News, weather, papers and sport
Farming, food and countryside news. market trends and weather.
with John Timpson and Brian Redhead
6.30, 7.30, 8.30 News Summary
6.45* Prayer for the Day
7.0, 8.0 Today's News
Read by Clive Roslin
7.20* Your Letters
7.25*, 8.26* Sport
7.45* Thought for the Day
8.35* Yesterday in Parliament
Why is there such a growth of interest in tracing our ancestral roots? What is the statistical probability of blue blood in your pedigree? Can you make investigations abroad? Ann Chiswell, General Secretary of the Federation of Family History Societies and Colin Chapman. lecturer in genealogy and heraldry, give their expert advice on your quest into your family's past.
Judith Chalmers is in the Chair.
Produced by the Woman's Hour Unit
Lines open from 8.0 am
BBC correspondenta throughout the world talk about the countries they work in - the politics and the people.
by Bernadette Quinn
Read by Frances Quinn
"The old man took the ointment put it into the pocket of his jacket and buttoned his overcoat. He made no attempt at conversation. Before he heaved himself away from the counter, he looked at Maeve from under spiky, grey eyebrows. 'You're new here,' he seemed to say."
BBC Northern Ireland
Advent Calendar:
The Expected Day of the Lord NEM, p 9; 0 come. 0 come.
Immanuel (BBC Ha 36); Psalm 94; Isaiah 55. w 1-13; A great and mighty wonder (BBC Ha 41)
Adapted for radio by Arnold Hinchliffe from Anton Chekhov's short story "Romance with a Double-Bass"
with James Bryce as Ivan Sergeivich Smichkov, Moir Leslie as the Princess and Geoffrey Collins as the Narrator
The terrible story began when a certain Smichkov, who played the double-bass, was walking beside a lake carrying his instrument. It was very. very hot .. and who could blame Smichkov for removing his clothes and taking a swim? Seeing the beautiful Princess asleep was a bonus. Finding his clothes had been stolen was not.
'Why do owls fly by night?' 'Do foxes protect crops by eating pests?'
'Why do moths eat clothes?" Questions put by an audience to the team in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Field Studies Council Presented by DEREKJONES Producer john HARRISON BBC Bristol
Paul Helney with more news andadviceforconsumers.If you have any comments on today's items, ring [number removed]after 11.0 am
A panel game devised by Tony Shryane and Edward J. Mason
Dilys Powell and Frank Muir challenge Antonia Fraser and Denis Norden
In the Chair Michael O'Donnell
(Repeated: Thurs 6.30 pm)
Feature: page 4
Presenter Sir Robin Day
Introduced by Sue MacGregor including Supermarkets; how super? JENNY CUFFE looks at supermarkets and finds out who decides what goes where and why.
The Ladies of Lyndon (15)
by Howard Wakeling
with Annette Badland as Brenda
Brenda is bored, overweight and 21. On impulse she decides that the only answer is to take up a career as a female wrestler. The family reaction is predictable and unfortunately, her boyfriend, Kevin, can't stand violence of any kind.
Off the Record....
RogerWoraleywithhisown early hit list of music-hall recording pioneers and eccentricities.
Producer KATE FENTON
The Comedy of Errors
'The play's wonderful-it's like a game of consequences, you turn one card and it means you've got to turn another-it's inevitable-
Roger Rees , who starred in Trevor Nunn 's highly popular musical version of the play in 1977, gives a personal view of one of Shakespeare's earliest plays-
Research JENNY BARDWELL
Producer DANIEL SNOWMAN
('The Comedy of Errors' is on Christmas Eve at 5.0 pm on BBC2)
The Shepherd (2)
Presenters Robert Williams and Valerie Singleton
with BRYAN MARTIN including Financial Report
Crackers for all as the Radio Active festive season of one show plunges into the myth behind the Nativity, a super under-12 carol competition for all the family, and Nigel Pry cheering up the chronics at the local hospital.
Happy Xmas from Helen Atkinson Wood (Anna Daptor) Angus Deayton (Mike Channel) Geoffrey Perkins (Mike Flex) Michael Fenton-Stevens (Mike Stand) and Philip Pope (Nigel Pry)
Written by Angus Deayton and Geoffrey Perkins with additional material by Jon Canter, Moray Hunter and John Docherty
(Repeated: Thurs 12.27 pm)
(Repeated; Wed 1.40 pm)
It was port of Archie Mclndoe 's dream that one day anyone would be able to have akingrafts from another without fear of their being rejected.
Enormous strides in reconstructive surgery have been made since Sir Archibald treatment for airmen injured in the Second World War.
Geoff Watts visits the Blond Mclndoe Centre for Medical Research which, since it opened in 1960, has acquired aninternationalreputationfor work in transplantation biology, tissue typing, burns treatment and corneal grafting. Producer ALISON RICHARDS
When Hunter Davies challenged Bookshelf listeners to produce a contemporary ghost story, hundreds of spine-chilling tales of the supernaturalpouredin.A selection of some of the best is read in the second of two programmes.
Producer KATE PENTON
A portrait of Kathleen Ferrier , one of the best-loved singers of the century.
In the early summer of her gloriouscoursesheleftus.She left us for ever in her debt, for ever grateful for her example of nobility and humility, for her shining beauty and grace. for her goodness and her truth.
(GERALD MOORE)
This portrait of Kathleen Ferrier ,whodied30yearsago, on 8 October 1953, is presented by Peter Orr who has talked to some of the people who knewandlovedherincluding her sister WINFRED FERRIER and LADYBARBlROLLI. ERIC CROZIER ,
NANCY EVANS. GERALD MOORE and SIR PETER PEARS and her many friends in Silloth in Cumbria where her career began. Producer ALAN HAYDOCK (Extended repeat)
News, views and information for people with a visual handicap. Presenter Peter White
Producer THENA HESHEL
Listeners can phone in queries and comments relating to the programme on [number removed],
8.30-10.0 pm Handbooks of aidsandPublications,POBox 234. London SEI 3TH
Michael Oliver presents tonight's edition, including interviews, news and reviews of films. books, plays, broadcasting, music and exhibitions.
Producer DANIEL DODO
with Alexander MacLeod andvoicesandopinionsfron aroundtheworld
The last of six entertainments to help you beat the weather as David Barlow ,
Peter Christie , Miles Kington and Alan Maryon-Davls make the attempt to be reasonably together with their special guests:WASO
Producer DANNY GREENSTONE
Ask Mamma 12: The Hunt Dinner long wave only
Radio 4's international business report; market trend* long wave only
