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Desert Island Discs — Personal Journals
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.

Copyright: © (C) BBC 2023

Latest Episodes:

Patricia Hodge Jan 08, 1995

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the actress Patricia Hodge. Currently in her prime as Miss Jean Brodie in the West End, she'll be talking to Sue Lawley about how John Mortimer selected her for her first prominent role as barrister Phyllida Trent in Rumpole of the Bailey. She went on to portray several aloof, beautiful women, but denies that she is by nature remote. She'll also be reminiscing about her childhood in Grimsby, where her parents ran a large three-star hotel, making her upbringing a little different from that of her contemporaries.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Candide Make Our Garden Grow by David Eisler & Erie Mills Book: Compendium of Plays by Harold Pinter Luxury: A supply of embroidery

Alan Clark Jan 01, 1995

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the politician, historian and diarist Alan Clark. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the impact his alarmingly frank diaries - published in 1993 - made on his colleagues, friends and enemies. Also, on the island he'll be ruminating on love, pain, parents, political ambition and the many attractions of his island exile.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Saul The Dead March by George Frideric Handel Book: A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell Luxury: Piano

David Jason OBE Dec 25, 1994

Show notes

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is one of Britain's best-loved actors, David Jason. He will be talking to Sue Lawley about the rocky route from his first job as an electrician, through Bromley Rep, summer seasons and pantos, to the moment he was spotted for a television show called Do Not Adjust Your Set. Some success followed this, but it was when the BBC offered him the part of Delboy in Only Fools and Horses, to be followed 10 years later by the avuncular Pop Larkin in The Darling Buds of May, that the nation took him to their hearts. He went on to win a BAFTA for his role in Porterhouse Blue, and, more recently, acclaim for his portrait of Inspector Frost.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Help! by The Beatles Book: The Complete Boatbuilder's Book Luxury: A complete carpenter's toolbox

Penelope Hobhouse Dec 18, 1994

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is one of the country's famous experts on gardens and garden design, Penelope Hobhouse. She will be talking to Sue Lawley about her childhood in Ulster, where she was brought up steeped in the politics of the province. From there, she went to Cambridge, married, and settled down to look after the garden of the beautiful house in Somerset which marriage had brought with it. Twenty-five years later, she wrote her first book which was about that garden and since then she has been in constant demand as a lecturer and author.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: The Marriage Of Figaro - Dove Sono, Act 3 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: The Golden Bowl by Henry James Luxury: Laptop computer

Margaret Forster Dec 04, 1994

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the writer Margaret Forster. Her second novel - Georgy Girl - was published in the 1960s and made into a popular film; another 20 books - both fiction and non-fiction - followed and her recent biography of Daphne du Maurier attracted much critical acclaim. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her early life in Carlisle, the stresses of working motherhood and the problems of having her husband, Hunter Davies, formerly confined to a newspaper office, now working at home.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: In The Bleak Midwinter by Gustav Holst/Rossetti Book: A House For Mr Biswas by V S Naipaul Luxury: Unlimited supply of A4 white paper & cartridges for fountain pen

Sir Howard Hodgkin Nov 27, 1994

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the painter Sir Howard Hodgkin. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the hard road to recognition in this country - which he describes as being 'enemy territory' for painters. At 62, he has now achieved fame, fortune and to him a somewhat irksome knighthood. He'll be describing his problematic schoolboy years, his total commitment to art and what he considers to be the impact of his own work.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Youkali by Teresa Stratas Book: Journal De Eugene Delacroix by Eugene Delacroix Luxury: Mayonnaise - permanent supply

Glenys Kinnock Nov 20, 1994

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Glenys Kinnock. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her upbringing in Wales, her role during the years of Neil Kinnock's leadership of the Labour Party and her own reincarnation as a politician on the European stage as an MEP.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Was A Sunny Day by Paul Simon Book: Atlas of the Third World Luxury: Toilet bag full of skin-barrier creams

Berthold Goldschmidt Nov 13, 1994

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the composer and conductor Berthold Goldschmidt. Born in Hamburg 91 years ago, he enjoyed a brilliant early career working with many famous musicians in Germany and Russia. But he'll be telling Sue Lawley how, as a Jew, he was forced to flee the Nazis and take refuge in Britain. Sadly, the musical establishment of his adopted homeland found his music old-fashioned and neglected him until the 1980s, when his music started to be rediscovered and widely appreciated.

Now experiencing a highly-successful revival all over Europe and America, as well as having his work recorded and performed at the Proms, he is greatly enjoying his new-found recognition.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Goldberg Varations BWV 988 - No 26 by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: Joseph and His Brothers by Thomas Mann Luxury: Vanity case including metal mirror and shaving kit

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Nov 06, 1994

Show notes

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, the Most Reverend Desmond Tutu. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his childhood and his first realisations that black children were treated very differently from their white counterparts, as well as his initial work as a teacher, which he gave up when he realised he was expected merely to train his black pupils for a life of service. He'll also be talking about the new freedom and responsibilities of South Africa following the election of Nelson Mandela earlier this year, and describing his optimism for its success.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: We Are The World by U.S.A. For Africa Book: Parting The Waters by Branch Taylor Luxury: Ice-cream maker (especially for rum and raisin flavour)

Kathleen Hale Oct 30, 1994

Show notes

The castaway this week in Desert Island Discs is the writer and illustrator Kathleen Hale. Mainly renowned for that hero of children's literature - Orlando, the Marmalade Cat - and now 96 years old, she'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the excitement and glamour of her bohemian girlhood after the First World War. As secretary to the painter Augustus John, she lived a turbulent but fascinating life at the heart of artistic London.

Marriage and motherhood introduced stability into her life, but boredom with the children's books then on offer led her to create Orlando - the cat who went on to star in 18 beautifully-illustrated and charmingly-written books - considered by many to be the epitome of good children's literature.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: La Sardana De Les Monges by La Principal De Perelada Book: A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu by Marcel Proust Luxury: A gilabra (cloak of gold)

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