Desert Island Discs: Archive 1991-1996

Martin Amis

Sue Lawley's guest on Desert Island Discs today is the writer Martin Amis. He describes his books as comedies, but, like London Fields and Other People, they are frequent

Jennifer Saunders

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is Absolutely Fabulous! Jennifer Saunders began "doing funny things with props" in the early 1980s. With her stage partner D

Ian Dury

Today's castaway on Desert Island Discs confused the rock critics in the late 1970s with songs like Sweet Gene Vincent, Reasons to be Cheerful and outraged the BBC with S

Robert Winston

On Desert Island Discs today the castaway is Robert Winston. As Professor of Fertility Studies at Hammersmith Hospital in London, he has been at the forefront of medical

Bruce Forsyth

This week's castaway on Desert Island Discs may be nearing 70, but he knows how to play The Generation Game. Bruce Forsyth is one of the great all-rounders - television h

Rt Hon Tony Blair MP

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the Leader of the Opposition, the Right Honourable Tony Blair. He will be describing his beliefs, both political and religious, and rev

Tessa Sanderson

Atlanta was her sixth Olympic Games. The first was 20 years before. On Desert Island Discs, Tessa Sanderson reveals the competitive drive that brought her back from retir

Sir Laurens Van Der Post

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is a writer, a traveller and an advisor to a Prince and Prime Minister. Now nearly 90, he'll be talking to Sue Lawley about

Chris Patten

He's called "His Excellency" by some; to others he's "Fatty Patten". Next year he will hand over Hong Kong to the Chinese. Chris Patten, this week's castaway on Desert I

Jancis Robinson

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the wine writer Jancis Robinson. One of only 200 Masters of Wine in the world, she recalls how her passion was first aroused by a full

Jackie Charlton

The ball rolled past the gap between him and Gordon Banks and into the back of the net. The Germans were one goal up. This week's castaway, Jackie Charlton, recalls the

Rumer Godden

Always an outsider, she seems to have gone against all the mores of her time; from opening a dancing school in Calcutta to living alone with her children in Kashmir. On D

Lewis Wolpert

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is Professor Lewis Wolpert. As Chairman of the Committee on the Public Understanding of Science, he is a passionate advocate

Ben Elton

His fourth novel, Popcorn, has been widely-acclaimed by the critics. He's about to begin a nationwide tour with his stand-up comedy routine. And, after the success of his

Fran Landesman

She has written songs for her friends Barbra Streisand and Bette Davis, and admires Jarvis Cocker and Damon Albarn. This week, the poet and lyricist Fran Landesman choose

Kevin Whately

The castaway on Desert Island Discs this week is the actor Kevin Whately. Having appeared increasingly prominently in three of the most successful series in recent TV his

Professor Colin Blakemore

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the scientist Colin Blakemore. A brilliant student, he became an Oxford professor at the age of 35 and since then he has

Sir Terence Conran

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the designer and entrepreneur Terence Conran. He first came to fame with the Habitat store which introduced British shopp

Anita Lasker-Wallfisch

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the cellist Anita Lasker-Wallfisch. One of the most distinguished members of the English Chamber Orchestra, she has toure

André Previn

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the composer and conductor André Previn. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about how he and his family fled from Nazi German