Lauren Laverne

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  1. Professor Dame Pamela Shaw

    2d ago

    Professor Dame Pamela Shaw

    Professor Dame Pamela Shaw is a pioneering Neurologists and a leading figure in tackling motor neurone disease or MND. She is the founder and Director of SITran – the World leading Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, which is slowly but surely unlocking the secrets of MND and other devastating neurological conditions. Pam was born in Rothbury, Northumberland, in 1955, and at three moved to Kuwait when her father took up the position of harbour master. She lived there until she was eleven, but with no suitable secondary school available locally, she was sent back to Northumberland to board at Our Lady's Convent High School in Alnwick. She studied medicine at Newcastle University and began her clinical training in the North-east. Following her appointment as a consultant neurologist she developed an interest in Motor Neurone Disease. A chance meeting with a recently dignosed MND patient led to Pam founding the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience in 2010. She was made a Dame in 2014. Pam lives in Sheffield with her husband Paul. They have a grown-up daughter, Sophie. DISC ONE: Messiah HWV 56, "Hallelujah Chorus". Composed by George Frideric Händel and performed by The London Philharmonic Orchestra, The London Philharmonic Chorus, conducted by Douglas Gamley DISC TWO: Somethin’ Stupid - Frank Sinatra / Nancy Sinatra DISC THREE: Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell DISC FOUR: Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K.622: II. Adagio. Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and performed by Thea King (clarinet), English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Alun Francis DISC FIVE: Sweet and Dandy - Toots and the Maytals DISC SIX: The Marriage of Figaro / \"Duettino\" Sull 'Aria. Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and performed by Edith Mathis, Gundula Janowitz (sopranos) The Orchestra of Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducted by Karl Böhm DISC SEVEN: Ashokan Farewell - The Band of H.M. Royal Marines DISC EIGHT: The Lucky One - Alison Krauss & Union Station BOOK CHOICE: Kristin Hannah Collection LUXURY ITEM: Roses CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K.622: II. Adagio. Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and performed by Thea King (clarinet), English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Alun Francis Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Tom Alban Desert Island Discs has cast away many medical scientists over the years, including Stephen Westaby, Professor Dame Lesley Regan and David Nott. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

  2. Emma Grede, businesswoman

    Aug 29

    Emma Grede, businesswoman

    Emma Grede is the businesswoman behind major fashion brands including Skims and Good American, which she co-founded with Kim Kardashian and Khloé Kardashian, respectively. Last year Forbes included her on their list of America's Richest Self-Made Women, with an estimated net worth of $405 million. She grew up in Plaistow, East London, the eldest of four daughters. Her parents separated when she was five and she was raised by her mum, who worked long hours as a trader at an investment bank. Emma took on a lot of the responsibility at home caring for her sisters. Dyslexia meant she struggled at school, but she found satisfaction in a string of part-time jobs, from delivering newspapers to making sandwiches in a deli. She later dropped out of the London College of Fashion to pursue a career in the industry, and by her mid-twenties she had founded her first company. She made her name brokering deals between celebrities and brands that included signing Natalie Portman as the face of Dior. In 2016 she founded an inclusive denim brand called Good American with Khloé Kardashian, and in 2019 she launched the shapewear brand Skims with Kim Kardashian. Lately her success has led her out of the boardroom and into the spotlight with guest appearances on Dragon’s Den, and the US equivalent Shark Tank, as well as launching a podcast and writing a memoir. Emma lives in Los Angeles with her husband and business partner Jens, and they have four children. Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Hannah Hufford and Christine Pawlowsky Desert Island Discs has cast away many fashion leaders to the island over the years including Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood and Paul Smith. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

