Rory Bremner
Sue Lawley's castaway is impressionist Rory Bremner.
Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the impressionist and satirist Rory Bremner. He was born in Edinburgh in 1961. A self-confessed show-off, he started doing impersonations at primary school, sending up teachers, sports commentators and Moira Anderson! Entertaining his school friends inevitably developed into performing on stage and he worked as a stand up on the comedy circuit, and notably at the Edinburgh Festival.
Following his sell-out run at the Festival in 1986 the 91Èȱ¬ offered him his first television series, Now Something Else. It ran on 91Èȱ¬2 for seven years. In 1993 he moved to Channel 4, where his show Rory Bremner - Who Else? developed a much more hard-edged, satirical and political bite. It also picked up more than 10 major awards including Baftas for himself and fellow writer-performers John Bird and John Fortune. His meticulous research and observation of the politicians he mimics inevitably led to his fraternising with them and ultimately led to being awarded the final accolade for a satirist: he was banned from Labour's battle bus in the 2001 election campaign.
[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]
Favourite track: Have I Told You Lately? by Van Morrison
Book: The History of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
Luxury: Radio
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Music Played
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The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
Highland Cathedral
- Highland Cathedral: Pipes And Drums Of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.
- Scots Disc.
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Danny Kaye
Masters Of All Masters
- Six Stories From Faraway Places.
- London.
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Brian Johnston & Jonathan Agnew
Test Match Special - 09/08/1991
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Kurt Weill
Excerpt from 'The Finale'
Orchestra: Cologne Radio Orchestra Conductor: Jan Latham Konig
- Der Silbersee.
- Capriccio.
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Julie London
I'm In The Mood For Love
- The Best Of Julie London.
- Rhino.
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Frank Sinatra
I've Got You Under My Skin
- Frank Sinatra Songs For Swingin’ Lovers!.
- Capitol.
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Castaway's Favourite
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Van Morrison
Have I Told You Lately
- Avalon Sunset.
- Polydor.
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Georges Bizet
Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante (from Carmen)
Soloist: Kiri Te Kanawa
- Bizet: Carmen.
- Decca.
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Book Choice
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Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - Edward Gibbon
Luxury Choice
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Radio
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Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Sue Lawley |
Interviewed Guest | Rory Bremner |
Broadcasts
- Sun 20 Apr 2003 11:1591Èȱ¬ Radio 4
- Fri 25 Apr 2003 09:0091Èȱ¬ Radio 4
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