Desert Island Discs

Dame Katherine Grainger


Listen Later

Kirsty Young's castaway is the Olympian and rower, Dame Katherine Grainger. A six-time rowing World Champion across a variety of classes, her silver medal at Rio in 2016 made her the most successful female British Olympic athlete ever, having won medals in five consecutive games.

Born in Glasgow in 1975, her parents were teachers. At school she earned a black belt in karate, and it wasn't until she went to Edinburgh University that her passion for rowing was truly ignited. Winning silver medals at the Sydney, Athens and Beijing Olympics, Katherine finally ceased to be the sport's eternal bridesmaid when, with her partner Anna Watkins, she won gold in the Double Sculls at the 2012 London Olympics. After two years away from the sport, Katherine returned in 2014, to win her fourth silver and fifth overall Olympic medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics with her new partner, Vicky Thornley.

Alongside her sporting achievements, she gained an Honours degree in Law from Edinburgh, a Masters in Medical Law from Glasgow University and was awarded a PhD in Homicide Sentencing from King's College London in 2013. She was made the fourth Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University in 2015 and became a Dame in the 2017 New Year Honours.

Producer: Cathy Drysdale.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Desert Island DiscsBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

1,471 ratings


More shows like Desert Island Discs

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,913 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

Woman's Hour by BBC Radio 4

Woman's Hour

396 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,576 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,808 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,729 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,018 Listeners

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2005-2010 by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2005-2010

148 Listeners

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2011-2015 by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs: Archive 2011-2015

67 Listeners

Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware by Jessie Ware

Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware

1,679 Listeners

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day by Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

1,228 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,245 Listeners

The Missing Cryptoqueen by BBC Sounds

The Missing Cryptoqueen

1,024 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

779 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,010 Listeners

Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

Life Changing

68 Listeners

This Cultural Life by BBC Radio 4

This Cultural Life

100 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

3,858 Listeners

Dish by Cold Glass Productions

Dish

780 Listeners

The Rest Is Entertainment by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Entertainment

907 Listeners

The Louis Theroux Podcast by Spotify Studios

The Louis Theroux Podcast

650 Listeners

Young Again by BBC Radio 4

Young Again

47 Listeners

Off Air with Jane & Fi by The Times

Off Air with Jane & Fi

188 Listeners

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth by Gyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Media

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

529 Listeners

Desert Island Discs: Archive: 2016-2018 by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs: Archive: 2016-2018

26 Listeners