David Beckham will be the castaway on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, as the programme celebrates its 75th anniversary.
The former footballer and ex-England captain will sit down with host Kirsty Young on Sunday 29th January and choose eight of his most treasured pieces of music, plus a book and a luxury item, in accordance with the show’s longtime instructions.
Beckham says: “I’m delighted to join Desert Island Discs for its 75 anniversary celebrations. Music has been a huge part of my - and my family’s - life and it is a real pleasure to highlight that on such an iconic programme.”
Presenter Kirsty Young says of the choice of castaway for the special weekend: “Seventy five is a birthday worth celebrating and having David Beckham as my Castaway seems like the perfect gift. His sporting legacy is of course extraordinary. And along with his charisma, cultural impact and humanitarian work, he is a modern man of many parts. He’ll be a fascinating guest to welcome on to my little interview island!”
On-air celebrations will begin on 28 January with a special three hour programme on BBC Radio 4 Extra featuring some of the wonderful voices from the archive and extracts from recently rediscovered episodes, which will also be restored to the show’s online archive.
The Sunday 29th episode of Desert Island Discs will also pay homage to the occasion by re-introducing the sound of sea wash to the opening and closing of the programme for the first time since the 1960s.
