Desert Island Discs

Elvis Costello

23 Feb 1992

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is singer-songwriter Elvis Costello. Widely regarded as one of the best British songwriters of recent ye...

Sir Roger Bannister

16 Feb 1992

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Sir Roger Bannister, the man who first ran the four-minute mile. Now an eminent neurologist, he is as...

Robbie Coltrane

09 Feb 1992

Contributed by Lukas

In memory of Robbie Coltrane. The actor was Sue Lawley's castaway in Desert Island Discs in 1992. He first became noticed in the early 1980s in televi...

J G Ballard

02 Feb 1992

Contributed by Lukas

This week's Desert Island Discs castaway is writer JG Ballard. Since the early 1960s, he has been well-known as a science fiction writer. But more rec...

John Major

26 Jan 1992

Contributed by Lukas

Few people will be surprised to hear that the castaway in this week's special 50th anniversary edition of Desert Island Discs is the Prime Minister Jo...

Reverend David Jenkins

19 Jan 1992

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is one of Britain's most well-known church leaders, the Right Reverend David Jenkins, the Lord Bishop of...

Steven Berkoff

12 Jan 1992

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is actor, writer and director Steven Berkoff. Irreverent, energetic and compelling, his work has broug...

Gorden Kaye

22 Dec 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is actor Gorden Kaye. Lovers of British situation comedy knew him a long time ago as a familiar supporti...

Sue Townsend

08 Dec 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is writer Sue Townsend. Her most famous creation is Adrian Mole, and, in many respects, his life mirrors...

Fred Dibnah

01 Dec 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is a man who, for the past 26 years, has earned his living by helping to alter the industrial landscape ...

Dilys Powell

24 Nov 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the film critic Dilys Powell. She began reviewing films for The Sunday Times in 1939, and since then ...

James Lovelock

17 Nov 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is scientist James Lovelock. The son of a South London gasman, he'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his ...

Lord Delfont

10 Nov 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the man who brought the Folies Bergere to Britain and ran the Talk of the Town in its heyday - the th...

E P Thompson

03 Nov 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the historian EP Thompson. As a lifelong peace campaigner, Edward Thompson enjoys making history as...

Alan Alda

27 Oct 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the American actor Alan Alda. The son of a vaudeville artist, he shot to fame portraying the wise-c...

Elizabeth Esteve-Coll

20 Oct 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Elizabeth Esteve-Coll, Director of one of Britain's most famous museums, the V & A. She'll be tal...

John Schlesinger

13 Oct 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is the film director John Schlesinger. Like many other British filmmakers, he learnt his craft at the BB...

Imran Khan

06 Oct 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan. Educated at Oxford and dividing his time between England and Paki...

David Bailey

29 Sep 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the photographer David Bailey. Born and bred in the East End of London, he took the fashion business ...

Klaus Tennstedt

22 Sep 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the conductor Klaus Tennstedt. When, at 45, he defected from East Germany, he was virtually unknown i...

John Banham

15 Sep 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is one of the most important figures in British industry today - the Director-General of the CBI John Ba...

Bernice Rubens

08 Sep 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the writer Bernice Rubens. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her childhood with musically-gifted ...

Maxwell Hutchinson

01 Sep 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the architect Maxwell Hutchinson. Unafraid of controversy, he attacked Prince Charles' criticisms of ...

Alan Bleasdale

25 Aug 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is playwright Alan Bleasdale. Often controversial, and always funny, Bleasdale's work focuses on life in...

Lord Shawcross

07 Jul 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week will be the lawyer and politician Lord Shawcross. As Attorney General in the Labour government of 1945, ...

Ron Todd

30 Jun 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Ron Todd - leader of Britain's largest trade union, the Transport and General Workers' Union. He'll b...

John Hegarty

23 Jun 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is responsible for many of the images which grace our television screens and billboards. He is advertisi...

A S Byatt

16 Jun 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the novelist and critic A S Byatt. Winner of the 1990 Booker prize for her novel 'Possession' - the s...

Derek Walcott

09 Jun 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is poet and playwright Derek Walcott. Recent winner of the WH Smith award, and described by his admirers...

Marco Pierre White

02 Jun 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week has been described as the 'enfant terrible' of the restaurant world. Marco Pierre White opened his first...

Rt Hon John Smith

26 May 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is a politician who is seen in many quarters as the Labour Party's strongest weapon in their battles wit...

John Simpson

19 May 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is John Simpson. Recently honoured by the Royal Television Society as Journalist of the Year, he'll be t...

Cecil Lewis

12 May 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is an author and adventurer. Now 93 years old, Cecil Lewis will be talking to Sue Lawley about his extra...

Dame Shirley Porter

28 Apr 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is Dame Shirley Porter, who, as Lady Porter, was the flamboyant leader of the ruling Conservative Group ...

