Her less-is-more approach has won her plaudits in the beauty industry and she became Princess Diana’s makeup artist of choice.Mary was born in Sussex and left school at 16. By the mid-1970s she was living in Los Angeles where she started out on the door at the legendary Joe Allen restaurant, escorting the likes of Paul

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50:36

Ronnie Wood, musician

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/11/09

Ronnie Wood is a musician and artist who has been a major player on the UK music scene for over 60 years. In 1975 Ronnie became a member of the Rolling Stones, one of the most influential and enduring bands of the rock era.Ronnie’s parents were born and worked on barges moving cargo up and down the canals between Manchester, Stratford-upon-Avon and London. Ronnie and his two older brothers were the first in the family to be born on dry land.Ronnie’s brothers, Ted and Art, were accomplished

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52:15

Angela Harding, artist

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/11/02

Angela Harding is an artist, printmaker and illustrator. Based in Rutland, Angela’s work is inspired by the countryside of the British Isles, and in particular British birds. Alongside her many prints and artistic creations, her award-willing illustrations can be found adorning many a book cover.Angela was born in Stoke-on-Trent in June 1960, the middle of three daughters to Stephen and Joan Harding. It was an artistic household: her father, a headteacher, passed on his love of poetry to Angela,

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51:25

Michael Sheen, actor

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/10/26

Michael Sheen is an award-winning actor.After finding his love for the stage with the West Glamorgan Youth theatre as a teenager, he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He spent the 1990s making a name for himself as a stage actor, shining in the classics from Romeo and Juliet to Peer Gynt as well as in 20th century masterpieces such as Look Back in Anger and Amadeus, receiving several Olivier Award nominations along the way.A relocation to the US in the early 2000s with his

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3:23

Bruce Springsteen on the joy of dancing

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/10/24

The rock legend Bruce Springsteen was cast away by Kirsty Young back in 2016.Bruce has won 20 Grammys, two Golden Globes, an Academy Award, and his albums sell in their millions around the world. He grew up in New Jersey in a family that teetered on the brink of poverty. His first guitar was rented rather than bought, and he spent his apprentice years as a musician and singer with local bands before landing a record deal in 1972.He spoke to Kirsty about his love of dancing and his first live

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3:42

Sarah Storey on her sporting dreams

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/10/23

In 2024, the athlete Dame Sarah Storey was cast away by Lauren Laverne.Sarah Storey is Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian. She was just 14 when she took two weeks off school to compete as a swimmer in the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics where she won her first two gold medals.She spoke to Lauren about the first time she watched the Olympics on TV.You can listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

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4:23

Bryan Stevenson on race and criminal justice in America

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/10/22

In 2015, the American lawyer Bryan Stevenson was cast away by Kirsty Young.Bryan is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, a private, not-for-profit organisation in the US working on death penalty cases, prison and sentencing reform, and issues of race and poverty.He spoke to Kirsty about racism in the American criminal justice system.You can listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

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2:55

David Attenborough on his connection to the natural...

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/10/21

The broadcasting legend Sir David Attenborough was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2012 for the 70th anniversary of Desert Island Discs.Sir David told Kirsty about his passion for fossils, which began as a child and inspired his love of the natural world.You can listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

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4:31

Dustin Hoffman on his father

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/10/20

The actor Dustin Hoffman was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2012.He has been a leading man in Hollywood for over fifty years. His career includes movies such as The Graduate, All The President's Men, Kramer v Kramer, Tootsie and Rain Man.He spoke to Kirsty about his relationship with his father.You can listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

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3:37

Marian Keyes on writing

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/10/17

The writer Marian Keyes was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2017.It’s thirty years since she published her first novel, Watermelon. Her books have sold in their millions, and many of her bestsellers have been adapted for the screen.She spoke to Kirsty about how she feels when she’s finished writing a book.You can listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

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3:38

David Beckham on his childhood love of football and...

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/10/16

The footballer David Beckham was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2017.Born and raised in East London, he spent hours as a child kicking a ball around at the local park with his father. At the age of seven, he played for his first team, Ridgeway Rovers, before coming to the attention of Manchester United.He spoke to Kirsty about how his love of football – and fashion – started at an early age.You can listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

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4:50

Maya Angelou on the trauma that made her mute

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/10/15

The great American writer Maya Angelou was cast away back in 1987.She told Michael Parkinson about the disturbing reason she became temporarily mute during her childhood, which in turn led to her love of poetry. Some listeners may find her description of events upsetting.You can find the full episode on BBC Sounds.Details of organisations offering information and support with child sexual abuse are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

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4:16

David Nott on working in war zones

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/10/14

The surgeon David Nott was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2016 shortly after returning from war-torn Syria.He spoke to Kirsty about his experiences of working in a warzone for the first time back in the early 90s.You can listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

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3:46

Judi Dench on her childhood days in amateur dramatics

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/10/13

The actor Dame Judi Dench has been cast away to the desert island three times, most recently in 2015.She spoke to Kirsty Young about her first performances in an amateur dramatic group which included her parents as members.You can listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

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2:19

Adele on her first record deal

Desert Island Discs ·

2025/10/10

The singer Adele was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2022.In 2008, she released her debut album, 19, and the following year she won the first of many Grammys. Her next three albums, 21, 25 and 30, consolidated her superstar status.She told Lauren about the day she signed her first record deal.You can listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

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