BBC Radio 3

BBC Radio 3 will usher in the festive season with its Arctic Walk, which will see writer and broadcaster Horatio Clare, pictured above right, embark on a slow-radio Sound Walk in the Arctic Circle.

Further highlights include editions of Private Passions with Dame Darcey Bussell and Sir Matthew Bourne, and a special edition of In Tune from St George’s Hanover Square.

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

Asian Network

Breakfast and Essential Classics

Monday 16 - Friday 27 December, 6.30am-12pm

From Monday 16 December to Friday 27 December, Breakfast and Essential Classics will be celebrating Christmas Folk Music.

Christmas has inspired not just composers, writing for church and court, but also musicians writing for the market square, tavern and home. Breakfast and Essential Classics will be celebrating this rich seam of seasonal folk music every day with music drawn from Britain, Europe and across the world.

Also over the Christmas period Essential Classics will take favourite Christmas music requests from well-known musicians, including conductor Marin Alsop and bass-baritone Gerald Finley. Guests include composer John Rutter, who will discuss the ideas, people and places that inspire him and his carols.

• Producer: Various for BBC Radio 3

Zoe Ball

Essential Classics

Thursday 26 - Tuesday 31 December, 9am-12pm

Between Christmas and New Year, Essential Classics will pay tribute to some of the great musicians who died in 2019 - including soprano Jessye Norman, conductor and composer Raymond Lennard, conductor and composer André Previn, jazz pianist and composer Jacques Loussier and organist Peter Hurford.

• Producer: Elizabeth Funning for BBC Radio 3

In Tune Christmas Special

Friday 20 December, 5pm-7pm

A festive edition of Radio 3’s flagship drive time programme In Tune, broadcast in front of a studio audience live from St George’s, Hanover Square.

Presenters Sean Rafferty and Katie Derham will lead the festivities with guests including soprano Ermonela Jaho, the Consone Quartet (BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists), and the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble.

• Producer: Andy King for BBC Radio 3

Joe Lycett for Sara Cox

The Verb - Christmas Nonsense

Friday 20 December, 10pm-10.45pm

The Christmas Verb rejoices in the pleasure of nonsense language, nonsense stories, ridiculous rhymes and things that makes no sense at all.

Presenter Ian McMillan is joined by one of the greatest children’s book partnerships of all time, Julia Donaldson and Axel Schleffer, whose made-up monster the ‘Gruffalo’ is now part of childhoods all over the world. He’s also joined by the former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen with new poetry.

• Producer: Faith Lawrence for BBC Radio 3

Music Matters - Greenland

Saturday 21 December, 11.45pm-12.30am

Kate Molleson visits the world’s largest island to explore the role of traditional and new music for its communities today.

In the capital of Nuuk and smaller town of Maniitsoq Kate encounters drum dancers resurrecting a traditional Inuit practice which almost died out on Greenland’s west coast.

She discovers the political and sonic influence of the Greenlandic language on music from hymn singing to hip-hop. During her travels Kate meets artists using their lyrics to engage with issues from climate change to the country’s deep-rooted social problems, and visits a music school offering a safe space to young people.

• Producer: Andy King for BBC Radio 3

Have Yourself a Merry GC Christmas, Honey!

Private Passions - Sir Matthew Bourne

Sunday 22 December, 12pm-1pm

Michael Berkeley’s guest is the choreographer and director Matthew Bourne, via music from Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Mary Poppins and The Sound Of Music.

Sir Matthew Bourne is one of Britain’s most popular and successful directors and choreographers, with a long list of awards for shows including Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Edward Scissorhands and The Red Shoes. Alongside dances for his own company, he’s directed and choreographed a series of popular West End musicals: Oliver, My Fair Lady, and Mary Poppins.

In Private Passions, Sir Matthew discusses the early memories of the shows his parents took him to as a child, but reveals that despite their outings, it never occurred to anyone in the family that Matthew might make a living in the theatre. He was 22 before he took his first dance lesson.

