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Tony Blackburn counts down the charts from this week in 1974 and 1990, featuring the music of Elton John, Barry White, Black Box and Madonna.

Presenter/Tony Blackburn, Producer/Phil Swern for Unique Productions

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Denica Fairman, Emily Head, Ricky Tomlinson, Martine McCutcheon, Clive Anderson and Andy Parsons star in No Angel

Ricky Tomlinson and Martine McCutcheon star in this new comedy drama for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 2. The all-star cast also sees Clive Anderson playing a self-obsessed chat show host, with Andy Parsons as a policeman. And fresh from hit comedy series The Inbetweeners, Emily Head takes her first radio role.

When scruffy Scouser Leo, accosts careerist radio producer Katherine in the street, sparks fly. Convinced she's being stalked, Katherine just can't shake him off. And she doesn't get any sympathy from chat show host Scott, who wants know: "Why don't I have a stalker? I'm the star!"

So how does Leo know so much about Katherine? Is there more to this hairy old fella than meets the eye? And will Scott's crazy scheme for beating the traffic come off, or just land him in jail?

Directed by Dirk Maggs, this character-led comedy is written by Andy Lynch, whose credits include ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One's award-winning drama The Street. Leo is played by Ricky Tomlinson, Katherine by Martine McCutcheon and Scott by Clive Anderson.

No Angel is part of Radio 2's ongoing Comedy Showcase series, which has featured a diverse array of talent including Mathew Horne, Tim Minchin and Richard Wilson.

Producer/David Morley for Perfectly Normal Productions

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Bob Harris introduces music from English folk-singer and artist Martha Tilston, who plays live after 1am.

Presenter/Bob Harris, Producer/Mark Simpson for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Throughout the week, Breakfast on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 3 features the usual mix of great pieces and great performances.

There is also a special Christmas treat to listen out for at approximately 7.50am every day.

Presenters/Martin Handley and Sara Mohr-Pietsch

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Lucie Skeaping looks at Jean-Philippe Rameau's comic masterpiece, Platée, in the final monthly focus on a Baroque opera.

The story tells of a foolish and ugly nymph who believes she is loved by Jupiter, and the sense of the absurd permeates the score.

Rameau wrote the opera when he was in his sixties and the composer and librettist created a wonderfully imaginative work, which turned many of the operatic conventions of the time on their head.

Rameau's contemporary, Melchior Grimm, considered the piece "sublime" while, for Jean Jacques Rousseau, it was a "divine" work. Even today it succeeds in firing the imaginations of opera producers and conductors, not least French conductor Marc Minkowski, who explains why during the programme.

Presenter/Lucie Skeaping, Producer/Chris Wines

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In the second of two programmes, Lucy Duran celebrates 10 years of World Routes with highlights from a special event recorded at ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Maida Vale Studios.

The programme features performances by artists from Senegal, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Peru and Turkey, as well as recordings from around the world taken from the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 3 World Music Archive.

Presenter/Lucy Duran, Producer/Roger Short

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Opera On 3 – Live From The Met: Don Carlo

Saturday 18 December

6.00-9.00pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 3

Don Carlo, the son of Philip II of Spain, meets Elisabeth, the daughter of the King of France, whom he must marry to unite the two countries. He falls in love with her straight away and, when news reaches him that his father has decided to marry Elisabeth himself, he is devastated. This sets in motion a sequence of events with tragic consequences for everybody.

In this live matinée performance from the New York Metropolitan Opera, Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts a cast including Marina Poplavskaya as Elisabeth de Valois, Yonghoon Lee as Don Carlo and Simon Keenlyside as Rodrigo. The performance also features the Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera alongside Anna Smirnova as Eboli, Ferruccio Furlanetto as Philip II and Eric Halfvarson as the Grand Inquisitor.

Presenter/Margaret Juntwait, Producer/Ellie Mant

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Meera Syal stars as Willy Russell's Liverpudlian heroine

Shirley Valentine is a middle-aged housewife from Liverpool. She reveals her innermost thoughts and fears in a manner that is both insouciant and poignant.

Once an incorrigible anti-establishment rebel, Shirley now chafes under the plodding insensitivity of her husband, Joe, and the stultifying pace of her suburban routine. Her life enters a new and exciting phase when, after her best friend, Jane, wins an all-expenses-paid vacation to Greece, Shirley is given the opportunity to travel to far-away places without her husband; she begins to see the world, and herself, in a different light.

Shirley Valentine stars Meera Syal in the title role.

Producer/Clive Brill for Pacificus Productions

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Rachel Burden and Phil Williams present the big sports stories, news and coverage from day three of the Third Ashes Test in Perth.

Presenters/Rachel Burden and Phil Williams, Producer/Adrian Hughes

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Fighting Talk

Saturday 18 December

11.00am-12.00noon ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 5 LIVE

In a special edition to mark ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sports Personality Of The Year 2010 this weekend, Colin Murray is joined live in Birmingham by Steve Bunce and Austin Healy as part of the panel trying to win points for punditry on the week's sports stories.

Presenter/Colin Murray, Producer/Simon Crosse for USP

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5 Live Sport

Saturday 18 December

12.00noon-6.06pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 5 LIVE

Mark Chapman presents the day's sports news, including the latest information from the Third Ashes Test in Perth and a look ahead to the afternoon's Premier League and Scottish Premier League action.

From 12.45pm there is live commentary of Sunderland versus Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League, plus regular updates from Hamilton Academical against Celtic in the Scottish Premier League, which also kicks off at 12.45pm.

At 3pm, there's more live Premier League coverage of Arsenal versus Stoke City and Birmingham City versus Newcastle United, along with regular updates from all of the afternoon's other games, including Rangers versus St Mirren in the Scottish Premier League and updates from the European Rugby Cup's fourth-round ties.

In Sports Report at 5pm Mark Chapman has post-match reaction, interviews and the classified football results followed by more live Premier League coverage of Liverpool against Fulham, which kicks off at 5.30pm.

Presenter/Mark Chapman, Producer/Mike Carr

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Highlights of the third day of the Third Test between Australia and England in Perth include close-of-play analysis from Jonathan Agnew and Geoffrey Boycott.

Producer/Jen McAllister

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5 Live Football League

Saturday 18 December

2.55-5.15pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

Full commentary on a leading game in the Championship is accompanied by score updates from across the Football League.

Producer/Jen McAllister

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Test Match Special

Saturday 18 December

2.15-10.30am ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

The Test Match Special team present uninterrupted commentary on the fourth day of the Third Ashes Test between Australia and England, live from the WACA in Perth.

Producer/Adam Mountford

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Dave Peace presents 30 years of club classics from rave to rap via techno, electro and trance.

Dave also selects some his favourite dance tunes released in 2010, including tracks from Underworld, Groove Armada, Duck Sauce and Herve.

There's also a brand new bedroom producer, another featured label and Dave re-lives ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music listeners' memories of some of the most important clubs in the UK.

Presenter/Dave Pearce, Producer/Rowan Collinson

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Reggie Yates reveals the UK's Christmas No. 1

Reggie Yates presents a very special edition of The Official Chart show, counting down the official Top 40 singles to reveal who will be the UK's Christmas No. 1.

Last year's battle for the coveted spot was one of the most exciting ever, with Rage Against The Machine's re-released Killing In The Name beating X Factor winner Joe McElderry's debut single in the final hour.

Reggie is the first to reveal which single has topped the Christmas chart this year and listeners can also watch the chart countdown at bbc.co.uk/radio1.

Presenter/Reggie Yates, Producer/Adele Cross

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Aled Jones says Good Morning Sunday to Tony Jordan, the creator of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One dramas Life On Mars and Hustle, who discusses his new ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One series The Nativity.

For his fresh and colourful retelling of the Nativity story on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One this Christmas, the former EastEnders scriptwriter and market trader even consulted Nasa about the finer details.

Aled is also joined by Ben Schott, author of the annual Schott's Almanac, who reflects on events of the past year, and by author and speaker Gervase Phinn, who recollects humorous Christmas stories from his time as a Schools' Inspector. The Reverend Mark Oakley, Canon Treasurer of St Paul's Cathedral, London, gives the Moment Of Reflection and there is live brass band music from the Salvation Army.

