Round-up weeks 51 & 52 (17 - 30 December)
Hannah Khalil
Digital Content Producer, About The BBC Blog
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A round-up of BBC announcements, press releases and blogs, plus some highlights from our TV, radio and online output over the last two weeks.
BBC Studios
BBC Studios, the BBC’s TV production arm, has secured approval to launch as a commercial subsidiary and make programmes for other broadcasters and customers, in a landmark move as part of the BBC’s plans to transform the way it produces and supplies content.
Awards
The public have crowned Andy Murray as BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2016. Elsewhere, Michael Phelps received the BBC Lifetime Achievement Award.
Announcements and blogs
Drama
Press packs for the Doctor Who Christmas Special and Sherlock Series 4 were published.
Meanwhile, BBC One’s Silent Witnessreturns to celebrate its 20th anniversary this January, featuring five thrilling new contemporary stories that start among the familiar landscapes of London and end up in the dusty scrubland of Mexico.
Comedy
Comedy series Two Doors Down has been commissioned for at third series on BBC Two.
Meanwhile, Fleabag creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge narrated a brand new animated version of The 12 Days of Christmas, for BBC Three available live via BBC Three YouTube and iPlayer. The network also confirmed the return of award-winning Uncle this January for the final part of this comedy trilogy.
Elsewhere, Judy Murray will be game for a laugh this Hogmanay when she joins the Only an Excuse? team.
Entertainment
BBC One announced a brand new Saturday night music entertainment show for 2017 Pitch Battle (w/t) will search the nation to find Britain’s best singing group.
Meanwhile, Gary Maclean, 45, has become MasterChef: The Professionals Champion 2016.
Factual
Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual, announced four ambitious new science commissions across BBC Two and Four due to air in 2017.
BBC One’s much-loved Antiques Roadshow will celebrate 40 years of touring the country, valuing family treasures, car-boot sale bargains and charity shop finds. The programme has now announced the list of venues it will visit in 2017.
Radio
BBC Radio 1 announced the return of Radio 1’s Superstar Playlist for the festive period - with pop acts including Little Mix, The Vamps and Shawn Mendes hosting Christmas day shows on the station.
Radio 3 announced its New Year’s revolutions; a year of programming inspired by cultural, social, religious and political unrest.
Radio 4 announced a special day of comedy on 7 January, bringing a slice of seasonal silliness to the airwaves post-Christmas and brightening a particularly bleak time of year.
Elsewhere, Radio 6 Music has named BadBadNotGood’s album, IV, as the station’s Number One Album of the Year, as chosen by the station’s presenters.
Regional
BBC Radio Cymru, the UK’s longest running non-English radio station, celebrated 40 years of broadcasting on 3 January. Forty years after presenting the news on Radio Cymru’s first morning, journalist Gwyn Llewelyn returned to the station, for the morning, to read the news bulletins. This marks a year of celebrations on the national station.
International
BBC World Service is holding a series of debates in capitals across the world in a time of change, BBC World Questions, the next will be in Italy.
Blogs
Festive blogs included Jon Jacob's reflection on children's TV Christmas extravaganza's as the perfect start to the festive celebrations: End of term shows and Christmas extravaganzas; Shane Allen's look at CHristmas comedy offerings in You're having a laugh ... we hope; Spreading the festive cheer: my BBC Christmas and Hear the Year – the most memorable moments of 2016 across BBC Radio.
Rebecca Frank also blogged about how Radio 1 and 1Xtra inspire young people to pledge #1MillionHours volunteering in 2016; and Charley Stone found out about Recreating the Brontës' world in To Walk Invisible.
Broadcast Highlights
Revolting Rhymes
- Strictly Come Dancing - The Final, Saturday 17 December, BBC ONE
- Sports Personality Of The Year, Sunday 18 December, BBC ONE
- Revolting Rhymes, Monday 19 December, BBC ONE
- Darcey Bussell: Looking For Margot, Tuesday 20 December, BBC ONE
- Doctor Who Christmas Special - The Return of Doctor Mysterio, Sunday 25 December, BBC ONE
- Ethel And Ernest, Wednesday 28 December, BBC ONE
- The Witness For The Prosecution, Monday 26 December, BBC ONE
- A Festival Of Nine Lessons And Carols, Saturday 24 December, BBC RADIO 4
- The Christmas That Goes Wrong, Sunday 25 December, BBC RADIO 2
