Paul Dacre

Paul Dacre

Author: BBC Radio 4 January 25, 2004 Duration: 39:01

This week Sue Lawley's castaway is one of Britain's most powerful newspaper men - Paul Dacre, editor of the Daily Mail.

He was brought up in a household where news, and the coverage of it, was a daily topic of debate - his late father was a correspondent on the Daily Express - working variously as showbusiness editor, New York correspondent and foreign editor. His father's influence was tremendous and Paul Dacre says he can't remember a time when he didn't want to be a journalist and, in truth, an editor. He studied English at Leeds University but confesses to missing lectures in Anglo Saxon in favour of working on the student newspaper. Paul Dacre edited the student paper while Jack Straw was president of the students' union and, after graduating, he joined the Daily Express in Manchester. He became New York correspondent for the Express before being poached by the Daily Mail. He went on to edit the Evening Standard and turned down the editorship of The Times to take up the editorship of the Daily Mail. Away from the hectic world of newspapers, Paul Dacre spends his time at home, tending his garden and enjoying family life.

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

Favourite track: Theodora by George Frideric Handel Book: The RHS A-Z encyclopaedia of Garden Plants by Christopher Brickell Luxury: A subscription to the Guardian newspaper for one year


The Desert Island Discs: Archive 2000-2005 podcast opens a unique window into a pivotal era, drawing from the BBC Radio 4 archives. This isn't just a collection of interviews about music; it's a deeply personal exploration of life, ambition, and memory through the voices of the early 21st century. Each episode presents a guest from this period-be they an artist, a politician, a scientist, or an activist-facing the program's enduring and revealing premise: selecting the eight pieces of music they would take if stranded alone. The conversation that unfolds around these choices is where the magic happens. The host gently guides them from their selections into stories of childhood influences, career-defining moments, personal triumphs, and profound losses. You'll hear the crackle of a vinyl record lead into a confession, or a symphony cue a tale of resilience. Listening to this podcast feels like uncovering a time capsule of cultural and emotional history, where a pop song can explain a political stance and a classical adagio can frame a love story. It’s an intimate study of character and a testament to how the soundtrack of our lives shapes our identity. These archived conversations, preserved in this podcast, remain compelling because they bypass the superficial, using music as the key to unlock genuine human experience.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2000-2005
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