Main content

Pete Waterman

Sue Lawley's castaway is record producer Pete Waterman.

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week has a classic rags-to-riches story to relate. Born into a poor family in Coventry, record producer Pete Waterman is nowadays estimated to be worth at least 60 million pounds, and is the proud possessor of 10 Ferraris, 15 Jaguars and several houses and railway engines.

He'll be telling Sue Lawley how, with no formal education - and still unable to do joined-up writing - he and his company wrote and produced enough hit records in the mid-1980s to have one in the Top Forty every week for four years.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Tannhauser Overture by Richard Wagner
Book: R.C.T.S. History of Great Western Railway Engines
Luxury: Havana cigars and matches

Available now

40 minutes

Last on

Fri 1 Dec 1995 09:05

Music Played

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Richard Wagner

      Tannh盲user (Overture)

      Orchestra: Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France. Conductor: Marek Janowski.

      Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonica Conductor: Hans Knappertsbush

      • Wagner: Overtures.
      • Decca.
  • David Bowie

    Let's Dance

    • Let's Dance.
    • EMI America.
  • Edward Elgar

    Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 36: Variation IX "Nimrod"

    Orchestra: The 91热爆 Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Leonard Bernstein

    • Elgar: Enigma Variations.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
  • The Beatles

    She Loves You

    • The Beatles.
    • Apple.
  • Marvin Gaye

    I Heard It Through The Grapevine

    • Motown Chartbusters.
    • Telstar.
  • Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    Symphony No 3 in C Minor (Organ Symphony) Danse Macabre

    Orchestra: The Orchestre De Paris Conductor: Daniel Barenboim

    • Saint-Sa毛ns Symphony No 3.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
  • Little Eva

    The Loco-Motion

    • Rockfile Vol 29 - Various Artists.
    • Backline.
  • Richard Wagner

    Lohengrin Act 3 Prelude

    Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Conductor: Herbert von Karajan

    • Lohengrin.
    • EMI.
  • Book Choice

    • R.C.T.S. History of Great Western Railway Engines

  • Luxury Choice

    • Havana cigars and matches

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Pete Waterman

Broadcasts

  • Sun 30 Apr 1995 12:15
  • Fri 5 May 1995 09:05
  • Fri 1 Dec 1995 09:05

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast