But why no Desert Island DVDs?, asks this writer

We’ve all heard of Desert Island Discs and most of us have probably, in an idle moment or when trying hard to concentrate on something really important, fantasised about being invited onto the programme and have made our list of eight favourite records. Devised by Roy Plomley in 1942 and then in effect ‘owned’ by him and subsequently by his widow, Diana Wong, it’s been running off and on for 80 years (there was a break between 1946 and 1951). There have been more than 3,000 shows. 

It’s a terrific, winning idea for a radio programme, so why I thought (in one of my own idle moments) has there never been a Desert Island Movies programme on the main TV channels or streaming platforms, where guests play clips from their favourite films? Technological limitations would have made such an idea implausible in years gone by – there’s no power available on the imaginary island and while a wind-up record player is allowed so as to play the vinyls, wind-up film projectors, VHS or DVD players never really caught on. But in the recent past, the existence of super-long-life batteries and solar-powered DVD players make such a show’s premise feasible, so why no Desert Island DVDs? 

Part of the answer lies in rights issues. The programme is still owned by the Plomley family and the BBC would also claim an interest, having been the producers of the show since its inception. According to Michael Parkinson, the show’s presenter from 1985 to 1988, ownership rights even gave Diana Wong an input into the choice of who should front DID as well as, it is presumed, on its format and style. How these parties would react to the idea of a TV variation on such a well-loved and respected institution is anyone’s guess, but they may have serious concerns about devaluing the purely musical version.