The Controller's Christmas listening

Mark Damazer, as I'm sure you know, is the boss. The Controller of BBC Radio 4. So he's responsible for every one of the 13,000 or so programmes commissioned annually by Radio 4 and - in my own experience - he has an opinion about every one of them.

So, can there be a more interesting or influential selection of Christmas Radio 4 programmes? And what will those annointed do with the news that they've made it into the boss's holiday media schedule? Will this become an annual ritual? These and other questions will, I'm afraid, go unanswered but, since you asked, check out the pages from the 'legendary double issue' of The Radio Times that I gave Mark. He's circled a fascinating range of holiday programming and even added some notes. Here are the highlights:

• A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, live the chapel of King's College, Cambridge, Christmas Eve at 1500. Mark's note says: "Xmas begins here..."
• Afternoon Play: The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Christmas Day at 1415. Mark says: "A treat."
• The Saturday Play: Educating Rita, Boxing Day at 1430. "Bill Nighy fantastic on radio."
• 1989: Day-by-Day: omnibus, 27 December at 2300. "Fantastic read."
• Today, 28 December at 0600. "Watch out for guest editors."
• Vent, 29 December at 2300. Mark's note: "Brilliant."
• UK Confidential: the truth behind the headlines from 1979, 30 December at 1100.
• The Now Show, New Year's Day at 1830. "Never miss this."

And if you'd like to join in and tell the world your Radio 4 choices from the double issue, get your own copy out, ring the programmes you're going to listen to and upload pics to your favourite picture sharing site (Facebook, Flickr, Twitpic... there are many). Or just tell the world in a comment here on the blog, on Twitter or on Facebook. Whatever you do, tag it #MyXmasOn4.

Steve Bowbrick is Editor of the Radio 4 blog

• Lots of other Radio 4 people have made selections from the 'legendary double issue' of the Radio Times. You'll find the rest of them here (and more will be added over the next few days).