Every week, Aled plays tracks from a broad musical spectrum that celebrates choral traditions and the vibrant world of modern music, as well as spiritually uplifting and reflective music. He also discusses topical religious and ethical issues with faith representatives.

Presenter/Aled Jones, Producer/Hilary Robinson for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Weekend Wogan

Sunday 19 December

11.00am-1.00pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 2

Star guests Gilbert O'Sullivan and ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 2's Good Morning Sunday host Aled Jones perform live from the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Theatre in London on Sir Terry Wogan's weekend show.

The programme also features regular contributors, John "Boggy" Marsh, who drops in to offer more witty observations, and live music from the Elio Pace House Band.

Presenter/Terry Wogan, Producer/Alan Boyd for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Brian D'Arcy starts the Christmas celebrations early with a specially extended hour-long programme of carols recorded at Coventry Cathedral.

Joining in the festivities are the St Michael's Singers; Fine Arts Brass; the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 2 Young Choristers of the Year 2010, Ella Taylor and Liam Jones; Blue Coats School Choir; and popular singing group Blake.

Recorded in front of a packed audience, Brian introduces some well-seasoned favourites along with some new ones. The story of the Nativity is read by Jane Rossington, the musical director is Paul Leddington Wright and the organist is Daniel Moult.

Presenter/Brian D'Arcy, Producer/Janet McLarty for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Russell Davies hosts his regular Sunday night show, celebrating the art, craft and inspiration of the popular song.

Over recent weeks, Russell has been asking listeners to send in suggestions for their favourite duet in order to compile a list of the most popular songs. In the past week, listeners have been given a shortlist of the Top 10 memorable duets, including Bob Hope and Shirley Ross singing Thanks For The Memory, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra's Well, Did You Evah, and Frank again, this time with daughter Nancy, singing Something Stupid.

On tonight's show Russell announces the winning duet as chosen by listeners.

Presenter/Russell Davies, Producer/Roy Oakshott for Wise Buddah Productions

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EBU Day Of Christmas Music

Sunday 19 December

12.00noon-4.00pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 3
5.00-9.00pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 3

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 3 celebrates Christmas with its annual day of music from around Europe.

The first part of this special day includes live concerts featuring traditional advent folk tunes and carols from Austria, Finland and Norway, as well as the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Singers performing a programme of old and new music, including Thomas Tallis, James MacMillan and John Tavener.

The second part of the day continues into the evening with more traditional carols and live concerts from Iceland, Czechoslovakia and Spain.

Presenter/Louise Fryer, Producer/Ellie Mant

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Viennese writer Stefan Zweig wrote the original Schachnovelle, or Chess Novel, in 1942. Drama On 3 presents an adaptation of Zweig's famous novella by Yolanda Pupo-Thompson, translated by Anthea Bell.

Paul Rhys plays Dr Berg, a well-to-do German banker interrogated by the Gestapo to find out where influential members of the clergy and aristocrats have hidden their money. They hold him in solitary confinement in a deserted hotel in order to break him down, but he steals a book of chess puzzles from a guard to keep his mind active. Unfortunately, after learning to play games in his head, Dr Berg goes mad.

Dr Berg is played by Paul Rhys, the Interrogator by Rupert Young, the Writer by Kevin Trainor, Katz by Allan Corduner, McConnor by Hamish Clark, Centovic and Bennett by Sandy Grierson and Servant and Nurse by Madeleine Brolly. The music is from Carl Orff's Schulwerk.

Producer/Matt Thompson

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Chess is known as the game of kings but has an amazingly wide and enduring appeal, it cuts across so much that can divide people – age, class, nationality and race.

It is a logical game often played in an abstract, notated form, but the fact that the pieces have characters and distinct roles somehow catches the imagination. This personification causes the game to be of interest, even to those who don't necessarily play, and it has often been depicted in art and fiction many times as a metaphor.

So how does chess mirror life? Novelist and occasional chess player David Szalay presents an examination of chess as an artistic metaphor in literature and modern art, and looks at how powerful personalities in the game embodied the ideals and beliefs of their time. The music is by Arthur Bliss.

Presenter/David Szalay, Producer/Matt Thompson

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Animator Nick Park, creator of Wallace And Gromit, is Kirsty Young's castaway on this week's edition of Desert Island Discs.

He tells Kirsty about his life and career and the music he would take with him to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 4's mythical island.

Presenter/Kirsty Young, Producer/Leanne Buckle for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Writer and presenter Dotun Adebayo explores whether Islam may be providing a religious alternative to Christianity for black Britons seeking spiritual answers.

Dotun speaks to young black people who have converted to Islam and tries to discover the reasons for their conversion. He also speaks to Bishop Joe Aldred, who explains why he thinks the black majority churches need to become smarter in getting their message across to young people.

Dotun also looks back to the time when he realised that shoe-bomber Richard Reid was the same Richard Reid with whom he had once shared a flat. He meets Dr Abdul Haq Baker, an academic and member of Brixton Mosque, who also knew Reid, they discuss what makes a young convert turn to extremism and how Muslim communities are trying to combat this.

Presenter/Dotun Adebayo, Producer/Carmel Longergan for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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The Emperor Tiberius dies and is succeeded by his youthful and popular nephew Caligula, in the fourth episode of Robin Brooks's six-part dramatisation of Robert Graves's classic account of imperial Rome.

Tom Goodman-Hill stars as Claudius, with Samuel Barnett as his nephew Caligula.

The cast also features Tim McInnerny as Tiberius, Zubin Varla as Herod Agrippa, Christine Kavanagh as Antonia, Sally Orrock as Calpurnia, Deeivya Meir as Drusilla, Tony Bell as Macro, Claire Harry as Agrippinilla, Sean Baker as Thrasyllus, Adeel Akhtar as Doctor, Iain Batchelor as the gaoler and Lloyd Thomas as the senator. The music is composed by David Pickvance.

Producer/Jonquil Panting for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Rachel Burden and Phil Williams present the big sports stories, news and coverage from day four of the Third Ashes Test in Perth.

Presenters/Rachel Burden and Phil Williams, Producer/Adrian Hughes

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Colin Murray begins today's edition of 5 Live Sport with a look back at yesterday's football action in the Sunday Review. There are also updates from the Premier League games between West Bromwich Albion and local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackpool against Tottenham Hotspur, both kicking-off at 1.30pm, as well as reports from the Third Ashes Test in Perth.

At 3pm, Mark Chapman begins the build-up to this afternoon's match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, which kicks off at 4pm, plus there's reaction from the earlier games.

Presenters/Colin Murray and Mark Chapman, Producer/Mike Carr

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³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sports Personality Of The Year

Sunday 19 December

7.00-10.00pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 5 LIVE

Live from the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, John Inverdale is backstage with Clare Balding, Steve Parry and Steve Bunce plus special guests, as the 2010 ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sports Personality Of The Year is announced.

Presenter/John Inverdale, Producer/Steve Rudge

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With close-of-play analysis from Jonathan Agnew and Geoffrey Boycott, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 5 Live Sports Extra reviews the highlights of the fourth day of the Third Test between Australia and England in Perth.

Producer/Jen McAllister

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5 Live NFL

Sunday 19 December

5.45pm-1.00am ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

The NFL season moves into week 15 and once again 5 Live NFL presents a live commentary double-header.

Coverage of the first of two crucial games in the American football calendar begins at 5.45pm and continues until 9pm, when the action moves to the second live game of the evening.

Producer/Simon Crosse for USP

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Test Match Special

Sunday 19 December

2.15-10.30am ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

The Test Match Special team present live, uninterrupted commentary on the fifth and final day of the Third Ashes Test between Australia and England, live from the WACA in Perth.

Producer/Adam Mountford

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Gideon Coe celebrates ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music's year via the medium of live music, playing a selection from nearly 300 sessions and recordings that the station has amassed across the year from some of the hottest new bands and established acts.

The programme includes songs recorded at Glastonbury, the Mercury Music Prize and from the regular shows of Lauren Laverne, Marc Riley, Cerys Matthews, Tom Robinson, Steve Lamacq and Jarvis Cocker.

Featured artists include Toots And The Maytals, Rodrigo Y Gabriella, Four Tet, Steve Mason and Stevie Wonder.