In conversation with Michael Berkeley, Sir Matthew Bourne reflects on his career, including the difficulties he has faced along the way.

• A Loftus production for BBC Radio 3

The Listening Service

Sunday 22 December, 5pm-5.30pm

The office party… unwelcome relatives... too much rich food... alcoholic overindulgence... hideous decorations…and the festive music on repeat!

Among all the inevitable woes which accompany the holiday season, Yuletide music can be one of the most annoying and pervasive. But what are its origins, its essential ingredients and does it have an intrinsic worth or is it little more than a money-making means to an end?

Tom Service has been listening to a lot of it so you don't have to, in this programme exploring the festive music tradition! The programme includes contributions from writer Judith Flanders and some of the doyens and doyennes of the genre.

• Producer: David Papp for BBC Radio 3

No Country for Young Women Christmas

Drama on 3 - Winter Solstice

Sunday 22 December, 7.30 – 9.30pm

A festive drama for politically divided times: David Haig and Sam Troughton star in Winter Solstice, a dark comedy of political discomfort at Christmas time, written by Germany’s leading contemporary playwright, Roland Schimmelpfennig.

It’s Christmas Eve and Albert, Bettina and Bettina’s mother, Corinna, are gearing up for another passive-aggressive Christmas. To make matters worse, there’s a stranger at the door - a man Corinna met on the train. He’s charming, he’s cultivated, but as the red wine flows, the views he’s expressing become increasingly… uncomfortable.

The family’s Christmas becomes a divisive and disturbing experience, overlaid with sinister echoes from the past.

• Producer: Abigail Le Fleming for BBC Radio 3

New Generation Artists

Monday 23 - Friday 27 December, 5pm-6.15pm

Kate Molleson presents ten early evening programmes celebrating Radio 3’s current New Generation Artists.

Each year, Radio 3 selects six or seven remarkable musicians to join the scheme for two years each. During that time they record in the BBC’s studios, perform with the BBC’s orchestras and take part in some of the UK’s leading music festivals.

In this series listeners will catch those artists who are near the beginning of their journeys. We look back at some of the recordings made by the six artists leaving the scheme at the end of this year, musicians like the remarkable Georgian pianist, Mariam Batsashvili and the Scots mezzo soprano Catriona Morison, both of whom appeared at this year’s BBC Proms.

We also hear from artists mid-way through their time with us including the prodigious Aris Quartet from Germany and the Russian cellist Anastasia Kobekina who plays Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata on Christmas Day.

And, starting on New Year’s Day, we hear for the first time from the exciting artists who have recently joined the scheme: the 19 year-old Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene, the viola player Timothy Ridout, the Macedonian-born mezzo soprano Ema Nikolovska and the pianists Alexander Gadjiev and Eric Lu. The scheme also welcomes the jazz guitarist Rob Luft and the Consone Quartet, its first ever period instrument string quartet.

• Producer: Peter Thresh for BBC Radio 3

Radio 3 In Concert - Playing in the Dark: Neil Gaiman and the BBC Symphony Orchestra

Music Mixes

Greg James’ Christmas Present playlist
Greg celebrates the spirit of Christmas - and his Radio 1 Breakfast Show - with the perfect Christmas playlist as he opens his presents.

Rylan’s Christmas Kitchen Disco
Join Rylan as he cooks the turkey for Christmas with all the trimmings of a banging festive playlist to cook along to!

Trevor Nelson & Nadia Jae's Festive Family Mixtape
Trev and Nadia pick their favourite tracks to take it easy to this Christmas. This special hand-picked selection features vintage festive family favourites from both the Nelson and Jae clans as they talk about what Christmas has meant to them.

Scott and Chris' Christmas Crackers Playlist
Scott and Chris drop festive hits and pull some dodgy Christmas Crackers.

