Great Lives

Original version

BBC Radio 4 LW

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Life Stories

Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.

BBC Radio 4 Extra

BBC Radio 4 FM

Great Lives: Robinson Crusoe

Robinson Crusoe

BBC Radio 4 - Great Lives, Robinson Crusoe

Real-life castaway Lucy Irvine nominates Robinson Crusoe. With Martin Popplewell.

4 Extra Debut. Real-life castaway Lucy Irvine nominates Robinson Crusoe. With Martin Popplewell. Presented by Matthew Parris. From July 2019.

Was Robinson Crusoe real? According to the book it was 'written by himself'.

To establish the facts, Matthew Parris is joined by two notable desert island survivors to discuss Crusoe’s life and strange adventures, during 28 years on an uninhabited island near the mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque. 

Crusoe's nominator is Lucy Irvine, who spent a year on Tuin Island with a man called Gerald. Her exploits resulted in a book and a film called ‘Castaway’. The second guest is journalist Martin Popplewell, who was inspired as a teenager to try desert island life by Brooke Shields in the film ‘The Blue Lagoon’.

As Martin points out, "There's no mention in the entire Crusoe book of coconuts" in this entertaining dissection of both Crusoe and his creator, Daniel Defoe.

Producer: Miles Warde

Produced in Bristol and first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2019.

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Great Lives

Robinson Crusoe

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4