BBC Radio 4 FM Schedule Thursday 25 December 2025

Schedule

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Early
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Late

Early
1. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—25/12/2025
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
2. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—25/12/2025
  A selection of BBC World Service news and current affairs, arts and science programmes.
3. 05:00
  News Summary—25/12/2025
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
4. 05:04
  More or Less—Were there really Three Wise Men?
  From counting people to measuring housework - we explore.
5. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—25/12/2025
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
6. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—25/12/2025
  Christmas Day reflection with Fiona Stewart, a writer who runs a Christian arts charity.
7. 05:45
  Farming Today—25/12/25 Farms for City Children - 50 years of Michael & Clare Morpurgo's charity.
  Children's author Michael Morpurgo and his wife Clare mark 50 years of their farm charity.
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Morning
1. 06:00
  Artworks—Finding Elgar
  Adrian Chiles uncovers the fun, fraught and frankly surprising early life of Edward Elgar.
2. 06:30
  Soul Music—A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten
  A composition for voices and harp, written on a cargo ship on the Atlantic in 1942.
3. 07:00
  Christmas Service
  A Service for Christmas Morning from Leeds Catholic Cathedral.
4. 08:00
  Café Hope—Cafe Hope's Christmas Dinner
  Swapping our virtual coffee shop for the real Cafe Hope in Glasgow.
5. 08:35
  This Natural Life—His Majesty The King
  His Majesty the King tells Martha Kearney about his lifelong passion for the natural world
6. 09:00
  The Reunion—Downton Abbey
  Kirsty Wark's guests reflect on the launch of TV drama series Downton Abbey.
7. 10:00
  Woman's Hour—The rituals and traditions of Christmas
  A Woman's Hour Christmas Day Special. Co-presented by Nuala McGovern and Anita Rani.
8. 11:00
  The Infinite Monkey Cage—Series 34, The North Pole Unwrapped - Russell Kane, Felicity Aston and Lloyd Peck
  Brian Cox and Robin Ince venture north to unearth (or un-snow) the secrets of the Arctic.
9. 11:45
  Around the Table by Diana Henry—4. Autumn cuisine in Japan and Northern Ireland
  4/5The acclaimed food writer on autumnal flavours from Japan to Northern Ireland.
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Afternoon
1. 12:00
  Pick of the Year—Pick of the Year 2025 (Parts 1&2)
  Jeanette Winterson presents a selection of audio highlights from 2025 across the BBC.
2. 13:00
  News—25/12/2025
  The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
3. 13:10
  A Carnival of Animals—The Pig
  Katherine Rundell explores wonderful stories of 20 astonishing but endangered animals.
4. 13:15
  Illuminated—A Very British Christmas
  A headlong dive into Christmas Day 2024, made up entirely from phone-recorded voice notes.
5. 13:45
  Who Are You in Winnie-the-Pooh?—Tigger
  4/5Frank Cottrell-Boyce talks with Cressida Cowell and Michael Rosen about Tigger.
6. 14:00
  The Archers—24/12/2025
  Eyebrows are raised at the Christmas parade.
7. 14:15
  Drama on 4—Regifted
  A magical Christmas tale of unwanted gifts and lonely humans in search of connection.
8. 15:00
  HM The King—HM The King
  The King's Christmas message to the Commonwealth and the nation.
9. 15:05
  News Summary—25/12/2025
  The latest national and international news from BBC Radio 4.
10. 15:12
  Radio 4 Appeal—Ethiopiaid
  Jenny Agutter makes the Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of Ethiopiaid.
11. 15:15
  John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme—2025 Special
  Another one-off return for the multi-award-winning sketch show.
12. 16:00
  When I Met Jane Austen—When I Met Jane Austen: Omnibus 1
  A series of writers and thinkers on Jane Austen.
13. 17:00
  With Great Pleasure—Bill Bailey: With Great Pleasure at Christmas
  Bill Bailey and his band perform his favourite songs and readings at the BBC Radio Theatre
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Evening
1. 18:00
  Six O'Clock News—25/12/2025
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 18:15
  Ian Hislop's Oldest Jokes—Series 1, Double entendre
  Part two of Ian Hislop's British comedy quest leads him to Anglo-Saxon Double Entendre.
3. 18:30
  Unspeakable—Christmas Special 2025
  Good news! A new word is born unto us, in an Unspeakable seasonal spectacular.
4. 19:00
  The Archers—25/12/2025
  Jolene receives an unexpected Christmas present.
5. 19:15
  This Cultural Life—Nile Rodgers
  Nile Rodgers, composer, guitarist and founding member of Chic on his cultural influences.
6. 20:00
  Archive on 4—Up in Smoke
  A look back on a century of cigarette smoking.
7. 21:00
  Loose Ends—Gyles Brandreth, Carrie Grant, Simon Evans, Lisa Faulkner, The Unthanks
  Stuart Maconie presents a special Christmas edition from the BBC Philharmonic studio.
8. 21:45
  The Ideas List—2. Inhalable Vaccines
  Claudia Hammond re-examines an attempt to revolutionise flu vaccines.
9. 22:00
  I Don’t Do… with Julian Clary
  Julian Clary hosts a brand new panel show celebrating everything he hates about Christmas.
10. 22:30
  Ian Hislop's Oldest Jokes—Series 1, Any Women here?
  The 8th part of Ian Hislop's quest for early British comedy looks at the work of women.
11. 22:45
  Christmas Days by Jeanette Winterson—Christmas Light
  4/5'The spirit of Christmas can’t be bought.' A new essay on the mystery of Christmas.
12. 23:00
  When I Met Jane Austen—When I Met Jane Austen: Omnibus 2
  Five writers and thinkers on the genius of Jane Austen
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Late
1. 00:00
  Midnight News—26/12/2025
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
2. 00:15
  Christmas Meditation - Seeing As God Sees
  A reflection on the meaning of Christmas with Bishop Mariann Budde, Bishop of Washington.
3. 00:30
  Around the Table by Diana Henry—4. Autumn cuisine in Japan and Northern Ireland
  4/5The acclaimed food writer on autumnal flavours from Japan to Northern Ireland.
4. 00:48
  Shipping Forecast—26/12/2025
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
5. 01:00
  Selection of BBC World Service Programmes—26/12/2025
  A selection of BBC World Service news and current affairs, arts and science programmes.
6. 05:00
  News Summary—26/12/2025
  National and international news from BBC Radio 4
7. 05:04
  New Elements
  What does it take to make something which has never existed on Earth before?
8. 05:34
  Shipping Forecast—26/12/2025
  The latest weather reports and forecasts for UK shipping
9. 05:43
  Prayer for the Day—26/12/2025
  Reflection for Boxing Day with Fiona Stewart, a writer who runs a Christian arts charity.
10. 05:45
  Farming Today—Horse-powered Pint
  An Oxfordshire brewery using heavy horses to deliver beer.

Friday 26 December 2025