Programme Information

Much-loved comedians Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders return with the second of their three festive specials for BBC Radio 2. The shows feature an eclectic mix of chat, music and, of course, the pair's trademark humour.

Whether listeners are nursing the effects of New Year's Eve excess or feeling bright-eyed and bushy tailed, French and Saunders are the perfect way to welcome in 2011 on New Year's Day. They chat to fellow comic and star of Getting On, Jo Brand, and their Someone And Their Mum interview features Sherlock Holmes actor Benedict Cumberbatch... and his real-life mum, Randall And Hopkirk actress Wanda Ventham. No doubt they'll be looking for clues from her as to Benedict's next roles and super-sleuthing in their quest to find out entertaining anecdotes about her son!

The third and final show from French and Saunders is broadcast on Bank Holiday Monday 3 January.

Presenters/Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, Producers/Fiona Day and Julia McKenzie for the BBC

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

To top

Once again, it's the time of the year when most people start making New Year's resolutions, promising themselves they'll finally hand in their notice at work and go travelling, get fitter and run a marathon, pluck up the courage to ask out that person they've been smiling at for the past year... or simply just give up chocolate.

To help listeners try to keep their New Year's resolutions, Patrick Kielty encourages them to reveal all to him – and the nation – in this show dedicated to these promises. And with so many people in the know, listeners might actually have a stronger resolve to keep them this year ... no pressure!

Listeners who would like to share their resolutions can email [email protected].

Presenter/Patrick Kielty, Producer/Charlotte Worth for the BBC

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

To top

In Sir Cliff Richards' 70th year, BBC Radio 2 celebrates the platinum prince of pop by playing some of his greatest hits.

Over 20,000 Radio 2 listeners voted for their favourite Cliff track back in the summer of 2006 – from a back catalogue that includes Wired For Sound, Congratulations, Move It and many more. These favourites are revisited, as Cilla Black presents The Ultimate Cliff Top Twenty.

Featuring many of Sir Cliff's biggest hits, plus a few more obscure b-sides, the most popular tracks are introduced by Cliff himself.

Presenter/Cilla Black, Producer/Malcolm Prince

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

To top

Suzi Quatro pays tribute to Otis Redding

Suzi Quatro takes a personal journey in the footsteps of her musical idol, Otis Redding. She visits Macon, Memphis and Nashville, talking to family, friends and colleagues of the soul legend along the way.

Contributors include Otis's daughter Karla, his first manager Alan Walden, musicians Steve Cropper and Wayne Jackson, and Stax alumni Al Bell and Deanie Parker.

Presenter/Suzi Quatro, Producer/Mark Hagen

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

To top

Musician, entrepreneur and chef Levi Roots makes his debut as a radio DJ

Musician, entrepreneur and chef Levi Roots makes his first appearance as a radio DJ on New Year's Day, hosting a two-hour special dedicated entirely to lovers' rock.

The show includes live sessions from Janet Kay and Carroll Thompson, as well as an interview with Denis Bovell.

Talking about the show, Levi says: "I can't wait to share my passion for reggae music with BBC Radio 2's listeners."

Presenter/Levi Roots, Producer/Nicky Birch

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

To top

Kilburn-based singer-songwriter Sean Taylor has supported the Neville Brothers, George Benson, John Fogerty, Band Of Horses and Southside Johnny And The Asbury Dukes, among many others.

Tonight, he chats to Bob Harris about this and his appearances at Glastonbury and the Cambridge Folk Festival. Sean also performs tracks from his latest album, Walk With Me.

Presenter/Bob Harris, Producer/Mark Simpson

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

New Year's Day Concert From Vienna

New Year's Day Saturday 1 January

10.15am-1.00pm BBC RADIO 3

Petroc Trelawny presents the famous New Year's Day concert live from Vienna's Musikverein, performed by the Vienna Philharmonic.

Conductor Franz Welser-Most follows in the footsteps of his great compatriots Clemens Krauss, Josef Krips, Willi Boskovsky, Herbert von Karajan and Nikolaus Harnoncourt, as he becomes the sixth Austrian conductor to lead the annual New Year's Day concert given by the Vienna Philharmonic. The performance includes music by four members of the Strauss family as well as works by their Viennese contemporaries Lanner and Hellmesberger.

To begin a year of celebrations for the bicentenary of Liszt's birth, the Vienna Philharmonic play Johan Strauss I's (father of the more famous Johan II) Galopp on themes by Liszt followed by Liszt's own Mephisto Waltz No. 1.

The second half of this concert can be seen live on BBC Two from 11.15am, with highlights on BBC Four at 7pm.