Other Christmas Music Mixes:

• 6Music’s Alternative Christmas
• A Peaceful Christmas
• Office Christmas Party
• 80s Christmas Classics
• 90s Christmas Classics
• Best New Christmas Pop
• Rap To Wrap To

Christmas Takeover Mixes:

• Gemma Collins Christmas Mix
• Gavin and Stacey – The Christmas Soundtrack
• Ali Plumb’s Christmas Movie Soundtrack
• Metronomy’s Alt Christmas Mix

Monday 23 December, 7.30pm-10pm

Neil Gaiman is one of the great storytellers of our time, his work loved by fans of all ages in books, films, on TV and in the theatre. He joins the BBC Symphony Orchestra for a walk on the dark side, reading from his best-selling books, weaving together his dystopian visions with music to thrill and excite the senses on a chilled December day.

The BBC Symphony Orchestra with soloists Amanda Palmer and Simon Butteriss perform a selection of works by Dukas, Gershwin, Sibelius, Sullivan, Wagner, Herrmann, and Britten.

Neil Gaiman, narrator (pictured)
Amanda Palmer, singer
Simon Butteriss, baritone
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Alexander Vedernikov

• Producer: Ann McKay for BBC Radio 3

Soul Symphony

The Essay - Open Endings

Monday 23 - Friday 27 December, 10pm-10.15pm

In Open Endings, some of today’s leading writers have picked a novel they love, and written an original piece of fiction imagining what happened to the characters after the story ends.

In this series of 15-minute essays, each novelist will talk about the novel they’ve chosen, why they love it and why they feel compelled to write a story past its original ending. Each essay will finish with an original piece of fiction in which they imagine the opening scenes of the continued story.

The writers include Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo, Philippa Gregory, Elif Shafrak and A.L Kennedy.

A.L Kennedy has chosen Wind In The Willows, and imagines the future for Ratty and Mole on the river.

Philippa Gregory has written a new afterlife for Jane Eyre, unhappy with her lot at the end of Charlotte Brontë’s novel.

Bernardine Evaristo always wondered what happened to Mrs Dalloway at the end of Virginia Woolf’s famous story.

Ian Rankin has chosen William Golding’s Lord Of The Flies, the story of Piggy, Ralph and a group of boys marooned on a desert island.

Part of the BBC Arts season The Novels That Shaped Our World.

• Producer: James Cook for BBC Radio 3

Greenland - An Arctic Sound Walk

Tuesday 24 December, 10pm-12am

Trevor Nelson presents a night of soul and RnB classics with a Christmas feel, featuring special guest vocalists accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, for the first time Trevor will bring together soulful singers to perform iconic tracks re-imagined and re-scored, with a full orchestra.

• Presenter: Trevor Nelson
• Producer: Phil Critchlow at TBI

Good Morning Christmas

Tuesday 24 December, 4.30pm-5.45pm; Wednesday 25 December, 4pm-5.15pm; Thursday 26 December, 4pm-5.15pm

This Christmas Radio 3 brings you a Slow Radio walk from the west coast of Greenland. Following the wild beauty of the Arctic Circle Trail, Horatio Clare (pictured above and top of page, right) hikes through the vast emptiness on one of the world’s greatest treks.

Experiencing the silence and brutal force of the elements, over three programmes Horatio brings to life Greenland’s dramatic colours, stunning wildlife and vast skies. With specialist sound recording we pick out the beating of ravens wings, the crackle of frozen streams, the screaming winds and the sudden all-consuming silence when everything stands still.

Befriended and looked after for the duration of the walk by three stray huskies, the soundscapes and limitless prospects Horatio experiences are woven throughout the three programmes with music that captures the light, the colours and the ever changing atmospheres of the journey.

Each of the three programmes has a particular focus, beginning with the originations of the country, followed by an exploration of the country’s recent history, its culture industry and evolution. The three-part series concludes with the story of Greenland today, and looks ahead to the future.

• Producer: Jeremy Evans and Andy Fell for BBC Radio 3

Sunday Feature - Rewriting Raymond Scott

Sunday 22 December, 6.45pm-7.30pm

The story of how a man famous for his cartoon TV music went on to introduce electronic composition to the American public, and in so doing helped change the sonic landscape of the 20th century.