  3. Sir Roger Deakins, cinematographer

    Aug 23

    Sir Roger Deakins, cinematographer

    Sir Roger Deakins is an acclaimed cinematographer who is known for his visual artistry on films including The Shawshank Redemption, 1917, Fargo, Skyfall and Blade Runner 2049. His talents have been acknowledged with a knighthood, five BAFTAs and two Oscars. Roger was born in Torquay, Devon in 1949. In 1968 he attended the Bath Academy of Art where he was inspired by one of his tutors, the street photographer Roger Mayne, to go out with his camera and capture what he saw. Roger Deakins followed this advice and spent his weekends shooting people and places in British seaside towns. In 1975 Roger graduated from the National Film School in Beaconsfield and started work as a cameraman – making documentaries and music videos. His first feature film was Cruel Passion which came out in 1977. In 1984 he worked on Michael Radford’s film adaptation of George Orwell’s novel 1984, starring Richard Burton and John Hurt. The first of Roger’s collaborations with filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen started in 1991 with the film Barton Fink. The three of them went on to make 12 films together including O Brother, Where Art Thou? Fargo and The Big Lebowski. In 2018 Roger won his first Academy Award for Blade Runner 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve. He was knighted for services to film in 2021. Roger lives in California with his wife James. They also have a home in Devon. DISC ONE: One of Us Cannot Be Wrong - Leonard Cohen DISC TWO: Aqaba - June Tabor DISC THREE: 21st Century Schizoid Man - King Crimson DISC FOUR: Soldier’s Song - Lucinda Williams DISC FIVE: Bat Out of Hell - Meat Loaf DISC SIX: The Island - Paul Brady DISC SEVEN: Sun Comes Up, It's Tuesday Morning - Cowboy Junkies DISC EIGHT: Isn’t it a Pity - Nina Simone BOOK CHOICE: Moby Dick by Herman Melville LUXURY ITEM: Fishing tackle CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Aqaba - June Tabor Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Paula McGinley

  4. Shania Twain, musician

    Aug 16

    Shania Twain, musician

    Shania Twain is a singer and songwriter and one of only two artists in history to have three consecutive diamond albums. By the time she was eight years old, she had a repertoire of one hundred songs which she would sing in bars. She began to write her own songs at the age of ten. Her mother was convinced that she was going to be a star and took her to perform in smoky clubs. Off stage, all was not well in the family home and Shania grew up in a turbulent household where there was much fighting. When she was thirteen years old, she persuaded her mother to drive Shania and her sisters to Toronto to a women’s shelter. Her parents eventually reunited and then were both killed in a car accident when Shania was twenty-two years old. She then became the guardian of her younger siblings and put her music dreams on hold to look after them. Eventually she got a job in a golf resort singing and came to the attention of a Nashville music executive and was offered a recording contract when she was thirty. She was enjoying a record-breaking global musical career when disaster struck. She was bitten by a tick and contracted Lyme disease which prevented her from singing for the best part of a decade. She announced her return in 2011 and returned to the stage in 2012. Shania lives in Switzerland with her second husband. DISC ONE: We’ve Only Just Begun - Carpenters DISC TWO: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John DISC THREE: Dust in the Wind - Kansas DISC FOUR: El Paso - Marty Robbins DISC FIVE: Gabriel’s Oboe - Ennio Morricone DISC SIX: Gentle on my Mind - Glen Campbell DISC SEVEN: Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder DISC EIGHT: Ode to Billie Joe - Bobbie Gentry BOOK CHOICE: Life is Fair by Brian Hines LUXURY ITEM: Insect Repellent CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Dust in the Wind - Kansas Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah Taylor Desert Island Discs has cast other musicians away over the years including Adele, Cher, Kylie Minogue and Cyndi Lauper. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

  5. Norman Cook, DJ and musician

    Jul 25

    Norman Cook, DJ and musician

    Norman Cook is a musician and DJ also widely known as Fatboy Slim. As a DJ, he has played everywhere from Bondi Beach and the Great Wall of China to the House of Commons and a fish and chip shop. His many accolades include a world record for the most number one singles by one musician in different acts. He has had a number of musical aliases including Pizzaman, Cheeky Boy and Beats International. He was also a member of the Housemartins. He was christened Quentin by his parents and changed his name to Norman when he embarked on his musical career. His passion for music and collecting records led him down the path of becoming a DJ and his outdoor gigs, particularly in Brighton, saw him play to crowds of over a quarter of a million people. He has been married twice, his second wife was the DJ and radio presenter, Zoe Ball. Norman lives in Brighton DISC ONE: The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five DISC TWO: Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight - The Beatles DISC THREE: Rainbow Connection - The Muppets DISC FOUR: (White Man) in Hammersmith Palais - The Clash DISC FIVE: I Feel Love - Donna Summer DISC SIX: Satisfied ‘N’ Tickled Too - Taj Mahal DISC SEVEN: I Must Be In a Good Place Now - Bobby Charles DISC EIGHT: Born Slippy (Nuxx) - Underworld BOOK CHOICE: The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell LUXURY ITEM: A label maker CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: I Feel Love - Donna Summer Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah Taylor Desert Island Discs has cast other musicians away over the years including Norman’s former neighbour Sir Paul McCartney and David Bryne. His former wife, Zoe Ball is in the Desert Island archive along with his former classmate, Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