Presenter/Gideon Coe, Producer/Henry Lopez Real

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Arcade Fire take over 6 Mix

Arcade Fire and The National, two of the bands destined to top the critics' lists of 2010's best albums, take over this evening's 6 Mix.

Arcade Fire's multi-instrumentalist Richard Reed-Parry and brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner, who play guitar and bass in The National, have been long-term friends since meeting on the American alt-rock circuit, regularly appearing on the same festival bills worldwide.

Both acts released new albums in 2010 – Arcade Fire with The Suburbs and The National with High Violet, the latter winning Q Magazine's coveted Album of 2010 award last month.

Their friendship was cemented when Richard contributed to a number of songs on The National's latest LP, most notably playing double bass and guitar on Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks, and doing the vocal harmony arrangement on Conversation 16.

In this special 6 Mix, Richard, Aaron and Bryce team up to play a selection of music that has inspired and soundtracked their friendship, along with some of their favourite new music from this year.

This programme can be heard again at 7pm on New Year's Eve.

Producer/Rowan Collinson for Somethin' Else

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music Publicity

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 1's Festive Festival returns to the legendary ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Maida Vale Studios for a night of festivities and live performances from rising stars and returning acts tipped for big things in 2011.

Hosted by Zane Lowe and Nick Grimshaw, Festive Festival will feature various Radio 1 specialist music DJs introducing an eclectic line-up of artists they have been championing, including headliners Bullet For My Valentine.

Throughout the night Kissy Sell Out, Benji B, and Jaymo and Andy George provide party mixes to get listeners into the festive spirit.

The Festive Festival strongly reflects Radio 1's specialist music output and in previous years it has included several breakthrough acts; 2009's line up included Mumford & Sons, The xx and Marina And The Diamonds.

Presenters/Zane Lowe and Nick Grimshaw, Producer/James Bursey

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Listeners are invited to join Westwood's camp all week for his Nightmare Before Christmas and channel the "bah humbug" by offloading all their Christmas joy.

Presenter/Tim Westwood, Producer/James Clark

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Ken Bruce kicks off his week with two-and-a-half hours of top music and banter. Every day this week, Annie Lennox selects two of her all-time favourite Christmas tracks in Tracks Of My Christmas Years.

Ken's show also features one of Nine Alternative Lessons And Carols each day, a complementary celebration to the traditional Bible readings and carols with nine modern stories of Christmas that have been specially commissioned from writers including Willy Russell, Ian McMillan and Simon Armitage.

Among the stories is an account of a rough sleeper's Christmas in a doorway and a narrative about a soldier's wife reading her beau's last letter home. The tales are read by recognisable voices including Bob Hoskins, Sean Bean, Zoe Wanamaker and Noddy Holder, and each story is accompanied by a Christmas song.

Plus there's The Love Song and the Popmaster Quiz thrown in for good measure.

Presenter/Ken Bruce, Producers/Gary Bones for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ and John Leonard for Smooth Operations

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From Monday to Thursday this week, alongside Ken Bruce, Jeremy Vine's show will also feature one of Nine Alternative Lessons And Carols. These are modern-day stories of Christmas, specially commissioned by writers including Willy Russell, Ian McMillan and Simon Armitage. Each story is read by a recognisable voice including Sean Bean, Bob Hoskins and Zoe Wanamaker. The stories are intended to provide a complementary celebration to the more traditional Bible readings and carols.

Presenter/Jeremy Vine, Producers/Phil Jones for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ and John Leonard for Smooth Operations

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Presenter of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music's Funk And Soul show Craig Charles covers for Steve Wright this week and fills the Big Show Christmas Stockings once again. Craig is joined by special guests all week, as well as some fun festive features.

Presenter/Craig Charles, Producer/Adam Utyman

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Billy Bragg looks at the life of the much-loved singer and writer Kirsty MacColl, to mark the 10th anniversary of her death.

Kirsty was killed in a tragic accident while on a diving holiday with her sons in Mexico. Much has been documented about the circumstances of her death, but this programme focuses on Kirsty's life and legacy.

The programme features excerpts from a series she made for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 2 just a month before she died, in which she visited her favourite place in the world – Cuba. Listeners hear Kirsty interviewing her musical heroes, musing on the Cuban way of life, learning how to make a daiquiri and witnessing cigars being rolled in the famous Partagas factory in Havana.

Rob Miller, director of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, talks of the work Kirsty had begun to bring musical aid to Cubans, and her mother, Jean Newlove, talks of the Music Fund for Cuba, the committee for which she is chairwoman.

Jean also talks about Kirsty's upbringing, and there's archive material of Kirsty recalling her earlier days. Musical colleagues and friends such as Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes To Hollywood), Janice Long, David Byrne (Talking Heads), Johnny Marr (The Smiths), Radio 2 presenter Johnnie Walker, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music presenter Tom Robinson and Phil Chevron (The Pogues) comment on Kirsty as a singer, songwriter and a much-missed friend.

Presenter/Billy Bragg, Producer/Nick Barraclough for Smooth Operations

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Clare Teal presents a special Christmas concert featuring the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Big Band and singer Paul Carrack. Together they perform seasonal favourites including Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, Let It Snow, Winter Wonderland and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.

Presenter/Clare Teal, Producer/Terry Carter

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Composer Of The Week – Bach In Cothen

Monday 20 to Christmas Eve Friday 24 December

12.00noon-1.00pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 3

Johann Sebastian Bach spent just six years in service at the court of Cothen. It wasn't even a prestigious posting. In fact, the ruling prince's ineptitude with matters political meant it barely figured on the map. But for the greatest composer alive it was just the ticket, a chance to explore fresh musical ground and open himself up to new styles of music-making.

But it wasn't all plain sailing. Bach might have loved the break from church music but, while away from court, he suffered the greatest tragedy of his life, the death of his first wife. It was a hammer blow of course but also turned out to be inspirational. Bach turned to the needs of his many children and it was while putting together teaching materials for them that he stumbled on some of his greatest musical ideas. New love came his way too, in the form of talented singer Anna Magdalena, who became indispensable as copyist, musical collaborator and cornerstone of his rapidly expanding family.

But for all the support of his employer, Bach suffered itchy feet in Cothen. First in Hamburg, then in Leipzig, he found himself navigating appointment processes which would trump the bureaucracy of even the most convoluted public processes today. Eventually he got an offer he couldn't refuse, but only after composing some of the most accomplished music of his career.

In the first programme, after years of putting up with the petty feuding of his previous employers, Bach arrives in the tranquil environment of his new posting. Donald Macleod explores his first months in the job, under the admiring gaze of a cultured and sympathetic royal boss who proves to be everything Bach could ask for.

Presenter/Donald Macleod, Producer/Michael Surcombe

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³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 3 celebrates the talents of its New Generation Artists in a two-week series of early evening programmes showcasing some of the studio and concert recordings made by members of the scheme over the past year.

The New Generation Artists scheme exists to provide support to some of the brightest talents in the world of classical music, offering unrivalled opportunities for concerts and studio recordings. Since its foundation in 1999 it has included artists such as the Belcea String Quartet, Paul Lewis, Janine Jansen and Alice Coote among its distinguished members.

Presenter/Sarah Walker, Producer/Lindsay Kemp

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Book Of The Week – Finishing The Hat Ep 1/5

Monday 20 to Christmas Eve Friday 24 December

9.45-10.00am ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 4

Musical theatre legend Stephen Sondheim

To mark his 80th birthday, musical theatre legend Stephen Sondheim appraises his long career and dissects his own lyrics from West Side Story to Sweeney Todd.

In Finishing The Hat – a title borrowed from one of his most autobiographical songs – Sondheim provides a forensic account of the lyric-writing process.

Stephen discusses the lyrics for several of his major musicals from 1954 to 1981, including West Side Story, Gypsy, Company, A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd. He offers an illuminating insight into the lyric-writer's art, as well as a number of warm and witty anecdotes about the remarkable figures with whom he has worked.

Stephen also discusses his relationship with his mentor, Oscar Hammerstein II, and his collaborations with talents such as Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, Jule Styne, Ethel Merman and Harold Prince.

Additional readings are by Juliet Stevenson.

