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Desert Island Discs

BBC Radio 4
Mental Health
Shirley Ballas
Strictly Come Dancing
British Open To the World Professional Latin Championships
Dancing
Performance Art
Barbie
Octopus Energy
Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Lea Salonga
Pia Sinha
Prison Reform Trust
NASA
Marina Abramović
Tony Robbins
The Real Thing
Alexandra Jean
Nirvana
Frank Sinatra
Daft Punk

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes2000Founded16 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
MusicPersonal JournalsSociety & CultureMusic Commentary

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Artwork for Desert Island Discs

Latest Episodes

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 a... more

The rock legend Bruce Springsteen was cast away by Kirsty Young back in 2016.

Bruce has won 20 Grammys, two Golden Globes, an Academy Award, and his albums sell in their millions around the world. He grew up in New Jersey in a family that teetered o... more

In 2024, the athlete Dame Sarah Storey was cast away by Lauren Laverne.

Sarah Storey is Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian. She was just 14 when she took two weeks off school to compete as a swimmer in the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics where s... more

In 2015, the American lawyer Bryan Stevenson was cast away by Kirsty Young.

Bryan is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, a private, not-for-profit organisation in the US working on death penalty cases, prison and sent... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Bruce Springsteen
Rock legend and singer-songwriter
Episode: Bruce Springsteen on the joy of dancing
David Beckham
Professional footballer and style icon
Episode: David Beckham on his childhood love of football and fashion
Lemn Sissay
A poet who reflects on his foster family experiences
Episode: Lemn Sissay on his foster family
Adrian Edmondson
Comedian and writer, known for his work on Bottom
Episode: Adrian Edmondson on working with Rik Mayall
Ade Adepitan
Paralympian and TV presenter
Episode: Ade Adepitan on his first day at school
Jilly Cooper
Renowned novelist known for her works including 'Riders' and 'Rivals'
Author
Episode: Jilly Cooper on the secret to a successful marriage
Maggie Alphonsi
Broadcaster and former rugby player, described as the best female rugby player of her generation.
Episode: Maggie Alphonsi, broadcaster and former rugby player
Professor Dame Carol Robinson
A pioneer in mass spectrometry and science education.
Kavli Institute for NanoScience Discovery
Episode: Professor Dame Carol Robinson, scientist
Norma Percy
Filmmaker and preeminent political documentary maker of her generation
Episode: Norma Percy, film-maker

Host

Lauren Laverne
Host known for her warm and empathetic interviewing style, she engages with guests to explore their life journeys through music.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 19.9k ratings
  • Please stop publishing short excerpts.

    I love DID as a show, however this new trick of publishing short excerpts of archive interviews as if they’re whole new podcast episodes is infuriating. If you have to do those, put them on YouTube, please stop relentlessly imposing them on our podcast feeds.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    CJ Thorpe-Tracey
    United Kingdom18 days ago
  • Stop clogging feed with excerpts

    Bad enough duplicating episodes I've already listened to as 'relistens' when hosts are unavailable but now clogging my feed with already heard 4 minute excerpts. STOP IT. Unscubscibed.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Customer93
    United Kingdom25 days ago
  • Why changing it to postcards?

    I prefer the previous long episodes!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AshGogo000
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Enjoyable … But

    I have always enjoyed listening to DID, learning about the interesting characters and lives of the guests, not to mention the music. Sadly in recent times the BBC seems to try lead guests into conversations about modern day woke storylines instead of celebrating the achievements of some great people. I thought Cher handled this attempt at a line of questioning well.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Zimgooner
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • An island of sanity

    This podcast has been the best thing to listen to in these uncertain times. An island of sanity in the ocean of bad news. Please, don’t stop, and thank you, Desert Island Discs ❤️

    Highly recommend!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Eliza's Mom
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the empathetic and engaging style of the host, making for a warm listening experience.
Some listeners express disappointment over shifts in episode format or content direction, indicating a desire for consistency in quality.
The diverse range of guests leads to fascinating stories about the connection between music and personal experiences.
Many reviews highlight the impact of music on the guests' lives, enhancing the listener's emotional engagement.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Dustin Hoffman on his father
Q: So he lived as a sort of thwarted man, did he? He had anger in him.
Yes, yes, yes.
Dustin Hoffman on his father
Q: Did you feel like a loser?
Yes, to say the least.
Adrian Edmondson on working with Rik Mayall
Q: Are you able to think about the good times that you had together more?
Yes, I often remember the writing room and the laughter we shared there.
Adrian Edmondson on working with Rik Mayall
Q: What made you decide to call it a day on touring?
I wanted to do other things, while Rik didn't quite understand the decision, leading to a source of sadness.
Adele on her first record deal
Q: When did the penny drop that they wanted to sign you as an artist?
Adele realized the seriousness of the situation when her producer expressed that he loved her songs.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Desert Island Discs

What is Desert Island Discs about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A unique exploration of personal stories told through music, guests share pivotal tracks that have shaped their lives along with a book and a luxury item, painting a vivid portrait of their individual journeys. The podcast features a diverse range of guests, from athletes and artists to scientists and politicians, each providing insights into their backgrounds while reflecting on the power of music to evoke memories and emotions. This blend of biography and musical celebration creates an inviting atmosphere for listeners who appreciate deep conversations and the personal connections we have with songs.

The format often highlights significant life experiences and societal themes, set against the backdrop of the guests' chosen music, making ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Desert Island Discs?

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How many listeners does Desert Island Discs get?

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What are the audience demographics for Desert Island Discs?

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How many subscribers and views does Desert Island Discs have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Desert Island Discs has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Desert Island Discs?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Desert Island Discs:

1. The Louis Theroux Podcast
2. Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth
3. How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
4. The Rest Is Entertainment
5. Woman's Hour

How many episodes of Desert Island Discs are there?

Desert Island Discs launched 16 years ago and published 2000 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Desert Island Discs?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Desert Island Discs?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Desert Island Discs from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Desert Island Discs?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Desert Island Discs. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Desert Island Discs?

Recent guests on Desert Island Discs include:

1. Bruce Springsteen
2. David Beckham
3. Lemn Sissay
4. Adrian Edmondson
5. Ade Adepitan
6. Jilly Cooper
7. Maggie Alphonsi
8. Professor Dame Carol Robinson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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