<description>&lt;p&gt;Laurene Laverne talks to the former football manager Arsène Wenger in a programme first broadcast in 2020.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Laurene Laverne talks to former football manager Arsène Wenger in a programme from 2020.

Laurene Laverne talks to the former football manager Arsène Wenger in a programme first broadcast in 2020.

Classic Desert Island Discs - Arsène Wenger

<description>&lt;p&gt;Lauren Laverne talks to the film studio executive Dame Donna Langley in a programme first broadcast in 2023. Dame Donna was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship this year.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Lauren Laverne talks to film studio executive Dame Donna Langley in a programme from 2023.

Lauren Laverne talks to the film studio executive Dame Donna Langley in a programme first broadcast in 2023. Dame Donna was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship this year.

Classic Desert Island Discs - Dame Donna Langley

<description>&lt;p&gt;Lauren Laverne talks to the musician Thom Yorke in a programme first broadcast in 2019.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Lauren Laverne talks to the musician Thom Yorke in a programme first broadcast in 2019.

Lauren Laverne talks to the musician Thom Yorke in a programme first broadcast in 2019.

Classic Desert Island Discs - Thom Yorke

<description>&lt;p&gt;Sue Lawley talks to the primatologist Dr Jane Goodall in a programme first broadcast in 2000. Jane Goodall died in October 2025, at the age of 91.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Sue Lawley talks to primatologist Dr Jane Goodall in a programme first broadcast in 2000.

Sue Lawley talks to the primatologist Dr Jane Goodall in a programme first broadcast in 2000. Jane Goodall died in October 2025, at the age of 91.

Classic Desert Island Discs - Dr Jane Goodall

<description>&lt;p&gt;Si King is a broadcaster and cook, best known as one half of the duo The Hairy Bikers. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Together with his onscreen cooking partner and real-life best friend Dave Myers, the pair travelled over 650,000 miles around the world on motor bikes filming their cooking exploits and they also wrote a number of bestselling cookbooks.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Si was born in a pit village near Gateshead, the youngest child of three. His father had served in the arctic convoys and had met his wife whilst on shore leave in Newcastle when she was singing with a big band. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Si’s father died when he was eight years old and Si and his mum, Stella, bonded by cooking together which led to his lifelong appreciation of food.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;His love of motorcycles started early when his uncle introduced him to his garage full of broken motorbikes that he enjoyed tinkering around with. Si fell in love with motorbikes and as a teenager used to give him mum a lift back from the shops.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After leaving school, Si played drums in a band to earn a living, during which time he met his former wife, Jane. He became a father at 23 and soon began his television career as a runner on the children’s series Byker Grove. This opened the door to work in TV and film as a location manager, where he met make up artist Dave Myers on the set of a Catherine Cookson drama. After discovering they shared a passion for food and motorbikes, the pair developed the idea for a TV show that would see these two rather hairy motorcyclists travel around the world cooking for people. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After Dave’s death in 2024, Si was involved in two commemorative “Dave Days” in which many thousands of riders from the motorbike community showed their support for Dave and his family by travelling in convoy from London to Dave’s home town of Barrow in Furness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Si King lives in the North East.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;DISC ONE: Winter Song - Lindisfarne 
DISC TWO: Boil the Breakfast Early - The Chieftains 
DISC THREE: Anonymous: Liturgy of Saint Anthony - Ad Missam - Introitus: Os justi meditabitur - Coro Gregoriano De Lisboa 
DISC FOUR: Stay With Me Till Dawn - Judie Tzuke
DISC FIVE: Set The Fire To The Third Bar - Snow Patrol feat. Martha Wainwright 
DISC SIX: Still in Love with You (Live) - Thin Lizzy 
DISC SEVEN: On The Wire - Troy Cassar-Daley 
DISC EIGHT: Ask the Lonely - Journey&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;BOOK CHOICE: Combined works of William Dalrymple
LUXURY ITEM: A solar-powered fridge and rum
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Ask the Lonely - Journey &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Sarah Taylor&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Desert Island Discs has cast other cooks away to the island over the years including Delia Smith, Nigella Lawson and Nigel Slater. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Si King, cook and TV presenter, shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren Laverne.

Si King is a broadcaster and cook, best known as one half of the duo The Hairy Bikers. Together with his onscreen cooking partner and real-life best friend Dave Myers, the pair travelled over 650,000 miles around the world on motor bikes filming their cooking exploits and they also wrote a number of bestselling cookbooks.Si was born in a pit village near Gateshead, the youngest child of three. His father had served in the arctic convoys and had met his wife whilst on shore leave in Newcastle when she was singing with a big band. Si’s father died when he was eight years old and Si and his mum, Stella, bonded by cooking together which led to his lifelong appreciation of food.His love of motorcycles started early when his uncle introduced him to his garage full of broken motorbikes that he enjoyed tinkering around with. Si fell in love with motorbikes and as a teenager used to give him mum a lift back from the shops.After leaving school, Si played drums in a band to earn a living, during which time he met his former wife, Jane. He became a father at 23 and soon began his television career as a runner on the children’s series Byker Grove. This opened the door to work in TV and film as a location manager, where he met make up artist Dave Myers on the set of a Catherine Cookson drama. After discovering they shared a passion for food and motorbikes, the pair developed the idea for a TV show that would see these two rather hairy motorcyclists travel around the world cooking for people. After Dave’s death in 2024, Si was involved in two commemorative “Dave Days” in which many thousands of riders from the motorbike community showed their support for Dave and his family by travelling in convoy from London to Dave’s home town of Barrow in Furness.Si King lives in the North East.DISC ONE: Winter Song - Lindisfarne 
DISC TWO: Boil the Breakfast Early - The Chieftains 
DISC THREE: Anonymous: Liturgy of Saint Anthony - Ad Missam - Introitus: Os justi meditabitur - Coro Gregoriano De Lisboa 
DISC FOUR: Stay With Me Till Dawn - Judie Tzuke
DISC FIVE: Set The Fire To The Third Bar - Snow Patrol feat. Martha Wainwright 
DISC SIX: Still in Love with You (Live) - Thin Lizzy 
DISC SEVEN: On The Wire - Troy Cassar-Daley 
DISC EIGHT: Ask the Lonely - JourneyBOOK CHOICE: Combined works of William Dalrymple
LUXURY ITEM: A solar-powered fridge and rum
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Ask the Lonely - Journey Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Sarah TaylorDesert Island Discs has cast other cooks away to the island over the years including Delia Smith, Nigella Lawson and Nigel Slater. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

Si King, cook

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

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