Reader/Stephen Sondheim, Producer/Emma Harding for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Woman's Hour Drama – The Art Of Deception 2 Ep 1/5

Monday 20 to Christmas Eve Friday 24 December

10.45-11.00am ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 4

The Art Of Deception 2 sees the return of Philip Palmer's serial about a notorious art forger. Two years after faking his own death, Daniel Ballantyne re-emerges to resume his cat-and-mouse game with biographer Jessica Brown.

Ballantyne is one of the greatest and most successful forgers of all time. He is a rich man. And he is, officially, dead.

His "death", however, is just another forgery. He paid a body double who was dying of cancer to impersonate him. Now Ballantyne has nothing to fear. He has everything he needs to enjoy a contented and quiet retirement. But instead, Ballantyne goes out of his way to make enemies because he loves the danger.

Ballantyne's nemesis is art expert Jessica Brown who, after writing her book on him, knows him better than anyone; and she is on his trail. Ex-policeman Andrew Jarrold, released from prison, has intimidated Jessica into finding Ballantyne.

When Jessica does find Ballantyne, everything changes; he has come to respect her as an equal and she is the only person in the world for whom he truly cares.

The cast stars David Schofield as Daniel Ballantyne, Hattie Morahan as Jessica Brown, Matt Addis as Ben, Harry Myers as Andrew Jarrold, Stephen Greif as Moisha Perez and Pandora Colin as Lisa.

Producer/Toby Swift for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Sarfraz Manzoor looks at the highs and lows of booze in Britain, and how to get by without it.

Sarfraz is teetotal. During his time at Manchester University and in his professional life he has become accustomed to being on the edge of things as a non-drinker. But with more and more people choosing to abstain, this may be a changing situation.

However with Christmas parties looming, alcohol plays a major role in both leisure and business.

In this programme he looks at the importance of alcohol in Britain and asks if it is possible to be British if one doesn't drink.

Presenter/Sarfraz Manzoor, Producer/Mark Rickards for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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The Bus Pass Roadtrips Ep 1/5

Monday 20 to Thursday 23 December and
Boxing Day Sunday 26 December

3.45-4.00pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 4

Dominic Arkwright meets senior citizens who have used their bus passes to take to the high road.

In the first programme, he meets the parishioners of St Edburg's Church, Bicester who went on a bus-pass pilgrimage.

Seeking a novel way to support their 900-year-old church and raise funds for a much-needed £1m refurbishment, but with little experience of adventuring far by bus, they travelled from Canterbury to York, staying with fellow Christians along the way.

The week continues with Dominic meeting Olwen Leebrook on Tuesday, a Welsh pensioner who set out to visit all 13 of the old Welsh counties by bus. In Wednesday's programme, Dominic meets a man who set out to prove that the humble bus pass could be used to travel the entire length of the country for free. And in Thursday's programme he meets a free-wheeling woman who makes it up as she goes along.

In the final programme, on Sunday, Dominic meets the lifeboat man who took on a national tour of RNLI stations. Bill Walton travelled around the UK on his free bus pass to raise money for the RNLI. Dressed as a lifeboat man the whole way, he took 23 days to complete the journey. With an average travelling time of seven hours per day, he caught 124 buses and clocked up 2,250 miles.

Presenter/Dominic Arkwright, Producer/John Byrne for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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In this one-off comedy special, Kevin Bishop plays radio show host Les Kelly, who aims to draw attention to some of the unsung heroes who make Britain great.

Les is opinionated, sincere and stupid. The guests, who are mostly mad, bad or tragic, include a campanologist who plays Away In A Manger with only one bell, a man campaigning for guide dogs for sighted people and a lollipop lady with OCD.

The programme is written by Bill Dare with Julian Dutton and features Dave Lamb, Vicki Pepperdine, Julian Dutton, and Laurence Howarth.

Producer/Bill Dare for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Nicky Campbell and Shelagh Fogarty present news from the UK including the latest from the business world, travel updates and the day's big sports stories. There's also news and updates from day five of the Third Ashes Test in Perth.

Presenters/Nicky Campbell and Shelagh Fogarty

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Mark Chapman presents football debate on the big stories from the weekend in The Monday Night Club.

From 8pm there's live Premier League commentary on Manchester City versus Everton at The City of Manchester Stadium, followed by post-match reaction at 10pm.

Presenter/Mark Chapman, Producer/Mike Carr

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Highlights of the fifth day of the Third Test between Australia and England in Perth, includes close-of-play analysis from Jonathan Agnew and Geoffrey Boycott.

Producer/Jen McAllister

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Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller, aka Sleigh Bells, are one of the most exciting new bands to emerge from Brooklyn this year. They mix chaotic energy and brutally distorted guitar attacks with hip-hop beats and pop hooks.

Their debut album Treats has been widely praised while Alexis was also featured in this year's NME cool list. Sleigh Bells have recently finished touring with LCD Soundsystem in America and are currently supporting MIA across Europe.

The band share their musical loves for a special lunchtime Sleigh List, including tracks from The Supremes, The Marvelettes and The Shangri-Las.

Presenter/Nemone, Producer/Jax Coombes

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Gideon Coe looks back at a year of live music broadcast on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music, including tracks recorded at Glastonbury, the Mercury Music Prize and various 6 Music shows, including Gorillaz and Midlake from Worthy Farm.

Presenter/Gideon Coe, Producer/Mark Sheldon

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In preparation for a very special, and much anticipated, Christmas return to the Big British Castle for Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish, listeners can hear a selection of their bygone shows, then download the podcasts straight after from the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music website to keep them entertained during the last few days of Christmas shopping.

In this show from 11 October 2008, entitled Dedicated Follower Of Fashion, the boys ask if Blue Peter lost the plot.

Presenters/Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish, Producer/James Stirling

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Tommy Sandhu celebrates some of the year's highlights all week, including interviews with stars from Bollywood, Bhangra and UK TV and not forgetting his World Cup song, the Foot-bolyian!

Kicking off the week, Tommy revisits his meeting with Desi pop-star Raghav, who talks about his music and a secret Bollywood project. Listeners also hear from legendary actor Om Puri and newcomer Aqib Khan about their film West Is West.

Presenter/Tommy Sandhu

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Laura Lynch asks how much power judges should have, and why they are so important in the modern world.

In the concluding part of her investigation, she travels to Turkey, where the ruling party is trying to reform the judiciary, and talks to the country's most senior judges as well as to the government.

Presenter/Laura Lynch

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Following on from ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 1Xtra DJ Max's 12 Days Of Christmas – where the DJ re-lives her 12 best 1Xtra Live Lounges of 2010 – there comes a special show from Maida Vale featuring performances from some of the station's favourite artists.

DJ Max hosts the (pre-recorded) event from the legendary radio studios where she is joined by Chipmunk, Devlin, Giggs, Jodie Connor and an all-female choir to get listeners in the mood for Christmas.

Presenter/Max, Producers/Lee Edmenson and Kat Wong

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Janice Long is joined by The Great British Barbershop Boys

Listeners can find an oasis of warmth on a cold winter's night as Janice Long is joined by The Great British Barbershop Boys bringing Christmas cheer to one and all.

Presenter/Janice Long, Producer/Mark Plant

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Jamie Cullum showcases his love for all types of jazz, and music rooted in jazz, from its heritage to the future.

This week, Jamie returns to the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ archives and unearths a show from the legendary Jazz Scene series, which was recorded in December 1969 at Ronnie Scott's.

The archive recording features the Miles Davis Quintet making their first UK television appearance with an untitled improvisation lasting 17 minutes. Jamie plays an excerpt from this unique session.

Presenter/Jamie Cullum, Producer/Karen Pearson for Folded Wing

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David Quantick presents a jiving, bopping, music, entertainment and comedy special, with the help of actors Lewis MacLeod, Kate O'Sullivan and in conjunction with The Jazz Repertory Company.

Enjoy 100 years of jazz in 120 minutes, as the five multi-instrumental jazz virtuosi create a highly entertaining musical journey through the decades, taking in everything from New Orleans to be-bop, swing to Latin, hot to cool, from Chicago and New York to around the world.

The programme was recorded, live, at The Cadogan Hall in London in October this year.

Presenter/David Quantick, Producer/Anna Harrison for Unique

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In a final tribute to Chopin in the centenary year of his birth, distinguished Georgian pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja performs a mixed programme of her favourite works at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow.