  6. Professor Liz Morris, glaciologist

    Aug 2

    Professor Liz Morris, glaciologist

    Professor Liz Morris is a glaciologist whose work in some of the earth’s most inhospitable environments has broadened humanity’s understanding of climate change and polar science. Her accolades include the prestigious Polar Medal and an OBE for services to Polar Science. Liz was born in London in 1946 and family legend has it that she fell in love with snow and ice the following year during what was known as the Big Freeze - one of the most severe and punishing winters in British history. She studied physics at Bristol University and applied for a role at the British Antarctic Survey in the early Seventies. At that time the institute did not have any female scientists working in the field and her application was rejected. Liz bided her time and eventually did get to work at the BAS, becoming head of the Ice and Climate Division in 1986. The following year she became the first British woman to undertake tent-based research in Antarctica, arriving just as the ozone hole discovery was breaking. Liz completed her last field trip in 2014. In 2020 the Antarctic Place-Names Committee named a glacier in her honour. Liz divides her time between the Cotswolds and Scotland. Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Paula McGinley

  7. Jo Nesbø, writer

    Jul 18

    Jo Nesbø, writer

    Jo Nesbø is a writer, known as the king of 'Nordic Noir'. His internationally bestselling crime thrillers following the exploits of detective Harry Hole have been translated into fifty languages, sold over sixty million copies and have been adapted for film and TV. Being a bestselling author was not his first job. As a teenager, he played football professionally before an injury put paid to his sporting career. He played guitar and wrote songs for a band which then became very successful in Norway and he combined his gigging nightlife with a day job on Norway’s stock market. His relentless schedule led to him taking time off from both the band and the stock market and whilst he was travelling on a plane to Australia, he wrote his first draft of his debut Harry Hole novel. He has since gone on to write thirteen Harry Hole novels along with children’s stories and other standalone books. Jo lives in Oslo. DISC ONE: Perfect Skin - Lloyd Cole and the Commotions DISC TWO: Ticket To Ride - The Beatles DISC THREE: Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel DISC FOUR: I Can’t Be Satisfied – Muddy Waters DISC FIVE: Bus to Baton Rouge - Lucinda Williams DISC SIX: Hand of God - Nick Cave, Warren Ellis DISC SEVEN: Swamp - Talking Heads DISC EIGHT: Independence Day - Bruce Springsteen BOOK CHOICE: Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski LUXURY ITEM: A shoehorn CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Independence Day - Bruce Springsteen Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Sarah Taylor Desert Island Discs has cast other writers away over the years including Lee Child, Steven King and Martina Cole. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

  8. Paul Farmer, charity leader

    Aug 8

    Paul Farmer, charity leader

    Paul Farmer is a charity leader who has spent his life campaigning, fundraising and changing the national conversation around some of the most challenging issues in our society. Currently at the helm of Age UK, he previously spent 16 years as the CEO of Mind, the UK’s largest mental health charity. Paul was born in Oxford, the son of a former Benedictine monk and a former nun. He read history at St Peter’s College, Oxford, where he met his future wife, Claire. After graduating, he found a role working for a heritage centre and fell in love with the charity sector, moving to the Samaritans. His experiences taking calls from those struggling with their mental health awakened a passion for working in the mental health sector. In 2006 he moved Mind, where he became CEO. He led a fifteen-year campaign that helped to change legislation, and the national conversation around mental health. For the past few years, he has campaigned for older people as Chief Executive at Age UK, and encouraged the public to prepare and plan for a happier, healthier later life. Paul lost his wife, Claire, to cancer in 2019. He lives in West London. DISC ONE: Think - Aretha Franklin DISC TWO: Part of the Agnus Dei from the Mass for Five Voices, performed by The Sixteen with Harry Christophers conducting - William Byrd DISC THREE: Don’t Leave Me This Way - The Communards DISC FOUR: Rotterdam (Or Anywhere) - The Beautiful South DISC FIVE: Feeling Good - Nina Simone DISC SIX: Into My Arms - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds DISC SEVEN: Drunk Surfer - Westside Cowboy DISC EIGHT: Sunshine on Leith - The Proclaimers BOOK: A collection of Simon Armitage’s poetry LUXURY: A bowling machine with a combination of cricket and tennis balls CASTAWAY’S FAVOURITE: Sunshine on Leith - The Proclaimers Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Sarah Taylor and Hannah Hufford Desert Island Discs has cast away many campaigners to the island over the years including Marjorie Wallace, Julia Cleverdon, and Sue Ryder, Baroness Ryder of Warsaw. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

