Programme Index

Discover 11,128,835 listings and 279,708 playable programmes from the BBC

John Peel looks back over the year, and forward to an uncertain future of tall tales, haunted houses and evening classes.
Producer Jacqueline Smith. PHONE: [number removed] WEBSITE: www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hometruths
E-MAIL: home.truths@bbc.co.uk. Repeated New Year's Day 11pm

Contributors

Producer:
Jacqueline Smith.

Michael Palin 's Iron Curtain. 1: Trieste. "From Szczecin.... to Trieste ..., an iron curtain has descended across the Continent" -Winston Churchill , 1946. In the first of two special editions of the travel programme, Michael Palin explores Trieste and how it was forced to play as a bordertown between East and West, capitalism and communism - and he gets to drink some pretty good wine as well.
Producer Sarah Jane Hall. PHONE: [number removed] WEBSITE: www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/excessbaggage E-MAIL: excessbaggage@bbc.co.uk

Contributors

Unknown:
Michael Palin
Unknown:
Winston Churchill
Unknown:
Michael Palin
Producer:
Sarah Jane Hall.

Simon Hoggart looks back at highlights of the past 12 months of the programme. With Alan Coren , Andy Hamilton , Jeremy Hardy , Linda Smith , Francis Wheen. Repeated from yesterday6.30pm

Contributors

Unknown:
Simon Hoggart
Unknown:
Alan Coren
Unknown:
Andy Hamilton
Unknown:
Jeremy Hardy
Unknown:
Linda Smith
Unknown:
Francis Wheen.

Brian Hayes traces the 50-year history of the radio phone-in programme, using archives of its most electric, poignant and confrontational moments. Among the extracts are Britain's first phone-in programme, What Are They Up to Now? and the late Sir Robin Day trying fruitlessly to defend Margaret Thatcher from an insistent caller who would not let her get a word in. With contributions from some of the phone-in's most important early pioneers, producer Matthew Dodd (R)

Contributors

Unknown:
Brian Hayes
Unknown:
Margaret Thatcher
Producer:
Matthew Dodd

A touching comedy by Marcel Pagnol, France's greatest 20th-century comic writer.
Percy S. Smith is called 'the Flump', a nickname given by those in the film industry to a person who is obsessed with becoming a great tragic actor. The victim of a practical joke, Percy gets a walk-on part in a new film and suddenly finds himself an overnight star. However, he is feted as a comic, not as a tragedian.
Director Bruce Hyman

Contributors

Writer:
Marcel Pagnol
Director:
Bruce Hyman
Percy:
Johnny Vegas
Uncle Bernard:
Jimmy Tarbuck
Aunt Clarrisse:
Laura Shavln
Byshe:
Paul Kember
Meyerboom:
Michael Winner
Frances:
Charlotte Coleman
Andrew:
Mike Fenton Stevens
Charlie:
Andy Taylor

Jenni Murray presents the best bits of the year on Woman's Hour, including conversations with Kate Winslet , Patrick Duffy , Isabel Allende , Thora Hird , Jerry Hall , Terry Wogan and Julie Walters. Editor Ruth Gardiner. E-MAIL: womanshour@bbc.co.uk

Contributors

Unknown:
Jenni Murray
Unknown:
Kate Winslet
Unknown:
Patrick Duffy
Unknown:
Isabel Allende
Unknown:
Thora Hird
Unknown:
Jerry Hall
Unknown:
Terry Wogan
Unknown:
Julie Walters.
Editor:
Ruth Gardiner.

Andrew Collins surveys the highlights of gossip and revelation from a year of interviews with film stars, including Michael Caine , Uma Thurman ,
Robert Carlyle , Joan Plowright , Ewan MacGregor and Rachel Griffiths. Producer Nicki Paxman

Contributors

Unknown:
Andrew Collins
Unknown:
Michael Caine
Unknown:
Uma Thurman
Unknown:
Robert Carlyle
Unknown:
Joan Plowright
Unknown:
Ewan MacGregor
Unknown:
Rachel Griffiths.
Producer:
Nicki Paxman

Tom Sutcliffe and guests reflect on a year which has seen architectural triumphs and disasters, including Zadie Smith, Harry Potter, plenty of Pinter, and enough George Clooney films to guarantee DVD retailers a prosperous 2001. (Jerome Weatherald)

Contributors

Presenter:
Tom Sutcliffe

After 50 years of radio's longest-running soap,
Simon Hoggart revisits the Ambridge of the fifties to find out how this portrait of country life has moved with the times. Using contemporary news reports and music, he revisits old episodes and talks to series editors - past and present - to show how one of Radio 4's favourite programmes has always been very much more than just an everyday tale of country folk. Don't miss tomorrow's double-length episode at 7.00pm. Producer Lindsay Leonard
BBC Radio Collection: Three volumes of Vintage Archers cassettes are available from all good retail outlets and www.bbcshop.com.

Contributors

Unknown:
Simon Hoggart
Producer:
Lindsay Leonard

By Ronnie Smith.
1958. Fulham, south-west London. It has been over five years since Tommie was demobbed after national service. Now he has come back in search of some familiar faces.
A poignant comedy, interspersed with the music of over 40 years ago. (R)

Contributors

Writer:
Ronnie Smith
Director:
Enyd Williams
Older Tommie:
George Cole
Younger Tommie:
David Thorpe
Lil:
Becky Hlndley
Duckett:
John Hartley
Doreen:
Deborah Berlin
Mrs Letts:
Kate Williams
Hank/Slobbo:
Matt Podmore
Duckett:
John Hartley

Huw Edwards uncovers the real-life history behind the scenes of six favourite operas.
4: Don Carlos. Verdi's opera, set in Spain, tells the story of a Spanish king. But its heart and music are in 19th-century Italy and in a people's Struggle for national unity. Producer Martin Smith (R)

Contributors

Unknown:
Huw Edwards
Unknown:
Don Carlos.
Producer:
Martin Smith

Frank Delaney presents a selection of requests for the festive season, including Ghost Story by Dylan Thomas , Benjamin Zephaniah 's Talking
Turkeys and Walter de la Mare 's Mistletoe. Readers Timothy West , Stephanie Cole and Haydn Gwynne. Repeated from Christmas Eve 4.30pm

Contributors

Unknown:
Frank Delaney
Story By:
Dylan Thomas
Story By:
Benjamin Zephaniah
Story By:
Walter de la Mare
Readers:
Timothy West
Readers:
Stephanie Cole
Readers:
Haydn Gwynne.

BBC Radio 4 FM

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About this data

This data is drawn from the Radio Times magazine between 1923 and 2009. It shows what was scheduled to be broadcast, meaning it was subject to change and may not be accurate. More