Hello, I'm Kirstie Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive.

For rights reasons, we've had to shorten the music.

The program was originally broadcast in 1988, and the presenter was Michael Parkinson. In the highly colourful world of show business there can be few more exotic stories than the life of

our castaway and often born 75 years ago in Dublin she started a career as a dancer

at the age of 12 as a teenager she worked in the Germany of the late 20s and 30s before moving to

France. It was here more than 50 years ago she formed a dance troop which became synonymous

with the High Life of Paris, the Blue Bell girls. She's Miss Blue Bell, Margaret

Kelly. Margaret, you're 75 now. Are you still working? No, I'm not working. I'm retired,

actually, but I do get involved in many things outside theatre.

What about the Blue Bell girls? I mean, you're still in control of them, aren't you?

Well, I have captain to look after a group of them, but myself I'm not active anymore, no.

But how big is the organization that you found at 50 years ago?

You'll hardly believe what I say. I've had 12,000 bluebell girls in 50 years.

Little more than 50 years now. So it's really been a great group. Now you're going on to this Desert Island and you've got eight records to

take with you. How have you chosen these records and now just favorite piece of

music or do they have particular memories for you? They have particular memories for me,

most of them.

So therefore, what's your first choice of record?

My first choice of record is no business like show business.

Why is that?

That's how I feel.

I think show business is absolutely sensational if one has the talent and one can achieve.

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