The writer David Nicholls is best known for his 2009 novel One Day which has sold 6 million copies, been made into a film and a Netflix series which reached the top 10 in 89 countries. He’s written six novels and his work as a screenwriter has won him a BAFTA and an Emmy nomination.

He was born in 1966 and studied Drama and English Literature at Bristol University. This partly inspired his novel Starter for Ten. After university he spent one year in New York studying acting before returning to the UK to try and forge a career as an actor. He spent three years at the National Theatre but was mostly an understudy which inspired his novel Understudy.

After a few years, David left acting and pursued a writing career and had success as a TV screen writer. Alongside his award-winning career as a TV writer he has won many prizes for his novels.

David lives in London with his partner, Hannah and their two children.

Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Sarah Taylor

DISC ONE: I Say a Little Prayer - Aretha Franklin
DISC TWO: Cloudbusting - Kate Bush
DISC THREE: Life on Mars? - David Bowie
DISC FOUR: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria. Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach and performed by Glenn Gould (piano) Coyote - Joni Mitchell
DISC FIVE: Coyote - Joni Mitchell
DISC SIX: We Belong Together - Rickie Lee Jones
DISC SEVEN: Who Knows Where The Time Goes? - Fairport Convention
DISC EIGHT: Protection - Massive Attack featuring Tracey Thorn

BOOK CHOICE: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
LUXURY ITEM: A piano and sheet music
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: I Say a Little Prayer - Aretha Franklin