Desert Island Discs: Simon Pegg

DESERT ISLAND DISCS: SIMON PEGG (320kbs-m4a/98mb/43mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 14th May 2023

Simon Pegg is an actor and screenwriter who became a household name after appearing in two of Hollywood's most successful film franchises – Mission: Impossible and Star Trek. He also won many fans for co-creating the so-called Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy of films – Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and the World's End.

Simon was born in Gloucester and studied theatre, film and television at the University of Bristol. As a student he started performing stand-up routines with his pet goldfish called Roger who was a Marxist poet – albeit a silent one.

Simon first appeared on television in the mid-1990s and made a name for himself by co-creating the sitcom Spaced with the actor Jessica Hynes and the director Edgar Wright. He is one of the few performers to have achieved what Radio Times calls the "Holy Grail of Nerdom" – playing roles in Doctor Who, Star Trek – as Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott – and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He also co-wrote the screenplay for Star Trek Beyond.

In 2006 Simon played the British technician Benji Dunn in Mission: Impossible III and has appeared in every Mission: Impossible film since. He is currently filming the eighth instalment alongside Tom Cruise.

Simon lives in Hertfordshire with his wife Maureen, daughter Tilly and their dogs.

Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Paula McGinley

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