Hello, I'm Kirstie Young. Thank you for downloading this podcast of Desert Island Disks from BBC Radio 4.

For rights reasons, the music choices are shorter than in the radio broadcast.

For more information about the program, please visit BBC.co.uk.

Radio 4. The My castaway this week is Russell Brand, actor, comic writer, compelling cultural phenomenon,

who in 2006 was, in his own fine words, plucked from a life of hard drugs and petty crime,

and rocketed into the snugly carcinogenic glare of celebrity.

Along with an athletic wit and a beguilingly florid turn of phrase, he

specializes in going too far. Reckless acts of self-destruction and a degree of chaos seem

to be his chirpy chums along life's winding path.

It has been five years since he rocked the foundations of the BBC with what became known as the Ross Brand scandal.

He's since gone on to international success with a movie career,

best-selling books and all the apparent trappings of life on the A-list. His most recent

notable appearances have included testifying eloquently to a parliamentary select committee on the funding for drugs rehabilitation programs,

and an appearance as a panelist on question time.

He's even begun to look like he regularly

washes his hair. Russell Brand you look splendid today that it belts that are

bangles, beads. You made an effort. Yeah I did as a matter of fact even though

this is radio and my bags were packed as a part.

Before I left, I said, I need to feel like I'm confident while I'm being on Desert Island discs.

I can't just wear the clothes that I would wear on an airplane,

comfy, pajamery.

Do you feel confident then?

...