Desert Island Discs, Desert Island Discs, Dwayne Fields, explorer

Desert Island Discs

Desert Island Discs

Dwayne Fields, explorer

1 March 2026

51 minutes

Available for over a year

Dwayne Fields is an explorer and broadcaster who was appointed the UK’s Chief Scout in 2024. He is the first black Briton to reach the Magnetic North Pole. His television work includes fronting the series 7 Toughest Days and co-presenting Endurance: Race to the Pole, and Expedition: Search for the Nile, with fellow adventurer Ben Fogle.

Dwayne was born in Jamaica and was brought up by his great-grandmother for the first few years of his life. When he was six he moved to north London to live with his mother. He struggled to adapt to his new surroundings until he found his way to a Cub Scouts meeting where he experienced a sense of belonging for the first time since his arrival.

As a teenager, he grew up surrounded by gang violence and experienced a serious knife attack when he was 19. A few years later, during a heated confrontation, he had a gun pointed at him. The gun misfired twice and he survived. This shocking incident spurred Dwayne to change his life and challenge himself to inspire other young people to do the same.

In 2010, he walked 400 nautical miles to reach the Magnetic North Pole. In 2019, he co‑founded the WeTwo Foundation with explorer and wild camper Phoebe Smith. The Foundation gives young people from challenging backgrounds the chance to experience life‑changing adventures

Dwayne lives in Peterborough with his wife Angelique, and their five children.

DISC ONE: Three Little Birds - Bob Marley And The Wailers

DISC TWO: Dance With My Father - Luther Vandross

DISC THREE: I Miss You - DMX feat. Faith Evans

DISC FOUR: The Loco-motion - Kylie Minogue

DISC FIVE: Here I Come - Dennis Brown

DISC SIX: You’re the Apple of My Eye - Louis Armstrong and Velma Middleton

DISC SEVEN: Roar - Katy Perry

DISC EIGHT: I'm Still Standing - Elton John

BOOK CHOICE: The Untold Railway Stories: Celebrating 200 Years of Passenger Railways edited by Monisha Rajesh

LUXURY ITEM: A multi-functional pocket knife

CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Three Little Birds - Bob Marley And The Wailers

Presenter: Lauren Laverne

Producer: Paula McGinley