  9. Emily Watson, actor

    Jun 20

    Emily Watson, actor

    Emily Watson is an award-winning actor, widely regarded as one of the finest character actors of her generation. She began her career on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company before rising to prominence in 1996, when she was cast as Bess McNeill in Lars von Trier’s Breaking the Waves. The role earned her an Academy Award nomination. She received a second Oscar nomination for Hilary and Jackie, for which she learned to play the cello to portray Jacqueline du Pré. Watson has built a reputation for a level of commitment that is as intense as it is acclaimed. She describes her craft not merely as a profession but as a profound internal necessity, stating: "I love the sense of creating and inhabiting something. That feeling of making it feel magically real. That's the addiction". She grew up in London and was a passionate reader before leaving home to study English at Bristol University. Her parents were members of the School of Economic Science which proscribed that followers eschew TV and popular culture. Emily joined in with the university drama productions and followed her passion, with her parents’ blessing, to pursue a career in acting. Emily Watson lives in London with her husband, and they have two children. Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah Taylor Desert Island Discs has cast other actors away over the years including Emily’s fellow actor from Hamnet, Jessie Buckley. The writer, Maggie O’Farrell is in there too along with Emily’s friend from university, the writer David Nicholls. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

  10. Anna Maxwell Martin, actor

    Jul 12

    Anna Maxwell Martin, actor

    Anna Maxwell Martin is an award-winning actor whose versatility is evident from the breadth of parts she has played in popular television programmes including Motherland, Ludwig and Line of Duty. Anna was born and brought up in Yorkshire and loved acting and performing from a young age putting on shows with her friends in the cul-de-sac where they all lived. She read history at Liverpool University and then won a place at LAMDA. She made her professional debut in the Little Foxes at the Donmar Warehouse directed by Marianne Elliott. Her breakthrough came in 2003 playing Lyra Belacqua in the National Theatre’s landmark production of His Dark Materials. In recent years she has become an advocate for vulnerable children and their families – especially those navigating the SEND – special educational needs and/or disabilities – system in schools. She was motivated to take on this role after struggling to get help for her daughters who were struggling with profound grief following the death of their father. Anna lives in London with her daughters. DISC ONE: I Love To Boogie – T. Rex DISC TWO: The Greatest Love of All - Whitney Houston DISC THREE: Together In Electric Dreams - Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder DISC FOUR: Gianni Schicchi: "O mio babbino caro" (Lauretta) Composed by Giacomo Puccini and performed by Maria Callas (soprano) and Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Tullio Serafin DISC FIVE: When A Knight Won His Spurs – The Choir of Salisbury Cathedral, directed by David Halls DISC SIX: Dry Your Eyes - The Streets DISC SEVEN: Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell DISC EIGHT: Tell Him - Lauryn Hill BOOK CHOICE: Jackson Brodie Series by Kate Atkinson LUXURY ITEM: Anna’s lucky conker CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: The Greatest Love of All - Whitney Houston Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Paula McGinley Desert Island Discs has cast away many actors to the island over the years including Julie Walters, Jessie Buckley and Adeel Aktar. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

  11. Gary O'Donoghue, journalist

    Jun 14

    Gary O'Donoghue, journalist

    Journalist Gary O’Donoghue is the Chief North America Correspondent for BBC News. Last year his coverage of the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump won the Royal Television Society Breaking News Award. He made the news himself in 2025 when he secured a 20-minute exclusive phone interview with Trump who was by then the US President. Gary was born in London and brought up in Essex. When he was eight he lost his sight and attended specialist schools for blind and partially sighted children. He read philosophy and modern languages at the University of Oxford before embarking on his BBC career. He has reported on mass shootings, filed stories from the Macedonian border during the Kosovo conflict, covered the Iraq War and chronicled seven British general elections. He became the BBC’s Washington correspondent in 2014 and, as well as Donald Trump’s two terms, has covered the administrations of Presidents Obama and Biden. Gary is based in Washington DC and when in the UK lives in West Yorkshire with his partner Sarah. Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Paula McGinley Desert Island Discs has cast other journalists away to the island over the years including Lyse Doucet, Clive Myrie and Lindsey Hilsum, You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website. This episode was recorded before the shooting at the White House Correspondent's Dinner on 25th April 2026.

