Desert Island Discs
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| Genre | Biographical/Musical |
|---|---|
| Running time | 43 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Languages | English |
| Home station | BBC Radio 4 |
| Hosts | Roy Plomley (1942–1985), Michael Parkinson (1985–1988), Sue Lawley (1988–2006), Kirsty Young (2006 to date) |
| Creators | Roy Plomley |
| Producers | Leanne Buckle |
| Air dates | since 29 January 1942 |
| Audio format | Stereophonic sound |
| Opening theme | By The Sleepy Lagoon by Eric Coates |
| Website | BBC website |
Desert Island Discs is a long-running BBC Radio 4 programme. It was first broadcast on 29 January 1942 and is said by the Guinness Book of Records to be the longest-running music programme in the history of radio. [1]
Guests are invited to imagine themselves cast away on a desert island, and to choose eight pieces of music (originally gramophone records) to take with them; discussion of their choices permits a review of their life. Excerpts from their choices are played (or in the case of short pieces, the whole work).[2]
At the end of the programme they choose the one piece they regard most highly, and are asked to choose one book to take; with the Bible (or for non-Christians another religious or philosophical work) and the Complete Works of Shakespeare provided automatically to all castaways.
They also choose one luxury, which must be inanimate and of no use in escaping the island or allowing communication from outside. Large supplies of champagne seem to be allowed.[3]
The programme's theme is By The Sleepy Lagoon composed by Eric Coates in 1930.
Contents |
[edit] Presenters
Desert Island Discs was originally presented by its devisor, Roy Plomley.[4] After Plomley's death in 1985, it was presented by Michael Parkinson, and from 1988 by Sue Lawley.[4] Lawley stepped down in August 2006 after 18 years. She was replaced by Kirsty Young,[4] who interviewed illustrator Quentin Blake for her first show, broadcast on 1 October 2006.
[edit] Castaways
The first castaway was Vic Oliver.
The past six Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom have all been on the programme, although only John Major appeared while in office.
A few castaways, including Arthur Askey and Earl Hines, have been cast away twice.
[edit] Requests
The most requested music over the first 60 years was Ode to Joy, the last movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. [5]
[edit] Copyright
Unlike most Radio 4 programmes, Desert Island Discs cannot be heard on the BBC's Listen Again service, which allows most programmes to be heard up to a week after transmission. The programme's website [2] explains this is due to rights issues, as explained in The Sunday Times in 2006:
Because Plomley was a freelance broadcaster, Desert Island Discs became his copyright. After his death in 1985 it went to his wife, Diana Wong. She still owns it but is now in her eighties and their daughter, Almond, acts for her.
Mother and daughter and the BBC agree to have Plomley mentioned in the credits and the corporation pays Diana an annual sum (£5,000 in 1996). However, the family and the BBC cannot agree a payment to make the programme available after the broadcast. This is why it is not available via the BBC’s website. [6]
[edit] Popular culture
Retro Gamer published a variation on the theme, Desert Island Disks, with celebrities choosing the video games they would take to a Desert Island.
In the episode "The Last Shout" from Absolutely Fabulous Eddy was the special guest in Desert Island Discs.
In Tom Stoppard's play The Real Thing, the playwright protagonist, Henry, frets over his upcoming appearance on Desert Island Discs, worrying about whether he should be honest and admit his admiration for pop music (particularly pop music derided by critics) or pretend to favour more conventionally admired music.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Sue Lawley escapes after 19 years". The Times. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article704927.ece. Retrieved on 2007-06-01.
- ^ In the early days, the playing time of a disc was quite predictable, but as technology has progressed and recorded works got longer, they now often have to be trimmed to fit the programme's timing limit of 45 minutes.
- ^ "John Stevens". Desert Island Discs (BBC Radio 4). 2006-11-17.website
- ^ a b c "Desert Island delights". BBC. 2002-01-29. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1787472.stm. Retrieved on 15 November 2007.
- ^ "Beethoven tops island hit list", BBC News website, 18 March 2002. [1]
- ^ How a man in his pyjamas invented a radio classic
[edit] External links
- Desert Island Discs (BBC latest episode)
- Desert Island delights (BBC website on the programme's 60th birthday in 2002; includes two pictures of presenter Roy Plomley, one with guest Dame Gladys Cooper in 1967 and one with guest Paul McCartney in 1982)
- Sue Arnold, "The Lagoon Show", The Observer, London, 17 March 2002