Raymond Scott achieved early success in the 1930s and 40s with his ‘novelty jazz’ tunes. They were played everywhere, including on Looney Tunes cartoons, and billions of people around the world heard his music while watching the likes of Bugs Bunny and Road Runner. His music even made it to The Simpsons.

But from the 1950s onwards Scott radically changed musical direction. With his background in electronic engineering he started inventing, designing and building his own electronic musical instruments. The Clavivox, the Circle Machine and the Electronium were all deployed in the composition and production of radio and TV commercial spots and jingles. His soundtracks for the likes of Vim, Sprite, IBM and General Motors provided the American public with its first encounters with electronic music.

Scott’s ultimate vision was to push the boundaries of man’s relationship with music technology as far as possible. His most ambitious invention, the Electronium, embodied that dream. It could semi compose its own music. Towards the end of his career Scott and the Electronium were employed by Tamla Motown Records boss Berry Gordy in an (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt to help develop Motown’s hits of the future.

In Rewiring Raymond Scott the writer Ken Hollings gains exclusive access to the Scott archives and talks to family members, music historians and producers to assess the extraordinary career and legacy of one of America’s most forward-thinking electronic music visionaries.

• A Far Shoreline Productions production for BBC Radio 3

Sean at Home with Lang Lang

Junior Choice - Anneka Rice

Wednesday 25 December, 1pm-2pm

Sean Rafferty travels to Holland to meet the international pianist Lang Lang and finds him very much at home, seated, of course, by the piano - this time at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

Lang Lang takes a break from his busy tour schedule to give Sean a mini-masterclass on Beethoven’s Für Elise. They talk about Lang Lang’s passions and how his excitement for Tom and Jerry cartoons and Franz Liszt provided the catalyst for a young and determined pianist growing up in China.

Lang Lang began playing the piano at the age of three. He won the Shenyang Competition and gave his first public recital at five, before entering Beijing’s Central Music Conservatory aged nine. Lang Lang talks about difficult childhood experiences - from practising for endless hours each day and night to becoming an overnight sensation at just 17, when he stood in at short notice to play Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Today Lang Lang is spending a lot of his time immersing himself in the music of Beethoven. He demonstrates to Sean how he is exploring his technique and changing his hand shape as he prepares to play the concertos of Beethoven and record the piano sonatas.

This programme is part of the BBC’s Beethoven Unleashed Season, which spans the BBC in 2020.

• Producer: Marie-Claire Doris for BBC Radio 3

This Classical Life - 10 Pieces Special

Saturday 28 December

In a special edition of This Classical Life, the popular classical music show (and podcast) is partnering with BBC Ten Pieces to invite aspiring young musicians from UK schools to speak to Jess Gillam about the music which inspires them most.

BBC Ten Pieces is in its sixth year and has so far encouraged over five million people nationwide to get creative with classical music. This year it focuses on ‘trailblazers’ - from Brahms to Delia Derbyshire.

In this episode, we’ll hear from them about the pieces they are currently listening to and what music means to them.

• Producer: Andy King for BBC Radio 3

Private Passions - Dame Darcey Bussell

Paul O’Grady on Christmas Day

Wednesday 25 December, 12pm-2pm

It’s the show he calls Christmas at the Workhouse, but to everyone else it’s his annual special featuring messages and dedications from his listeners all over the world.

There’ll be an eclectic seasonal playlist, the return of the Radio 2 Choral Society, and two festive Hollywood Triples. Plus, for the first time, Paul taste tests Malcolm’s mum’s homemade Yule Log - naturally he’ll be bringing an axe with him to the studio.

And rounding the festivities off will be a few surprise interruptions from Petula Clark, Celine Dion, Luke Evans, Julian Clary, and many more - specially recorded for Christmas.

• Presenter: Paul O’Grady
• Producer: Malcolm Prince for the BBC

Sunday 29 December, 12pm-1pm

Darcey Bussell became principal dancer of the Royal Ballet at just 20, and spent seven years as a judge on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing.

