Desert Island Discs
70 Years of Castaways
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Desert Island Discs
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Narrated by:
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Juliette Stevenson
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Alex Jennings
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By:
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Sean Magee
About this listen
For 70 years now Desert Island Discs has managed that rare feat - to be both enduring and relevant. By casting away the biggest names of the day in science, business, politics, showbiz, sport, and the arts, it presents a cross-sectional snapshot of the times in which we live. As the decades have passed, the programme has kept pace; never frozen in time yet always, somehow, comfortingly the same.
BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs celebrates its 70 birthday in 2012. Since the programme’s deviser, Roy Plomley, interviewed comedian Vic Oliver in January 1942, nearly 3,000 distinguished people from all walks of life have been stranded on the mythical island, accompanied by only eight records, one book, and a luxury. Here the story of one of BBC Radio 4’s favourite programmes is chronicled through a special selection of castaways.
Roy Plomley, inventor of the programme as well as its presenter for over 40 years, quizzes the young Cliff Richard about "these rather frenzied movements" the 1960s pop sensation makes on the stage. Robert Maxwell tells Plomley’s successor, Michael Parkinson, that "I will have left the world a slightly better place by having lived in it." Diana Mosley assures Sue Lawley that Adolf Hitler was "extraordinarily fascinating" and had mesmeric blue eyes. And Johnny Vegas tugs Kirsty Young’s heart-strings with his account of a childhood so impoverished that family pets were fair game: "My dad had always claimed that rabbits were livestock, but we’d never eaten one before."
Desert Island Discs is much more than a radio programme. It is a unique and enduringly popular take on our lives and times - and this book tells in rich detail the colourful and absorbing story of an extraordinary institution.
Please note: There was an issue with repeated audio in this title, this has now been fixed.
©2012 Sean Magee and the BBC (P)2012 Random House AudioGo, by arrangement with the BBCWhat listeners say about Desert Island Discs
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Steve
- 21-12-13
A chance listen
Any additional comments?
I am not a regular DID listener but downloaded this because it sounded interesting. The repetitive nature of the excerpts sort of works and I enjoyed the listen.
"Hello Again" is a similar theme on history of radio programmes.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Adisha
- 23-12-12
One to Castaway?
"What a great subject for an audio book!" thought I as I downloaded this title to my audible player. This title had the potential to be really great. However, as with other reviewers, I was somewhat taken aback by the poor quality of the editing with noticeable repetitions of sections.
That said, the historical context and voice characterisations were cleverly executed by the narrators but the impressions did not always hit the mark. Had impressionists (e.g. Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens) been employed for the more famous Castaway interviews, I probably would've given this a higher rating!
Overall: A good attempt but plenty of room for improvement.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- J. Hester
- 21-02-15
Great variety
I have always loved the stories Behind the music choices far more than the music itself on D,I.D. This huge encyclopaedia of guests is extensive and enjoyable, the narrators do a great job of impersonating each individual. A constant winner for me.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alexandra
- 15-09-19
My luxury item and my complete works
Absolutely love this audible book. You have to listen to it, it’s the only medium to appreciate it’s content. Think I like hearing all the northerner’s tales best... Betty Driver, Michael Bishop and Johnny Vegas. 100% my favourite book then 2nd Lady in The Van by A Bennett and 3rd Somebody I used to know, a true story about one woman’s experience with dementia who used to be a nurse.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Ms. S. L.
- 07-12-12
Highly recommended
A really great listen, wonderfully narrated. And easy to listen in bite size pieces. A must for any desert Island fans
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 07-04-21
Enjoyable Listen
Really liked it. especially good while walking. Would have liked chapters to be Titled on Audible
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- georgina
- 21-06-13
Desert Island Discs
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
There was not enough of the actual programme, in fact nothing at all!!!
What will your next listen be?
Just a minute
Would you be willing to try another one of Juliette Stevenson and Alex Jennings ’s performances?
yes , not their fault
If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Desert Island Discs?
All of it
Any additional comments?
Perhaps I misunderstood what I was getting, but I expected a selection of the best excerpts from the past, instead what I got was a very boring history of how the programme was invented and then interminable lists read out of the records the guests had chosen! A bit like someone reading Wisden to you!
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Babette
- 01-01-21
Disappointed no musical discs are included
Sadly disappointed that non of the music on desert island discs was included in this podcast. Just the snippets of interviews that didn't feel quite as colourful or atmospheric without the music.
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