Desert Island Discs, Desert Island Discs, Professor Lucy Easthope, emergency planner

Desert Island Discs

Desert Island Discs

Professor Lucy Easthope, emergency planner

June 8, 2025

52 minutes

Available for over a year

Professor Lucy Easthope is an adviser on disaster recovery and planning.

She’s an expert in planning for and reacting to major incidents: natural disaster, terrorist attacks, pandemics and fires, and is the visiting Professor of Mass Fatalities and Pandemics at the University of Bath.

Born in Merseyside in 1978, Lucy cites the impact of watching the Hillsborough football disaster on TV as a child as one of the driving reasons of her decision to pursue a career in disaster management. Her work has involved working in mortuaries, attending fatal accidents and training teams to react to emergencies.

Alongside her career, Lucy has written two books about emergency planning and disaster recovery.

Lucy lives in Shropshire with her husband and two children.

DISC ONE: Lose Yourself - Eminem

DISC TWO: Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy. Performed by Matthew Steynor (organ) and The Choir of Queens' College Cambridge, conducted by James Weeks

DISC THREE: Overture And A Prisoner Of The Crusades (From Chains To Freedom) Composed by Michael Kamen and performed by Greater Los Angeles Orchestra, conducted by Patti Fidelibus

DISC FOUR: Tender - Blur

DISC FIVE: Trustfall - Pink

DISC SIX: Fast Car - Tracy Chapman

DISC SEVEN: Something’s Missing - Come From Away Company

DISC EIGHT: Thunderstruck - AC/DC

BOOK CHOICE: The Diddakoi by Rumer Godden

LUXURY ITEM: A solar-powered torch

CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Tender - Blur

Presenter Lauren Laverne

Producer Sarah Taylor