With the Very Rev John Miller.
With Sue MacGregor and James Naughtie
6.25, 7.25, 8.25 Sports News
6.45 Yesterday in Parliament
7.48 Thought for the Day With the Rev DrColin Morris
Conversation with Libby Purves and guests. Producer Alison Hughes. Shortened repeat at 9.30pm
Jenni Murray hosts lively and topical discussions from a woman's point of view. Drama: Be Not Afraid by John Fletcher. Part 3. Drama repeated at 7.45pm
Carole Boyd explores the tradition of writing letters to Father Christmas. She traces its origin and continuing popularity, with examples from the beautifully penned letters of great writers such as Dickens and Tolkien to some of the most original children's letters.
Producer Adele Armstrong. Editor Maria Balinska
3: Pancakes. There is nothing Colonel Dedshott loves betterthan pancakes, hejust can't get enough of them - but no-one can make enough pancakes to satisfy him. No-one, that is, until the Professor invents a pancake-making machine. As usual, things end up in a bit of a mess. Fordetails see Monday
With Liz Barclay and Winifred Robinson.
With Nick Clarke.
Another round of the panel game that reveals the lighter side of life around the despatch box. Joining Steve Richards , Roy Hattersley and Sir Patrick Cormack this week are Lord Kenneth Baker and Elinor Goodman. Written and researched by Hugh Rycroft and David Spicer. Producer Simon Nicholls
Repeated from yesterday 7pm
By Steve May.
Justin is 17, and although it's Christmas Eve, it just doesn't feel like the festive season. In trouble with his Mum and his girlfriend, Justin takes comfort from his favourite existential philosopher: "All human celebration is but a false dressing up of the meaningless and mechanical." But with a dusting of snow and a blaze of light, Justin is about to discover that the magic of Christmas really does exist.
John Cushnie , Bob Rowerdew and Nigel Colborn are guests of Askham Bryan College, near York. Plus the definitive guide to planting trees. The chairman is Eric Robson.
Ned Sherrin 's alphabet of theatrical anecdotes. A collection of showbusiness legends, stories and gossip. 3: F-l.
With Jane Horrocks. 3: Fine Feathers. Some chickens are just too good to eat. If you've got silkie-bearded buff pullets, you want to crow about them. This programme visits the Poultry Club's National Championship Show to consider the hen-as-fashion-statement.
For details see Monday
Laurie Taylortalks to writer, management guru and broadcaster Charles Handy about his new book The Elephant and the Flea in which he explores the "future of everything".
Producer Marya Burgess. E-MAIL: thinking.allowed@bbc.co.uk
The state of your bowels can tell you a lot about your general health - but most people shy away from talking about it. Dr Graham Easton asks the experts what's normal, and how much evidence there is that a high-fibre diet really does protect you against cancer. Repeated from yesterday at 9pm
With Clare English and Eddie Mair.
Another chance to hear Sean Lock's comic crawl along the urban underbelly.
Sean, his flatmate Errol and their friend Billy Two Nans are tangled in a conundrum of desperate dimensions.
Starring Sean Lock, Dan Mersh, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Paul Putner and Rob Rouse.
Written by Sean Lock. Additional material by Robert Fraser-Steele.
(R)
A Close call at the races. Repeated tomorrow 2pm
Francine Stock with arts news, interviews and the verdict on the long-awaited new film of The Lord of the Rings. Producer Lawrence Pollard
The story behind Handel's composition of the oratorio Messiah. Dramatised by John Fletcher. 3: 1 Know That My Redeemer Liveth
For details see Monday. Repeated from 10.45am
In the last programme of the current series, Michael Buerk chairs a live debate in front of an invited audience in which Claire Fox , Ian Hargreaves ,
Steven Rose and Roger Scruton cross-examine "witnesses" with passionate views on one of the week's moral dilemmas.
Producer David Coomes.
The last programme in the series of drama-documentaries that explore the metaphors of illness.
A drama written by Nicholas McInerny with documentary from Professor Griffith Edwards, Dr Ed Day and Dr Martin Dronfield. At a conference, a man is about to give the pitch of his life.
Producers Rosie Boulton and Sara Conkey
Shortened repeat from 9am
With Robin Lustig.
By Jerome K Jerome. Part 3. For details see Monday
In the last episode of this series, the well-intentioned drama company continues its attack on all forms of injustice. Tonight, homophobia.
Listeners are warned that this evening's play may be poorly researched and rubbish. With Dave Lamb , Jim North , Nick Walker and Richie Webb. Producer Gareth Edwards (R)
A report of the day's proceedings, depending on whether or not Parliament is in recess.
Repeated from 9.45am
