Recent Episodes
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Classic Desert Island Discs - Baroness Hale
Dec 22, 2024 – 38:15 -
Classic Desert Island Discs - Simon Reeve
Dec 15, 2024 – 35:28 -
Classic Desert Island Discs - Ian Wright
Dec 8, 2024 – 44:17 -
Classic Desert Island Discs - Dr Nicola Fox
Dec 1, 2024 – 36:02 -
Classic Desert Island Discs - Steven Spielberg
Nov 24, 2024 – 36:18 -
Steven Knight, writer
Sep 7, 2024 – 50:03 -
Mark Knopfler, musician
Aug 31, 2024 – 48:04 -
Sarah Raven, gardener and writer
Aug 25, 2024 – 51:51 -
David Nicholls, writer
Aug 17, 2024 – 49:46 -
Errollyn Wallen, composer
Aug 11, 2024 – 52:23 -
Rob Delaney, actor and comedian
Aug 4, 2024 – 50:16 -
Professor Patricia Wiltshire, forensic scientist
Jul 28, 2024 – 51:48 -
Anthony Joshua, boxer
Jul 20, 2024 – 51:47 -
Clive Myrie, journalist
Jul 14, 2024 – 52:05 -
Shirine Khoury-Haq, businesswoman
Jul 7, 2024 – 49:42 -
Rebel Wilson, actor
Jun 30, 2024 – 48:36 -
John Boyne, writer
Jun 22, 2024 – 51:31 -
Dame Sarah Storey, athlete
Jun 15, 2024 – 50:33 -
Greg Davies, comedian
Jun 9, 2024 – 49:38 -
Professor Tim Spector, scientist
Apr 27, 2024 – 49:17 -
Professor Alice Roberts, scientist and broadcaster
Apr 21, 2024 – 36:56 -
Jenny Sealey, theatre director
Apr 13, 2024 – 34:47 -
James Graham, playwright
Apr 7, 2024 – 50:35 -
Rita Rae, Lady Rae, lawyer and judge
Mar 31, 2024 – 38:15 -
Sandy Powell, costume designer
Mar 24, 2024 – 36:04 -
Clive Oppenheimer, volcanologist
Mar 17, 2024 – 38:02 -
Cillian Murphy, actor
Mar 10, 2024 – 35:47 -
Val Wilmer, writer and photographer
Mar 3, 2024 – 38:32 -
Jamie Dornan, actor
Feb 25, 2024 – 36:23 -
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cellist
Feb 18, 2024 – 37:55 -
Guli Francis-Dehqani, Church of England Bishop
Feb 11, 2024 – 36:58 -
Graham Nash, musician
Feb 4, 2024 – 36:26 -
Delia Smith, CH, CBE, cookery writer and broadcaster
Jan 21, 2024 – 37:38 -
Greta Gerwig, writer and director
Jan 14, 2024 – 35:41 -
Shirley Ballas, dance judge
Jan 7, 2024 – 36:16 -
Marina Abramović, performance artist
Dec 31, 2023 – 39:17 -
Dr Nicola Fox, head of science at Nasa
Dec 24, 2023 – 36:55 -
Pia Sinha, Director Prison Reform Trust
Dec 17, 2023 – 35:21 -
Peter White, broadcaster
Dec 10, 2023 – 35:48 -
Lea Salonga, singer and actor
Dec 3, 2023 – 36:17 -
Professor Dame Lesley Regan, obstetrician and gynaecologist
Nov 26, 2023 – 37:16 -
Patrick Grant, designer and broadcaster
Nov 19, 2023 – 36:01 -
Dame Donna Langley, film studio executive
Nov 12, 2023 – 36:00 -
Greg Jackson, entrepreneur
Nov 5, 2023 – 36:08 -
Katherine Ryan, comedian
Oct 29, 2023 – 36:42 -
Lucinda Russell, horse trainer
Oct 22, 2023 – 35:56 -
Adrian Edmondson, actor, writer
Oct 14, 2023 – 59:41 -
Shirley Collins, folk singer
Sep 2, 2023 – 37:08 -
Toto Wolff, Formula 1 executive
Aug 27, 2023 – 35:57 -
Simon Woolley, crossbench peer
Aug 20, 2023 – 35:58
Recent Reviews
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Yeppers2029OkCan we keep it about the person and not political agendas etc? Let’s talk about their career and music. Being a victim is getting old
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mikehillscolorado……….
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hunterhighStill Going StrongI learn so much about the people I like by their stories and their musical choices. This show has been and continues to be a gem.
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Flying1901Good butI want to hear more about the music of choice and fun things. No more explaining political agendas please. Not EVERYONE has to be a victim. Can we leave political agenda for less classy shows. Can we make it more about the music choices?
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KlingridJamie DornanWow! What a touching interview. I was brought to tears! What a beautiful soul.
