ISLAND RECORDS

The most played tracks are all classical...

1. Beethoven Symphony No 9 in D minor, “Choral” (chosen 97 times to date)
2. Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor (72)
3. Schubert String Quintet in C major (70)
4. Beethoven Symphony No 6 in F major, “Pastoral” (61)
5. Elgar Pomp and Circumstance March No 1 in D major, “Land of Hope and Glory” (56)
=5. Beethoven Piano Concerto No 5 in E flat major, “Emperor” (56)
7. Elgar Enigma Variations, Nimrod (54)
8. Beethoven Symphony No 7 in A major (53)

ISLAND REGULARS

The guests who came back for more...

FOUR TIMES
David Attenborough, naturalist (1957, 1979, 1998, 2012)

Arthur Askey, comedian (1942, 1955, 1968, 1980)

THREE TIMES
Robertson Hare, comedy actor (1951, 1959, 1972)
Stanley Holloway, actor/comedian (1951, 62, 75)
Celia Johnson, actor (1945, 1954, 1975)
John Mortimer, writer/barrister (1968, 82, 2001)
John Mills, actor (1951, 1973, 2000)
Charles Mackerras, conductor (1959, 75, 99)
Peter Ustinov, actor/writer (1951, 1956, 1977)
Emlyn Williams, actor/playwright (1942, 55, 75)

ISLAND LUXURIES

1. The first luxury ever chosen on the show was by Chitty Chitty Bang Bang actress Sally Ann Howes in 1951. She decided on some garlic.
2. Simon Cowell, Dick Francis, Graham Norton and Terry Gilliam all chose mirrors.
3. Stephen Fry and journalist Lynn Barber both opted for poison pills, and David Walliams wanted a pistol with which to shoot himself.
4. Sue Lawley (a guest in 1987) asked for an iron and ironing board.
5. Michael Winner plumped for caviar.
6. John Cleese chose Michael Palin, stuffed.
7. In 1964 Cilla Black wanted the Mona Lisa; in 1988 she asked for a manicure set.

8. Arthur Scargill also chose the Mona Lisa.

This is an edited version of an article from the issue of Radio Times magazine that went on sale 24 January 2012.

Michael Parkinson takes part in Archive on 4: Castaway – 70 Years of Desert Island Discs tonight at 8pm on BBC Radio 4.