Programme Information

Chris Stuart presents highlights from this year's annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance, in the 90th anniversary year of one of the UK's largest membership organisations which provides welfare to the whole Armed Forces family.

This is a time when the nation once again offers its thanks and pays tribute to all those who risk their lives in the service of their country. The Festival remembers the great sacrifice made by all who have died as a result of conflict and the suffering of those left behind, especially in the act of Remembrance when thousands of poppies are dropped, representing the lives lost not only in the two World Wars, but also in more recent conflicts.

As well as the annual displays of rousing military band music from, among others, the Royal Marines and the RAF, the evening features Sir Cliff Richard, Joe McElderry and Katherine Jenkins.

Presenter/Chris Stuart, Producer/Philip Billson for the BBC

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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John Hurt narrates the story of Second World War soldier Victor Gregg, now 92, who poignantly remembers his war.

Tricked into joining the army on the false promise of a cuppa and a bun, Victor experienced some of that war's greatest battles, from the horror of El Alamein to parachuting into Arnhem for the doomed Operation Market Garden. He recalls the moment he first killed a man in hand-to-hand combat and the extraordinary time when an allied soldier was killed and a German soldier returned his possessions to the British lines.

Victor escaped from a prison camp, but was recaptured and imprisoned in Dresden on the night of the firestorm bombings which killed tens of thousands of civilians. Once the fires subsided, he helped clear the dead. Victor's story ends with a moving account of his return to England.

The programme features original music by British singer/songwriter Thea Gilmore, and DJ/music producer Kissy Sell Out.

Presenter/John Hurt, Producer/Andy West for the BBC

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

Tom Service brings listeners the latest news and interviews from the world of classical music.

Tom interviews critically acclaimed German composer Thomas Larcher. Larcher is shortly to première a piece in London in a recital which includes a song cycle written for tenor Mark Padmore, who also features in this composer's portrait.

The producers of Music Makes A City talk about their documentary on the Louisville Orchestra; and virtuoso David Pyatt and amateur player Jasper Rees review a new biography about Dennis Brain, one of the greatest horn players of all time, whose life was tragically cut short. They discuss what made Brain such a legend.

Presenter/Tom Service, Producer/Juan Carlos Jaramillo

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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The Early Music Show – Live At The 2011 Greenwich International Early Music Festival

Saturday 12 November

1.00-2.00pm BBC RADIO 3

Catherine Bott is live from the 10th Greenwich International Early Music Festival and Exhibition with news, chat and music from L'Arpeggiata, Pantagruel and Red Priest.

The Greenwich Festival boasts one of the most important exhibitions of early music instruments and instrument making in the world. It also plays host to a lively festival of music making in the beautiful setting of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich, south London.

Catherine introduces live performances from some of this year's top international acts and she reflects on some of the ideas and aims of the festival in this, its 10th anniversary year.

Presenter/Catherine Bott, Producer/Chris Wines

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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Simon Russell Beale continues his series of programmes exploring the music connected to some of the cities he visited in BBC Four's Symphony series.

Today's focus is Paris, and over two hours Simon plays great music from composers who lived, wrote in and travelled to the city, including Mozart, Debussy and Poulenc, plus Ravel's ravishing Mother Goose suite for piano duet.

This programme is part of BBC Radio 3's series of symphony programmes broadcast this month.

Presenter/Simon Russell Beale, Producer/Rebecca Bean for the BBC

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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Egils Silins as the Flying Dutchman and Anje Kampe as Senta

Tonight's Opera On 3 is a production of Wagner's Der Fliegende Holländer recorded at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Egils Silins sings the legendary Dutchman, cursed to sail his ghostly ship for eternity and only allowed ashore every seven years. The only way to break the curse is to find a woman who will be faithful to him until death. Anje Kampe sings Senta; she believes she is that woman, despite having promised herself to somebody else.

Jeffrey Tate conducts a revival of Tim Albery's 2009 production.

Presenter/Louise Fryer, Producer/Ellie Mant

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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The Wire presents The Thank You Present by Christopher Reason – part of the strand's Conviction series.

