Desert Island Discs

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 McGinleyDesert 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.

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 EinaudiBOOK 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 BanoDesert 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.

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

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 TaylorDesert 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.

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 McGinleyDesert 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.

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 TaylorDesert 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.

Kirsty Young talks to the actor and comedian Whoopi Goldberg in a programme first broadcast in 2009.

Laurene Laverne talks to the former football manager Arsène Wenger in a programme first broadcast in 2020.

Lauren Laverne talks to the film studio executive Dame Donna Langley in a programme first broadcast in 2023. Dame Donna was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship this year.

Lauren Laverne talks to the musician Thom Yorke in a programme first broadcast in 2019.

Sue Lawley talks to the primatologist Dr Jane Goodall in a programme first broadcast in 2000. Jane Goodall died in October 2025, at the age of 91.

Raymond Briggs began his career as an illustrator after studying art at the Slade School. He first achieved fame through his picture books for children, Father Christmas and Fungus the Bogeyman, but has since moved into the adult world with When the Wind Blows, in which an elderly couple struggle to survive a nuclear attack.As he told Roy Plomley when they met to choose his eight records, he has now turned this most recent picture book into a stage play.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: The Boogie Rocks by Albert Ammons Rhythm Kings Book: The complete works by Beachcomber Luxury: Billiard table with snooker balls and cue

Sir Ranulph Fiennes has had many adventures since he was removed from the SAS for the illegal use of explosives, but without a doubt his greatest exploit was the Transglobe Expedition. Swamps, deserts and arctic ice fields were just some of the many hazards he encountered on the first round-the-world journey via the two poles.In conversation with Roy Plomley, he describes some of his exploits and chooses the eight records he would take to the mythical island.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Book: The Oxford Book of Quotations Luxury: Tube of Antisan cream

Si King is a broadcaster and cook, best known as one half of the duo The Hairy Bikers. Together with his onscreen cooking partner and real-life best friend Dave Myers, the pair travelled over 650,000 miles around the world on motor bikes filming their cooking exploits and they also wrote a number of bestselling cookbooks.Si was born in a pit village near Gateshead, the youngest child of three. His father had served in the arctic convoys and had met his wife whilst on shore leave in Newcastle when she was singing with a big band. Si’s father died when he was eight years old and Si and his mum, Stella, bonded by cooking together which led to his lifelong appreciation of food.His love of motorcycles started early when his uncle introduced him to his garage full of broken motorbikes that he enjoyed tinkering around with. Si fell in love with motorbikes and as a teenager used to give him mum a lift back from the shops.After leaving school, Si played drums in a band to earn a living, during which time he met his former wife, Jane. He became a father at 23 and soon began his television career as a runner on the children’s series Byker Grove. This opened the door to work in TV and film as a location manager, where he met make up artist Dave Myers on the set of a Catherine Cookson drama. After discovering they shared a passion for food and motorbikes, the pair developed the idea for a TV show that would see these two rather hairy motorcyclists travel around the world cooking for people. After Dave’s death in 2024, Si was involved in two commemorative “Dave Days” in which many thousands of riders from the motorbike community showed their support for Dave and his family by travelling in convoy from London to Dave’s home town of Barrow in Furness.Si King lives in the North East.DISC ONE: Winter Song - Lindisfarne DISC TWO: Boil the Breakfast Early - The Chieftains DISC THREE: Anonymous: Liturgy of Saint Anthony - Ad Missam - Introitus: Os justi meditabitur - Coro Gregoriano De Lisboa DISC FOUR: Stay With Me Till Dawn - Judie Tzuke DISC FIVE: Set The Fire To The Third Bar - Snow Patrol feat. Martha Wainwright DISC SIX: Still in Love with You (Live) - Thin Lizzy DISC SEVEN: On The Wire - Troy Cassar-Daley DISC EIGHT: Ask the Lonely - JourneyBOOK CHOICE: Combined works of William Dalrymple LUXURY ITEM: A solar-powered fridge and rum CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Ask the Lonely - Journey Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah TaylorDesert Island Discs has cast other cooks away to the island over the years including Delia Smith, Nigella Lawson and Nigel Slater. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

Roy Plomley's castaway is actress Joan Fontaine.Favourite track: Piano Concerto in A Minor by Edvard Grieg Book: Single-volume encyclopaedia Luxury: The Taj Mahal

Roy Plomley's castaway is botanist David Bellamy.Favourite track: The Better Land by Clara Butt Book: The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien Luxury: Linen sheets

Roy Plomley's castaway is historian Sir Arthur Bryant.Favourite track: The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell Luxury: Painting of a little princess, by Velazquez

Roy Plomley's castaway is Editor of the Guinness Book of Records Norris McWhirter.Favourite track: Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D Major by Edward Elgar Book: The National Dictionary of Biography Luxury: Roll of cloth

Roy Plomley's castaway is actor Robert Stephens.Favourite track: Speak The Speech, I Pray You (from Hamlet) by William Shakespeare Book: The collected works by Raymond Chandler Luxury: Tobacco plant

Roy Plomley's castaway is baritone Benjamin Luxon.Favourite track: Spem In Alium by Tallis Book: Collected stories by Idris Shah Luxury: A piano and music

Roy Plomley's castaway is director Elia Kazan.Favourite track: String Quartet in A Minor by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: The Iliad by Homer Luxury: 20 tons of pine needles