In conversation with Michael Berkeley, she talks about creating a new post-performance life out of the glare of the public eye, about injuries and the battle for fitness, dealing with the tabloid headlines, and about the toll dancing has taken on her feet.

Her music choices range from Bach’s B Minor Mass, Mozart and Faure Requiems, to Dinah Washington’s Mad About The Boy.

• A Loftus Production for BBC Radio 3

Gary Davies TOTP

Breakfast - BBC Radio 3 Breakfast Carol Competition - Finalists Announced

Thursday 12 December, 6.30am-9am

The BBC Radio 3 Breakfast Carol Competition opened on the 2 September, inviting amateur composers to compose a brand new carol set to the words of a specially-commissioned poem, Go To The Child, by Imtiaz Dharker.

On 12 December, Petroc Trelawny will present a special programme to announce the six shortlisted carols from this year’s competition. These carols will be performed by the BBC Singers, and listeners will thereafter have the chance to vote for their favourite.

Listeners will be able to vote for their favourite carol on the Radio 3 website, with the winner of the most votes being announced in Breakfast on Friday 20 December. The winning carol will be broadcast throughout the Christmas period as part of the seasonal celebrations on BBC Radio 3.

• Producer: Helen Garrison for BBC Radio 3

Breakfast - BBC Radio 3 Breakfast Carol Competition - Winner Announced

Friday 20 December, 6am-9am

Petroc Trelawny announces the winner of the 2019 Radio 3 Breakfast Carol Competition.

He is joined by the BBC Singers conducted by Bob Chilcott, who will perform the winning carol live, as well as some traditional Christmas favourites. The winning competition carol will be broadcast throughout the Christmas period as part of the seasonal celebrations on BBC Radio 3.

• Producer: Helen Garrison for BBC Radio 3

Radio 2’s Family Rhythms

Sound Of Gaming Special

Wednesday 1 January, 1pm-2pm

Jessica Curry presents a Sound of Gaming special for New Year’s Day.

You may have found a shiny new console in your Christmas stocking, or perhaps you're working out what to get in the sales - or going slow after another New Year’s Eve party...

Luckily Sound Of Gaming returns for a New Year’s Day special. Jessica plays the best video game music, picks some of her favourite games and soundtracks from the past year and looks into her 2020 crystal ball at what may be the biggest scores of the New Year.

• Producer: Hannah Thorne for BBC Radio 3

New Year’s Day Concert from Vienna

Wednesday 1 January

The traditional musical start to the year is brought to listeners from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. This year’s concert is led for the first time by celebrated Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons, who guides the Vienna Philharmonic in an array of polkas, waltzes and gallops by the Strauss family and their contemporaries.

As always, the concert will end with the ever-popular By The Beautiful Blue Danube and the foot-stamping Radetzky March.

• Producer: Paul Frankl for BBC Radio 3

Bryan Adam Rocks!

Night Tracks New Year Special

Wednesday 1 January, 12am-12.30am

As the fireworks fizzle out and the strains of Auld Lang Syne waft away, join award-winning composer, producer and Night Tracks presenter Hannah Peel as she makes her own exclusive Night Tracks Archive Remix, to gently usher in the New Year.

• Producer: Matthew Dover for BBC Radio 3

New Year New Music

Saturday 4 - Saturday 11 January 2020

BBC Radio 3 celebrates new music at the beginning of the New Year, as 11 of the station’s presenters champion the music they love written in the last ten years.

Across the whole schedule over one week, you can hear our presenters talking about their favourite piece, and extended performances of all the works can be heard in a special edition of Radio 3’s New Music Show, on Saturday 5 January at 10pm.

• Producer: Philip Tagney for BBC Radio 3

Elton John & Ken Bruce

26 December, 12pm-2pm

Ken Bruce presents a two-hour special programme with Sir Elton John for an extended version of Tracks Of My Years, recorded earlier this year.

Elton John will pick some more of his favourite songs from other artists and will talk about how the music has shaped him. Elton will also select some of his own recordings and talk about the stories behind a few of his own compositions and working with Bernie Taupin.

