Kirsty Young forced off air by chronic pain condition
Desert Islands Discs host takes time off to fight fibromyalgia as Lauren Laverne steps in
KIRSTY YOUNG is to step down from Desert Island Discs for several months after being diagnosed with the chronic pain condition fibromyalgia. She will be replaced by Lauren Laverne when the programme returns to BBC Radio 4 next month.
In a statement, Young said: “Casting away some of the world’s most fascinating people is a wonderful job – however, I’m having to take some time away from Desert Island Discs as I am suffering from a form of fibromyalgia.
“I wish Lauren all the very best. I know she will be great. And I very much look forward to getting back to good health and back to work.”
Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that causes widespread pain and intense fatigue, as well as muscle stiffness and headaches. The exact cause is unknown, though it has been suggested that the condition may be triggered by stress.
Young has presented Desert Island Discs since 2006, when she took over from Sue Lawley. She is only the fourth presenter in the show’s history.
Speaking to The Telegraph last year, to mark the programme’s 75th anniversary, Young said she had no plans to give up. “After a decade, I feel completely at home. The truth is I really love the job,” she said.
The show returns on September 16 after a short hiatus and will begin with two episodes pre-recorded by Young. Her guests will be Danielle de Niese, the opera singer, and Henry Marsh, the neurosurgeon. Laverne will then take over for the foreseeable future.
A BBC spokesman said Young, 49, would be taking time off for “a number of months”. She was last photographed in public in
June when she attended Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot.
Laverne, who hosts her own show on BBC 6 Music and has co-presented the corporation’s Glastonbury coverage, said she would be “stepping into the biggest shoes in broadcasting for a while”.
She added: “It’s a huge honour to be asked to cover my favourite programme on behalf of one of my heroes. As a listener first and foremost, I know what a special place Desert Island Discs holds in the hearts of the British public.
“So much of that is down to the warmth, wit and peerless skill of Kirsty Young. I wish Kirsty better and will do my very best to look after Desert Island Discs until her return.”
Young’s disclosure will bring some attention to fibromyalgia, a littleunderstood condition. According to the NHS, some estimates suggest one in 20 people may suffer from it to some degree.
In her 20s Young was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, and has said the experience made her vigilant about her health. “I realised that I wasn’t indestructible. For the first time I thought, ‘Be careful,’” Young said, adding that she and her husband, Nick Jones, have annual health check-ups “to get all the tests”.
She has described Desert Island Discs as her dream job, and Sir David Attenborough as her favourite guest. The former Five News presenter also won praise for her coverage of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding.
‘It’s a huge honour to be asked to cover my favourite programme on behalf of one of my heroes’