  12. Kate Winslet, actor

    Jan 18

    Kate Winslet, actor

    Kate Winslet is an actor who achieved global fame playing Rose DeWitt Bukater, opposite Leonard DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, in the 1997 James Cameron epic Titanic. During her career she has won five BAFTAs, two Emmys, five Golden Globes and an Academy Award for her role in the Reader. Kate was born in Reading in 1975 and attended Redroofs School for the Performing Arts in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Her film debut came in 1994 when she played a teenage killer in Peter Jackson’s film Heavenly Creatures. The following year she played Marianne Dashwood opposite Emma Thompson’s Elinor in Sense and Sensibility, directed by Ang Lee. Kate’s performance earned her a BAFTA for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She went on to consolidate her reputation as one of the most versatile actors of her generation by starring in a list of popular and critically acclaimed films including Hideous Kinky, Iris, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Holiday. Last year Kate directed her first film, Goodbye June, starring Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall and Andrea Riseborough. Kate has three children and lives in West Sussex with her husband Ned and her family. DISC ONE: Georgia on my Mind - Roger Winslet and Sophie Breakenridge DISC TWO: Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs - Brian and Michael DISC THREE: Kiss from a Rose - Seal DISC FOUR: Summertime - Ella Fitzgerald DISC FIVE: Nuvole Bianche - Ludovico Einaudi DISC SIX: Weird Fishes/ Arpeggi - Radiohead DISC SEVEN: Blue Ridge Mountains - Fleet Foxes DISC EIGHT: Pump up the Jam - Technotronic BOOK CHOICE: Outside: Recipes for a Wilder Way of Eating by Gill Meller LUXURY ITEM: Freshly ground coffee CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Georgia on my Mind – Roger Winslet and Sophie Breakenridge Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Paula McGinley Desert Island Discs has cast many actors away over the years including Dame Emma Thompson, Cate Blanchett and Dame Helen Mirren. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

  13. Guy Martin, presenter and former motorcycle racer

    Jun 28

    Guy Martin, presenter and former motorcycle racer

    Guy Martin is a television presenter, mechanic and former motorcycle racer. During his career he achieved 17 podium finishes at the Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) Races – one of the most prestigious and dangerous motorcycling events in the world. His television programmes often focus on his daredevil nature and combine two of his greatest loves - engineering and history. Guy was brought up in the village of Kirmington in North Lincolnshire. When he was five his father, who raced bikes himself, bought him his first motorcycle which he promptly crashed into the rose garden. His father is a mechanic and Guy used to sit and watch him at work in the shed from a young age and at 12 he began working for him at weekends and during school holidays. Guy’s first race meeting was at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire when he was 19. Less than a minute into the race he crashed. He was not badly injured but the bike was destroyed in the process. In 2004 he made his debut at the biggest road race of them all – the Isle of Man TT, finishing seventh in the Senior race and winning the Newcomers Trophy. Guy retired from racing in 2015 after a very bad crash at the Ulster Grand Prix. After that he turned to his bicycle and has taken part in several endurance cycling events, including the Tour Divide, to test his resolve and stamina and fill the adrenaline gap. Guy lives in Lincolnshire with his wife Sharon, their daughter Dottie and three dogs. DISC ONE: Bam Ba Lam (Here Comes Daddy) - Alabama 3 DISC TWO: Testify - Rage Against the Machine DISC THREE: Blinded by the Light - The Streets DISC FOUR: Getaway - The Music DISC FIVE: Me and my Monkey - Robbie Williams DISC SIX: Hurt – Johnny Cash DISC SEVEN: The Day is My Enemy - The Prodigy DISC EIGHT: With or Without You - U2 BOOK CHOICE: Stealing Speed by Mat Oxley LUXURY ITEM: The back catalogue of Race Engine Technology magazine CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: With or Without You - U2 Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Paula McGinley

