Main content

Sue Barker, presenter and tennis player

Sue Barker, presenter and tennis player, shares the eight discs, book and luxury item she would take with her if cast away on a desert island. With Lauren Laverne.

Sue Barker is a television presenter and former professional tennis player. She presented the ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s Wimbledon coverage for nearly three decades, before stepping down this year, when she received a standing ovation.

Sue was born in Devon in 1956, and was educated at the Marist Convent School where she had a reputation for being naughty – until her PE teacher, Mrs Chadwick, diverted her energy into tennis. Aged 11 she was selected for training by the local tennis coach Arthur Roberts, who had already guided players to Grand Slam titles. Sue started playing – and winning – junior tournaments.

She turned professional at 17, and moved to the US, joining a new women’s tour set up by Billie Jean King. During her career, she reached the ranking of World No. 3, playing and defeating her contemporaries, including Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Evonne Goolagong and Virginia Wade. Her biggest win came at the French Open in 1976 where, aged 20, she took her first – and only – Grand Slam title. Her biggest disappointment came at Wimbledon the following year, when she lost in the semi-final, despite being the clear favourite.

Plagued by injuries, she retired from tennis in 1985. She began commentating on Australia’s Channel 7, before moving to BskyB in the UK, and then joining the ´óÏó´«Ã½ in 1993. She has hosted Wimbledon, Grandstand, the Summer and Winter Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sports Personality of the Year, and A Question of Sport. When she announced her retirement from TV, her idol Billie Jean King called her the GOAT, the ‘greatest of all time’.

DISC ONE: Run Boy Run by Woodkid
DISC TWO: Piano Concerto in A minor, composed by Edvard Grieg
and performed by Sir Clifford Curzon (piano) and London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Øivin Fjeldstad
DISC THREE: Harry Hippie by Bobby Womack
DISC FOUR: California Girls by The Beach Boys
DISC FIVE: The Greatest Love of All by George Benson
DISC SIX: Simply Beautiful by Al Green
DISC SEVEN: Grandstand by Keith Mansfield
DISC EIGHT: Philadelphia Freedom by Elton John

BOOK CHOICE: All In by Billie Jean King
LUXURY ITEM: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wine
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Harry Hippie by Bobby Womack

Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Katy Hickman

Available now

36 minutes

Last on

Fri 23 Sep 2022 09:00

Music Played

  • Woodkid

    Run Boy Run

    • Divergent: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
    • Lionsgate/Divergent Score.
    • 6.
  • Edvard Grieg

    Piano Concerto in A minor, opus 16

    Performer: Clifford Curzon. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Øivin Fjeldstad.
    • Grieg/Schumann/Franck: Piano Concertos/Symphonic Variations.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 1.
  • Bobby Womack

    Harry Hippie

    • The Best Of Bobby Womack - The Soul Years.
    • Capitol Records.
    • 12.
  • The Beach Boys

    California Girls

    • The Very Best Of The Beach Boys: Sounds Of Summer.
    • CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92).
    • 1.
  • George Benson

    The Greatest Love Of All

    • Muhammed Ali in "The Greatest".
    • Arista/Legacy.
    • 1.
  • Al Green

    Simply Beautiful

    • Greatest Hits: The Best of Al Green.
    • Fat Possum.
    • 42.
  • Keith Mansfield

    Grandstand

    • Classic Television And Radio Themes.
    • KPM Main Series.
    • 1.
  • Elton John

    Philadelphia Freedom

    • Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Super Deluxe).
    • UMC (Universal Music Catalogue).
    • 17.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 18 Sep 2022 11:15
  • Fri 23 Sep 2022 09:00

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast