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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:

John Major Jan 26, 1992

Show notes

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 John Major. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his very happy childhood years, his more traumatic adolescence and his transformation into the perfect Conservative parliamentary candidate. He'll also be discussing his love of music and books, and revealing the luxury that was a surprise even to Sue Lawley.

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

Favourite track: O Giusto Cielo (Lucia Di Lammermoor) by Gaetano Donizetti Book: The Small House At Allington by Anthony Trollope Luxury: Oval cricket ground replica and bowling machine

Reverend David Jenkins Jan 19, 1992

Show notes

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 Durham. At the age of 60, after a career spent mainly as an academic theologian, he was catapulted into controversy: his views on the virgin birth and the resurrection caused outrage, and his opinions on the divisions between rich and poor infuriated politicians.

He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his surprise at the controversies he caused, and the faith which helped him to remain steadfast through the storm.

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

Favourite track: The Sanctus (Harmoniemesse) by Franz Joseph Haydn Book: Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Luxury: Binoculars

Steven Berkoff Jan 12, 1992

Show notes

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is actor, writer and director Steven Berkoff. Irreverent, energetic and compelling, his work has brought him an international reputation and his last West End production, Kvetch, was voted comedy of the year. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his love of drama and why it changed his life, his short spell in Hollywood playing archetypal villains and his time spent in Paris studying mime.

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

Favourite track: Koyaanisqatsi by Philip Glass Book: A gardening book Luxury: Piano

Gorden Kaye Dec 22, 1991

Show notes

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 supporting figure in It Ain't Half Hot, Mum and Are You Being Served?, but for most people he has only one part: that of the French cafe owner Rene Artois in 'Allo 'Allo. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his childhood years in Yorkshire, his love of comedy and natural talent for it, and the loyalty of his audience through good and bad times.

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

Favourite track: Hallelujah Chorus by George Frideric Handel Book: This Is Your Life by Gorden Kaye Luxury: A clock given to him for turning on the Oxford lights

Sue Townsend Dec 08, 1991

Show notes

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 her own: like her hero, she comes from a poor but not deprived background and always nursed a secret ambition to be a writer. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her life and work and carefully selecting eight records which remind her of some of the most significant events in her life.

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

Favourite track: Violin Concerto in D by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Book: Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis Luxury: Swimming pool of champagne

Fred Dibnah Dec 01, 1991

Show notes

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 of northern Britain - steeplejack Fred Dibnah. Renowned for his philosophising as much as for his engineering expertise, he'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his life, which has been spent swinging from factory chimneys and wrestling behind the wheels of steam engines.

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

Favourite track: The Power Of Love by Jennifer Rush Book: Bound volumes of the Engineer magazine Luxury: Steamroller

Dilys Powell Nov 24, 1991

Show notes

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 her forthright and pithy comments have served as a natural accompaniment to the pleasures of going to the cinema. Today, at the age of 90, she still reviews three or four films a week and she'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her receipt of what she describes as "a very liberal education" from her lifelong devotion to the big screen.

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

Favourite track: I Remember It Well (from Gigi) by Honore and Grandmama Book: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens Luxury: Mouth organ with instructions

James Lovelock Nov 17, 1991

Show notes

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 passion for science and recalling some of the experiences he had whilst working on the American space programme, which eventually led him to invent the Gaia Theory - a theory which, amongst other things, argues that the human race is not necessary for the planet's survival.

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

Favourite track: Et Incarnatus Est by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: The Golden Treasury by Francis Palgrave Luxury: Pen and paper

Lord Delfont Nov 10, 1991

Show notes

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 theatrical impresario Lord Delfont. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his extraordinary life: he was raised in the East End of London, his family having settled there after escaping the pogroms in the Ukraine, and is now, at 82, the president of his own leisure corporation; worth £450 million.

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

Favourite track: My Heart And I by Carole Lynne Book: 1515-1985 British Music Theatre Book Luxury: Cigars and matches

E P Thompson Nov 03, 1991

Show notes

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 much as writing about it. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his disillusionment with the Communist Party, how and why he founded the magazine which has become The New Left Review, and enjoying his carefully-selected eight records.

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

Favourite track: Carolan's Receipt by Derek Bell Book: Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake Luxury: Typewriter and paper

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