wave only
Judi Dench reads the birth narrative from the Gospel according to St Luke.
A Cautionary Tale for Christmas by BRIAN SIBLEY with Penelope Keith as the recipient of a series of gifts from an extravagant admirer who interprets the carol Twelve Days of Christmas too literally for comfort.
' I have just succeeded in accommodating your seven swans a-swimming in my bath, which was no mean achievement when one considers the number of pear trees on the landing.' with TIMOTHY BATESON
My particular Christmas favourite.
(VAL ARNOLD-FORSTER,
THE GUARDIAN)
Directed by JOHN THEOCHARIS
(First broadcast Christmas Day 1977)
(Repeated: next Sat 5.251
7.55 Weather; programme news
0 come, all ye faithful
with a Christmas stocking 01 records
8.55 Weather; programme news
O come, all ye faithful
A seasonal greeting from the bells of Christ Church, Swindon; St Mary's, Rush-den, Northants; St Mary the Virgin, Shenfleld, Essex; Christ Church, Radyr near Cardiff; The Church of the Holy Rude, Stir-ling; St Patrick, Ballymena, Co Antrim; Chester Cathedral; and the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem. Introduced by Robert Hudson
Producer JOHN HASLAM
The Queen speaks to the Commonwealth
Mattins from the Cathedral Church of St Andrew, Wells, Somerset.
Preacher: The Rt Rev John Bickersteth , Bishop of Bath and Wells
Responses (Byrd); Canticles (Stanford in B flat) Psalm 85
Lessons: Isaiah 9. vv 2-7 (RSV); Luke 2, vv 1-20
Anthem: Hodie Christus natus est (Sweelinek) Hymns (ER):
While shepherds watched (30); A great and mighty wonder (19)
Organist and Master of the Choristers
ANTHONY CROSSLAND Assistant Organist
DAVID COOPER. BBC Bristol
Richard Briers personally plucks seasonal snippets and festive fronds from the Christmas Tree. with a teaser twined throughout. Jovial jests from Joyce Grenfell , Peter Ustinov , Ogden Nash , Rolf Harris , and at 11.0* The Goons
A Christmas Carol with Peter Sellers. Harry Secombe. Spike Milligan THE RAY ELLINGTON QUARTET MAX GELDRAY
Orchestra conducted by WALLY STOTT. Announcer WALLACE GREENSLADE
Script by SPIKE MILLIGAN Producer JOHN BROWELL and yet more mirth and music lurking in the lower branches! Seasonal script
BARRY PILTON. Producer JONATHAN JAMES-MOORE
Jeremy Siepmann delves behind our popular image of the carol and finds some unusual surprises. gramophone records
The Final
(Repeated: Thurs 6.30 pm)
12.55 Weather; programme news
The Queen speaks to the Commonwealth
As celebrated through the ages in life, literature, humour, and song.
Presented by Stephen Murray
'Our images of Christmas are for the most part Victorian: the flickering firelight, the gaily decorated tree, the holly, the mistletoe, and the cosily domestic bonhomie of it all.' ... but are we deceiving ourselves?
with TIMOTHY BATESON, VIVIENNE ELIZABETH, SHEILA MATHEWS, PETER REEVES, JEAN ROGERS, DAVID STRONG, CHARLES YOUNG AND HIS SINGERS AND MUSICIANS
Written by GERALD FROW Producer JOHN DYAS
1.55 Shipping forecast (long wave only)
(Details: Friday 10.30 pm)
Introduced by Wynford Vaughan -Thomas (Details: Thurs 8.45 pm)
by Anthony Hope, adapted by Eric Maschwitz and Kay Patrick.
with Julian Glover, Nigel Stock, Hannah Gordon, Martin Jarvis and David Timson
The great swashbuckling story of the English gentleman Rudolf Rassendyll and his adventures in Ruritania.
"... the highlight of the listening week." (The Guardian)
(First broadcast in 1973)
(New Year's Eve at 2.30: Rupert of Hentzau)
of sketches, mjnologues, plays and poetry
Their day - in their words.
5.50 Shipping forecast long wave only
5.55 Weather: programme news
Richard Baker makes the annual appeal for the Wireless for the Blind Fund
A wireless set costs about £25 and up to 9.000 sets are needed annually.
Donations to: Richard Baker , Wireless for the Blind Fund, [address removed] (No postage necessary)
Terry Wogan extends a cordial invitation to join his Christmas tour of the networks. His plan is to tiptoe through the wavebands, stopping here and there to talk to friends and colleagues, including Tony Blackburn, Janet Brown. Peter Cava nagh. David Davis. Colin Doran. Patricia Husrhes. John Laurie. Laurie Lee
Less-than-intrepid travellers are advised that the tour guide is Kenneth Williams , and they should therefore expect the unexpected. James Galwav plays the role of the Pied Piper so that no one gets lost. There will be a stop in Ambridge for The Archers and Down Your Street (at regular intervals f meet the Clissolds, played by REGINALD MARSH , MADGE JENKINS and PATRICIA GALLIMORE)
Editor JOCK GALLAGHER BBC Birmingham
Part 2
A farce by ARTHUR W. PINERO with Nigel Stock. Jill Ben nett. Charles Gray , Maria Aitken. Anthony Daniels , Jonathan Cecil
The magistrate, circumspect and scrupulously just, has married a widow with a young son. But his wife has deceived him and the son leads him astray.
Directed by JOHN TYDEMAN (Nigel Stock is in 'Look After Lulu ' at the Hay-market Theatre, London)
9.58 Weather
An Alpine Christmas
Narrator Stephen Thorne With ELIZABETH PROUD, DAVID STRONG and PETER WICKHAM
In the high mountain villages of Southern Germany and the Austrian Tyrol the traditional songs and celebrations of Christmas reveal a simple and devout attitude to the story of the Nativity This documentary programme about them was a West German (ARD) entry for this year's Italia Prize. English translation MARGARET WIGHTMAN
Original production by KLAUS LINDEMANN of Sender Freies Berlin. English version ALAN HAYDOCK
The World's Desire
Words and music for the evening of Christmas Day chosen and presented by Michael Mayne with readings by Judi Dench
Weather report: forecast followed by an interlude