Presenter/Katie Derham, Producer/Lindsay Pell

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Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra

The Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra, directed by Sir John Eliot Gardiner, perform a programme of Bach cantatas for Advent and Christmas.

It is now 10 years since the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage, when the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists performed all of Bach's sacred cantatas throughout Europe. This concert from Cadogan Hall in London celebrates that anniversary with a programme of cantatas for the festive season.

Presenter/Martin Handley, Producer/Anthony Sellors

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Matthew Hill sends his second report from India about an education programme that has saved a forest from a mining operation.

The local people turned down a million rupees (approximately £13,800) per family, offered to them by a mining company, in favour of keeping a forest alive near their communities.

Tigers live in the forest and these creatures, highly revered by the local people, have a certain amount of sanctuary now. A very fundamental argument has been won where not even a million rupees is persuasive enough to let go of the forest.

Matthew Hill visits the forest, meeting not only the tigers but local people and conservationists.

Presenter/Brett Westwood, Producer/Kirsty Henderson for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Dan Rebellato examines the importance and influence of John Wyndham on the history of British and American science fiction.

The Day Of The Triffids was the first big success for author John Wyndham, and it came late. He was in his forties when it was published. Wyndham went on to write a series of successful books, including The Kraken Wakes, The Chrysalids and The Midwich Cuckoos.

His novels are set in middle-class, British suburbia and, at their heart, is a streak of darkness. Wyndham was interested in how ordinary people would cope when extraordinary and terrifying things happened to them.

His greatest successes came in the Fifties and his preoccupations were very much post-war and cold war and included: nuclear annihilation; social breakdown; and anxieties over Communism. He also touches on climate change, genetically modified crops and species extinction. This programme examines various aspects of his work.

Presenter/Dan Rebellato, Producer/Nicola Swords for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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When loving mother and respected businesswoman, Natasha Lonsdale goes missing, neither her husband, her family nor her lover have any idea why, in Mark Lawson's play.

Natasha, it seems, had a secret life – a life which is now starting to unfold in both the newspapers and on the web, with devastating results.

Roger Allam plays DCI Parsons; Rebecca Saire plays Natasha Lonsdale; Margot Leicester plays Barbara; Andrew Sachs plays Desmond; John McAndrew plays Dan; Richard Dormer plays Nick; and Nick Dunning plays Peter.

Producer/Eoin O'Callaghan for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Word Of Mouth Ep 1/6

Tuesday 21 December

4.00-4.30pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 4

Michael Rosen begins a new series of Word Of Mouth by exploring the British Library's first ever exhibition on the history of English.

The exhibition is called Evolving English, and Michael's guests include David Crystal, author of the book of the same name.

Comics, adverts, text messages and trading records have all been used by the British Library to chart the development of English from a language spoken on a small island to the global language known today. The curators explain how they chose the exhibits, including the earliest surviving copy of Beowulf, the King James Bible and the poem Essay To Miss Catharine Jay.

Presenter/Michael Rosen, Producer/Clare McGinn for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Rufus Hound hosts this six-part comedy series in which celebrities are asked to revisit their teenage diaries and read them out in public for the very first time.

In this week's episode, he invites Victoria Coren to read extracts from her teenage diaries.

Presenter/Rufus Hound, Producer/Victoria Payne for Talkback Productions

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Philip Dodd explores Pentecostalism.

Nearly one quarter of the two billion Christians in the world are Pentecostals. In the programme, Philip examines its extraordinary global reach – from the backstreets of Yorkshire's Grimethorpe to Korea's Seoul, home of the largest Pentecostal church in the world, and from São Paolo to Washington.

Philip also looks at Pentecostalism's love affair with modernity and its challenge to rationalise enlightenment through its loyalty to people's experience of God.

Presenter/Philip Dodd, Producer/Simon Hollis for Brook Lapping Productions

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Mark Chapman presents a full round-up of the day's sports stories.

At 7.30pm, Mark Chapman presents A Year In Football Review with a look back at the best football stories of 2010.

From 9.30pm, there are highlights of Mark Chapman and Dave Vitty's weekly footballing feature in The Best Of The Football Express.

Presenter/Mark Chapman, Producer/Mike Carr

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It's Marc Riley's Annual ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music Christmas Midwinter Warmer Celebratory Christmas Carol Concert!

Marc has invited the glitterati of the Manchester music scene in to the 6 Music studios to sing carols and spread some good old-fashioned festive cheer.

Among the guests for this yearly musical extravaganza are Elbow, I Am Kloot, Everything Everything, Jesca Hoop, Delphic, Liz Green, Liam Frost and Seal Cub Clubbing Club ... all kept in line by the wonderful Earlies with Sara Lowes.

Presenter/Marc Riley, Producer/Michelle Choudhy

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Gideon Coe looks back at a year of live music broadcast by ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music, including Glastonbury returning heroes Orbital and The National, who enjoyed a Top 5 hit with album High Violet.

Presenter/Gideon Coe, Producer/Mark Sheldon

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In preparation for a very special and much-anticipated Christmas return to the Big British Castle for Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish, listeners can hear a selection of their bygone shows, and download the podcasts straight after from the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music website.

The second show from 18 October 2008 is a repeat of For Your Ears Only – the day Sir Roger Moore made a visit to the Big British Castle. But how do the boys deal with meeting the Bond legend in the flesh?

Presenters/Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish, Producer/James Stirling

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Continuing his week of highlights, Tommy Sandu celebrates the closing of the Summer of Melas season with The London Mela.

The show includes the best bits from the festival and interviews with stars gracing the main stage on the day.

Presenter/Tommy Sandhu

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Chis Moyles brings back his legendary karaoke night with a festive twist

Chris Moyles has bought back his legendary karaoke night, this time with a festive twist. On today's show Chris and the team present the highlights, or perhaps the lowlights, of their Christmas karaoke gig which took place last night.

Presenter/Chris Moyles, Producers/Aled Haydn Jones and Samantha Moy

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The spirit of Christmas himself, Noddy Holder, together with Icelandic singer-songwriter Hafdis Huld and her band, join Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie in Manchester to sing carols and spread some Christmas cheer.

Presenters/Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie, Producer/Lizzie Hoskin for Smooth Operations

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Chris Ledgard explores the tradition of overseas cricketers playing for amateur clubs in the backwaters of Britain, which has resulted in some noble names in obscure places.

Adverts such as "Australian wanted for Woodhall Spa Cricket Club" can be found on any number of English cricket club websites. All over England, small cricket clubs welcome foreign players for the summer season, committing themselves to supporting the players, with work or accommodation, on the understanding that they will bring a sparkle to the score sheet.

This documentary follows one such exchange at Potterne cricket club in Wiltshire.

Chris meets Zimbabwean cricketer Dylan Higgins, who has come to this quintessentially English village club direct from Harare. The team captain is Graham Gaiger, who runs the construction company that provides Dylan with a job. The programme explores whether the incoming sporting hero will meet the expectations of the club.

Presenter/Chris Ledgard, Producer/Mary Ward Lowery for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Shappi Talk Ep 1/4

Wednesday 22 December

6.30-7.00pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 4 (Copy update 26 November)

Shappi Korsandi returns for a new series of her show

In this second series of Shappi Talk, Shappi Korsandi takes a wry look at the diverse subjects of divorce, addiction, history and politics.

Producer/Paul Russell for Open Mike Productions Limited

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Mark Chapman delivers a full round-up of the day's sporting headlines.

From 7.30pm there's a reflection on the year in rugby union and a look ahead to the Christmas fixtures.

At 8.30pm there is a look ahead to Boxing Day's King George VI Chase at Kempton Park.

Then, from 9.30pm, Mark Chapman takes a look back at the 2010 World Cup through the eyes of the media in The Media Bubble.

Presenter/Mark Chapman, Producer/Mike Carr

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Warpaint are an experimental female art rock group from Los Angeles whose recently released debut album The Fool has been one of the most talked about, and critically well received records of the year.

Several people in the Hollywood crowd claim Warpaint as one of their favourites, including late actor Heath Ledger, Billy Zane and former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante, who also mixed their debut EP Exquisite Corpse.

