David Beckham has been announced as the special guest being cast away to celebrate BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs 75th Birthday next weekend.

Presenter Kirsty Young has enthused that the 'fascinating' former England captain will be the nation's much-loved show's 'perfect gift.'

xView full post on X

Beckham added that music has been a 'huge' part of his family's life, what with his wife Victoria being a former Spice Girl, and youngest son Cruz an aspiring popstar.

"I'm delighted to join Desert Island Discs for its 75th anniversary celebrations," Becks told the BBC. "Music has been a huge part of my - and my family's - life and it is a real pleasure to highlight that on such an iconic programme."

Young said: 'His sporting legacy is of course extraordinary. And along with his charisma, cultural impact and humanitarian work, he is a modern man of many parts.

'He'll be a fascinating guest to welcome on to my little interview island.'

The show was first broadcast on January 29 in 1942, and has welcomed more than 3,000 guests, and currently has an on-air audience of 2.8 million.

Famous guests are cast away on a fictional desert island each week, and they can chose eight songs, a book and a luxury item to take with them.

They then have to choose one record to save if a storm were to hit the island

Desert Island Discs' anniversary will also be celebrated with a three-hour programme on BBC Radio 4 Extra on Saturday hosted by Young, which will feature former guests from previous shows.

Headshot of Naomi Gordon
Naomi Gordon

Naomi Gordon is news writer mainly covering entertainment news with a focus on celebrity interviews and television.