Desert Island Discs Podcast
Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.
Episodes to download
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Professor Dame Parveen Kumar
Sun 4 Oct 2026
Doctor Prof Dame Parveen Kumar shares the soundtrack of her life with Lauren Laverne.
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Matt Haig, writer
Sun 27 Sep 2026
Matt Haig, writer, shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren Laverne.
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Richard Osman on managing his eating disorder—Postcards
Fri 25 Sep 2026
The writer and broadcaster Richard Osman was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2021.
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Penelope Keith on knowing her Shakespeare—Postcards
Thu 24 Sep 2026
The actress Penelope Keith was cast away by Roy Plomley in 1976.
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Anthony Joshua on his love for his mother—Postcards
Wed 23 Sep 2026
The heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2024.
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Kathy Burke on being saved by punk as a moody teenager—Postcards
Tue 22 Sep 2026
The actor and comedian Kathy Burke was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2010.
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Stephen Mangan on why he'll never be Bond—Postcards
Mon 21 Sep 2026
The actor Stephen Mangan was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2025.
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How Nick Cave's songs reveal themselves painfully to him—Postcards
Fri 18 Sep 2026
The singer songwriter Nick Cave was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2025.
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Meera Syal on holding up a mirror to British society in Goodness Gracious Me—Postcards
Thu 17 Sep 2026
The actor and writer Meera Syal was cast away by Sue Lawley in 2003.
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Why Lyse Doucet doesn't want to be called a war reporter—Postcards
Wed 16 Sep 2026
The BBC's international correspondent Lyse Doucet was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2022.
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Gareth Southgate on putting on the England shirt for the first time—Postcards
Tue 15 Sep 2026
The former England manager Gareth Southgate was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2024.
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Michael Sheen on his father's time as a Jack Nicholson impersonator—Postcards
Mon 14 Sep 2026
The actor Michael Sheen was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2025.
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Rick Rubin on finding the magic in music—Postcards
Fri 11 Sep 2026
Record producer Rick Rubin was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2022.
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Caitlin Moran on the smells that defined her childhood—Postcards
Thu 10 Sep 2026
The writer and journalist Caitlin Moran was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2017.
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Romesh Ranganathan on finding his comedy sweet spot—Postcards
Wed 9 Sep 2026
The comedian Romesh Ranganathan was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2025.
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Tanni Grey-Thompson on winning four Olympic golds in Sydney—Postcards
Tue 8 Sep 2026
The wheelchair athlete Tanni Grey-Thompson was cast away by Sue Lawley in 2001.
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Greta Gerwig on her childhood enthusiasm for putting on plays—Postcards
Mon 7 Sep 2026
The film director Greta Gerwig was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2023.
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Chaka Khan, singer and songwriter
Sun 16 Aug 2026
Chaka Khan, singer and songwriter, shares the soundtrack of her life with Lauren Laverne.
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Professor Dame Pamela Shaw
Sun 9 Aug 2026
Neurologist Professor Dame Pamela Shaw joins Lauren Laverne.
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Emma Grede, businesswoman
Sun 2 Aug 2026
Emma Grede, businesswoman, shares the soundtrack of her life with Lauren Laverne.
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Sir Roger Deakins, cinematographer
Sun 26 Jul 2026
Sir Roger Deakins, cinematographer, shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren Laverne.
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Shania Twain, musician
Sun 19 Jul 2026
Shania Twain, musician, shares the soundtrack of her life with Lauren Laverne.
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Paul Farmer, charity leader
Sun 12 Jul 2026
Paul Farmer, charity leader, shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren Laverne.
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Professor Liz Morris, glaciologist
Sun 5 Jul 2026
Professor Liz Morris, glaciologist, shares the soundtrack of her life with Lauren Laverne.
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Norman Cook, DJ and musician
Sun 28 Jun 2026
Norman Cook, DJ and musician, shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren Laverne.
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Jo Nesbø, writer
Sun 21 Jun 2026
Jo Nesbø, writer, shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren Laverne.
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Anna Maxwell Martin, actor
Sun 14 Jun 2026
Anna Maxwell Martin, actor, shares the soundtrack of her life with Lauren Laverne.
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Peter Layton, artist
Sun 7 Jun 2026
Peter Layton, artist, shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren Laverne.
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Guy Martin, presenter and former motorcycle racer
Sun 31 May 2026
Guy Martin, TV presenter, shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren Laverne.
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Emily Watson, actor
Sun 24 May 2026
Emily Watson, actor, shares the soundtrack of her life with Lauren Laverne.
The Desert Island Discs podcast
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Articles
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