Desert Island Discs

Desert Island Discs is a long running BBC Radio 4 programme that has been broadcasting since 1942. The premise of the show is that each week a different celebrity chooses eight pieces of music that they would like to hear were they stranded on a desert island. The show runs for 43 minutes and has an avid following, many have been listening to the show for years.

Much like the fantasy dinner party game, where you choose a number of famous people to invite to be your guests and explain why you have chosen them. Desert Island Discs gives an insight into the world of the featured celebrity and their choices for the pieces of music they have chosen.

As well as pieces of music, the celebrity is also given a choice of book and a luxury item.

As the show unfolds, the celebrity explains their choices of music and the reasons for choosing them. They also reveal things from their past and how the certain pieces of music chosen have affected them and been associated with poignant moments in their lives. Much like a life story told by music.

The Desert Island Discs celebrity castaway is automatically given appropriate religious books for their personal beliefs and the entire work of Shakespeare, so they have to choose something else as their one book choice. Their luxury item can be absolutely anything.

Despite the show being in it's 60's, it's keeping up to date. In late September 2009 the BBC launched Desert Island Discs on the iPlayer. The first celebrity guest to be featured in a podcast is Barry Manilow, with all subsequent guests to follow.

If you like talk radio, then Desert Island Discs is an interesting light entertainment show that is worth giving a listen. Songs aren't always played in their entirety due to time constraints, but it's interesting to hear the choices that people have made. Feel free to add your own Desert Island Discs choices in the comments section.