Listen back to Jeremy Deller premiering a new work on Desert Island Discs

Like the continued presence of Ken Barlow on Coronation Street, Crufts, and the determination to make the most of a day at the seaside on a sodden July afternoon, Desert Island Discs is a British institution to be proud of.

The long-running BBC Radio 4 show gives loyal listeners a weekly glimpse into the must-have accompaniments of household names if isolated on a desert island. This Sunday gone (6 January 2019) it was the much-loved artist Jeremy Deller who found himself whisked away to a remote atoll with nothing but eight records, a book of their own choosing, the Bible, and the _ Complete Works of Shakespeare_ for company.

The Turner Prize winner used his session with new host Lauren Laverne – who has temporarily replaced Kirsty Young in late 2018 – to premiere a brand new piece of work. Nestled in amongst his other musical selections, which included records by Sweet, Willie Nelson, and the KLF, was a previously unheard cover version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah by Melodians Steel Orchestra. Deller commissioned the South London based steel orchestra to cover Laughing Len’s Shrek-approved ballad especially for Desert Island Discs.

Anyone looking for a more-than-pleasant way to ease back into the working week would do well to zip over to the BBC Radio 4 website and listen back to Deller’s chosen discs.