long wave only
with Charles Colvile
6.50 Nativity Reading
A Christmas message from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie
6.55 Weather; programme news
7.0 News, preceded by Christians awake
Isla St Clair unwraps some of the Christmas programmes in prospect for the radio audience over the next two days. Producer JOCK GALLAGHER
7.50 Nativity Reading
7.55 Weather; programme news
8.0 News, preceded by Christians awake
presents a personal selection of words and music for Christmas morning.
8.55 Weather: programme news
9.0 News, preceded by "O come, all ye Faithful"
A seasonal greeting from bell towers across the UK: St Wulfram, Grantham,
Lines; St Mary's, Wood-bridge, Suffolk; St Mary's, Thakeham, Sussex; St Nicholas, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim; St Illtytl, Llantwit Major. South Glam; St James's, Paisley, Strathclyde; St Mary's, Cheltenham, Glos; All Saints, St Paul 's Walden, Herts. Introduced by Robert Hudson
Producer JOHN HASLAM
The Queen speaks to the Commonwealth
from the Cathedral
Church of St Peter and St
Wilfred. Ripon in Yorkshire.
The service follows Rite B in the Alternative Services Book. Celebrant THE VEN JOHN P. BURBRIDGE , Archdeacon of Richmond Preacher THE VERY REV F. EDWIN LE GRICE. Dean of Ripon. The service is sung to Perrin Riponiensis
Readings: Isaiah 9. vv 2-7 (RSV); I John 4. vv 7-14 (JB); Luke 2. vv 1-20 (rsv) Hvmns: Christians, awake (Yorkshire); God rest you merry, gentlemen: Hark! The herald angels (Mendelssohn); 0 come. all ye faithful (Adeste Fideles)
Anthems: On this day earth shall ring (Stewart); Nativity carol (Rutter)
Organist and Master of the Choristers RONALD PERRIN
Assistant organist MARCUS HUXLEY. BBC Manchester
Introduced by Wynford Vaughan Thomas (Details on Boxing Day at
11.5 pm)
An extended version of the popular quiz game.
(Details on Boxing Day at
6.5 pm)
The Final
12.55 Weather; programme news
During the year, Roy Plomley has dispatched a fascinating selection of people to his desert island. He now recalls what just a few of them had to say, including Otto Preminger, Commissioner Catherine Bramwell Booth, Lord Denning, Gregory Peck, Lord Snowdon, Earl Hines and Kiri Te Kanawa.
1.55 Shipping forecast (long wave only)
Michael Billington presents a tribute to Alfred Hitchcock. who died in August this year, with the help of John Russell Tay lor, Lindsay Anderson , Ingrid Bergman , Anna Massey. Anthony Shaffer , Barry Foster and Margaret Lockwood
Producer JOHN BOUNDY
(First broadcast in Kaleidoscope)
A radio version of the Ealing Studios film, based on the novel Israel Rank by ROY HORNIMAN. adapted by GILBERT TRAVERS THOMAS from the screenplay by ROBERT HAMER and JOHN DIGHTON with Robert Powell as Louis Mazzini and members of the d'Ascoyne family
Elizabeth Bell as Sibella Fiona Walker as Edith Timothy Bateson as the Hangman and PATRICK BARR , DIANA BISHOP, JOHN CHURCH, SONIA FRASER , ALEXANDER JOHN , GODFREY KENTON , JENNY LEE , JOHN LIVESEY , DAVID MCALISTER , JOHN MCANDREW , SIÔN PROBERT , MARTYN READ . JOHN RYE , JOHN WEBB , HAYDN WOOD . Music composed and played by TERENCE ALLBRIGHT
Directed by IAN COTTERELL
Last Christmas, Percy Edwards and Johnny Morris forcibly introduced Kenneth Williams to the 'wonders of country life' during a walk in the Savernake Forest. This year, it's off with the wellies and on with the brogues as Kenneth retaliates by escorting the two countrymen through the streets of his London! Producer Michael Ford
BBC Birmingham
A special Christmas Day broadcast from the BBC Sound Archives of one of the classics of Children's Hour, written by S.G. HULME-BEAMAN
Golf - Toytown Rules
Producer CLAIRE CHOVIL
(First broadcast in 1962)
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 £30 and up to 10,000 sets are needed annually. Donations to: Richard Baker , British Wireless for the Blind Fund, [address removed] (no postage necessary)
John Ebdon invites you to share his enjoyment in recalling the words, music and people that have tickled his sense of humour.
Producer BRIAN COOK
6040 Holiday programme news
Jenni Murray hears how European families celebrate Christmas and the traditions that make their festivities different from ours.
Producer SARAH PITT BBC Bristol
A political extravaganza in two acts and an interlude by BERNARD SHAW
A typically Shavian look at the future - to a time when all people now living are dead. Written in 1928, many of Shaw's prophecies have and are becoming alarmingly true. Directed by IAN COTTERELL
(Prunella Scales is in ' Make and Break ' at the Haymarket Theatre, London)
Donald Swann and Frank Topping present a special - Christmas edition of their recent West End show, Swann with Topping.
This programme, recorded before an invited audience at the Paris Studio, includes some fresh material, as well as their familiar songs and dialogue. Producer CHRIS rees
9.58 Weather
In the early hours of Christmas Day 1950, four young Scots broke into Westminster Abbey and took the Coronation Stone. It was an act that outraged many but delighted others.
Thirty years on, Finlay J. Macdonald talks to some of those who planned and executed this audacious deed and assesses whether the taking of the stone was a major political success or a futile gesture.
Producer LESLIE ROBINSON
with adapted from Thurber writings by LESLIE GLAZER with Sheila Steafel
Peter Marinker and Peter Whitman
Producer JOHN BROWELL (Repeated: Sat 4.30 pm)
A Christmas celebration in words and music, selected by Trevor Royle
Readers ROBERT TROTTER and FINLAY WELSH
Producer PATRICK RAYNER
(First broadcast on Radio Scotland)
Late on Christmas night H. Colin Davis reflects on the mystery of the birth of Christ.
Reader HUBERT HOSKINS
Producer SARAH WIDDOWS
Weather report; forecast followed by an interlude
