Stayin' Alive – 50 Years of The Bee Gees
Tuesday 30 December 2pm
The BEE GEES were one of the most consistent hit-making groups of all time, with worldwide sales of over 220 million records. They also scored a string of hits as writers and producers for a wide range of leading artists.
In this one hour special BARRY and ROBIN GIBB talk candidly about their illustrious career, starting with their days as youngsters in Manchester in 1950's, their rise to success in Australia in the 1960's and finally their worldwide stardom thanks to the soundtrack to the hit movie 'Saturday Night Fever' in the 1970's.
Matt’s Kind of Music
New Year’s Eve 11am
A hospital radio special in which Matt’s daughter Michelle remembers the music of her father.
The New Year’s Eve Big Broadcast
New Year’s Eve 4pm – New Year’s Day Mid-day
Richard Smith is back for another live marathon broadcast.
He will be live on over 50 radio stations for 20 hours featuring special guests, competitions and requests, plus some surprises and special features.
Join Richard and his team for the only show that lasts for two years!
Turn it On Again – The Genesis Story
New Year’s Day 5 – 7pm
Genesis are one of the most successful rock acts of recent times, this remarkable two part documentary explores the characters and the pulsating music that came from this most English of groups. Featuring interviews with members Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Steve Hackett, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks revealing life inside the ranks also features comments from Daryl Stuermer, Ray Wilson and Chester Thompson.
The programme explores the groups early years (1966 to 1975) hearing about their progressive rock triumphs pioneering stage theatrics and atmospheric music on the albums 'Foxtrot and 'Selling England By The Pound'. The programme hears lead singer Peter Gabriel explaining his departure after the release of the concept album 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. The programme culminates with band returning to the studio as a quartet and the release of their Trick of the Tail' a surprisingly up beat album which confounded critics and confirmed Genesis's long term future.
Later, we continue to hear how Genesis recorded their multi platinum selling albums, 'Duke', 'Abacab' and 'Invisible Touch' growing into one of the great stadium rock bands of the 90's. The band's comment about Phil Collins all conquering solo career and its impact inside the ranks. We hear about Collins departure and the recruitment of Stilskin front man Ray. Part two culminates with how Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford reformed for their European and American tour of 2007.
2010: Space Commander
New Year’s Day 10pm
The concept of 2010: Space Commander! came about after hours of musings on the future of the planet and us being on it – taking in to account what we already know about climate change, available resources and population expansion. Our bodies cannot genuinely explore space, so why not get rid of them?
Without wanting to trot out the already tired clichés about social networking sites being our main interaction, or point out that with gaming systems becoming so sophisticated the next generation will spend an overwhelming amount of time interacting through the internet, it seemed obvious to us that we were already heading for a ‘body-free’ future. At first it seems awful, but when you think about it, it could provide many benefits once we got used to it. 2010: Space Commander!tries to create this possible future and looks at it from a few different angles.
Starring: Jessica Dennis, Richard Booth, Richard Holt, Mark Hemmings, Kitty Chapman, David Beck and Neil Frost
In Conversation: Nicholas Parsons
Friday 2 January 5pm
Nicholas Parsons (OBE) began his theatrical career as a Carroll Levis Discovery doing impressions and working in small repertory theatres in Glasgow, whilst serving an engineering apprenticeship on Clydebank.
He became very successful in cabaret in the Fifties and was a resident comedian at The Windmill Theatre in 1952. He worked a lot in West End revues, was part of BBC Drama Repertory Company, and in 1956 teamed up with Arthur Haynes, forming a successful comedy partnership that ran for ten years on ITV and included a season at the London Palladium in 1963.
Nicholas appeared in many British comedy films in the Fifties and Sixties but returned to the West End stage in 1967 to star in Boeing-Boeing. He later starred in Say Who You Are and Uproar In The House.
More recently, he has appeared in the big West End musicals Charlie Girl, Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods and The Rocky Horror Show. He has presented three different one-man shows at the Edinburgh Festival and the latest, The Nicholas Parsons Happy Hour, played to great acclaim on the Fringe for two years. His successes on the small screen include regular appearances on The Benny Hill Show, hosting The All New Alphabet Game on LWT, Laughlines and, for a record 14 years, The Sale Of The Century on ITV.
Parsons has been the host of the BBC Radio 4 panel game Just A Minute since its first broadcast on the 22nd December 1967. His autobiography, The Straight Man – My Life In Comedy, was published in 1994.
In this interview, he talks about his time on Dr. Who, The Rocky Horror Show and some very witty and inspiring advice to anyone wishing to get into showbiz!
Sherlock Holmes Strikes Back
Friday 2 January 10pm
The sound of hooves on cobbles…
The choke of fog on the air…
The taste of fear, more bitter than any almond…
Who can save the British Empire of Great Britain in its hour of need?
For one night only The Wireless Theatre Company resurrected the world’s greatest detective partnership for a live audio recording; Sherlock Holmes Strikes Back!
Written and performed by Matthew Woodcock and Peter Davis, Sherlock Holmes Strikes Back! takes you on a funny, fast-paced adventure against some of England’s deadliest foes, with all the excitement of a live radio recording.
The Trial of Sherlock Holmes
Saturday 3 January 10pm
A brand new comedy adventure from the writers of our number one download – Sherlock Holmes Strikes Back!
Sherlock Holmes, the world’s greatest consulting detective, is on trial for his life!
Trapped in a nightmarish court room and charged with endangering the public and his friends, Holmes is forced to relive some of his most bizarre cases with only Doctor Watson to aid his defence.
Gasp at the Adventure of the Lizard’s Hands! Work your brain into a frenzy of confusion as our heroes uncover the mystery of a dead man found in the middle of Regent Street! Steady your nerves as you bear witness to some snakes! On a train!
But is all this evidence enough to satisfy a mysterious judge with a vendetta against our hero?
Starring: Peter Davis, Matthew Woodcock, Simon Kane, Laura Marshall and Ben Whitehead
The History of Superman
Sunday 4 January 4pm
He’s one of the world’s most popular superheroes and has been around since the 1930s. This special documentary tells the story of Superman back from the beginnings of the comic and the radio series up to the big films of the 70s and 80s.
