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: BAFTA Winners: Bill Nighy

Bill Nighy

BAFTA Winners

Desert Island Discs

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Desert Island Discs Revisited, BAFTA Winners, Bill Nighy

Actor Bill Nighy is castaway by Sue Lawley.

From James Brown to The Who. Actor Bill Nighy shares his castaway choices with Sue Lawley. From 2004.

Kirsty Young introduces an archive episode revisiting the castaway choices of a BAFTA winning and Academy Award nominated actor.

Bill Nighy is castaway by Sue Lawley.

Originally from Caterham in Surrey, Bill left school at 15 without any qualifications and ended up working at his local employment office. 

He hoped to become an author and began work on The Field magazine as a messenger boy, but then ran away to Paris at seventeen to write a novel. This venture failed and he ended up begging on the streets before returning to Britain and the Guildford School of Drama and Dance.

His first film role was as a delivery boy in Joan Collins' steamy film The Bitch. He's featured in numerous stage, TV, and radio dramas including the acclaimed Men's Room in 1991 and, more recently, in State of Play, where he played a newspaper editor. 

His career has been described by some critics as a slow burn rather than a beacon, although he's now widely recognised as achieving the acclaim he deserves. In 2004 he won Best Supporting Actor at the BAFTAS for his role as Billy Mack, a washed up singer in the film Love Actually.

DISC ONE: The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
DISC TWO: James Brown - I Got You (I Feel Good)
DISC THREE: Bob Dylan - Just Like Tom Thumb Blues 
DISC FOUR: The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again  
DISC FIVE: Marvin Gaye - My Love Is Waiting 
DISC SIX: John Lee Hooker and Van Morrison - Healing Game 
DISC SEVEN: Freaky Realistic - Koochie Ryder 
DISC EIGHT: The Rolling Stones - Winter 

BOOK CHOICE: 1st edition of 49 Stories - Ernest Hemingway   
LUXURY CHOICE: Boxed set of blues harps (harmonicas) and instruction book   
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: The Rolling Stones - Winter

Producer: Isabel Sargent 

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2004.

Desert Island Discs Revisited: BAFTA Winners

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 BAFTA-winning actors castaways sharing their desert island choices.

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