With the Rev Dr Karen Smith.
With Anna Hill and Miriam O'Reilly.
With Mark Coles and Sarah Montague.
6.25,7.25 and 8.25 Sports News
7.48 Thought for the Day With Huw Spanner.
Andrew Marr and guests set the cultural agenda for the week. Producer Alice Feinstein Shortened repeat at 9.30pm
Presented by Jenni Murray.
10.45 The Old Curiosity Shop Part 16 of the Woman's Hourdrama. Drama repeated at 7.45pm
Professor Jeffrey Richards visits Lancaster Castle, where the public have been excluded for the last nine centuries: a place where Catholics were tortured, witches imprisoned and more people sentenced to death than at any other court outside London. But these walls still contain a working prison and court, in which defendants stand in a dock containing a branding iron. How does the brutal past colour the present workings of the prison and court, and what does the future hold if the public are ever allowed inside?
A series of six two-handers written by Lynne Truss , which humorously explore the premise that not only are there two sides to every story, but there are differing sides to every personality. Each week we revisit a character from the previous episode to discover more about them.
2: The Ex. With the arrival of an unexpected parcel and the discovery of some old letters in an attic, Brigid and Michael take two very different trips down the same memory lane. Starring Phyllis Logan and Michael Maloney.
Music by Rex Brough Producer Dawn Ellis
With Liz Barclay and Winifred Robinson.
With James Cox.
The North of England plays Scotland in the latest round of radio's most challenging quiz. Nick Clarke is in the Chair. Producer PaulBajoria Repeated on Saturday
Repeated from yesterday at 7pm
By Hattie Naylor. The first of two plays about the single-child policy in China. 1: Little Cinderellas
The story follows the adoption of a Chinese baby girl by an English mother through the hurdles of English and Chinese bureaucracy and red tape to the emotional and joyful moment when they are united.
Music by Christiaan Charles Virant Director Janet Whitaker
Vincent Duggleby and guests are on hand to answer your personal finance questions. Lines are open from 1.30pm. Phone [number removed]. Producer Jessica Dunbar
by Vale Nordmann
Five new short stories from Scotland.
A reluctant psychic recalls her unusual childhood when "we had everyone from Sir Walter Scott to Eddie Cochran in our living room. One day Eddie stopped coming. That was that. Ditched by a spook." The reader is Rose McBain.
Bill Paterson narrates a five-part series following the epic journey of a male grey seal around the coast of Britain. The dramatic story of its journey is set against a backdrop of sounds recorded on location. 1: At nine years old, Selkie has reached maturity and leaves the shores of Great Blasket, off the tip of southern Ireland, on the first leg of a hazardous journey that will take over a year to complete and will require every ounce of his stamina and resourcefulness. Written by Paul Dodgson. Producer Sarah Blunt
Extended repeat of yesterday 12.30pm
Ernie Rea begins a new series of conversations with guests about the place of faith in today's world.
With Clare English and Carolyn Quinn.
Chairman Nicholas Parsons hosts this week's show from London and is joined by Clement Freud , Paul Merton, Graham Norton and Liza Tarbuck. Producer Claire Jones Repeated Sunday 12.04pm
BBC RADIO COLLECTION: A selection from this series is available on five volumes of audio cassette at good retail outlets or www.bbcshop.com Call [number removed]
Julia is Sticking to her guns. Repeated tomorrow at 2pm
Francine Stock reviews the latest arts and entertainment releases.
By Charles Dickens. Dramatised in 25 episodes by Mike Walker.
Mrs Nubbins and the mysterious gentleman try to find Nell and her grandfather.
Music by Melanie Pappenheim and Anne Wood
Director Mary Peate
Repeat of 10.45am
BBC RADIO COLLECTION: The Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of The Old Curiosity Shop is available on audio cassette from 6 January 2003 at good retail outlets or [web address removed] Call [number removed]
In early 1942 the Japanese invaded Burma, forcing 50,000 refugees to embark on a 1,000-mile trek to India, mostly on foot. Overcome by the effects of disease and monsoon, more than half of them died. But Stephen Brookes, Evan Edwardes and Yolande Rodda, three children who had been at kindergarten together, managed to survive and, now in their 70s, they recall their harrowing experience.
Ian Hislop begins the first of four forays into the confused history of the patron saints of Britain and Ireland.
The British Isles is a vital winter refuge for millions of wild birds, including flocks of geese and waders. But how far are we meeting our international responsibility for these birds? Mark Carwardine assesses the health of our wintering birds' populations and discovers that coastal mud just isn't what it used to be.
Repeated from 9am
With Claire Bolderson.
By Daniel Mason. Michael Maloney reads the story of a 19th-century piano tuner. 1: One day in 1886, Edgar Drake receives a letter from the War Office which launches him on a journey to tune a rare grand piano which has been shipped to the Burmese. Abridged by Roger Pine. Producer Sara Davies
Shortened repeat of Saturday at 9am
Part 1. Repeated from 9.45am