• Presenter: Ken Bruce
• Producers: Ricky Marshall

Jeremy Vine, Review Of The Year

24 and 27 December, 12pm-4pm

Jeremy Vine looks back at some of the most memorable moments from The Jeremy Vine Show in 2019.

Jeremy will remember some of the news stories that made listeners sit up and take notice this year, as well as some of his favourite callers and the guests who joined him to answer the question: what makes us human?

On Christmas Eve, there will be another chance to hear Stephen Fry talking about why he doesn't agree with language pedants. And among lots of other stories, his second programme will remember the 50th anniversary of the moon landings.

• Presenter: Jeremy Vine
• Producer: Ryan Wilson for the BBC

First Cast

Sunday 29 December, 7pm-9pm

First Cast is a two-hour Christmas Special presented by BBC News’ Ben Thompson who, when he’s not reporting the business news, is an avid musicals fan.

Ben takes members of the original cast of Cats and the creative driving forces behind the production back to the theatre where it all began, now called the Gillian Lynne theatre after the choreographer who created the iconic dances. Her widower, Peter Land, tells Ben some tales that Gillian shared with him, and how proud he is of her skill and passion.

Cast members Paul Nicholas, Bonnie Langford, Wayne Sleep, Seeta Indrani, Myra Sands, Donald Waugh and Femi Taylor, together with Brian Blessed and Elaine Paige, share stories about the dances, the songs, the camaraderie, and tensions of this well-loved production. The first cast members lived through the show’s development, its opening night and the brickbats of the earliest days.

Ben discovers what it took to get this production to the stage, hearing director Trevor Nunn recite some of the poems. Designer John Napier walks Ben through the challenge of his amazing set; assistant stage manager, Mamma Mia’s producer Judy Craymer, reports on how backstage was managed in total darkness; theatre manager Nick Allott gives a rare insight into celebrity guests and audience nightmares; and producer Cameron Mackintosh takes listeners through the process of getting this global success off the ground.

But Cats would not exist without Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music. Ben discovers what inspired him in the first place, how he went about composing the thrilling music, and his hopes and fears as the musical developed. Listeners will also hear from the legendary Rod Argent, one of the musicians at Andrew Lloyd Webber's side, about what makes this musical so special and unique.

Liberally illustrated with the music of the original cast album, listeners will discover the inside story of the soar-away success in this Christmas Special, which is essential listening for anyone who enjoys musical theatre.

• Presenter: Ben Thompson
• Producer: Elin Rhys for Telesgop

Monday 30 December, 8pm-10pm

Michelle Visage will present a special programme over the festive season, bringing listeners some of her favourite tracks and talking about the way they have shaped her.

Michelle’s career began as a member of the girl group Seduction, before becoming the lead singer of The S.O.U.L. S.Y.S.T.E.M. in 1992. She is currently a judge on BBC Three’s RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and took part in BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing earlier this year. Michelle is no stranger to the radio broadcasting world having co-hosted morning shows such as WKTU in NYC, KHHT in Los Angeles and WMIA in Miami over 17 years.

Michelle says: "I’m super excited to be hosting my own show and sharing my favourite tracks with BBC Radio 2 listeners. I’m hoping there will be a song for everyone to dance to, not to mention music from some of the biggest divas in the business… think Madonna, Lady Gaga, Chaka Khan and Aretha Franklin. Listeners of the UK need to be ready because we are going to have a lot of fun!"

• Presenter: Michelle Visage
• Producer: Paul Thomas for Listen

New Year’s Eve on Radio 2

Tuesday 31 December, 7pm-4am

Tony Blackburn, Ana Matronic, Gary Davies and Dave Pearce return on New Year’s Eve, joined by Scott Mills, to provide the live soundtrack to the nation’s New Year’s Eve party.

From 7pm-8.30pm Tony Blackburn gets the party started in Tony Blackburn’s NYE 60s.

