HIGHLIGHT: The Archbishop of Canterbury's New Year
Message The Most Revd Justin Welby delivers his first New Year
address.
BBC1 12.45pm New Year's Day
RADIO HIGHLIGHT: About the Boys Christopher
Gabbitas examines why the voice of the boy treble has fascinated
composers and audiences.
Radio 4 11.30am New Year's Eve
TELEVISION
Saturday 10pm (C5) The Bible In
Jerusalem,Jesus declares he is the Messiah (4/5).
Sunday 10am (BBC1) Fern Britton Meets. .
. Christine Ohuruogu describes how herfamily and faith have
helped her to succeed (4/4).
4.35pm (BBC1) Big Sing: The UK's top ten
carols Guests including Susan Boyle join 5000 singers at the
Royal Albert Hall, as Aled Jones reveals the results of a poll.
9pm (C5) The Bible Jesus is crucified,
but, three days later, Mary Magdalene finds his tomb empty
(5/5).
9pm (BBC4) Timeshift: The Ladybird Books
Story: The bugs that got Britain reading An exploration of the
children's books from the 1950s.
Christmas Eve 6.15pm (BBC2) Carols from
King's Lessons and carols from King's College, Cambridge.
(Repeated 11am Christmas Day.)
7pm (C4) 4thought.tv A look at how
Christmas is perceived by those who do not celebrate it.
10.15pm (ITV) Christmas Carols on ITV
Aled Jones and Russell Watson present carols from St Michael the
Archangel, Kirkby Malham, in North Yorkshire.
11.45pm (BBC1) Westminster Abbey: The first
eucharist of Christmas The traditional Christmas Eve service,
live from the Abbey.
Christmas Day 10am (BBC1) Christmas Day:
Live from Westminster Abbey The traditional morning
service,
6.15pm (BBC1) Call the Midwife The
Christmas special includes an unexploded bomb.
7pm (BBC4) Arena: Sister Wendy and the art
of the gospel The Carmelite nun shows how certain paintings
connect us to the gospel stories they depict (repeat).
11.20 (BBC1) On Christmas Night
Patrice Naiambana reads from St Matthew's Gospel.
Saturday, Sunday, Monday 8pm (BBC4) Royal
Institution Christmas Lectures: Life Fantastic Using live
experiments, Dr Alison Woollard examines the world of cells. How do
people emerge from a single cell into a multi-trillion-celled
organism? Howdo they know when to die?
Sunday 5pm (BBC1) Songs of Praise Bill
Turnbull meets people who have been publicly honoured for their
actions.
7pm (BBC1) Antiques Roadshow Did Fr
Jamie buy a lost masterpiece for £400 when he found a "Van Dyck" in
a local shop?
Monday 7pm (BBC4) The Code of Life: Great
scientists in their own words Profiles of the scientific
thinkers involved in the discovery of DNA.
8.30pm (BBC2) Sacred Wonders of
Britain Neil Oliver investigates the hallowed sites of ancient
Britain (1/3)
New Year's Eve 7pm (BBC4) Sir John Tavener
Remembered Tom Service presentsa tribute to the composer who
died last month.
RADIO
Saturday 10.15pm (R4) Whatever Happened to
Community? - The Debate Canon Giles Fraser chairs a discussion
at St Mary's, Newington, south London.
Sunday 8.10am (R4) Sunday Worship A
service from St Martin-in-the-Fields, London.
8.30am (World Service) Heart and Soul
The BBC Havana correspondent, Sarah Rainsford, hears how the Roman
Catholic Church leadership in Cuba is calling for more political
freedoms.
3pm (R3) Choral Evensong A repeat of
last week's service from Southwell Minster.
Monday 9.45pm (R3) Belief Joan
Bakewell talks to former Lord Chief Justice Harry Woolf (1/5).
Christmas Eve 3pm (R4) A Festival of Nine
Lessons and Carols, live from King's College, Cambridge
(repeated Christmas Day, R3, 2pm).
11.30pm (R4) Midnight Mass, live from
St Chad's RC Cathedral, Birmingham.
Christmas Day 9am (R4) Christmas
Service "Shepherds' Delight", a celebration of the visitors to
the stable, from Chester Cathedral.
1pm (Classic FM) The Nation's Favourite
Carols
4pm (R4) Thinking Allowed Laurie
Taylor explores how festive rituals are construc-ted.
12.15am (R4 FM only) Christmas
Meditation Peter Hitchens reflects on Christmas, wondering
what it was it all for, and whether it was worth the hassle.
Boxing Day 9am (R4) In Our Time Melvyn
Bragg and guests discuss the Medicidynasty.
Sunday 8.10am (R4) Sunday Worship A
service exploring aspects of John Tavener's Christian faith.
New Year's Day 3.30pm (R3) Choral
Evensong from St Gabriel's, Pimlico.
Thursday 9am (R4) In Our Time Melvyn
Bragg and guests discuss Plato's Symposium.
