It is one of the oldest radio shows on the planet, and odds are you've never heard an episode. That's because it's been airing in England for an incredible eight decades, longer than most of us have been alive.

It's called "Desert Island Discs" and it started on the BBC as a morale booster for troops fighting WWII. The fact that it's still on the air today is simply mind boggling. The premise is simple: ask a celebrity or a famous politician which 8 records they would take with them if they were to be stranded on a desert island. And it's that simplicity that's led to its longevity. 

Here's the story behind its creation, the famous names who have appeared as guests and the almost accidental way it came to be an institution 'over 'ome. 

How Desert Island Discs Became the Most Important Radio Show in British History