I’ve recently discovered and found a new appreciation for Desert Island Discs (I know I’m late to the party – it’s the longest running radio show in the UK and in February this year, a panel of broadcasting industry experts named it the “greatest radio programme of all time“). I had heard about the BBC4 radio programme broadcast before but I had never listened to a full episode and I didn’t know much about it. That changed recently when my wife and I tuned in by chance to one with Cressida Dick, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and really liked it.
I’ve since found that many episodes have been made available to download as podcasts and even more are on the BBC iPlayer website (2212 and counting). So I’ve now listened to several on car journeys and train commutes, including guests such as the comedian Bob Mortimer, the writer Malcolm Gladwell (who’s podcast Revisionist History I’ve already written about on the website), the educationalist Sir Ken Robinson (who’s TED talk I’ve also covered), the psychologist Daniel Kahneman, the comedian Ricky Gervais, the cognitive psychologist Stephen Pinker, the actress Lauren Bacall and the list goes on. I can’t tell you how much I’ve been enjoying them and I look forward to listening to more.
As a reminder, the format is:
A guest is invited to choose eight discs, a book and a luxury to take with them as they’re castaway on a mythical desert island. They’re given the complete works of Shakespeare and the Bible. During the interview they explain their choices and discuss key moments in their lives, people and events that have influenced and inspired them and brought them to where they are today.
What a simple and genius idea!
Going through the list of ‘castaways’ over the years, I’m truly amazed at the calibre and variety they’ve had. Not only do you get to learn about their favourite pieces of music and why they chose them but it’s also a wonderful way to delve into their lives. I’ve been surprised at the wide range of topics and how in-depth the conversations can get even with touching on personal issues such as loss, love, solitude…
So in the spirit of the show, what are the 8 tracks, one book and one luxury item that you would take if you were cast on a desert island? I’m really struggling to choose mine but it’s a fun exercise. For now, I’ve created a playlist and I’m adding songs the I’ve liked from the show.
My Excerpts 