Sue Perkins

Comedian and TV presenter Sue Perkins is castaway by Kirsty Young.

She and her friend Mel Giedroyc first appeared as a comedy duo at the Edinburgh Fringe over 20 years ago and together they presented the first seven series of The Great British Bake Off.

Born at the end of the 1960s, Sue grew up in Croydon, the eldest of three siblings. By her own description a "shy and awkward" child, she nonetheless made it to Cambridge University to study English.

She and Mel met at a Footlights open mic gig soon after she'd arrived. Their first joint high-profile success was landing a new live daytime programme on Channel 4 called Light Lunch, which turned them into household names.

Sue also formed a second presenting partnership, making historical food programmes with Giles Coren.

When she was 38 she was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour which left her unable to have children. Sue was in a relationship with the TV presenter Anna Richardson.

DISC ONE: Sylvester - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)
DISC TWO: Lonnie Donegan - Rock Island Line
DISC THREE: The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?
DISC FOUR: T. Rex - 20th Century Boy
DISC FIVE: Kate Bush - Moments of Pleasure
DISC SIX: Emma Kirkby, James Bowman and the Academy of Ancient Music, conducted by Christopher Hogwood - Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater
DISC SEVEN: Nick Drake - Northern Sky
DISC EIGHT: Philip Glass - Opening (from Glassworks)

CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Kate Bush - Moments of Pleasure
BOOK CHOICE: “How to Clone A Dog”
LUXURY CHOICE: Her deceased dog's hair

Produced by Cathy Drysdale

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2017.