Desert Island Discs

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week has a classic rags-to-riches story to relate. Born into a poor family in Coventry, record producer Pete Waterman is nowadays estimated to be worth at least 60 million pounds, and is the proud possessor of 10 Ferraris, 15 Jaguars and several houses and railway engines.He'll be telling Sue Lawley how, with no formal education - and still unable to do joined-up writing - he and his company wrote and produced enough hit records in the mid-1980s to have one in the Top Forty every week for four years.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Tannhauser Overture by Richard Wagner Book: R.C.T.S. History of Great Western Railway Engines Luxury: Havana cigars and matches

The castaway choosing his eight desert island discs this week will also be relating a story of early triumph, 25 years of obscurity and a revival of fortunes at the age of 81 which has made him one of the country's most successful classical composers. He is George Lloyd, and he'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the shell-shock and bad luck which put paid to his early promise - his years growing carnations and mushrooms - and then, thanks to the late John Ogdon's intervention, his re-emergence to a rapturous reception by both the public and the musical establishment. He'll also be describing the unexpected places where his music has been enjoying an airing - could it really be true that his symphonies are now to be heard in discos and pubs?[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Jesu Joy Of Man's Desiring by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: Piers Plowman (In Middle English) by William Langland Luxury: Romney's portrait of Lady Hamilton

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the actor Hugh Grant. The star of the enormously successful Four Weddings and a Funeral, he'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his life before he was propelled into international celebrity status. Now firmly established as a cinematic symbol of a certain type of Englishman, he had his first big break in the Merchant Ivory film Maurice, after stints in repertory at Nottingham, writing commercials and filming what he calls Europuddings in Spain, where he met his girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Something Stupid by Frank & Nancy Sinatra Book: King Ottokar's Sceptre (The Adventures of Tin Tin) by Herge Luxury: Supply of handkerchiefs

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the country's most distinguished counter-tenor James Bowman. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about how he uses his voice as an instrument, producing the unusually high falsetto sound which characterises counter-tenor parts. He'll also be describing his association with Benjamin Britten, who offered him his first part - as Oberon in Britten's opera A Midsummer Night's Dream. Britten went on to write parts for him in Death in Venice and The Journey of the Magi, all of which have contributed to his highly successful career.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Symphony No 2 in D, Op 73 by Johannes Brahms Book: Rebecca by Dame Daphne Du Maurier Luxury: Fabergé egg

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the novelist Nina Bawden. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the autobiographical aspects of both her adult books - such as Afternoon of a Good Woman and Circles of Deceit - and her children's books like Carrie's War and The Peppermint Pig. All contain tales with twists and turns from her own experience - evacuation during the war, her years as a magistrate and the tragic death of her schizophrenic son. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her life and books.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Record: Symphony No 9 In D Minor Final Movement Book: The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon Luxury: Plain paper, plastic folders and ballpoint pens

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the music writer and critic Felix Aprahamian. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about how, as a music critic on the Sunday Times for over 40 years, he has lived at the epicentre of 20th-century musical life - meeting such luminaries as Poulenc, Messiaen, Delius and the French organist and composer, Charles-Marie Widor. He'll also be discussing his views on the contemporary music scene, and describing his house in North London where, now aged 80, he lives surrounded by musical artefacts, literature and scores that have accumulated over his long career.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Christ Der Ein'ge Gottes Sohn by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: Du Cote De Chez Swann by Marcel Proust Luxury: Swiss army knife

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the writer and publisher Nigel Nicolson. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his parents Harold Nicolson and Vita Sackville-West and their unconventional marriage which was based on deep mutual love but also allowed both of them to enjoy homosexual affairs. His book Portrait of a Marriage - famously televised by the BBC - tells their story. He'll also be describing his isolated upbringing at Sissinghurst Castle, his relationship with his mother and how he co-founded the publishing house Weidenfeld and Nicolson.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Bolero by Maurice Ravel Book: A Guide To The Universe (Astronomy) Luxury: Telescope

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the historian Professor Eric Hobsbawm. A life-long Communist and author of a series of books on the history of the 19th century which is regarded by many as a seminal work of scholarship, he has now turned his attention to the 20th century. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his views on the major historical events of the century, its future and his part in it.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Slow Grind by The Kenny Barron Trio Book: Canto General by Pablo Neruda Luxury: Binoculars

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is British cinema's king of horror - Christopher Lee. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his disappointment at not being able to follow what he considers his true vocation, that of an opera singer, and about his 50-year career which has encompassed 230 films, 27 plays and numerous radio and television appearances.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Rinaldo by George Frideric Handel Book: The Sword In The Stone by T H White Luxury: A set of golf clubs

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Jimmy Knapp, General Secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his Scottish childhood, his poor, working-class background and his rise from signalman to one of the most powerful and controversial trade union leaders in the country. He'll also be discussing his views on public ownership, the future of Clause 4 and such personal matters as his Scottishnesss, love of Spain and his much-maligned dress sense. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Yesterday by The Beatles Book: The Socialist Sixth of the World by Hewlett Johnson Luxury: Case of 'Talisker' whisky