Desert Island Discs Postcards Episodes Episode guide

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1. How Nick Cave's songs reveal themselves painfully to him

   40/25 The singer songwriter Nick Cave was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2025.
2. Meera Syal on holding up a mirror to British society in Goodness Gracious Me

   38/25 The actor and writer Meera Syal was cast away by Sue Lawley in 2003.
3. Why Lyse Doucet doesn't want to be called a war reporter

   36/25 The BBC's international correspondent Lyse Doucet was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2022.
4. Gareth Southgate on putting on the England shirt for the first time

   34/25 The former England manager Gareth Southgate was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2024.
5. Michael Sheen on his father's time as a Jack Nicholson impersonator

   32/25 The actor Michael Sheen was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2025.
6. Rick Rubin on finding the magic in music

   30/25 Record producer Rick Rubin was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2022.
7. Caitlin Moran on the smells that defined her childhood

   28/25 The writer and journalist Caitlin Moran was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2017.
8. Romesh Ranganathan on finding his comedy sweet spot

   26/25 The comedian Romesh Ranganathan was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2025.
9. Tanni Grey-Thompson on winning four Olympic golds in Sydney

   24/25 The wheelchair athlete Tanni Grey-Thompson was cast away by Sue Lawley in 2001.
10. Greta Gerwig on her childhood enthusiasm for putting on plays

    22/25 The film director Greta Gerwig was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2023.
11. James Graham on his "stripping vicar" ice-dancing routine

    20/25 The playwright James Graham was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2024.
12. Jessica Ennis-Hill on the moment she won Olympic gold

    18/25 The Olympic heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2021.
13. Warwick Davis on his first role as an Ewok in Star Wars

    16/25 The actor Warwick Davis was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2016.
14. How Lily Allen brought the house down with a Disney song aged 11

    14/25 The singer-songwriter Lily Allen was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2014.
15. How hiding in a toilet helped Steven Spielberg get into the movie business

    12/25 The film director Steven Spielberg was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2022.
16. Val McDermid on her childhood love of libraries

    In 2013 the Scottish writer Val McDermid was cast away by Kirsty Young.
17. Tom Hanks on loneliness

    The Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2016.
18. Sarah Storey on her sporting dreams

    In 2024, the athlete Dame Sarah Storey was cast away by Lauren Laverne.
19. Ruth Jones on her start in acting

    The actor and writer Ruth Jones was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2019.
20. Professor Sue Black on the mysteries of the human body

    In 2015, the anthropologist, Professor Dame Sue Black, was cast away by Kirsty Young.
21. Maya Angelou on the trauma that made her mute

    The great American writer Maya Angelou was cast away back in 1987.
22. Marian Keyes on writing

    The writer Marian Keyes was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2017.
23. Malorie Blackman on receiving 82 rejection letters from publishers

    The writer Malorie Blackman was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2013.
24. Malala on campaigning for equal access to education

    The activist Malala Yousafzai was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2021.
25. Lemn Sissay on his foster family

    The poet Lemm Sissay was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2015.
26. Keith Richards on writing "Satisfaction" in his sleep

    The Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2015.
27. Judi Dench on her childhood days in amateur dramatics

    The actor Dame Judi Dench was cast away for the third time in 2015.
28. Jilly Cooper on the secret to a successful marriage

    In 2016 the novelist Jilly Cooper was cast away by Kirsty Young.
29. Jill Scott on her start in football

    The former footballer Jill Scott was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2023.
30. Ian Wright on his inspirational teacher

    The former footballer and pundit Ian Wright was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2020.

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