  14. Jessie Buckley, actor

    Apr 5

    Jessie Buckley, actor

    Jessie Buckley is an actor and singer. She recently won a BAFTA and a Golden Globe Award for her critically acclaimed role playing Shakespeare’s wife Agnes in Chloé Zhao’s film Hamnet. Her performance has also garnered her an Academy Award nomination. Jessie won an Olivier Award for her portrayal of Sally Bowles in a 2021 West End revival of Cabaret. Her breakout film role came in 2018 when she played an aspiring country music singer in the musical Wild Rose. Jessie was born in Killarney in County Kerry to creative parents. Her mother trained as a singer and harpist and her father, who ran a guest house when she was growing up, writes poetry. As a child Jessie and her siblings put on Irish dancing performances for people who stayed in the guest house. In 2008 she appeared in the BBC talent show I’d Do Anything – the televised search to find a Nancy for a West End production of Oliver! Jessie came second in the competition and afterwards Sir Cameron Mackintosh, one of the judges, sent her on a Shakespeare workshop at RADA which she says changed her life. She made her professional stage debut as Anne Egerman in the 2008/2009 revival of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music at London's Menier Chocolate Factory. In 2010 she stepped away from professional work and enrolled at RADA where she studied for three years. After graduating she performed on stage, screen and television. She received her first Oscar nomination playing opposite Olivia Colman in the 2021 film the Lost Daughter. Jessie lives in Norfolk with her husband and their baby daughter. DISC ONE: Samhradh Samhradh - The Gloaming DISC TWO: O Holy Night. Composed by Adolph Adam and performed by Marina Cassidy DISC THREE: Who Knows Where the Time Goes (Live at Philharmonic Hall, New York, NY - October 1969) - Nina Simone DISC FOUR: Troy - Sinéad O'Connor DISC FIVE: Send In the Clowns – Judi Dench DISC SIX: Shobis Galoba (Christmas Song) - Basiani Ensemble DISC SEVEN: The Red Shoes - Kate Bush DISC EIGHT: Old Note - Lisa O'Neill BOOK CHOICE: The Complete Poems of Tim Buckley LUXURY ITEM: Jessie’s own bathtub and bath salts CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Samhradh Samhradh - The Gloaming Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Paula McGinley

  15. Peter Layton, artist

    Jul 5

    Peter Layton, artist

    Peter Layton is a pioneering British glass artist and the founder of London Glassblowing, one of the most influential glass studios and galleries in the United Kingdom. He played a central role in the development of the studio glass movement, helping to establish glass as an artistic medium. Born in Prague to Jewish parents, he and his family escaped in 1939 and settled in Bradford, where Peter counted the artist David Hockney among his friends. A trip to the United States in the 1960s to teach ceramics led him to his first encounter with glassblowing, and when he returned to the UK he set up a studio called London Glassblowing. Its ethos of collaboration and openness remains the same 50 years after its founding, and members of the public are welcome to see Peter and his colleagues create spectacular pieces of art out of glass. Peter’s work is influenced by many things: early pieces tackled political issues, and he finds clouds, pebbles and other natural forms particularly inspiring. Peter lives in London with his wife Ann. He has three children and seven grandchildren. DISC ONE: When I’m Cleaning Windows - George Formby DISC TWO: Kol Nidrei, Op. 4, composed by Max Bruch, performed by Jacqueline du Pré (cello) and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Barenboim DISC THREE: Take Five - Dave Brubeck DISC FOUR: Blowin’ in the Wind - Bob Dylan DISC FIVE: White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane DISC SIX: Lute Concerto in D Major, RV 93: II. Largo, composed by Antonio Vivaldi, performed by Paul O'Dette (lute) The Parley of Instruments conducted by Peter Holman DISC SEVEN: Suzanne - Nina Simone DISC EIGHT: Elegy for the Arctic - Ludovico Einaudi BOOK CHOICE: The Choice by Edith Eger LUXURY ITEM: A solar-powered digital picture frame CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Suzanne - Nina Simone Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Tim Bano Desert Island Discs has cast away many artists to the island over the years, including Peter’s friend David Hockney, as well as the sculptor Anthony Gormley and Cornelia Parker. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

