With Professor Gordon Graham.
14/16. For details see repeat at 7.45pm
Exploring rural life in the UK.
Producer Gabi Fisher Extended rpt on Thursday 22 December at 1.30pm
Presented by Miriam O'Reilly. producer Chris Impey
With John Humphrys and James Naughtie.
7.25 and 8.25 Sports News With Garry Richardson. 748 Thought for the Day With the Rev Roy Jenkins.
David Stafford takes a wry look at the foibles of family life. Producer Jacqueline Smith Shortened PHONE: [number removed] (calls from land lines cost no more than 8p per minute) email: home.truths@bbc.co.uk
Sandi Toksvig 's guests are the director of the Royal
Geographical Society, Rita Gardner ; travel writer
Redmond O'Hanlon ; and geographer Nick Middleton. From the Royal Geographical Society in London, producer Harry Parker
2/2. Michael Portillo goes in search of nature's despots and meets the animals who make it to the top. The disproportionate use of power seems to be the currency in the animal world, but is there any leadership? Portillo goes to the Kalahari Desert to find some surprising natural despots. Producer Julian Hector
'0/10. Steve Richards of The Independent discusses the Week's political events. Producer Marie Jessel
A lively collection of dispatches from the BBC's foreign correspondents, who report on stories from their regions. Presented by Kate Adie. producer Tony Grant
RT DIRECT: From Our Own Correspondent, edited by Tony Grant , is available for E15.99 (RRP £16.99) including p&p or call [number removed]6042 (calls from land lines cost no more than 8p per minute)
Impartial money advice and the latest news from the world of personal finance, with Chris A'Court. Producer Jessica Lauqharne Repeated tomorrow at 9pm
8/8. Alan Coren and guest panellists wade through the week's news in the topical comedy panel game. Simon Hoggart presides. Repeated from yesterday
15/16. Jonathan Dimbleby chairs the discussion as an audience in Carlton in Lindrick, Nottinghamshire, puts questions to a panel that includes the playwright and Satirist Alistair Beaton. Repeated from yesterday
Listeners' calls and emails, taken by Jonathan Dimbleby , in response to Any Questions, Producer Peter Griffiths
PHONE: [number removed] (calls from land lines cost no more than 8p per minute) Lines open from 12.30pm: email: any.answers@bbc.co.uk
Harry Secombe 's fictionalised account of a young man s first week as a professional comic in a run-down variety theatre in Yorkshire in 1946. For young servicemen who had spent six years fighting fascism, postwar Britain was a drab, oppressive place. For a young and untried army comic, keen on the Marx Brothers, SJ Perelman and Jimmy Cagney , a Yorkshire variety theatre in February is a vision of hell itself. Secombe's son, David, dramatises his father's hrillipnrlv f nnnv novel.
Music by Colin Sell , Paul Girbow , Raymond Swinfield and Henry Lowther ; Producer Claire Grove ; Director Steven Canny
1/3. Frances Fyfield goes to the Bodleian Library in Oxford to examine the manuscript of Mendelssohn's Overture:
The Hebrides (Fingal's Cave) for clues of how the 20-year-old composer came to dream it up on a boat to the Isle of -Mull. With conductor Mark Elder. Repeated from Tuesday
The best of the week on Woman's Hour, presented by Martha Kearney. Producer Justine Willett ; Editor Jill Burridge EMAIL: womanshour<5bbc.co.uk
BBC AUDIO: The recently released Woman's Hour: a Celebration of Mothers, featuring excerpts from the programme, is available on audio cassette and CD from www.bbcshop.com and from all good retail outlets, or by calling [number removed]
News and analysis, including sport headlines, presented by Carolyn Quinn. Editor Peter Rippon
Francine Stock previews Proof, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and directed by John Madden , director of Shakespeare in Love. Producer Sally Spurring
An eclectic mix of music, comedy and conversation with Ned Sherrin and his guests.
Producers Simon Clancy and Cathie Mahoney
Tom Sutcliffe and his guests review the cultural highlights Of the week. Producer NickiPaxman
14/16. This week American journalist Tim Eganfrom
Seattle talks about the latest cultural, social and political developments from his part of the world. Producer Arlene Gregorius
Repeated from 5.45am Repeated tomorrow at 5.40
A memorial in sound to commemorate the first anniversary of the tragedy that befell South East Asia last Boxing Day. Radio 4 asked people to contribute their stories. This programme weaves together these first-hand experiences and memories with the sounds that evoke the region to create a historic audio tribute to the region and the people affected by the disaster. Many British tourists were on holiday when the tsunami struck: their harrowing but also life-affirming stories are gathered here. Alongside them are the moving tales of the people who live in this region.
4/4. The building of the new media complex at the University of Staunton brings political and private matters to a head for Bill and Joann. Meanwhile, although Adam has become an established literary figure by the 1970s, he is still capable of being surprised by his old friends, and by his own insecurities. Adapted from his own novel by Frederic Raphael.
Producer/Director Pete Atkin Repeated from Sunday
11/11. Michael Buerk chairs a debate in which Melanie Phillips , Professor Steven Rose , Claire Fox and Ian Hargreaves cross-examine expert witnesses on the moral issues behind the week's news. Repeated from Wednesday
2/13. Six teams of quiz enthusiasts from around Britain compete for the title of quiz team of the year. Peter Snow is in the Chair. Repeated from Monday
4/6. Donal Og. The Irish song, translated by Lady Augusta Gregory of Coole Park, is a ballad that speaks of love and loss. With poets and dreamers, and an old man who met WB Yeats and Lady Gregory as they gathered Kiltartan stories from the Irish speakers of Galway and Aran. Presented by Peggy Reynolds. Repeated from Sunday
2/5. Bedand Breakfast. To walk and court is the aim, but the countryside is full of challenges. By Helen Simpson and read by Claire Skinner. Continuing the series of stories that celebrate some die-hard pedestrians as they walk across the page. Producer Duncan Minshull
The Pledge by Friedrich Durrenmatt. When Inspector Matthai discovers the murder of an eight-year-old girl, her mother makes him swear on his soul to find her daughter's killer