Dr Jonathan Sacks

21 Apr 1991

Contributed by Lukas

Chief Rabbi Elect Dr Jonathan Sacks is the castaway on Desert Island Discs this week. This avowedly 'unconventional' future leader of Britain's Jews w...

Lord King

14 Apr 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week will be the industrialist Lord King of Wartnaby, Chairman of Babcock International and of British Airway...

Naomi Mitchison

07 Apr 1991

Contributed by Lukas

Sue Lawley's castaway is writer Naomi Mitchison.Favourite track: Kishmull's Galley by Kenneth McKellar and Orchestra Book: Book of Modern Poetry Luxur...

Marti Caine

24 Mar 1991

Contributed by Lukas

This week's castaway in Desert Island Discs is the entertainer Marti Caine. Although her public life is one as comedienne, television presenter, star ...

Sir Trevor Holdsworth

17 Mar 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the industrialist and ex-president of the CBI Sir Trevor Holdsworth. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley a...

Jeffrey Bernard

10 Mar 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the Spectator columnist Jeffrey Bernard. His Low Life column has gained him something of a cult follo...

Sir Denis Forman

03 Mar 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the former Chairman of Granada Television Sir Denis Forman. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the ...

Ronald Eyre

24 Feb 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is theatre and television director Ronald Eyre. A man of great versatility, he'll be talking to Sue Lawl...

Dame Ninette De Valois

17 Feb 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Britain's most distinguished ballet mistress Dame Ninette de Valois. She first appeared on the profes...

Paddy Ashdown MP

10 Feb 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the leader of the Liberal Democrats Paddy Ashdown. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his earliest ...

Professor Ralf Dahrendorf

03 Feb 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs is a German politician who became an English academic. The Germany of Professor Ralf Dahrendorf's youth was that o...

Brian Eno

27 Jan 1991

Contributed by Lukas

A variety of labels can be stuck on this week's Desert Island Discs castaway - from rock musician to experimental artist, from visual sculptor to comp...

Fred Zinnemann

20 Jan 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs is a man who has directed some of the most popular and memorable films in the history of cinema - High Noon, From ...

Adelaide Hall

13 Jan 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is jazz singer Adelaide Hall. Now in her 80s and still performing, she'll be talking to Sue Lawley about...

Lord Goodman

06 Jan 1991

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is a man who has, on occasion, been described as the Mr Fixit of British public life. Arnold Goodman sta...

Keith Floyd

30 Dec 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is television cook Keith Floyd. Renowned for his garrulous charm as much as for his culinary expertise, ...

Brian Keenan

23 Dec 1990

Contributed by Lukas

Last August the world rejoiced at the liberation of a man who, to all intents and purposes, had vanished from its face more than four years previously...

Sir Eduardo Paolozzi

02 Dec 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is one of the great European artists of today - Eduardo Paolozzi. One of his positions is Her Majesty's ...

Baroness Trumpington

25 Nov 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs rejoices in the title of the Baroness Trumpington of Sandwich in the County of Kent. A tireless campai...

Elisabeth Welch

18 Nov 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the black American singer Elisabeth Welch, who, in a career spanning 60 years, made famous such son...

Rt Hon Barbara Castle

11 Nov 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the Baroness Castle of Blackburn - better known to most people as Barbara Castle. For 34 years she ...

Lord Annan

04 Nov 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is a man who, among many other achievements, gave his name to a famous report in the 1970s on the future...

Nicholas Snowman

28 Oct 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the General Director of the South Bank, Nicholas Snowman. Very much a man of the arts, and a determ...

Ernie Wise

21 Oct 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is comedian Ernie Wise. Since Eric Morecambe's death six years ago, Ernie has had to carve out a show ...

Clive Jenkins

14 Oct 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is one of the most colourful and controversial members of Britain's trade union movement. He is the form...

John Thaw

07 Oct 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is an actor who rose to fame by portraying two rather different sorts of policemen on the nation's tel...

Gary Lineker

30 Sep 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the captain of the England football team Gary Lineker. Apprenticed to Leicester City at the age of ...

Barbara Windsor

23 Sep 1990

Contributed by Lukas

This week's Desert Island Discs castaway is the effervescent actress Barbara Windsor. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her early life in London's...

Dr Ruth Westheimer

16 Sep 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is sex therapist Dr Ruth Westheimer.Born in Germany in the late 1920s, her Jewish family sent her out ...

Lord Charteris

09 Sep 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is a pillar of the British Establishment, Lord Charteris of Amisfield.Educated at Eton and Sandhurst, ...

Robin Knox-Johnston

02 Sep 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The Desert Island Discs guest this week is someone who should be particularly suited to castaway life - Robin Knox-Johnston was the first man to sail ...

Jean Rook

15 Jul 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs claims to be the highest-paid woman journalist in Britain - one of a disappearing species. The star co...

Peter Jonas

08 Jul 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the General Director of the English National Opera Peter Jonas. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley abou...

