Category: Dorset Island Discs

The Dorset Island Disc features – of course it’s a famous radio segment which we totally nabbed, but we moved it to Dorset. We’ll admit we can’t promise our castaways palm trees and endless sunshine, and Dorset doesn’t have many islands so you will just have to close your eyes and imagine that Brownsea had a baby sister when none of us were looking.

In this popular monthly column we invite well-known Dorset community figures to take part in the classic conundrum. Each guest must choose just eight of their most meaningful songs or pieces of music to be ‘cast away’ with, plus just one book and one luxury item.

It’s a very personal section, and loads of fun, as well as a brilliant way of getting to know the person behind some of Dorset’s familiar names – or meeting new ones.

What would be your choices?

Dorset Island Discs

Charlie North-Lewis: from the Stray Cats to Tivoli Theatre via BAFTA …

You can’t interview Charlie without a steady stream of name-dropping – his long and winding career is a musical tour through 40 years of...

10 May 2023

Dorset Island Discs

Broadcaster Natalie Wheen shares her Dorset Island Discs

After a lifelong career presenting music to the nation, writer and radio presenter Natalie Wheen found it a challenge choosing just eight discs For more...

14 April 2023

Dorset Island Discs

Anyone that sings a bit of country has my heart’ – Dorset Island Discs

As event organiser at the Turnpike Showground, shepherd Bonnie Cradock is facing a doubly busy spring, thanks to one over-excited fun-loving ram Bonnie Cradock rolls...

8 March 2023

Dorset Island Discs

Reggae, Strauss and Gershwin – it must be Dorset Island Discs

Pauline Batstone has spent a lifetime working with ex-offenders as a probation officer, and spends retirement working for her community Pauline Batstone was born a...

8 February 2023

Dorset Island Discs

Mike Burks is gardening for health and the planet – Dorset Island Discs

It’s 35 years since Mike and Louise Burks opened Castle Gardens – now their Christmas displays are a staple of the region’s festive calendar Mike...

10 December 2022

Dorset Island Discs

‘There’s no checkbox on Zoopla for a minstrel’s gallery’ – Dorset Island Discs

Giles Keating, the owner of Athelhampton House, one of England’s finest Tudor manors, has overseen a major plan of maintenance on the much-loved building Following...

9 November 2022

123 4 Page 2 of 4

Dorset’s master of strings

13 January 20250

Dorset luthier Jeremy Walsh on listening to the wood, a double bass jigsaw, holding a $15m Stradivarius and Friday night rave music In his self-built...

Local History

Framing the past – Job Pottle’s story

15 January 20250

A prolific photographer from the 1880s to the 1920s, Job Pottle captured local life from children to Churchill, the royal family to railways workers. Job...