BBC Radio 4 LW

Desert Island Discs

Castaway guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

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

Desert Island Discs: Pete Waterman

30/04/1995

Pete Waterman

BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Pete Waterman

Sue Lawley's castaway is record producer Pete Waterman

Sue Lawley's castaway is record producer Pete Waterman.

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week has a classic rags-to-riches story to relate. Born into a poor family in Coventry, record producer Pete Waterman is nowadays estimated to be worth at least 60 million pounds, and is the proud possessor of 10 Ferraris, 15 Jaguars and several houses and railway engines.

He'll be telling Sue Lawley how, with no formal education - and still unable to do joined-up writing - he and his company wrote and produced enough hit records in the mid-1980s to have one in the Top Forty every week for four years.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] 

Favourite track: Tannhauser Overture by Richard Wagner
Book: R.C.T.S. History of Great Western Railway Engines
Luxury: Havana cigars and matches

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.

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics from 1946 – 2004.

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics, as broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 1946 – 2004.

Alistair Cooke’s weekly talks on American life, history and politics. Over 900 programmes, as broadcast from 1946 – 2004.

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: Church and state

Church and state

BBC Radio 4 - Letter from America by Alistair Cooke, Church and state

The freedom of speech within the school classroom, and the separation of Church and state.

The relationship between church and state, the future of a monument to the Ten Commandments and the existence of freedom of speech in the classroom are explored by Alistair Cooke.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Letter from America by Alistair Cooke

Church and state

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4

About this data