Kaffe Fassett

01 Jul 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the man who can be credited with having made knitting glamorous. Designer and knitter Kaffe Fassett...

George Carman QC

24 Jun 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is one of the country's most expensive and sought-after barristers - George Carman QC. A virtuoso of t...

Harold Fielding

17 Jun 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is theatrical impresario Harold Fielding. The name behind a dazzling array of hit musicals like Half A S...

Maeve Binchy

10 Jun 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is novelist Maeve Binchy. During her Catholic childhood in a small Irish village, she nurtured an ambi...

Ken Dodd

03 Jun 1990

Contributed by Lukas

Tickling sticks, diddy men, Knotty Ash - all these can mean but one thing: that this week's Desert Island Discs castaway is comedian Ken Dodd. Though ...

Rt Hon David Blunkett MP

27 May 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is a politician. Elected to Sheffield City Council at the age of 22, he went on to become its leader f...

Jonathan Pryce

20 May 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is actor Jonathan Pryce. Since the early 1970s, he has taken on many guises and received many plaudits...

Molly Keane

13 May 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is one of the most highly acclaimed writers of today. The author of Good Behaviour, Time After Time an...

Prue Leith

06 May 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Prue Leith, professional cook, restaurateur and, most recently, mass caterer, with a brasserie in Hyd...

June Whitfield

29 Apr 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is one of the most familiar and best-loved figures of British comedy over the last 40 years - June Whi...

Mary Wesley

22 Apr 1990

Contributed by Lukas

This week's Desert Island Discs castaway is novelist Mary Wesley. Although she has written poetry and prose throughout her life, it was not until she ...

Sir Crispin Tickell

15 Apr 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is Sir Crispin Tickell, Britain's Ambassador to the United Nations. As well as being an ambassador, he...

Rt Hon John Biffen MP

25 Mar 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the Rt Hon John Biffen MP. One of the most popular men at Westminster and a dedicated parliamentari...

Richard Rogers

18 Mar 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is one of Britain's leading and most controversial architects Richard Rogers. He'll be talking to Sue ...

Professor Sir George Porter

11 Mar 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is scientist Professor Sir George Porter. Currently President of the Royal Society, he'll be talking t...

Sir Ian Trethowan

04 Mar 1990

Contributed by Lukas

This week's Desert Island Discs castaway is Sir Ian Trethowan. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his days as a copy boy earning 27/6d on the Daily ...

John Sessions

25 Feb 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is, by his own account, very difficult to classify - his talents span comedy, writing, acting and impr...

John Pilger

18 Feb 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the journalist John Pilger. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his arrival in this country from Aus...

Michael Tilson Thomas

11 Feb 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the American conductor and virtuoso Michael Tilson Thomas. As well as being an internationally reco...

Sarah Miles

04 Feb 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the actress Sarah Miles. Discovered at the tender age of 18 by Sir Laurence Olivier, and picked by ...

Lord Weidenfeld

28 Jan 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is a publisher; a man who came to this country 52 years ago with a 16/6d postal order in his pocket an...

Sir Robin Day

21 Jan 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is Sir Robin Day. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about going with his father to hear Churchill speak a...

John Peel

14 Jan 1990

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel. For over 20 years the guru of pop fans, he'll be talking to Sue Lawl...

Dennis Skinner

07 Jan 1990

Contributed by Lukas

This week's castaway is Dennis Skinner MP. Recently described as the backbenchers' backbencher, he'll be talking to Sue Lawley about Parliament and po...

Dirk Bogarde

31 Dec 1989

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's edition of Desert Island Discs the castaway is film actor and writer Dirk Bogarde. Among many other things, he'll be talking to Sue Law...

HRH The Duchess of Kent

24 Dec 1989

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's edition of Desert Island Discs is Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent. After a lifelong devotion to music, she will be ...

Pauline Collins

17 Dec 1989

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is actress Pauline Collins. As someone who has been entertaining television audiences for over twenty ...

Rt. Hon. Nigel Lawson

03 Dec 1989

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is the former Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his boyho...

Lady Mosley

26 Nov 1989

Contributed by Lukas

This episode of Desert Island Discs exists for reference, as part of the most complete possible archive resource of programmes from the long-running s...

Seamus Heaney

19 Nov 1989

Contributed by Lukas

This week's Desert Island Discs castaway is Seamus Heaney, a Catholic Ulsterman who has been acclaimed by many as the best Irish poet since Yeats. He ...

Michael Codron

12 Nov 1989

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is theatrical producer Michael Codron. During the 30 years he has been in the business, some of Britai...

Ian Botham

05 Nov 1989

Contributed by Lukas

If you were told that this week's Desert Island Discs castaway took ballet lessons as a child, was a moderately angelic choirboy and now plays golf, b...

Colin Thubron

22 Oct 1989

Contributed by Lukas

The castaway on this week's Desert Island Discs is novelist and travel writer Colin Thubron. Author of books on the Middle East, China and Russia, he ...