The programme was devised, conceived and presented by its originator, Roy Plumley from its inception in 1942 until his death in 1985. Roy Plumley in the 1930’s was already an experienced freelance broadcaster working in France in the nation’s capital. At the onset of World War 2, he re-located to Britain when the Nazi’s march across Europe threatened Paris.
The Concept of Desert Island Discs
Back in the UK, in 1941 Roy Plumley conceived the idea for a radio programme he presented to the BBC. A simple idea:
- Invite a celebrity, well known person, expert or similar personality
- Cast them adrift (not literally of course) onto a desert island
- Ask them which 8 pieces of music or songs they’d take with them
- Give them the Bible and the Works of Shakespeare
- Allow them one luxury item, (one which presumably wouldn’t help them escape or contact the outside world) and which according to the BBC:”must be inanimate and have no practical use.”
- Allow them a book of their choosing.
In between the recordings Roy Plumley gently questioned his guests about their life, their thoughts, and their achievements. The various musical and literary choices often revealed interesting sides of the guests personalities, normal questioning never could.
Presenters of the Radio Programme
Roy Plumley conceived the idea for the programme in 1941, and the first programme was recorded and transmitted in January 1942 with Plumley as the presenter and interviewer. The first guest was actor Vic Oliver, appearing in a musical in London’s West End at the time in War Torn Britain. Plumley went on to present over 1,700 editions of the programme for the next 40 years until hi death. The programme has continued with other presenters taking over the presenter’s chair.
- Roy Plumley – was the original presenter from 1942 until 1985
- Michael Parkinson, perhaps the UK’s best known interview host, took over from 1985 to 1988
- Sue Lawley – again a familiar name to both BBC radio audiences presented the programme from 1988 to 2006
- Kirsty Young, newsreader and interviewer assumed the mantle of presenter from 2006 and is the programme’s current host.
Broadcasting continuously from 1942 to the present day, Desert Islands Discs many sources claim is the world’s longest running at least ‘factual, ‘music radio programme.
Guest on Desert Islands Discs
From the first guest actor Vic Oliver and over the next 2,000 or so editions of the programme, the guests have been many and varied and coming from all walks of life:
- Actors and Stars from show business
- Politicians and Scientists
- Musicians and Singers
- Poets and Playwrights
- Writers and Directors
These guests from all the different areas of interest to the programmes listeners over the years have included such names as:
- British Prime Minister Tony Blair
- Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver
- Author and Illustrator Quentin Blake
- Actor George Clooney
- Comedian Billy Connolly
- Film Director Stephen Frears
- Cellist Steven Isserlis
- Architect Daniel Libeskind
- Death row lawyer Clive Stafford Smith
And hundreds and hundreds and hundreds more.
Music and Copyright
One of the endearing parts of the programme was the constant theme tune. ‘By the Sleepy Lagoon,’ by Eric Coates with added seagull effects suggested effectively the idea of a desert island and set the scene for the programme.
Roy Plumley being a freelance broadcaster retained the copyright for the programme and its format and after his death his estate the Plumley family and his widow Diana inherited the copyright and thus received not only an annual fee from the BBC but control over its use, only recently agreeing to the re-transmission on the BBC’s I-player service.
Desert Island Discs can now be heard on Radio 4, repeated on the same network, on-line and on the i-player service and as one of the BBC’s “most popular and enduring programmes,” shows signs of continuing in the same vein for many years to come.
Dan McCurdy - Dan McCurdy is a freelance writer producer creative and lecturer. Dan is one of the UK's most experienced radio writers and producers. ...
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