Roy Plomley's castaway is novelist and scriptwriter Allan Prior.Favourite track: Never Been Kissed In The Same Place Twice by Maddy Prior Book: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Luxury: Looking glass

Roy Plomley's castaway is actor Robert Powell.Favourite track: Symphony No. 5 In C Sharp Minor by Gustav Mahler Book: Modern English Usage by Henry W Fowler Luxury: Typewriter

Roy Plomley's castaway is photographer Norman Parkinson.Favourite track: La Vie En Rose by Grace Jones Book: The Unquiet Grave by Cyril Connolly Luxury: Life-size bronze statue of an Ama-Indian woman

Roy Plomley's castaway is dancer Sir Robert Helpmann.Favourite track: Bailero by Victoria De Los Angeles Book: Volume on boat building for beginners Luxury: Toothbrush and toothpaste

Roy Plomley's castaway is actor Dinsdale Landen.Favourite track: Sanctus by Gabriel Fauré Book: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens Luxury: Champagne

Roy Plomley's castaway is rugby player Barry John.Favourite track: Myfanwy by Treorchy Male Voice Choir Book: Complete Penguin Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Luxury: Collection of assorted balls

Roy Plomley's castaway is pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy.Favourite track: Piano Concerto No. 27 In B Flat by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: Blank book and pens Luxury: Well-programmed robot

Roy Plomley's castaway is zoologist David Attenborough.Favourite track: String Quintet In G Minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: Shifts and Expedients of Camp Life by William Barry Lord Luxury: Binoculars

Roy Plomley's castaway is actress Lauren Bacall.Favourite track: My Mistress' Eyes (Sonnet 130) by William Shakespeare Book: Collected Short Stories by John Cheever Luxury: Sun tan lotion

Roy Plomley's castaway is singer Nana Mouskouri.Favourite track: Girl From The North Country by Bob Dylan Book: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery Luxury: Telephone

Roy Plomley's castaway is cartoonist Sir Osbert Lancaster.Favourite track: Ein' Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon Luxury: Live sturgeon

Roy Plomley's castaway is writer Norman Mailer.Favourite track: Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges Luxury: Stick of the best marijuana

Roy Plomley's castaway is soprano Elisabeth Soderstrom.Favourite track: The Age Of Gold by Dmitri Shostakovich Book: The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir Luxury: Bed

Roy Plomley's castaway is poet Charles Causley.Favourite track: The Play Of Daniel Overture by Ensemble Hortus Musicus Book: Life of Johnson by James Boswell Luxury: Piano

Roy Plomley's castaway is playwright Peter Shaffer.Favourite track: Piano Concerto No. 9 In E Flat by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon Luxury: Claude Monet, Dawn on the Seine

Roy Plomley's castaway is actor and writer Michael Palin.Favourite track: Nimrod by Edward Elgar Book: Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray Luxury: Bed

Roy Plomley's castaway is actress and musician Marti Caine.Favourite track: Coming Home by Marshall Hain Book: Glory Road by Robert Heinlein Luxury: Bath with solar-heated water and bubble bath

Roy Plomley's castaway is actress Sian Phillips.Favourite track: Summer by Alexander Glazunov Book: Scouting For Boys by Robert Baden-Powell Luxury: Solar-powered refrigerator full of champagne

Roy Plomley's castaway is children's writer Roald Dahl.Favourite track: Agnus Dei by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: The New Oxford Book of English Verse by Helen Gardner Luxury: Still, grapevine cuttings and tobacco seeds

Roy Plomley's castaway is actor Rex Harrison.Favourite track: A Lull At Dawn by Barney Bigard and his Orchestra Book: A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell Luxury: Painting equipment for oils and watercolours

Roy Plomley's castaway is soprano Josephine Barstow.Favourite track: Symphony No 9 by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy and Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy Luxury: Michelangelo's David

Roy Plomley's castaway is explorer Wilfred Thesiger.Favourite track: Pie Jesu by Gabriel Fauré Book: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon Luxury: Supply of acid drops

Roy Plomley's castaway is poet and broadcaster Pam Ayres.Favourite track: The New St George by John & Chris Leslie Book: The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth Luxury: Large basket of sugared almonds

Roy Plomley's castaway is thriller writer Ted Allbeury.Favourite track: Love Is The Sweetest Thing by Al Bowlly, Ray Noble and his Orchestra Book: The Unquiet Grave by Cyril Connolly Luxury: Writing paper and pencils

Roy Plomley's castaway is writer and critic Richard Buckle.Favourite track: Piano Quintet In A Major by Franz Schubert Book: Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy Luxury: Paper and pencils

Roy Plomley's castaway is portrait painter June Mendoza.Favourite track: Spring Symphony by Benjamin Britten Book: The Penguin Chronology of the Modern World by Neville Williams Luxury: Canvases, brushes and paint

Roy Plomley's castaway is actor Peter Barkworth.Favourite track: Symphony No. 1 in A Flat by Edward Elgar Book: His diaries to date Luxury: Beautifully bound blank book and ballpoint pens

Roy Plomley's castaway is writer and broadcaster Barry Norman.Favourite track: Symphony No. 5 In C Minor by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: The World of Jeeves by P G Wodehouse Luxury: Typewriter, paper and a desk with cricket balls in the drawers

Roy Plomley's castaway is opera singer Boris Christoff.Favourite track: Prendi I'Anel Ti Dono (from La Sonnambula) by Vincenzo Bellini Book: The Poetry by Yuarroros