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MikehillslasvegWhat happened?Can we return the show to being about the music the guest likes and not some political agender the host want to force down the mic. This show used to be fun and interesting, now every guest turns into a victim.
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PhantomarkGreat podcast!!Loved the Greta Gerwig interview and her music snippets. The host has great energy and connection with her guests!
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the other DellInaccurate time frameHaving enjoyed the interview with Michael Pollan, I tuned into the Netflix series “How to Change Your Mind” I was dismayed to hear Pollan imply that Bill Wilson (cofounder of A.A.) had his Spiritual Awakening as the result of LSD trials. This is patently false. His God Experience came in 1935 and he participated in the trials in the late ‘50s. This misinformation could confuse or cause harm to Alcoholics seeking help through A.A.
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eatsleepswimKirsty YoungSo great to hear your voice again.
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NeverAReviewerExcellent seriesGrateful these are available on podcasts. The interviews are in depth and the guests are all fascinating in their own right.
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N. Chaturv3diExcellent show. I wish the songs were longerLove the guests, the host, and way the conversations flow. This is a wonderful way to discover new music. I only wish that the music were longer.
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LondonBizOwnerFabulousThis is the best way to spend a good part of an hour any day of the week. Grab a cup of tea and enjoy!!
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fromdc2vawhat a gem!If I were sent off to an island, my luxury item would be this series. I discovered it only a few weeks ago, and had no idea of it’s rich history. Better late than never!
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JulesClayTreasure TroveI’ve spent the past month of lockdown listening to episode after episode dating back to the earliest days of the show. What a gift! It’s endlessly inspiring and entertaining. Thank you.
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JMac1970All time favoriteI love this show. One of the best ever and a huge favorite.
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spdebiMy favorite !!!!Discovered it during the pandemic and it has become my “place to go to” Archives have fantastics interviews An endless source of delight, entertainment and culture John Barry’s interview is delicious! So surprises await us with this fantastic show
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CdddddffffDESERT ISLAND DISKSThe more interesting show. Ever?! I love hearing about real peoples lives and loves.
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BritchicletSo many memoriesI so love DID being a Brit living in America this show evokes so many amazing memories of growing up in England with everyone’s favorite tunes! The added bonus of people who you never would meet revealing so many tidbits of their own lives - walking the dog has never been so fun 🇬🇧🥰
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love being dad and husbandIt use to be goodSomethings missing...seems like it use to be better. The production is off and Lauren doesn’t seem to connect with the person being interviewed. That makes for a very surface interview. If we are preserving these for posterity as we were in earlier years, then the show needs to step up and build a better program. Other wise we are just going through the motions in order to preserve a program...and not focusing on delivering a memorable one.
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STinamonster88The Best Radio Program of all timeI love love love DID. You get a raw, vulnerable survey of someone’s whole life — the meatiest bits — punctuated by song. As a writer, I am steeped in this show. It’s about character... how it’s made and tested and revealed/released in music. Ian Wright’s episode absolutely gutted me. Wendell Pierce’s is another must. Keep DID in your rotation... it’ll make you more human.
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hickory duffGreat podIan Wright’s one made me cry
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Eryk Moz'Wrighty made me feel human againListened to this program for so many years. Sometimes a real gem crops up that sticks in the mind and make me reflect Yes I know Ian Wright wears his heart on this sleeve. However his episode for someone in a bit of a dark place felt like being taken by the hand back towards feeling a little bit like a person again
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avm1406Gary Barlow edition moved me to tears.Brilliant program. How about going beyond the Western Hemisphere and looking at Asian and African artists and leaders.
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paulgagnonVery good podcast!Loved listening to it. Will continue!
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Hamilton Fan 06My favorite podcastThis is an amazing podcast! I love all the informative podcasts with some many interesting people like Lin Manuel Miranda.
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DID listenerLouisWhy is Louis Theroux the artwork for Desert Island Discs?
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cocolobaDesert Island DiscsLove, love, love this program, remember it from childhood but had no idea it still existed!
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BooksinNewYorkOne of the best podcasts ever !Kirsty Young is a remarkable host. This show is brilliant.
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nquincampoixSimply delightfulSuch a simple premise but so many fantastic stories and confessions come of it. Kirsty is a wonderful interviewer with a gentle manner who illicits wonderful gems and never makes the show about her. It's the perfect antidote for today's overly-produced, and super fast paced society.
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elverroLittle heard voicesI love this for the chance to hear from middle aged and older people, particularly women. In the U.S., most popular interview shows are devoted to young actors and the occasional older male celebrity. It feels as if women’s voices disappear from popular culture at about aged 40, which is just when people start getting interesting!
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MFSHMini AutobiographiesIt enriches one’s life to delf a little into the lives of people whose accomplishments raise them above the crowds. And then there’s the music. Their choice of music has expanded the scope of my listening, suggested beautiful diversions from my usual “repertoire” and improved my life. The Archives are a revelation. Thank you to 4 or 5 remarkable presenters who gave us this over 6 or more decades.