Terence Griffiths – "the Griff" to his friends – was a top industrial correspondent back in the Eighties during the miners' strike, but a terrible blunder left his career in ruins. His life seemed to be over but he was fortunate enough to secure a position as Head of Journalism Studies at a northern university. Twenty-eight years later he commits suicide. His best friend Simon was the last person to see him alive. Or was he?

This tale of love and betrayal, by Sony Gold-winning writer Christopher Reason, stars Roger Allam and Reece Dinsdale.

Producer/Gary Brown

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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Robert Worby presents more performances from this year's Cut & Splice Festival, co-curated by Hear And Now and Sound And Music at the ICA in London last week.

This year's theme is Collectives, and features performances by Jennifer Walshe's Grupat collective, and the Wandelweiser collective.

In the Hear And Now 50 series, composer and rock musician Tyondai Braxton explains why he is so inspired by the Poème électronique by Edgard Varèse; while Gillian Moore tells the story of Varèse's long struggle to create a futuristic music that he finally achieved in this work, composed for hundreds of loudspeakers at the 1958 Brussels World Fair.

Presenter/Robert Worby, Producer/Philip Tagney

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

Bar Mitzvah Boy is a radio version of Jack Rosenthal's award-winning television play about a boy having his Bar Mitzvah – the ceremony in which a 13-year-old becomes a man in the Jewish faith.

This new version, specially adapted for radio by Jack's daughter, playwright Amy Rosenthal, tells the story of 13-year-old Eliot Green, who is about to become a man.

In front of the whole congregation, he will read and sing in Hebrew from the Torah – this after a year of intensive tuition. Later he will enjoy receiving gifts from relatives and friends as he celebrates with them at his Bar Mitzvah party.

All eyes are on Eliot as he is called up in the synagogue for his big moment. But is he ready to become a man?

Hugo Raine is Eliot, Tracy-Ann Oberman is Rita, David Horovitch is Victor and Andrew Sachs is Grandad.

Producer/David Ian Neville for the BBC

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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Denys Blakeway tells the story of the act of Remembrance and explores what significance it has in the life of a nation, arguing that it plays an important role in defining British identity.

Presenter/Denys Blakeway, Producer/Melissa Fitzgerald for Blakeway Productions Limited

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

Following Armistice Day, BBC Radio 4 Extra features Ian Lavender's homage to BBC Radio's comedies about the Armed Forces.

Classic comedies featured are Merry-Go-Round – Army: Stand Easy (14/09/1945); ITMA (29/3/1945); Merry-Go-Round – Navy: HMS Waterlogged (08/08/1945); The Navy Lark – Mysterious Radio Signals (06/06/1971); Merry-Go-Round – RAF: Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh (11/04/1945); and Dad's Army – Sergeant, Save My Boy (11/03/1975).

Also, in this time of Remembrance, Radio 4 Extra is repeating RF Delderfield's To Serve Them All My Days, starring Oliver Milburn, in five parts from Wednesday 15 to Tuesday 22 November, 11.15am-12.00noon.

It is 1918 and, invalided out of the trenches, Davy Powlett Jones must face a new start.

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

On Saturday, from 12noon-1pm and from 2.05pm, Mark Chapman presents build-up to this afternoon's international friendlies featuring England and Wales, along with all the day's sports news. There is also coverage of the first round of FA Cup football and the first round of Heineken Cup rugby, plus tennis updates from the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris and racing from Cheltenham.

At 3pm 5 Live Sport – International Football 2011-12 has live football commentary of Wales versus Norway in their international friendly, while from 5pm there's build-up to the international friendly between England and Spain, followed by live commentary on the match from Wembley (kick-off 5.15pm).

On Sunday, from 12noon-1pm Ian Payne presents the weekend's sports news and build-up to today's Formula 1 and rugby union action. At 5pm there's a round-up of all the day's sports news and reports from today's action, including the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi.

From 7pm on Monday Mark Chapman presents the day's sports news, plus football debate and discussion following the weekend's international and FA Cup first round matches in The Monday Night Club.

