Robert Webb, comedian
Robert Webb, comedian and writer, shares the eight tracks, book and luxury item he would take with him if cast away to a desert island. With Lauren Laverne.
Robert Webb first reached a wide audience as the co-star of Channel 4’s longest running sitcom, the BAFTA-award winning Peep Show. With his long-standing comedy partner David Mitchell, he also created That Mitchell and Webb Sound for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4, which transferred to TV as That Mitchell and Webb Look, which also won a BAFTA.
Robert was born in Lincolnshire and first became hooked on comedy when his impressions of teachers made his school friends laugh. After realising that many of his comedy heroes had studied at Cambridge University, and were members of the Cambridge Footlights, he decided to follow in their footsteps. He took his A levels twice in order to win a place to study English there, and went on to become vice-president of the Footlights - where he met David Mitchell. Their comedy partnership has lasted for 30 years, starting out with shows for the Edinburgh fringe and writing for other performers, before enjoying TV success as a double act.
Robert has also written a best-selling memoir, How Not to be a Boy, in which he reflects on masculinity, and a novel. In 2019, a routine medical examination revealed that he had a congenital heart defect. He underwent heart surgery and is now fully recovered.
Robert lives in London with his wife and two daughters.
DISC ONE: Do I Move You? - Nina Simone
DISC TWO: The Old Fashioned Way - Charles Aznavour
DISC THREE: Fool if you Think It’s Over - Elkie Brooks
DISC FOUR: Get A Life - Soul II Soul
DISC FIVE: Metal Mickey - Suede
DISC SIX: Being Alive, composed by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Adrian Lester and cast of Company and recorded in 1996 at Donmar Warehouse, London
DISC SEVEN: How to Disappear Completely - Radiohead
DISC EIGHT: It’s Corn - Tariq, The Gregory Brothers & Recess Therapy
BOOK CHOICE: Cultural Amnesia by Clive James
LUXURY ITEM: A top hat and tails
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: The Old Fashioned Way - Charles Aznavour
Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Sarah Taylor
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Nine things we learned from Robert Webb's Desert Island Discs
Robert Webb, comedian and writer, shares the stories behind his musical choices.
Music Played
-
Nina Simone
Do I Move You?
- The Very Best Of Nina Simone.
- RCA Records Label.
- 10.
-
Charles Aznavour
The Old Fashioned Way
- Greatest Golden Hits.
- Capitol Records.
- 6.
-
Elkie Brooks
Fool if you Think it's Over
- Pearls - The Very Best Of.
- EMI.
- 2.
-
Soul II Soul
Get a Life
- Volume II - 1990 A New Decade.
- Ten Records.
- 1.
-
Suede
Metal Mickey
- Beautiful Ones - the Best of Suede 1992 - 2018.
- Edsel.
- 4.
-
Adrian Lester and Company cast 1996 Donmar Warehouse
Being Alive
- Company (1996 London Cast Recording).
- First Night Records.
- 14.
-
Radiohead
How To Disappear Completely
- Kid A.
- XL Recordings.
- 4.
-
Tariq, The Gregory Brothers & Recess Therapy
It's Corn
- Vox Freaks.
Broadcasts
- Sun 5 Mar 2023 11:15Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Fri 10 Mar 2023 09:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
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Desert Island Discs
Castaway guests share the soundtrack of their lives.