Desert Island Discs - 60 Years On

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Apr 1, 2002

The idea seems simple to the point of banality. You take a celebrity, and he or she chooses seven records, a book, and a luxury item which they would be happy to take with them if they ended up being stranded on a desert island. They talk about their choices, and on the way reveal more about themselves and their lives.

The idea may SEEM simple, but up until 60 years ago, nobody had ever done it. The BBC's "Desert Island Discs" celebrated its 60th birthday in March, 2002. Today, there are probably hundreds of similar programmes running on other radio stations around the world - but Roy Plomley was the first producer to think of the idea. His plan was cheap enough to appeal to the BBC during the middle of the Second World War, and made such good listening it has become the third longest running radio programme in the entire world. ("The Daily Service" and "The Week in Westminster" - both BBC shows - are the longest).

Roy Plomley was, at the time, a young man, but he remained the series presenter almost up until his death. His place was taken by Michael Parkinson, and then Sue Lawley, who remains head shipwrecker of castaways for the programme to this day.

A few facts and figures - there have been more than 2000 castaways since the programme began. The first programme featured comedian Vic Oliver. A few people have been asked on more than once, including Arthur Askey (four times!!), and Peter Ustinov. Princess Margaret included among her choices a song by Herman's Hermits because, she told Roy Plomley, 'she heard it while waiting in a traffic jam going to Kensington Palace". Current presenter Sue Lawley wanted to take clean linen, an ironing board and an iron with her as a luxury - a little more practical than comedian John Cleese, who wanted to take Michael Palin. The Beatles outnumber any other composer(s) in terms of the number of times there music has been chosen - Beethoven comes next, with his "Ode to Joy" at the top of the list.

The programme's theme tune remains unchanged to this day. "By the Sleepy Lagoon" was written, incongruously enough, in the English seaside resort of Bognor Regis by Eric Coates. The sound effects of seagulls were once taken off after some pedant reminded the BBC that those were herring gulls - a species not found in equatorial climes where you might expect to find desert island. The howls of outrage from British listeners soon persuaded the BBC to reinstate the seagulls, even if they are the wrong sort of seagulls.