The band discuss their highlights of the year including touring with The xx and headlining a sell-out tour of the UK.

Presenter/Nemone, Producer/Jax Coombes

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Marc Riley's been rifling through his drawers and produced a freshly laundered cracking compilation of live session tracks and favourite new tunes from 2010.

Included in this festive compilation are Field Music, In The Mirror, Caitlin Rose, For The Rabbits, Cherry Ghost, We Sleep On Stones, These New Puritans, We Want War and Here We Go Magic.

Presenter/Marc Riley, Producer/Michelle Choudhry

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Gideon Coe looks back at a year of live music broadcast on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music, including tracks recorded at Glastonbury, the Mercury Music Prize and various 6 Music shows. Highlights include former Beta Band man Steve Mason and lo-fi scuzz-blues duo The Black Keys, whose Brothers album cracked the Top 30.

Presenter/Gideon Coe, Producer/Mark Sheldon

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In preparation for a very special, and much anticipated, Christmas return to the Big British Castle for Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish, listeners can hear a selection of their bygone shows, and download the podcasts straight after from the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music website to keep them entertained during the last few days of Christmas shopping.

In this show, first broadcast on 25 October 2008, Adam unveils a Song Wars classic in Nutty Room and Joe plays his not-so-successful Hello Mr Ghost.

Presenters/Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish, Producer/James Stirling

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Fearne Cotton brings listeners a very special Christmas show, broadcast from her very own house. Throughout the show her family and some celebrity friends will be dropping by and joining her for festive treats and activities. Last year's highlights included James Corden singing with Stereophonics.

Presenter/Fearne Cotton, Producer/Stuart Last

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The Chris Evans Breakfast Show

Thursday 23 December

6.30-9.30am ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 2

Chris Evans presents his show from the home of the Archbishop of York

The Chris Evans Breakfast Show travels to the home of the Archbishop of York for its big Christmas extravaganza. This morning's show will be broadcast from around the kitchen table at the Archbishop's home, the historic Bishopthorpe Palace.

Live music is provided by James Dean Bradfield from the Manic Street Preachers and KT Tunstall – both of whom sing their versions of some Christmas classics. Other guests include the choir from York Minster, who pepper the show with bursts of carols, and 12-year-old choirgirl Isabel, who was first discovered singing at the Minster and whose mentor is none other than ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 2's Aled Jones.

Last time Chris took the Breakfast Show on the road Moira Stuart read the news from a horsebox. But where will she be this time around? Wherever it is, it will be suitably decked out with tinsel and baubles.

Listeners will also be able to watch all the action unfold – plus seasonal surprises aplenty – as the show is streamed online and broadcast live on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Red Button.

Presenter/Chris Evans, Producer/Helen Thomas for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Jeremy Vine remembers the troops in this joint broadcast with forces broadcaster BFBS

Once again, the Jeremy Vine show remembers the troops at Christmas. During the last hour of this, his final show before Christmas, Jeremy broadcasts not only on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 2, but also to troops in Afghanistan and around the world on the forces' broadcaster, BFBS.

For the sixth consecutive year the show dedicates the hour to members of the Armed Forces who are serving overseas, away from their families this Christmas. Jeremy is joined by Radio 2 padre Canon Roger Royle to read out messages of support from families here to their loved ones who are serving overseas, and vice versa. He also speaks to some of those who will be spending Christmas at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.

Presenter/Jeremy Vine, Producer/Phil Jones for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Jo Whiley presents a headline gig from Simply Red, recorded earlier this month at London's O2 Arena. Plus there is the usual gig review and ticket news, a round-up of the live music featured on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 2 in the past week and another great support slot.

Presenter/Jo Whiley, Producer/Sarah Gaston

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As part of the 25th annual Christmas Festival from St John's, Smith Square, London, the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, directed by Stephen Layton, present a programme of Christmas music by Bach and Corelli.

Vocals are provided by soprano Elin Manahan Thomas, counter-tenor Iestyn Davies, tenor James Gilchrist and bass Neal Davies.

Presenter/Martin Handley, Producer/Anthony Sellors

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Jazz star Soweto Kinch delivers a lecture entitled Emancipation – A Listener's Guide

Jazz star Soweto Kinch puts down his saxophone and steps up to the lectern to deliver the lecture Emancipation – A Listener's Guide, as part of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 3's Free Thinking festival.

Nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and twice winner of a Mobo award, Soweto Kinch is a saxophonist, composer, rapper and Oxford history graduate who was inspired to turn to jazz following a meeting with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Soweto's work has drawn on the lives of residents of a Birmingham tower block, he's set Fifties novel Absolute Beginners to music and even remixed the voice of newsreader Moira Stewart.

At Free Thinking, Soweto delivers a lecture on the relationship between music and emancipation, arguing that music needs to reclaim its political meaning and power. With examples from Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus and The Clash, he calls for artists to create music that changes society. He also tells presenter Rana Mitter why his parents named him Soweto and why he agreed to join the backing band to X Factor predecessor, Pop Idol.

Presenter/Rana Mitter, Producer/Tim Prosser

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Sir Tim Rice considers the appeal of British comic Eagle

Sir Tim Rice explores the lasting appeal of British comic Eagle and the impact of its flagship character Dan Dare, and examines the life of its creator, Marcus Morris.

Eagle ran in two main incarnations between 1950 and 1994. Dan Dare, often referred to as "Biggles in space", is regarded in some circles as the greatest British science-fiction hero of the 20th century. The programme reveals how Dan Dare was originally envisaged as a space chaplain before becoming the popular astronaut.

It also examines the work of illustrator Frank Hampson, who introduced technology years ahead of its time. Hampson knew the space age was on its way while serving in the Second World War. He made the Dan Dare strips as realistic as possible by dressing his team in spacesuits and uniforms, basing the look of the fictional characters on his colleagues.

The programme also reveals the stories' educational value and, along with Dan Dare, looks at other Eagle offerings including Shakespeare's plays and the Greek myths which ran as comic strips.

Contributors to the programme include author Philip Pullman, Sally Morris – the daughter of Eagle creator Marcus – and Eagle Society member David Britton.

Presenter/Sir Tim Rice, Producer/Stephen Garner for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Questions, Questions Ep 1/6

Thursday 23 December

1.30-2.00pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 4

Stewart Henderson returns with a new series offering answers to those intriguing questions of everyday life, inspired by current events and popular culture.

Each programme is compiled directly from the inquisitive ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 4 audience, which brings its collective brain to bear on these puzzlers every week.

All manner of questions are looked into, and this series includes puzzlers such as why the height of a swallow's flight varies so much; whether a pillow fired out of a cannon could kill someone; and why centre flags no longer feature in football...

Presenter/Stewart Henderson, Producer/Kevin Dawson for Whistledown Productions

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Afternoon Play – Devil In The Fog Ep 1/2

Thursday 23 December

2.15-3.00pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 4

This is the first part of a two-part dramatisation of Leon Garfield's 18th-century mystery adventure.

Fourteen-year-old George is the oldest of the seven Treet children. Captained by their larger-than-life father, the Treets are touring thespians, forever on the edge of poverty.

But their normally happy lives are overshadowed by the twice yearly arrival of "the Stranger", who hands Mr Treet a sum of money, then disappears. This year, however, "the Stranger" appears for the last time and Mr Treet reveals to George that he is the son of a nobleman, Sir John Dexter. Now George must, reluctantly, be returned to him.

At the gloomy Dexter family home, George is welcomed by Sir John, who is recovering from a pistol wound received in the course of a duel with his black-hearted brother Richard. Richard has been imprisoned as a result.

George does his best to settle into life in his forbidding new home, but trouble is waiting in the fog that surrounds the house. Richard Dexter has escaped from Newgate and is hiding in a nearby copse. And it soon becomes clear that someone is trying to kill George...

The play is dramatised by Martin Jameson. The cast features Joe Dempsie as George, Tim McMullan as Mr Treet, Sam Dale as Sir John Dexter, Ben Crowe as Captain Richard, Juliet Aubrey as Lady Dexter, Sean Baker as Joseph, Iain Batchelor as Dr Newby, Joanna Monro as Mrs Montague, Raymond Karimi Taheri as Hotspur, Lauren Mote as Jane, Hugo Docking as Edward and Fern Deacon as Rose.

