John Lill

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the poet Dr Jack Mapanje who is one of the most important living African poets. He was born into a poor household in a typical African village in 1944, when Malawi (then Nyasaland) was a British colony, but while he was still a child it became p ... Show More

Dame Alicia Markova was born Lilian Alice Marks in December 1910, in a two-bedroom flat in Finsbury Park, London. She began ballet classes because she was flat footed and knock kneed. Her natural talent, when she was ten, was spotted by Diaghilev, the Russian artistic impresario ... Show More

Sue Lawley's castaway is the actress Kim Cattrall. Kim Cattrall became a household name in her forties as a result of playing man-eater, defiant singleton and PR mogul Samantha Jones in Sex and the City. She is about to star in the play Whose Life is it Anyway? in the West End of ... Show More

Roy Plomley's castaway is concert pianist John Lill.Favourite track: Symphony No 9 by Ludwig van Beethoven Book: Modern chess openings Luxury: Piano 

Linton Stephens tries out a classical playlist on presenter Cherry Healey.Cherry's playlist:Julie Cooper - VENUS in Sunlight Grey Bedřich Smetana - Vltava (Má Vlast) Francesco Turini - Sonata à 31 (Madrigali, Book 1: No. 18) Erik Satie - Gnossienne No. 1 Rosanna Scalfi Marcello - ... Show More

Jess Gillam is joined by the Mumbai-born pianist Shivank Menon to talk about the records that they love. Their playlist includes Rostropovich playing Bach, Sviatoslav Richter playing Chopin, songs by Ravel, Fanny Mendelssohn and Donny Hathaway, and a recording of Bill Evans duett ... Show More

Roy Plomley's castaway is actor Joseph Cotten.Favourite track: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor by Johannes Brahms Book: Gardening manual Luxury: Boat building book 

Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero chooses the Schumann Fantasie performed by Clifford Curzon and Quintet Opus 18 by Mieczyslaw Weinberg, performed by the Borodin Quartet 

This week the castaway on Desert Island Discs is the jazz pianist Dave Brubeck. One of the most successful musicians of our time, it's nearly 40 years since he famously encouraged us to Take Five, and so changed the sound of jazz forever. In conversation with Sue Lawley, he talks ... Show More

Richard Wilson is an actor and director who became a household name when he played the part of Victor Meldrew in the BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave. Richard was born in Greenock in Scotland in 1936. As a child he performed in amateur drama productions and harboured a secret des ... Show More

With John Wilson.The legendary film-making duo of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger were commemorated today with the unveiling of an English Heritage blue plaque. The plaque was unveiled by Thelma Schoonmaker, film-editor and Powell's widow, and by film-director Martin Scorse ... Show More

Roy Plomley's castaway is singer Val Doonican.Favourite track: Scarborough Fair by Simon & Garfunkel Book: A Big Anthology Luxury: Guitar