  16. David Morrissey, actor

    Jun 6

    David Morrissey, actor

    David Morrissey is an actor who grew up in Liverpool. His screen work ranges from playing a ruthless survivor of the zombie apocalypse in The Walking Dead to a troubled police officer in James Graham’s Sherwood. His television debut performance came playing a teenager in the Channel 4 series One Summer. Since then his career has seen him win awards including the Royal Television Society award for Best Male Actor for his role as Gordon Brown in The Deal. Morrissey’s interest in acting started in primary school, when he was cast as the Scarecrow in a production of The Wizard of Oz. As a teenager, he developed his passion further at the Everyman Youth Theatre in Liverpool, where he took guidance from professional actors. After his first TV role, he went on to train at RADA. He is best known for portraying complex and troubled characters, and in more recent years has also demonstrated a flair for comedy in series such as Daddy Issues. David lives in London. Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah Taylor Desert Island Discs has cast other actors away over the years including David’s fellow actors in Sherwood, Monica Dolan and Lesley Manville. The writer, James Graham is in there too. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

  17. Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

    08/16/2025

    Gustavo Dudamel, conductor

    Gustavo Dudamel is a Venezuelan conductor, violinist and composer. He is known for bringing humour and joy to the podium. He is currently director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra and in 2026 will take up the post of music director of the New York Philharmonic, following in the footsteps of Gustav Mahler and Leonard Bernstein. Gustavo was born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela in 1981, the son of a trombonist who played in a salsa band, and his mother who was a singing teacher. Growing up in a musical household, young Gustavo used to gather his toys together and put them on the floor in the shape of an orchestra, put a record on and conduct. His parents enrolled five year old Gustavo in the El Sistema music programme and he learned the violin. After showing a flair for conducting he eventually became the conductor of the Venezuelan National Youth Orchestra. After winning the Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition in Germany in 2004, his talent was spotted on a global stage. He was appointed the director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2008. Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah Taylor

  18. Margaret Atwood, writer

    Jan 4

    Margaret Atwood, writer

    Margaret Atwood is a Canadian writer. She has published more than sixty books spanning novels, poetry, short stories, non-fiction, children’s literature, and graphic novels, and has been called “one of the sharpest and most imaginative novelists writing in English”. She is one of only four writers to have won the Booker Prize twice: for The Blind Assassin in 2000 and for her 2019 follow-up to The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments. Margaret was born in Ottawa in November 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II, the second of three children to Carl Atwood, an entomologist. During her early life, she would spend the warmer months in the remote forests of northern Quebec and Ontario where her father tracked insect infestations, and the winters in the city (first Ottawa, later Toronto). She didn’t attend school for a full year until the age of twelve. Her childhood scribblings – a “novel” about an ant called Annie, a volume of rhyming poems about cats, and a play about a giant – turned into a more serious ambition to become a writer when Margaret was sixteen. After studying English at the University of Toronto, where she began publishing poems in the college magazine, her first novel, The Edible Woman, came out in 1969, following five collections of poetry. Her most famous work, The Handmaid’s Tale, was published in 1985 and depicted a dystopian vision of the United States as a patriarchal and totalitarian place called Gilead. Although it was written during the Reagan era, it has become eerily relevant again in the wake of the election of Donald Trump. Margaret lost her life partner, the writer Graeme Gibson, in 2019. She lives in Toronto. DISC ONE: Anchors Aweigh - US Navy Band DISC TWO: Hearts of Stone - The Charms DISC THREE: Offenbach: Les contes d'Hoffmann, Giulietta Act: Barcarolle. Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour. Performed by Joan Sutherland (soprano) Huguette Tourangeau (soprano), Plácido Domingo (tenor), Andre Neury (bass), Pro Arte Choir, Lausanne, Choeur Du Brassus, Choeur de la Radio Suisse Romande, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, conducted by Richard Bonynge DISC FOUR: Four Strong Winds - Ian & Sylvia DISC FIVE: Barrett’s Privateers - Stan Rogers DISC SIX: The Handmaid's Tale, Act I Scene 6: The Doctor. Composed by Poul Ruders and performed by Marianne Rorholm, Hanne Fischer (Mezzo-sopranos), Royal Danish Opera Chorus and Royal Danish Orchestra, conducted by Michael Schønwandt DISC SEVEN: We Praise the Tiny Perfect Moles - Orville Stoeber DISC EIGHT: Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 "Pastoral": II. Scene am Bach. Andante molto moto. Composed by Beethoven and performed by Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Otto Klemperer BOOK CHOICE: How to Survive on a Desert Island by Samantha Bell LUXURY ITEM: A knife and matchbox CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Hearts of Stone - The Charms Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Sarah Taylor