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jtingleA brilliant start to the dayA mentor once told me: to be fully human, I should be so moved by life as to both laugh and cry, at least once a day. Desert Island Discs, no matter the guest, is the perfect podcast. I love hearing amazing people, tell real stories about their fears, hopes, motivations, and passions. During every episode there’s at least one laugh out loud moment; but, there is also at least one story in every episode that lets me have a good cry. Oh - and THE MUSIC!
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USelaineSomething For EveryoneIf someone has never listened to podcasts before, this is the first one I recommend. The structure is a charming way in to the life paths people take, and how they view their lives. Different guests regard the selection process with varying levels of seriousness, and that’s revelatory as well. The ‘one luxury’ choice is an entertaining wild card to close out the conversation, with choices having ranged from a telescope to the Taj Mahal. With music and memory at its center, guests may become emotional, yet the host remains a sensitive guide. These shows never fail to inspire my imagination.
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Dr. JuraWonderful. Unique. A mini-Vacation for the brain.This is a treasure among podcasts. Put it at the top of your list, above the anxiety-ridden news podcasts, the comedy, all the rest. Sit back and enjoy this little slice of life’s best peasures.
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Uk KarenLove itLoved it years ago, love it now.
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JaleanaFavorite Podcast!You’ll laugh, cry, swoon, and/or be in awe of the guests and their music selections. After a while, you’ll consider your own 8 pieces of music and realize you’ve had your own soundtrack accompanying your life.
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DrocchioTime well spentThese interviews are thoughtful, interesting, insightful, and make me think. It’s like turning to the people around you on a train and learning how they became who they are and learning that they are fascinating. Wonderful way to spend some time.
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UkskaksSuch a delightful programmeDID with Kirsty Young is a sheer joy. She does so much homework on her guests, and draws so many secrets out of them, that we begin to feel we actually know them. And the variety of music is a delight, bringing back memories or introducing new pleasures.
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wheezyhanoiMusic, yes, but great interviews tooIt is interesting to know what music interests and inspires other people and the wide variety of music people listen to. I love that BBC includes people who are well known in their fields for this podcast but not celebrities quite often. Lovely program.
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BorgkdeHappy I found this PodcastMy first introduction to Desert Island was when I did a search on Ed Sheehan. I loved it and have been listening since. I listen to people I have never even heard of and find most interviewees to be so interesting and entertaining. I really like how Kristy Young conducts her interviews. Try it - you have MANY options !! Enjoy !!!
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Walking stick 2My happy placeListening to DID is my own personal selected luxury item. Before or after work it is my “me” time and never disappoints! Insightful perspectives, personal stories and the context to a diverse range of people we may know only a very little of. The central theme of the discs is the “piece de la resistance” - enlightening, immersive and joyous - they too remind us of the diversity of music and the intensely enjoyable emotional places it can take us. Obviously a classic of our time - may it run forever!
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noreenjwDesert Island DiscsThe greatest radio show ever.
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SammylscottPerfect radio!This is simply perfect radio and I download the podcast every week. Kirsty is such an insightful interviewer - she always gets the most information out of the guests. I love that the guests I haven’t heard of are often the ones I enjoy the most!
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Monkey ArchitectIt's GreatHave a listen, there are many interesting people you can get to know something about.
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cheena baterboniaA classic, now in podcast form.Simple concept for a radio show that have withstood the test of time. It’s a nice peek into what the music taste of famous people. I love the emotion that comes through when the castaways share something greatly personal. I listened to the Sheryl Sandberg episode brought tears to my eyes.
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BetsGrizzlyEntertaining, educational and an escapeI love listening to these podcasts, never mind that I don't know who most of the people are. I've learned so much, been exposed to wonderful and different and sometimes unappealing music, and been provided with fodder for great dinner table conversations. Perfect length for a good long walk or a commute to work. Highly recommend!!
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ike_dif5 starsA new favorite!
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Steve BellamyIncisive and entertaining interviews, with music!This is another programme that I grew up in England listening to every week, and now, far away from hom sunny California I can still do so, at my ;leisure, whenever and wherever I want through the magic of the downloadable podcast. Also, I could listen to Kirsty's intelligent and mellifluous Scottish accent for ever. Even if I've never heard of the guest, I learn something and sometimes even hear some great new music that I haven't come actoss before. Actually, that last point is the only unfortunate aspect of the show - the music excerpts are way too short.
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Haire58Desert Island DiscI just discovered this podicast .. a great break from political news of the day and insightful interviews of subject matter experts of all walks of life
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RtuftonHomely soundsI live in Texas now and love this podcast as it makes me feel so British! Thanks Kirsty, always an inspirational listen. My favorite.
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