or the Desert Island Discs DJs
I have been living in this United Kingdom of England … for 8 years. As a cultured European I love many things about about this country. From the countryside views, the public right of way to the weather and the food. But there’s is one thing that I admire the most and that is the state-backed entertainment am talking about the British Broadcasting Corporation or BBC. Now I am not sure what the BBC is up to right now in terms of new programming. I would assume they are slowly falling in quality, originality, and identity, but this is not today’s issue.
Today’s issue is Desert Island Discs, a delightful programme first aired in 1942 with a simple premise: a known figure is the subjected to a personal interview, signposted by a number of musical pieces, chosen by said subject. There are many worthy tangents such as the “Anglo” “focus of the show, the drift away from classical features, the most popular picks, and the rare and surprisingly un-fascinating non musical choices. But I shall leave all of them for another more worthy time.
Today we talk about the unsung heroes, six of them.
These known unknowns have been a staple of the cultured Briton and the curious foreigner for decades, and it’s high time someone wrote a short impression on them.
To the DJs.
#| '!! shinylive warning !!': |
#| shinylive does not work in self-contained HTML documents.
#| Please set `embed-resources: false` in your metadata.
#| standalone: true
#| viewerHeight: 600
library(shiny)
library(htmltools)
get_tab_content <- function(presenter) {
markdown_text <- switch(presenter,
"Roy Plomley" = "
## Roy 'Roger' Plomley (1914-1985)
- Hosting period: 1942-1985
We begin, like most European countries, with an affable and curious Caucasian man.
Roy Plomley was the visionary creator of the BBC radio program 'Desert Island Discs,' which first aired in 1942. Born in 1914, Plomley was a polyvalent radio-man broadcasting, producing, and writing hundreds of times. He is rumored to have conceived the show's unique format during a late-night brainstorming session. The initial idea was simple yet profound: invite notable figures to imagine themselves cast away on a deserted island and discuss the eight records they would take with them.
40 years Plomley reigned, conducting intimate interviews that revealed the personal stories and musical tastes of his subjects. His warm demeanor and genuine curiosity set the tone for the show, and is important they are the only facets on which we can really assess the hosts.
Plomley conducts himself with a curiousity that is playful and laid-back. His warm demeanor is almost palpable. It is clear I have a positive opinion of Roy Plomley.
Notable guests: Paul McCartney, Elizabeth Taylor, Alfred Hitchcock, Margaret Thatcher.
",
"Michael Parkinson" = "
## Michael Parkinson (1935-2023)
- Hosting period: 1985-1986
I have been listening to DIDs for years. I have never come across a Michael Parkinson episode. May report later...?
",
"Sue Lawley" = "
## Sue 'The Law' Lawley
- Hosting period: 1986-2006
Office Sue Lawley OBE began her career in regional television before becoming a national figure as a newsreader and presenter for the BBC. Lawley's transition to 'Desert Island Discs' allowed her to delve deeper into the personal narratives of her guests, showcasing her skill as an interviewer.
Sue's warmth is hard to come by, in fact it is impossible to come by. To experience Sue's warmth her precise questioning must first be satisfied. During her 18-year tenure, Lawley conducted over 700 interviews where the guests were gently, but coldly, laid bare. Officer Lawley's style was one of lean kindness and it brought a new depth to the program allowing it to modernise and succesfully transitioning into the noughties. It appears I have a positive opinion of Sue Lawley.
Notable guests: David Attenborough, Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, Stephen Hawking, Tony Blair.
",
"Kirsty Young" = "
## Kirsty 'Tea' Young
- Hosting period: 2006-2018
The tea Kirsty Young offers you is extremely sweet. That is how she gets you to tell her your secrets. From Scot-land, she brought a fresh perspective to 'Desert Island Discs', during her 12 years as host she made a mark and was well-liked. Her legacy continues and just a few years ago [she hosted David Attenborough's 90th Birthday](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03qxjzj). It seems I have a a positive opinion of Kirsty Young.
Notable guests: David Beckham, Tom Hanks, Judi Dench, Malala Yousafzai, David Cameron.
",
"Lauren Laverne" = "
## Lauren 'Lollypop' Laverne
- Hosting period: 2019-current
Lauren Laverne took over as the host of 'Desert Island Discs' in 2018. She initially gained fame as the lead singer and guitarist of the Britpop band Kenickie before transitioning to broadcasting. Her deep knowledge of music is embodied in a near-peppy on-air personality. The result is very engaging and continues to elevate the original spirit of the show, one of curiosity and warmth.
In this she joins the men and women before her who gave voice to and presentend thousands of personal stories, and considerably more music. I hold Lauren Laverne in high regard.
Notable guests: Louis Theroux, Ian Wright, Helena Bonham Carter, Paul McCartney, Nile Rodgers.
",
# Default case
"Content not available."
)
markdown(markdown_text)
}
ui <- fluidPage(
tags$head(
tags$style(HTML("
body { background-color: black; color: white; }
.slider-animate-button { display: none; }
.js-irs-0 .irs-single, .js-irs-0 .irs-bar-edge, .js-irs-0 .irs-bar { background: white; }
.js-irs-0 .irs-line { background: #444; }
.js-irs-0 .irs-single { background: black !important; color: white !important; }
.js-irs-0 .irs-handle { border-color: white; background: black;}
"))
),
sliderInput("year_selector", NULL,
min = 1942, max = 2024, value = round(runif(1,1942,2024)),
step = 1, width = "100%", ticks = FALSE, sep = ""),
tabsetPanel(
id = "tabset",
tabPanel("Roy Plomley",value="RP", get_tab_content("Roy Plomley")),
tabPanel("Michael Parkinson",value="MP", get_tab_content("Michael Parkinson")),
tabPanel("Sue Lawley",value="SL", get_tab_content("Sue Lawley")),
tabPanel("Kirsty Young",value="KY", get_tab_content("Kirsty Young")),
tabPanel("Lauren Laverne",value="LL", get_tab_content("Lauren Laverne"))
)
)
server <- function(input, output, session) {
# Reactive values to track updates
update_in_progress <- reactiveValues(slider = FALSE, tabset = FALSE)
# Observer for slider input
observeEvent(input$year_selector, {
if (update_in_progress$slider) {
update_in_progress$slider <- FALSE
return()
}
update_in_progress$tabset <- TRUE
updateTabsetPanel(session, "tabset", selected =
if (input$year_selector <= 1985) "RP"
else if (input$year_selector <= 1988) "MP"
else if (input$year_selector <= 2006) "SL"
else if (input$year_selector <= 2018) "KY"
else "LL"
)
})
# Observer for tabset input
observeEvent(input$tabset, {
if (update_in_progress$tabset) {
update_in_progress$tabset <- FALSE
return()
}
update_in_progress$slider <- TRUE
selected_tab <- input$tabset
new_year <- switch(selected_tab,
"RP" = 1942,
"MP" = 1986,
"SL" = 1989,
"KY" = 2007,
"LL" = 2019
)
updateSliderInput(session, "year_selector", value = new_year)
})
}
shinyApp(ui, server)