  19. Sara Pascoe, comedian and writer

    Apr 19

    Sara Pascoe, comedian and writer

    Sara Pascoe is a comedian and writer who has appeared on programmes including QI, Taskmaster and the Great British Sewing Bee. She is also a screenwriter and the author of three books including her debut novel Weirdo which won the inaugural Jilly Cooper Prize for fiction last year. Sara was born in Dagenham and grew up in Romford. She joined a drama club when she was 14 and set her heart on an acting career but failed to get a place at drama school. She read English Literature at the University of Sussex and after graduating took on various jobs to make ends meet including a stint as a London tour bus guide. In 2007 she performed her first comedy gig to an audience of 12 people in a south London pub. Even though no-one laughed at her jokes, she was well and truly bitten by the stand-up bug and the following year was joint runner-up at the Funny Women Awards. In 2010 she performed her first show at the Edinburgh Festival and appeared on the BBC’s Live at the Apollo two years later. She is currently touring her latest stand-up tour, I Am A Strange Gloop. Sara lives in London with her husband Steen Raskopoulos and their two children. DISC ONE: Rhythm Of Life - Sammy Davis Jr. And Ensemble (from Sweet Charity) DISC TWO: Never Forget - Take That DISC THREE: Telemachus - Pascoe & Martin DISC FOUR: Scar Tissue - Red Hot Chilli Peppers DISC FIVE: Gett Off - Prince & The New Power Generation DISC SIX: Rock Star - N.E.R.D DISC SEVEN: Best Friend - 50 Cent DISC EIGHT: Wizardry - Self Esteem BOOK CHOICE: 1984 by George Orwell LUXURY ITEM: A typewriter CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Telemachus - Pascoe & Martin Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Paula McGinley

  20. Michael Sheen, actor

    10/26/2025

    Michael Sheen, actor

    Michael Sheen is an award-winning actor. After finding his love for the stage with the West Glamorgan Youth theatre as a teenager, he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He spent the 1990s making a name for himself as a stage actor, shining in the classics from Romeo and Juliet to Peer Gynt as well as in 20th century masterpieces such as Look Back in Anger and Amadeus, receiving several Olivier Award nominations along the way. A relocation to the US in the early 2000s with his then partner, the actress Kate Beckinsale, and their young daughter Lily prompted a move into films. His breakthrough came in 2003 when he portrayed Tony Blair in a Stephen Frears film called The Deal. It was the beginning of what became an unlikely specialism: morphing into real people from recent history: Kenneth Williams, David Frost, Brian Clough, Chris Tarrant, and Prince Andrew – with two more outings as Tony Blair thrown in for good measure. Michael was born in Newport, South Wales, in February 1969, the eldest of two children to Meyrick and Irene. He grew up in Port Talbot from the age of eight and considers it his hometown. His first love was football, and he was spotted as youngster by an Arsenal talent scout to play for their youth team. His parents decided against moving the family to London and he turned to acting instead and graduated from RADA in 1991. Alongside the classic dramas, his range extends to appearing in fantasy and science fiction films such as The Twilight Saga and Tron: Legacy. Michael has said that the most meaningful project to him was a modern restaging of the passion play in Port Talbot in 2011, which involved the participation of a thousand local people, because it opened his eyes to the difficulties many of them were experiencing. He has since used his own money to fund the 2019 Homeless World Cup in Cardiff and set up an organisation which supports community groups. Michael lives in Wales with his partner, the actress Anna Lundberg, and their two young daughters. DISC ONE: Vienna - Ultravox DISC TWO: The Ecstasy Of Gold - Ennio Morricone DISC THREE: Desire - Talk Talk DISC FOUR: Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones DISC FIVE: Ready for Drowning - Manic Street Preachers DISC SIX: Passion - Peter Gabriel DISC SEVEN: Dark Secret - Lau DISC EIGHT: Oh Yeah - Yello BOOK CHOICE: The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell LUXURY ITEM: A football CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Vienna - Ultravox Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Sarah Taylor There are more than 2000 programmes in our archive available for you to listen to. We have cast away other notable actors including Sir Anthony Hopkins and some of the people Michael has played including Kenneth Williams, Chris Tarrant and Tony Blair. You can find all those episodes and more by searching BBC Sounds.

Lauren Laverne on Apple