Desert Island Discs Revisited

Original version

BBC Radio 4 Extra

Factual: Life Stories

Selected castaway gems from the BBC Desert Island Discs archive.

Desert Island Discs Revisited: Poets: Lemn Sissay

Lemn Sissay

Poets

Desert Island Discs

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Desert Island Discs Revisited, Poets, Lemn Sissay

Poet Lemn Sissay shares his castaway choices in conversation with Kirsty Young.

4 Extra Debut. From Henryk Gorecki to Prince. Poet and writer Lemn Sissay shares his castaway choices with Kirsty Young. From 2015.

From Henryk Gorecki to Prince. 

Poet Lemn Sissay shares his castaway choices with Kirsty Young.
 
As a poet, writer and playwright, much of his work tells the story of his search for his birth parents.  Born to a young Ethiopian woman who wanted him temporarily fostered while she completed her studies, he was with a family until he was 12.   He would spend the next five years in a number of children's homes where he began to write.  On leaving care at 17, he self-published his first book of poetry while on the dole. 
 
Several poetry collections, plays and programmes for radio and TV followed and his work has taken him around the world.  

Lemn was the first poet to be commissioned to write for the 2012 London Olympics and his success has also brought him two doctorates and an MBE for services to literature. 

He is currently Chancellor of the University of Manchester. He takes writers' workshops for care-leavers and set up Culture World, the first black writers' workshop.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2015.

Desert Island Discs Revisited: Poets

Your digital radio entertainment station showcasing the best in comedy and drama

Your digital radio entertainment station showcasing the best in comedy and drama. With recent favourites from BBC Radio 4.

A collection of poet castaways share their desert island choices.

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Desert Island Discs Revisited

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