Join Charles Colvile as Radio 4 prepares for the day ahead.
6.50 A Christmas Message THE REV
CANON COLIN SEMPER. Head of Religious Programmes, BBC Radio.
6.55 Weather; programme news
presents an anthology of words and music for Christmas morning. Producer RAY ABBOTT gramophone records
7.50 A Christmas Message
7.55 Weather: programme news
Part 2
8.55 Weather: programme news
The Queen speaks to the Commonwealth.
Parish
Eucharist for the Feast of the Nativity from
St Finnian's Church. Cregagh
Belfast
Celebrant and Preacher THE REV NOEL BATTYE assisted by THE REV STUART LLOYD Music directed by SAMUEL LOWN and WILFRED PYPER
Readings: 1 John 4, vt 7-14; John 1, vv 1-14
Hymns (ICH): 0 come all ye faithful (64); Gloria in excelsis (Oakhill); Of the Father's love begotten (67); It came upon a midnight clear (63); In the bleak midwinter (62); While shepherds watched their flocks (68); Hark! the herald angels sing (61) Anthem: Jesu, lamb of God incarnate (Mozart) BBC Northern Ireland
Introduced by Wynford Vaughan-Thomas LES LOWES samples a traditional Christmas breakfast on a croft in the heart of Shetland
While MARTIN MUNCASTER has joined the celebrations in a village in Sussex. LYNN TEN KATE watches a medieval mummers' play, performed by a group In the village of Crookham in Hampshire and GERRY MONTÉ tries another old custom - pike fishing in Wales. KEITH ALLAN investigates the myth behind mistletoe, MOLLIE: HARRIS takes a winter walk and ERIC SIMMS visits the Wildfowl Trust Collection at Peakirk in Cambridgeshire. Producer
CAROLINE ELLIOT
Helene Hanff
with Tim Brooke-Taylor Willie Rushton Barry Cryer and Graeme Garden Chairman
Humphrey Lyttelton Pianist COLIN SELL Producer
GEOFFREY PERKINS
12.55 Weather; programme news
Michael Hordern presents his choice of poetry and prose with Freda Dowie
Producer BRIAN PATTEN BBC Bristol
1.55 Shipping forecast long wave only
Presenter David McNeill What will you remember most clearly about 1981 - the Royal Wedding, the death of President Sadat, the riots in Britain's cities, or England retaining the Ashes"
A Radio News production by JOHN ALLEN
Enquiry by DICK FRANCIS dramatised bv
BARRY CAMPBELL. with Tony Osoba , Robert Lang Jack May. Selina Cadell When Kelly Hughes loses his licence as a jockey he loses more than just his job. But he's determined to fight back.
Technical presentation
DAVID GREENWOOD , assisted by DAVID HITCHINSON and DIANA BARKHAM
Special effects recorded at Hereford Racecourse and Lethornes, Berkshire Directed by JANE MORGAN
Peter France explores the Yuletide journals of latter-day naturalists.
Producer JOHN HARRISON , BBC Bristol
The life story of an Arctic tern by Paul Thomas
Narrated by Andrew Sachs
Arctic terns migrate from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back each year, a round trip of
25,000 miles. Zoologists Robin Baker, Euan Dunn and Chris Mead follow the fortunes of one individual.
BBC Bristol
5.50 Shipping forecast long wave only
5.55 Weather; programme news
RICHARD BAKER makes the annual appeal for the British Wireless for the Blind Fund. A radio for a blind person costs about £30 and up to
10,000 sets are needed each year.
Donations, preferably by crossed cheque or PO. to: Richard Baker , British Wireless for the Blind Fund, [address removed]
Magnus Magnusson Judith Chalmers Julian Pettifer and Kenneth Clarke , hp are kept on the edge of their seats by Joan Bakewell
Producer GEOFF DOBSON (From the British
Airways Trident Club)
6.40 Holiday programme news
with Margaret Howard
Producer JEREMY BIRCHALL
bv J. B. PRIESTLEY
1908: Three respectable, self-important couples get together to celebrate their Silver Wedding...
Directed by ALFRED BRADLEY
BBC Manchester
Letter from America by Alistair Cooke
US budget deficit
14 minutes
on BBC Radio 4 FMAvailable for over a year
President Reagan faces unpleasant forecast of further deficits over his plans for the economy. Show more
bv Alistair Cooke
(Repeated: Sun 9.15 am)
A celebration of Christy Brown, the Irish writer who died this autumn. Severely crippled from birth, with the use only of his left foot, he became a best-selling author and poet. His family and friends talk to Libby Purves.
From the early pirate radio days to his return to network radio, Kenny Everett 's talent for making radio programmes elevated the role of disc-jockey to that of an innovator, as the gaps between the records blossomed with Kenny's zany humour. He talks to his colleague, Paul Gambaccini.
(Repeated on Boxing Day at 5.25 pm)
Today David Jason gives up his job at Selfridge's grotto to bring you his own views on the season, starring David Jason Sheila Steafel and Jon Glover
Music by MATTHEW SCOTT Lyrics by ALISTAIR BEATON Written by ANDY HAMILTON LAURIE ROWLEY , GUY JENKIN TONY SARCHET , JON CANTER Producer JIMMY MULVILLE
A portrait of Sir Edward Elgar, played by Nigel Stock and compiled by Michael Kennedy from the composer's words and music.
(Rpt)
An evening meditation led by David Middletoa BBC Birmingham
Weather report; forecast followed by an interlude