Producer/Marc Beeby for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Old Harry's Game Ep 1/2

Thursday 23 December

6.30-7.00pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 4

Old Harry's Game, the sitcom set in hell, returns and, in the first of two episodes, Satan decides to ban Christmas.

Satan runs his infernal world with the assistance of his chief demon, Scumspawn. Among those he torments are Edith, a murdered historian, and Thomas, the most repellent human who ever lived.

Full of jokes and broad comedy, the show is also a philosophical study of the human condition, asking such questions as whether man is inherently good or evil.

Old Harry's Game is written by Andy Hamilton. It stars Hamilton as Satan, Robert Duncan as Scumspawn, Annette Crosbie as Edith and Jimmy Mulville as Thomas.

Producer/Paul Mayhew Archer for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Eleanor Oldroyd presents a full round-up of the day's sports stories.

At 8pm Phil Tufnell presents a Cricket Show Ashes special with a look back at the Third Ashes Test in Perth and a look ahead to the Fourth Test in Melbourne.

Presenters/Eleanor Oldroyd and Phil Tufnell, Producer/Mike Carr

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Ryder Cup heroes Colin Montgomery and Graeme McDowell look back on the unforgettable four days of action at Celtic Manor in October when Europe regained the coveted team golf trophy from the United States. The drama of the event is relived here with the best of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 5 Live's commentary.

Presenters/Colin Montgomery and Graeme McDowell

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Actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway discuss their latest roles in Love And Other Drugs, the latest film from Blood Diamond director Edward Zwick, and talk about the music they listened to on the film set. Jake reveals that his favourite album of the year is Sigh No More, the debut by Mumford & Sons, and he also shares his fondness for Laura Marling. Meanwhile, Anne tells of her love of Karen O and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Presenter/Nemone, Producer/Jax Coombes

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Marc Riley trawls the reams of amazing live music that he's amassed during 2010 to play a selection of the best. Tonight's choices include Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan playing You Won't Let Me Down Again; The Pre New's Sons Of The Stage; Cate Le Bon singing It's Not The End; Half Man Half Biscuit with Left Lyrics In The Practice Room; Ultrasound's Sovereign; I Am Kloot performing Northern Skies; and Steve Mason with All Come Down.

Presenter/Marc Riley, Producer/Michelle Choudhry

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Gideon Coe looks back at a year of live music broadcast by ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music, including tracks recorded at Glastonbury, the Mercury Music Prize and sessions on various 6 Music shows. Tonight's highlights include Stevie Wonder's appearance at Worthy Farm and experimental Boston quartet Grizzly Bear.

Presenter/Gideon Coe, Producer/Mark Sheldon

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In preparation for a very special, and much-anticipated, Christmas return to the Big British Castle for Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish, listeners can hear a selection of their bygone shows, and download the podcasts straight after broadcast from the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ 6 Music website to keep them entertained during the last few days of Christmas shopping.

In an episode first broadcast on 1 November 2008, entitled Hotty Botty, Adam and Joe discuss the virtues of hot water bottles and Dobby the House Elf, with some Stephenage (the social phenomenon created by the show whereby listeners shout out "Stephen!" in a public place) thrown in for good measure.

Presenters/Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish, Producer/James Stirling

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Continuing his week of highlights, today Tommy Sandhu revisits his encounter with British chart-topper Jay Sean. Talking about his year and career so far, Jay also takes part in a mini pop song quiz, and listeners can discover how he fared.

Presenter/Tommy Sandhu

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Starting on Christmas Eve and continuing throughout Boxing Day, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 1 broadcasts the Top 10s of 2010 – a series of one-hour shows presented by some of the biggest stars of the past year.

James Corden, Matt Smith and Karen Gillan and Tinie Tempah will star in the first installment.

In each show, the celebrity guest presenters have a single hour to take over Radio 1's airwaves and play the 10 favourite tracks that remind them of the year.

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Join Target live on Christmas Eve, from 7pm, kicking off a 12-hour marathon, with the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 1Xtra DJ family in continuous mix from 9pm. With Guilty Pleasures being the running theme, DJs including Semtex, CJ Beatz and Bailey take listeners on a musical journey through to 7am on Christmas Day.

Presenter/Target, Producers/Julie Shepherd and Rob Littlejohn

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As listeners wind up for the festive period and eat the last mince pies in the office, they can kick start the Christmas fun and laughter at Alan Carr's Office Party. Forget the last-minute stresses and strains of Christmas Eve – dashing to the shops, making sure the food's ready to go, wrapping the presents – and enjoy Alan's last festive bash before the big day.

Alan brings his popular Saturday night Going Out show to weekday ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 2 – and it's a corker. There are laughs and live music and a chance to sing with Alan in "Carr-aoke" and to play Alan's Festive Telly Quiz.

Alan and co-host Melanie Sykes dish out advice and a sympathetic ear to those who want to get their own office party experiences off their chests. And they'll even help make all those important last-minute present-buying and preparation decisions.

All of that, plus tons of Alan's favourite dance, pop and seasonal songs gets everyone in the Christmas spirit, as the countdown to the big day reaches its climax.

Presenters/Alan Carr and Melanie Sykes, Producer/Mark Hill for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Bradley Walsh, Barbara Windsor, Emma Barton, Samantha Womack, Kerry Ellis, Russ Abbot, Lee Mead and Bernard Cribbins sing a tribute to Lionel Bart at the Hackney Empire

Barbara Windsor hosts this celebration of the work of composer Lionel Bart, marking the 80th anniversary of his birth. Everybody knows a Lionel Bart song: A Handful Of Songs; Living Doll; From Russia With Love; Far Away; Happy Endings; 'Fings Ain't What They Used To Be; As Long As He Needs Me; and Consider Yourself – to name just a few.

Recorded at Lionel's beloved Hackney Empire, Barbara presents this very special concert. And, joining Barbara on stage is a glittering array of stars from stage and screen including: Russ Abbot; Kerry Ellis; Bradley Walsh; Lee Mead; EastEnders' Samantha Womack and Emma Barton; and national treasure Bernard Cribbins. Also featured are the children from the Sylvia Young Stage School, including the West End's current Artful Dodger, Joe Wolstenholme and Capital Voices. There is also the 70-piece ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Concert Orchestra, conducted by Richard Balcombe.

The show features songs from Lionel's vast repertoire, including his musicals Blitz, Maggie May, Twang and, of course, Oliver! And, for a festive treat, Bernard Cribbins takes his audience back to the days of Jackanory with ... what else could it be but a story.

And there's a chance to hear from the cast in the interval too. Listeners are invited behind the scenes and join the all-star cast as they talk to Neil Rosser during rehearsals. They discuss Lionel Bart, the man and his music and the making of tonight's show. And Barbara reminisces about her friendship with Lionel and how delighted she is that ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 2 is paying tribute to him.

Barbara Windsor says: "I am delighted to be paying tribute to my great mate, Li, in this wonderful Radio 2 show. I know Li would have been thrilled."

Presenter/Barbara Windsor, Producer/Jodie Keane

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Paul Gambaccini presents this documentary about Kenny Everett's influential radio work. Kenny's first love was always "the wireless" because he knew the pictures would always be better...

This programme hears how and why Kenny fell under the spell of radio, his first approach to the Beeb, broadcasting on pirate Radio London, finding Where It's At on the Light Programme and the innovation – and trouble – he created at ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 1. There are comments from Kenny's early ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ champions Johnny Beerling and Angela Bond. His pirate and Capital Radio colleague Dave Cash also discusses Kenny's craft.

The creation of what Everett called "the fiddly bits" has had an enormous impact on generations of DJs. Kenny loved the technical side of radio and used phasing, stereo trickery, editing and sound effects to create his memorable jingles, Singalonga Beatles Tracks and audio competitions. Inspired by Fifties radio adventure Journey Into Space, Kenny created his own sci-fi serial – "with smut, jokes and sound effects" – Captain Kremmen. His other characters included Chris P Bacon, Rock Salmon (Masked Accountant), his "Gran" and butler Crisp. This combination of humour with innovative production impressed ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 2's Steve Wright, who describes the impact of Kenny's shows.

