The Definitive Desert Island Discs: 80 Years of Castaways

To celebrate the 80th anniversary of Desert Island Discs, dive into the most moving, entertaining and inspiring stories, from eight decades of the most iconic show on radio.

Eight tracks. Endless stories.

We all have our own Desert Island Discs - that handful of songs that transport us back to special times in our lives, capturing a mood perfectly and helping us tell our stories. Celebrating 80 years of the BBC’s most iconic radio show, The Defnitive Desert Island Discs revisits some of the most remarkable and unforgettable of those life stories - song by song, and memory by memory.

Whether it’s Dame Judi Dench on her first experience of jazz in America; Lemn Sissay on ‘Amazing Grace’ capturing his love of Scotland; or Ike and Tina’s ‘River Deep - Mountain High’ reminding Ian Wright of darker times, the music chosen helps reveal life’s precious moments with a unique power and intimacy. Every story is a journey, and these are the songs that guided the way.

With an introduction from Lauren Laverne, and featuring many new stories not included in the original broadcasts, this is the ultimate tribute to the music that defines and shapes us.