Roy Plomley by the guest's choice of music. His contract was renewed for a further 15 shows. In the end he presented 1,791 editions of the programme stretching over 43 years. Its success was attributed to his skill as an interviewer and to his meticulous research. Plomley was succeeded as presenter by Michael Parkinson (1985–1988), then by Sue Lawley (1988–2006), and most recently by Kirsty Young. "Desert Island Discs" is the second longest-running radio programme in the world (after the Grand Ole Opry), and it is still running. Until late September 2009, unlike many other BBC radio programmes, "Desert Island Discs" was
Spencer Leigh (radio presenter) Spencer Leigh (radio presenter) Spencer Leigh (born 1 February 1945) is a BBC radio presenter and author, with particular expertise in the development of pop and rock music and culture in Britain. He started broadcasting on BBC Radio Merseyside in the early 1970s. His first series, "No Holds Bard" was based around the Mersey poets. His music programme "On the Beat" has been running on BBC Radio Merseyside since 1985 and is currently broadcast between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm on Sundays. Over the years, Leigh has interviewed thousands of musicians on the show. His first book was "Paul Simon