Kenny's love of music was always at the forefront of his programmes. His shows bubbled with surprises: from the "tuney" bits of classical music to the awful but hilarious "Bottom Thirty" records suggested by his listeners for "The World's Worst Wireless Show".

Presenter Paul Gambaccini says: "Kenny Everett was the best of us. It was no surprise that the entire profession turned out for his funeral. All the radio stars of his time recognized his genius. Kenny was a master of both preparation and spontaneity. He had both wit and technical skill. He loved both music and comedy. He was the only one of us who used the studio instead of just tolerating it. He was a wonderful one-off, a great presenter and a fine friend. "

Presenter/Paul Gambaccini, Producer/Kevin Howlett for Howlett Media Productions

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Nine Alternative Lessons And Carols provides a complementary celebration to the traditional Bible readings and carols with nine modern stories of Christmas that have been specially commissioned from writers including Willy Russell, Ian McMillan and Simon Armitage.

Among the stories is an account of a rough sleeper's Christmas in a doorway and a narrative about a soldier's wife reading her beau's last letter home. The tales are read by well-known actors and performers including Bob Hoskins, Sean Bean, Zoe Wanamaker and Noddy Holder. Each story is accompanied by a Christmas song.

This is the omnibus edition of the nine stand-alone stories that have been broadcast, one per day, on the Ken Bruce and Jeremy Vine's shows earlier this week.

Producer/John Leonard for Smooth Operations

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Canadian pianist Louis Lortie offers a tour-de-force to end this year of Chopin celebrations, performing all of the composer's études, including the two sets of eloquent and dazzling showpieces and the composer's final set of three Nouvelles études.

Presenter/Katie Derham, Producer/Lindsay Pell

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As part of the 25th annual Christmas Festival from St John's, Smith Square, London, the Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment are joined by Polyphony and conducted by Stephan Layton to perform Handel's Messiah.

Elin Manahan Thomas sings soprano, Iestyn Davies sings counter-tenor, James Gilchrist sings tenor, Neal Davies sings bass and Stephen Layton conducts.

Presenter/Martin Handley, Producer/Anthony Sellors

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English folk-singer Kate Rusby

Mary Ann Kennedy presents a special Christmas Eve edition with all the latest CDs from around the globe and contemporary English folk-singer Kate Rusby, recorded at the Royal Festival Hall in London, with a showcase of South Yorkshire village carols.

Presenter/Mary Ann Kennedy, Producer/Dean Craven

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Author and broadcaster Martin Wainwright sets off to give his seasonal best wishes to the Morris Minor.

Shaped like a jelly mould, with glowing orange figures for indicators and a speedometer that looks like a clock on a mantelpiece, it became the first British car to sell a million.

The special edition car to celebrate that event is 50 years old this December – and Martin gets to meet the owners and coo over the most stylish and rarest Morris Minor of all.

In addition, he conducts a choir of Morris Minor horns, with the distinctive "raspberry" from the exhaust, in a special rendition of Jingle Bells.

Presenter/Martin Wainwright, Producer/Janet Graves for Pennine Productions LLP

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A Festival Of Nine Lessons And Carols

Christmas Eve Friday 24 December

3.00-4.30pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 4

The traditional Christmas Eve service of A Festival Of Nine Lessons And Carols is broadcast, live, from the candlelit chapel of King's College, Cambridge.

The much-loved sequence of carols and readings includes this year's new carol commission by Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara.

Producer/Christine Morgan for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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15 Minute Musical Ep 1/7

Christmas Eve Friday 24 December

6.15-6.30pm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 4

This seven-part comedy series takes an identifiable public figure and gives them a West End musical make over.

Bruce Forsythe is the subject of the first fabricated story set to music and it sees him in the role of Dr Who as Master Of The Teatime Lord, featuring music by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radiophonic Workshop.

Others who are given a comedic West End musical make-over include Ed Miliband, Fabio Capello, the Coalition and Ant and Dec. The Queen also features in a 15 Minute Musical which sees her look back at the public figures she's met during 2010.

The series stars Richie Webb, Dave Lamb and Jess Robinson. It is written by Richie Webb, Dave Cohen and David Quantick and the music production is by Matt Katz.

Producer/Katie Tyrrell for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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In the final episode of this series, Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis host a satirical seasonal special in which they take a humorous look back at 2010.

Steve and Hugh are joined by Mitch Benn, Marcus Brigstocke, Jon Holmes, Laura Shavin and a special guest, for a pantomime edition of the topical comedy show.

Presenters/Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, Producer/Colin Anderson for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Jonathan Dimbleby introduces a starry cast performance from St Martin in the Fields but all is not as it seems...

Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol has been widely adapted and dramatised but never quite like this before.

An all-star cast gathers to bring the timeless allegory to life in Marley Was Dead, a piece of spoof radio.

It is Christmas Eve and listeners are about to hear a starry cast performance of A Christmas Carol from St Martin in the Fields, introduced by Jonathan Dimbleby. At least, they think they are...

Jonathan Dimbleby, speaking from the balcony, introduces the production and the stellar cast: Sir Ian McKellen as Scrooge; Sir Patrick Stewart as the Narrator; David Tennant as Bob Cratchit and so forth. Sir Simon Rattle conducts.

But a few seconds into the play itself – just after listeners hear the famous opening lines "Marley was dead", things take an unexpected turn for the worse. What follows next is screwball comedy in the finest tradition.

Marley Was Dead is written and narrated by John Nicholson and Richard Katz, who also star as the Narrator and Scrooge, respectively. Javier Marzan plays Bob Cratchit; Sirine Saba plays Farhana; Sophie Russell plays Claire; Joshua Swinney plays Oliver; Martha Katz plays Martha; and Jesse Katz plays Jesse.

Special guests include: Jonathan Dimbleby; Richard Madeley; Charlotte Green; Edward Kelsey; Peter Purves; Gwyneth Williams; Dara O Brian; Chris Evans; and Martha and Jesse Katz.

The play is devised by touring comic theatre company, Peepolykus (pronounced: people-like-us).

Producer/Sasha Yevtushenko for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Midnight Mass

Christmas Eve Friday 24 December

11.30pm-12.45am ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ RADIO 4

This year's Midnight Mass is broadcast, live, from St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham, and is presided over by the Archbishop of Birmingham, The Rt Rev Bernard Longley.

The Cathedral Singers, many of whom are staff and students at the Birmingham Conservatoire, sing under the direction of organist and director of music David Saint.

Producer/Philip Billson for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

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Victoria Derbyshire and Colin Murray take a look at highlights from ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 5 Live's expeditions around the country in 2010.

The programme encompasses everything from: Septemberfest in the North East to Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode's film show, live, in Mark's favourite cinema in North London; from Richard Bacon's shows from the Edinburgh Festival to Colin Murray live in Blackpool before the start of their Premier League campaign.

Victoria and Colin reflect on debates hosted in the run up to the General Election. And there are also some lively highlights from ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 5 Live's outside broadcasts at the three major party conferences this year.

Presenters/Victoria Derbyshire and Colin Murray, Producer/Dave Cribb

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Peter Allen and guests from all sides of Westminster look back at the formation of Britain's first coalition government since the Second World War.

Presenter/Peter Allen, Producer/John Cary

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Colin Murray looks ahead to a full programme of Boxing Day fixtures in the Premier League and the Scottish Premier League.

At 8pm, Mark Chapman and ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 5 Live's team of sports correspondents look back at the key sporting moments of the year in Sport Review Of The Year. From the World Cup to the Ryder Cup via the Formula 1 title-race and a controversial summer of cricket, the team takes a look at the main events that made 2010 a memorable sporting year.

Presenters/Colin Murray and Mark Chapman, Producer/Mike Carr

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This programme documents the story of three British 16 year olds, who traded in a week of their UK Summer holidays to spend it in the one of India's most disadvantaged areas – the slums of Chennai.

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Asian Network Report Special – A Week In The Slums, records the teenagers' time in a region infamous for its cramped conditions. Investigating the livelihoods of the locals, the British youngsters discover that many of the basic amenities that we take for granted such as water, electricity and drainage are sparse in this deprived region. In the sweltering August temperatures, the documentary follows their journeys through the week, looking at how they survive in an environment so different from home.

This programme was first broadcast on the network in August.

Presenter/Divya Tulwar, Producer/Nicola Humphries

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