From All Saints Parish Church, Rainford.
Lancashire.

In this week's programme Mark Tully considers all sorts of surprises.
Producer Beveriey McAinsh. Repeated at 11.30pm

A Life of Slime. Lionel Kelleway follows the trail of some of our least-loved but most fascinating creatures. Slugs and snails may chew their way through herbaceous borders, but when they are not doing that, they are stabbing each other with love darts, mating in midair and even smelling of garlic. Producer Brett Westwood

Roger Bolton with the religious and ethical news of the week, moral arguments and perspectives on stories familiar and unfamiliar.
Series producer Liz Leonard

Richard Baker speaks on behalf of a charity which cares for fishermen, their widows and their
Children. DONATIONS: Fishermen's Mission, [address removed]. CREDIT CARDS: [number removed] Repeated Thursday 3.28pm

Lord Runcie introduces the last of four services from around the globe celebrating the Christian hope for God's coming in today's world.
The Coming of Christ- as Light Out of Darkness
Canon Michael Bourdeaux , director emeritus of the Keston Institute which was set up to monitor religious liberty, visits the Cathedral of the Assumption in Smolensk. He shares in the ancient liturgical traditions of orthodoxy with Metropolitan Kyrill.

By Alistair Cooke. Repeated from Friday

Eddie Mair presents a fresh approach to news, with conversation about the big stories of the week and the weekend. Editor Kevin Marsh

The antidote to panel games closes the series with a special millennial broadcast from
Greenwich theatre. Andy Hamilton joins regulars Tim Brooke-Taylor , Barry Cryer and Graeme Garden. Humphrey Lyttelton is in the chair.
Musical accompaniment comes from Colin Sell. Repeated from Monday

Dominic Prince examines the mysteries of shooting and cooking unusual game. Producer Sheila Dillon. Repeated tomorrow 4pm

With James Cox

Jeremy Sams presents the last of four programmes charting the evolution of some of the greatest works of musical theatre.
Cabaret. A look at how Christopher Isherwood 's stories about thirties Berlin were transformed into a hit musical.
Producer David Prest. Executive producer Bruce Hyman

Nigel Colborn , Pippa Greenwood and Roy Lancaster answer questions posed by members of St Margaret's Society and St Margaret's and District Gardeners' Association, Dover. With chairman Eric Robson.
Producer Trevor Taylor. Repeated Wednesday 22 December 3pm

Monty Don visits the fabulous parterre at
Hampton Court - a monument to a unique style of gardening developed by William and Mary-and the grotto at Croome, part of the first complete landscape park, created by Lancelot
"Capability" Brown. As part of his detective work, Don asks why it is so important to recreate these recently rediscovered gardens. Producer Elaine walker

Laurie Lee 's childhood in the Gloucestershire countryside inspired one of the century's best-loved autobiographies. In the second instalment of Nick Darke 's two-part dramatisation, young
Loll experiences his first taste of the adult world. with Jennifer Compton , Paul Currier , Lisa Kay , Briony Fforde ,
Daniel Clifford. Jed Blacklock , David Goodland, Bill Wallis. Paul Dodgson , June Barrie , Chris Grimes. Megan Melish , Laura Beckett. Luke Glastonbury-Cole , Buster Reece , Alex Smith , Leanne French and villagers of Slad and Rod borough
Music Paul Burgess. Directors Viv Beeby and Jeremy Howe Repeated Christmas Day 9pm (R)

David Stenhouse reports on world Christmas book Shopping trends. Producer Lawrence Pollard

The last in the series in which Christopher Cook invites two leading contemporary poets who share some common ground to read their work and engage in conversation. Producer Lindsay Leonard

Mark Tully explores how eastern thought might help solve western problems. Repeated from Tuesday

Historian Niall Ferguson explores the details of the most critical days of the 20th century.
Producer Chris Marshall. Rptd Wednesday 22 December 8.45pm

Michael Rosen presents his selection from the past week on BBC radio. Producer Bob Carter PHONE: [number removed]. FAX: [number removed]
E-MAIL: potw@bbc.co.uk. WEB SITE: www.bbc.co.uk/radic4/potw

Shula is going to be on the radio! Repeated tomorrow 2pm Soap and flannel: page 33

Laurie Taylor and guests suggest ways to improve mind, body and soul.
Producer Chris Wilson. WRITE TO: Room for Improvement, BBC Broadcasting House, London, W1A1AA
E-MAIL: room.for.improvement@bbc.co.uk

Roger Bolton airs your views on BBC radio programmes and policy. Repeated from Friday

With Marcel Berlins. Repeated from Thursday

Professor Anthony Clare discusses the effects the ageing process has on the mind.
Producer Charlie Taylor. PHONE: [number removed] for information (R)

Rites of Refuge. Frances Cairncross asks if it is time to focus on the skills and potential that new arrivals can offer, ratherthan stemming the flow Of refugees into this country. Repeated from Thursday

Andrew Rawnsley with next week's political headlines and the results of the Christmas Quiz. Including 10.45 Sketches from the House. In the last of a history of the art of parliamentary sketch writing. Nick Utechin reveals how Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain were portrayed, and how sketch writers saw Winston Churchill at times Of crisis. Editor John Evans

Bonnie Greer and her guests philosopher Dr John Polkinghorne and comedian Arnold Brown discuss favourite paperbacks. Repeated from Tuesday

Repeated from 6.05am

Fraser Harrison remembers the era of the European
Sex goddesses. Repeated from yesterday 7.45pm

Joss Ackland reads A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan ThomaS. Abridged and produced by Jane Marshall (R)