Presenter/Petroc Trelawny

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

To top

For the first 12 days of 2011, BBC Radio 3 is suspending its normal schedule to play Mozart – every note he wrote, and nothing but. The Genius Of Mozart is a Radio 3 composer music-season on an unprecedented scale. After the celebratory first day, the Mozart story is told through 11 days: Wunderkind Day, Meet The Mozarts, Grand Tour Day, Piano Day, Salzburg Day, Escape From Salzburg Day/Turkish Night, Opera Day, Vienna Day, Freemasons Day, Late Travels and 1791 Day.

Petroc Trelawny is joined live in Studio 7 at Austrian Radio in Vienna by composer HK Gruber, Ian Bousfield of the Vienna Philharmonic and Daniela Zimper of Austrian Radio to discuss Mozart, symbol of Vienna.

Presenter/Petroc Trelawny, Producer/Elizabeth Arno

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

Mariella Frostrup appraises the changing attitudes towards sex education.

After the First World War, when syphilis rates rocketed, the government sought to educate the public about venereal disease in films that were shown around the country. The first of these, Whatsover A Man Soweth, was a moral tale to show men the dangers of consorting with "loose women".

Sex education in schools was rare before the Second World War, but then an upsurge of gonorrhoea and syphilis frightened the government into action. Early lessons focused on biology, with contraception information deemed for married people only. The sexual revolution brought discussion into the open and much time was spent debating what children should be taught and at what age.

In the Eighties there was a gear-change when the moral tone was lost and it became about teenagers making informed choices about their own sexuality.

Since 2000 the government has asked schools to teach sex education in every year of a child's schooling. The general election interrupted the bill to make this mandatory.

In this programme, Mariella asks if it is appropriate for a five-year-old to be told about sex and whether or not the government is right to be involved in such a personal area of people's lives.

Presenter/Mariella Frostrop, Producers/Rachael Howorth and Sara Conkey for the BBC

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

5 Live Sport

New Year's Day Saturday 1 January

12.00noon-6.06pm BBC RADIO 5 LIVE

Mark Chapman looks ahead to the lunchtime commentary game, West Bromwich Albion versus Manchester United in the Premier League, which kicks off at 12.45pm. There are also regular updates from the Edinburgh derby as Hearts meet Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League (kick-off 12.30pm).

At 3pm there's live commentary of Manchester City against Blackpool in the Premier League, plus coverage of all the 3pm kick-offs including Tottenham Hotspur versus Fulham and Liverpool versus Bolton in the Premier League, and Aberdeen versus Dundee United in the Scottish Premier League. There are also updates from today's rugby union Premiership ties.

From 5pm Sports Report rounds up the day's news, results and reaction, including regular updates from the Premier League clash between Birmingham City and Arsenal (kick-off 5.30pm).

Presenter/Mark Chapman, Producer/Mike Carr

BBC Radio 5 Live Publicity

To top

The year 2010 was marked by disasters, including the Pakistan floods, Haiti earthquake and Cumbrian shootings, but alongside these tragedies are stories of dedication, bravery and selflessness. From the international aid workers who've helped people across the globe to the "have-a-go heroes" around the UK, Adil Ray meets some of the people who helped save lives last year and shares their inspiring stories with listeners.

Presenter/Adil Ray, Producer/Fiona Cotterill

BBC Radio 5 Live Publicity

Football

New Year's Day Saturday 1 January

2.55-5.00pm BBC RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

Football fans can enjoy uninterrupted commentary on one of the afternoon's top matches in the Championship.

Producer/Jen McAllister

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra Publicity

The music-loving, film-making comedy trio host a special BBC 6 Music show for New Year's Day. Having worked together on Spaced, Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz, Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost now bring their love of music to the radio for a special show.

While listeners choose some tunes to help kick-start a New Year, the trio share some tales from their respective years in the US spent making films.

Presenters/Edgar Wright, Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, Producer/James Stirling

BBC 6 Music Publicity

Raj and Pablo start 2011 by talking to the stars of one of this year's most anticipated Bollywood films, Tees Maar Khan. The pair speak to director Farah Khan as well as one of Bollywood's most successful on-screen partnerships, Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif.

Presenters/Raj and Pablo

BBC Asian Network Publicity

German novelist Bernard Schlink joins World Book Club to discuss The Reader.

First published in 1995 and a best-seller in both Germany and the US, The Reader is a novel about Michael Berg. As a teenager he has an affair with Hanna, a woman in her thirties, but after a misunderstanding she vanishes from his life. Later, as a law student visiting a courtroom, he sees her once more – on trial with a group of former concentration camp guards.

BBC World Service Publicity