At 9pm 5 Live Football League has news and interviews from the weekend's matches following the entry of Football League clubs into the FA Cup first round.

From 9.30pm The Monday Night Club team hears fresh football insights from the best bloggers, podcasters and writers in MNC: Booted, and from 10pm there's more on one of the day's top sports stories.

On Tuesday at 7pm Mark Pougatch presents the day's sports news and build-up to tonight's international football. From 8pm 5 Live Sport – International Football 2011-12 has live football commentary of England versus Sweden in their international friendly at Wembley, plus updates from the second leg of the Euro 2012 qualifiers.

In the Final Whistle at 10pm there's football reaction and analysis following England's friendly against Sweden and the second legs of the Euro 2012 play-off games.

On Wednesday, from 7pm Mark Pougatch presents the day's sports news, plus discussion on the big issues in football with Brian Woolnough, Henry Winter and Shaun Custis.

On Thursday, from 7pm Eleanor Oldroyd presents the day's sports news, plus features and interviews. From 8pm 5 Live Racing has news, interviews and discussion on the latest issues in horse racing, and at 9pm London Calling features a coaches' special.

From 7pm on Friday Colin Murray previews the weekend's sport, while from 9.30pm Jonathan Overend presents 5 Live Tennis with a look ahead to the tennis World Tour Finals at the O2.

Presenters/Mark Chapman, Ian Payne, Mark Pougatch, Eleanor Oldroyd, Colin Murray and Jonathan Overend, Producer/Mike Carr

BBC Radio 5 Live Publicity

Rugby League – England v New Zealand

Saturday 12 November

5.55-7.45pm BBC RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

On Saturday from 5.55pm there is uninterrupted commentary on England versus New Zealand in the Four Nations tournament, live from the KC Stadium in Hull.

Producer/Jen McAllister

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra Publicity

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5 Live Formula 1 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Practice And Qualifying

Saturday 12 November

9.55-11.05am BBC RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

1.00-2.05pm BBC RADIO 5 LIVE

On Saturday from 9.55am on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra there's uninterrupted commentary on the third practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The action then switches to 5 Live from 1pm as David Croft and the F1 team bring live commentary on the qualifying session from Yas Marina.

Presenter/David Croft, Producer/Jason Swales for USP

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra Publicity

Liz Kershaw is joined today by Jimi Goodwin of Doves, who hosts his fantasy party and chats about his involvement with The Ghosts Of Gone Birds exhibition – a multimedia exhibition featuring more than 100 artists, interpreting the theme of birds that have been lost to the world for ever.

Liz also asks listeners for theme-based requests, and a listener shares their love of their favourite album in All Killer, No Filler.

Presenter/Liz Kershaw, Producer/Adam Hudson

BBC Radio 6 Music Publicity

Heart And Soul – The Right Thing Ep 1/3

Saturday 12 November

1.30-2.00pm BBC WORLD SERVICE

Miriam O'Reilly presents a new series exploring personal stories of integrity, courage, and the cost of doing the right thing. Her first guest is Leymah Gbowee from Liberia who has recently been jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace.

Leymah mobilised women from across Liberia's ethnic and religious divides to call for an end to Liberia's brutal 14-year civil war. Amid the shells and bullets, the women prayed and protested for days on end, demanding that the conflict between former President Charles Taylor and rebel forces stop. This women's movement eventually helped to bring about an end to the conflict which had left over 250,000 people dead. Leymah says: [we were] "unafraid because the worst things imaginable had already happened to us."

Presenter/Miriam O'Reilly

BBC World Service Publicity

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Journalist and author Noah Richler asks why humans from the earliest times have felt the need to tell stories.

In the second programme he examines how creation myths and epics in the 21st century continue to be part of our experience of storytelling, and how through computer games and social media people assume different identities – hero, villain, warrior, peacemaker. He also takes time to reflect on his own idea – that perhaps humans are the servant of the story, the vessel through which story lives – and he argues that it is the survival of "story" that is paramount.

Presenter and Producer/Noah Richler

BBC World Service Press Office