Desert Island Discs

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is one of the country's famous experts on gardens and garden design, Penelope Hobhouse. She will be talking to Sue Lawley about her childhood in Ulster, where she was brought up steeped in the politics of the province. From there, she went to Cambridge, married, and settled down to look after the garden of the beautiful house in Somerset which marriage had brought with it. Twenty-five years later, she wrote her first book which was about that garden and since then she has been in constant demand as a lecturer and author. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: The Marriage Of Figaro - Dove Sono, Act 3 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: The Golden Bowl by Henry James Luxury: Laptop computer

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the writer Margaret Forster. Her second novel - Georgy Girl - was published in the 1960s and made into a popular film; another 20 books - both fiction and non-fiction - followed and her recent biography of Daphne du Maurier attracted much critical acclaim. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her early life in Carlisle, the stresses of working motherhood and the problems of having her husband, Hunter Davies, formerly confined to a newspaper office, now working at home.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: In The Bleak Midwinter by Gustav Holst/Rossetti Book: A House For Mr Biswas by V S Naipaul Luxury: Unlimited supply of A4 white paper & cartridges for fountain pen

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the painter Sir Howard Hodgkin. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the hard road to recognition in this country - which he describes as being 'enemy territory' for painters. At 62, he has now achieved fame, fortune and to him a somewhat irksome knighthood. He'll be describing his problematic schoolboy years, his total commitment to art and what he considers to be the impact of his own work.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Youkali by Teresa Stratas Book: Journal De Eugene Delacroix by Eugene Delacroix Luxury: Mayonnaise - permanent supply

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Glenys Kinnock. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her upbringing in Wales, her role during the years of Neil Kinnock's leadership of the Labour Party and her own reincarnation as a politician on the European stage as an MEP.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Was A Sunny Day by Paul Simon Book: Atlas of the Third World Luxury: Toilet bag full of skin-barrier creams

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the composer and conductor Berthold Goldschmidt. Born in Hamburg 91 years ago, he enjoyed a brilliant early career working with many famous musicians in Germany and Russia. But he'll be telling Sue Lawley how, as a Jew, he was forced to flee the Nazis and take refuge in Britain. Sadly, the musical establishment of his adopted homeland found his music old-fashioned and neglected him until the 1980s, when his music started to be rediscovered and widely appreciated.Now experiencing a highly-successful revival all over Europe and America, as well as having his work recorded and performed at the Proms, he is greatly enjoying his new-found recognition.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Goldberg Varations BWV 988 - No 26 by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: Joseph and His Brothers by Thomas Mann Luxury: Vanity case including metal mirror and shaving kit

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, the Most Reverend Desmond Tutu. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about his childhood and his first realisations that black children were treated very differently from their white counterparts, as well as his initial work as a teacher, which he gave up when he realised he was expected merely to train his black pupils for a life of service. He'll also be talking about the new freedom and responsibilities of South Africa following the election of Nelson Mandela earlier this year, and describing his optimism for its success. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: We Are The World by U.S.A. For Africa Book: Parting The Waters by Branch Taylor Luxury: Ice-cream maker (especially for rum and raisin flavour)

The castaway this week in Desert Island Discs is the writer and illustrator Kathleen Hale. Mainly renowned for that hero of children's literature - Orlando, the Marmalade Cat - and now 96 years old, she'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the excitement and glamour of her bohemian girlhood after the First World War. As secretary to the painter Augustus John, she lived a turbulent but fascinating life at the heart of artistic London.Marriage and motherhood introduced stability into her life, but boredom with the children's books then on offer led her to create Orlando - the cat who went on to star in 18 beautifully-illustrated and charmingly-written books - considered by many to be the epitome of good children's literature.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: La Sardana De Les Monges by La Principal De Perelada Book: A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu by Marcel Proust Luxury: A gilabra (cloak of gold)

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Lynda La Plante - the creator of much-admired television series like Prime Suspect, Widows and Civvies. Also the author of five novels, she'll be talking to Sue Lawley about how she made the transition from acting in repertory for six years, as well as Brian Rix's Whitehall farces, to becoming one of television's most prolific and successful writers.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Nessun Dorma from Turandot by Giacomo Puccini Book: Fairy Stories by Honore de Balzac Luxury: Mouth organ

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the Chairman of Glyndebourne, Sir George Christie. As Master of one of Europe's most distinguished opera houses, famous as a mainstay of the English social scene, as well as a centre of creativity and innovation, he has recently overseen its complete rebuilding. He'll be talking to Sue Lawley about the place in which he has spent his whole life and how he faces the prospect of retirement.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Idomeneo: Zeffiretti Lushinghieri by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Book: Origin of Species by Charles Darwin Luxury: Radio 4's The Archers - all the recordings from the beginning

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is the writer Jeanette Winterson. Her first book Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit was based on her Lancashire childhood where she grew up as the adopted daughter of evangelical parents. She'll be talking to Sue Lawley about her upbringing - in which her parents saw her as a child they could dedicate to God, about how she left home at 15 after falling in love with another woman and about how she finally managed to get herself into Oxford.Her first book won the Whitbread Prize and has been followed by more books and more prizes, all of which have attracted criticism and acclaim in equal measures.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Di, Cor Mio from Act 1 of Alcina by George Frideric Handel Book: Four Quartets by T S Eliot Luxury: A case of Krug champagne