From 8.30pm-10pm, there’s nothing our very own Ana Matronic loves more than the 70s, so much so, that she’s giving up her New Year’s Eve to bring the party to you, 70s style! Join her for a ‘disco tactic’ mix of 70s anthems between 8.30pm and 10pm to get you well on your way to the best New Year’s ever. Get ready to get down to a mix of the most funky, soulful, camp and undeniable sing along anthems to raise a Babycham to this New Year’s Eve with Ana Matronic.

From 10pm-11.30pm Gary Davies will be spinning the biggest, bounciest 80s party anthems, getting revved up for the start of the New Year.

From 11.30pm-1am Scott Mills brings the party to Radio 2 with non-stop 90s hits, as people up and down the country gear up to the start of a new decade. This show will be a cross genre romp across the decade, so crack open a Tab Clear, don your Global Hypercolour t-shirt and get practising the Macarena, as Scott transports your back to your halcyon days.

This show will celebrate all of the very best party tunes the 90s had to offer, from Take That to Technotronic, Britney to The Backstreet Boys. In fact, we promise that by the end of the show you’ll be partying like it’s 1999.

From 1am-4am, Dave Pearce is live on Radio 2 with the perfect New Year’s House Party soundtrack. The show will feature four hours of the biggest Ibiza classics andclub anthems. Whether they are in the kitchen, car or in bed, they can come and join the party. Dave Pearce is one of the UK’s most in-demand DJs. He presented on BBC Radio 1 for 13 years, with his Sunday night Dance Anthems show becoming a national radio institution from 1998.

• Producers: Phil Swern 7 digital, Ollie Wilson for Somethin’ Else, Paul Thomas for Listen, Jordan Hemingway for Audio Always

Rick Astley Rocks

Wednesday 1 January 2020, 8pm-10pm

Rick Astley presents a show this New Year's Day, playing some of his favourite rock tracks following his many appearances with his favourite rockers Foo Fighters.

Listeners can expect tracks from Primal Scream, The Clash, Kings Of Leon, AC/DC, Arctic Monkeys and his friends and stage mates Foo Fighters.

Rick Astley says: "I am so excited to be playing some of my favourite rock tracks on BBC Radio 2. Let's turn it up to 11!"

• Presenter: Rick Astley
• Producer: Mark Simpson

Wham! The Music That Made Us

Wednesday 1 January 2020, 12pm-2pm

Andrew Ridgeley made his radio presenting debut earlier this year with Andrew Ridgeley’s 80s Playlist, a two-hour special where he played some of his favourite songs by artists including Fleetwood Mac, Prince and Stevie Wonder.

This Christmas, Andrew returns to Radio 2 to reveal the musical influences of a young Georgios Panayiotou (before he was George Michael) and himself, as they journeyed from Watford schoolboys to pop wannabes to worldwide superstars.

Featuring an eclectic range of music from the likes of Elvis Presley, Joy Division, Elton John, The Specials and Sugarhill Gang, Andrew will talk for the first time about the music that bonded him and George.

He'll also spin the songs that influenced the sound of The Executive - Andrew and George's first band together - and then Wham!, revealing the musical journey that eventually led to the duo creating some of pop's most iconic songs, including Everything She Wants and I’m Your Man.

• Presenter: Andrew Ridgeley
• Producer: Phil McGarvey

They Think It’s All Over…

Thursday 2 January, 7pm-9pm

On one of the busiest sporting days of the year, cricket commentator Mark Nicholas takes a look back at the sporting achievements and musical moments of 2019, alongside studio guests England’s Cricket World Cup winning captain Eoin Morgan and Keane’s frontman Tom Chaplin.

He’ll be talking to Ben Stokes, who hit the winning stroke and was so influential in securing the Cricket World Cup, as well as England women’s cricket captain Danielle Wyatt.

All the amazing Athletic achievements from sprinter and World Champion 200 metre runner Dina Asher Smith and Pentathlon World Champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson on her British record breaking score. Gary Lineker will talk all things football and the Radio 2 Breakfast Show’s own sports presenter Mike Williams will add his favourite sporting moments and achievements of 2019.

• Presenter: Mark Nicholas
• Producer: Julie Newman