The news and the issues of the week in rural Britain.
With Rabbi YY Rubinstein.
With John Humphrys and James Naughtie.
7.25, 8.25 Sports News
7.45 Thought for the Day With Leslie Griffiths.
8.40 Yesterday in Parliament
Melvyn Bragg and guests engage in lively conversation.
Producer Olivia Seligman
The programme travels through five consecutive decades this week. Today, Christmas 1937, which coincided with a key phase of the Spanish Civil War. Unemployment is widespread in Europe and America. And the outlook for the new year is bleak as air-raid shelters are tested in Essex.
Series editor Lindsay Leonard
Introduced by Jenni Murray.
Short story: Frances Tomelty reads Euston by Maeve Binchy, from The
Woman's 's Hour Christmas Collection. E-MAIL: womanshour@bbc.co.uk
Vincent Duggleby takes calls on an issue affecting personal finance. Producer Frances Macdonald LINES OPEN from 10am
Presented by Mark Whittaker.
Lionel Kelleway presents the final of the natural history quiz from the home of the British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water.
Producer Grant Sonnex
Repeated Christmas Eve 6.30pm
With Alex Brodie.
Repeated from Friday
The last of three new episodes of Stephen Mulrine's drama series.
An attempted suicide succeeds belatedly and sets a difficult puzzle for DC Curran and Dr Wallace.
with Meg Fraser, Frank Gallagher, Alec Heggie, Grace Glover, Liam Brennan, Martyn James, Jan Moffatt, Robin Thomson, Louise Beattie and Jane Hensey. Director Hamish Wilson
With Laurie Taylor.
PHONE: (0171) [number removed]
E-MAIL: Afternoon.Shift@bbc.co.uk
Lynne Walker sees a new touring production of West Side Story, currently in Birmingham, and Manchester
Royal Exchange's new presentation of Noël Coward's Present Laughter. Producer Chris Eldon Lee
Revised repeat at 9.30pm
By Oscar Wilde , read by John Moffatt. With her exquisite song, a little bird gives up her own heart's blood in the hope that a young man will find true love.
With Clare English and Chris Lowe.
In the first of two programmes, Simon Hoggart digs out the best extracts from the first half of the News Quiz year. Repeated from Saturday 20 December at 12.25pm
There is plenty of room at the inn. Repeated tomorrow 1.40pm
Derek Cooper meets the workers who make Christmas delicious.
Janus Korczak 's cautionary children's novel, dramatised for radio by Martin Jameson , tells the story of a child-king who finds that distributing free chocolate to children does not solve the problems for which other monarchs are willing to go to war. with Malcolm Hebden. Geoffrey Banks,
Robert Whelan , David Fleeshman , Terence Mann. Matthew Dunster , Jane Hollowood , Maxine Burth , Jonathan Kitchens ,
Alan Halsall , Stephen Hoyle , Jonathon Wright , Tom Pinnock , Tara Pendergast ,
Tiffany Chapman , Kelly Greenwood and Vicky Binns Music by Pam and Nigel Jay Director Jeremy Mortimer
Each of four writers explores a sensual experience. Second-Hand Pleasures by Jeanette Winterson. The last programme of the series. Producer Beaty Rubens Repeat
Revised repeat from 4.05pm
With Robin Lustig.
By Raymond Chandler , abridged in ten parts by Robert Dodds , read by Angus Macinnes. Private eye
Philip Marlowe is hired to tail a mysterious femme fatale. Part 1.
Producer Bruce Young Repeat
By Patricia Hannah. Great thinkers meet their maker as Primrose Path completes her practical training in the Central Institute under the auspices of her exacting tutor, Dr Reaper. with James Bryce and Sandy Neilson
Music Geoff Proudley. Producer Louise Dalziel
Written and read in five parts by Tom Bodett. Stories of the Alaskan
Christmas spirit. 1: Emmitt's Arrival A new town manager from Chicago appears in his city suit and shoes - just as the snow comes. Producer Ned Chaillet
