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Desert Island Discs

Desert Island Discs

BBC Radio 4 · BBC

2,041 episodesEN

Show overview

Desert Island Discs has been publishing since 1978, and across the 48 years since has built a catalogue of 2,041 episodes. That works out to over 1200 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence.

Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 35 min and 37 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. It is catalogued as a EN-language Society & Culture show.

The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed earlier today, with 50 episodes already out so far this year. Published by BBC.

Episodes
2,041
Running
1978–2026 · 48y
Median length
36 min
Cadence
Weekly

From the publisher

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

(C) BBC 2026