BBC Weeks 50 - 52 Commencing 12/12/2015 Christmas programmes Television & Radio BBC Northern Ireland Press Office Email: [email protected] bbc.co.uk/mediacentre bbc.co.uk/iplayer Pictures are available at: www.bbcpictures.co.uk @bbconeni @bbctwoni CHRISTMAS HIGHLIGHTS TELEVISION & RADIO / BBC WEEKS 50-52 Monday 14 December Stephen McCauley and Gerry Kelly Live from the Ulster Hall NEW BBC Radio Ulster Live From The Red Carpet NEW BBC Radio Ulster BBC Radio Ulster 40th Birthday Gala NEW BBC Radio Ulster Radio Days NEW BBC One Northern Ireland Tuesday 15 December Sports Personality 2015 – The Final 12 NEW BBC One Thursday 17 December The Arts Show: Brian Friel - A Tribute NEW BBC Two Northern Ireland Saturday 19 December A Christmas Star NEW BBC Two Northern Ireland Sunday 20 December Morning Service BBC Radio Ulster BBC Sports Personality Of The Year 2015 - Red Carpet Show NEW BBC Two Northern Ireland Praise Revival BBC Radio Ulster BBC Sports Personality Of The Year 2015 NEW BBC One Wednesday 23 December Joy at Christmas NEW BBC One Northern Ireland The Blame Game: Best Bits BBC One Northern Ireland Christmas Eve – Thursday 24 December Talkback BBC Radio Ulster Hugo Duncan Live From Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital BBC Radio Ulster Show Tunes BBC Radio Ulster Christmas Day – Friday 25 December Radio Ulster Carol Service BBC Radio Ulster Kim’s Twinkly Christmas BBC Radio Ulster Into The Music BBC Radio Ulster Boxing Day – Saturday 26 December Van Morrison Live on Cyprus Avenue BBC Radio Ulster Vanatics BBC Radio Ulster Ulster Rugby Live BBC Two Northern Ireland Live At The Grand BBC Radio Ulster New Year’s Day – Friday 1 January John Bennett BBC Radio Ulster Vinny & Mairead BBC Radio Ulster ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ EDITORIAL 2015 / BBC WEEKS 50-52 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ MONDAY 14 DECEMBER TELEVISION & RADIO HIGHLIGHTS / BBC WEEKS 50-52 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Stephen McCauley and Gerry Kelly Live from the Ulster Hall NEW Monday 14 December BBC Radio Ulster, 3pm bbc.co.uk/radioulster Stephen McCauley and Gerry Kelly join forces for a special afternoon show of live music and guests from the Ulster Hall in Belfast, ahead of tonight’s BBC Radio Ulster 40th Birthday Gala Concert. Join Stephen and Gerry on Monday 14 December, on BBC Radio Ulster from 3pm. CC _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Live From The Red Carpet NEW Monday 14 December BBC Radio Ulster, 7.30pm bbc.co.uk/radioulster Presenters John Bennett and Lynette Fay are live with all the action on the red carpet as guests arrive for the BBC Radio Ulster 40th Birthday Gala Concert at the Ulster Hall in Belfast. Live From The Red Carpet is on Monday 14 December, BBC Radio Ulster at 7.30pm. CC _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ EDITORIAL 2015 / BBC WEEKS 50-52 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ BBC Radio Ulster 40th Birthday Gala NEW Live from the Ulster Hall, Belfast Monday 14 December BBC Radio Ulster, 8.00pm bbc.co.uk/radioulster BBC Radio Ulster’s 40th birthday celebrations culminate in a glittering gala concert live from the Ulster Hall in Belfast on Monday 14 December at 8.00pm. The exclusive event will be presented by John Toal and Wendy Austin who will introduce a host of well-known names from the worlds of music, arts, comedy, sport and news, together with the Ulster Orchestra. The two-and-half hour gala concert will reflect BBC Radio Ulster’s rich heritage and its diverse schedule of programming. CC _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Radio Days NEW Monday 14 December BBC One Northern Ireland, 10.35pm Forty years ago, as the stroke of midnight welcomed in New year’s Day 1975, the voice of John Bennett introduced a new radio station to the people of Northern Ireland. In the 40 years since, BBC Radio Ulster has been there for the good times and the bad, covering the nation’s celebrations and tragedies with a range of news, speech, music, sport and language programming. And joining in the laughter and tears all the way along have been the station’s listeners. Radio Days, on BBC One Northern Ireland on Monday 14 December at 10.35pm, meets a handful of some of the station’s ardent audience. Helping mark BBC Radio Ulster’s 40th anniversary, Radio Days hears from many of the station’s presenters who bring the programmes to the airwaves and from the people who make those programmes what they are – and are the main reason they exist – the listeners. In the programme, loyal listeners and faithful friends of the station talk about their unique relationship with BBC Radio Ulster and its distinctive mix of presenters and programmes. From Hugo fans Jean and Lily, to regular callers Norman and Bertie and listeners Pat, Ann and Margaret we discover the pivotal part BBC Radio Ulster plays in the lives of its audience. Narrated by Stephen Nolan, the programme also features rare behind the scenes archive footage and interviews familiar voices from Walter Love (who along with John Bennett broadcast on the station since it started), Wendy Austin, Hugo Duncan, Cherrie McIlwaine and Linda McAuley to Stephen Nolan, Rigsy and Vinny Hurrell. Radio Days follows the live BBC Radio Ulster 40th Birthday Gala from the Ulster Hall, Belfast, which can be heard on the station from 8pm-10.30pm. Presented by Wendy Austin and John Toal, this one- off concert features a host of special performances and appearances representing the station’s programming across news, speech, arts, music, sport and comedy. JM _______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ TUESDAY 15 DECEMBER TELEVISION & RADIO HIGHLIGHTS / BBC WEEKS 50-52 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Sports Personality 2015 – The Final 12 NEW Tuesday 15 December BBC One, 10.35pm As the countdown continues to sport’s biggest night of the Year, Gabby Logan is in Belfast to present a special show on the 12 contenders for this year’s prestigious SPOTY Award. The programme features interviews with all 12 contenders, plus we also hear from advocates for each, made up of leading figures from the world of sport and those closest to them. Previous winners include Lord Coe, AP McCoy, Zara Phillips, David Beckham, Dame Mary Peters and Sir Bradley Wiggins. Eddie Izzard also meets up with last year’s Unsung Hero winner Jill Stidever and hears how winning the Award at SPOTY has changed her life, while 1985 SPOTY winner Barry McGuigan visits Belfast to see how the city is preparing for the show with a number of sporting community events. MD _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ THURSDAY 17 DECEMBER TELEVISION & RADIO HIGHLIGHTS / BBC WEEKS 50-52 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Arts Show: Brian Friel – A Tribute NEW Thursday 17 December BBC Two NI, 10pm The Arts Show rounds off 2015 with a special tribute to literary giant, Brian Friel, who died on 2 October this year. Presenter Marie-Louise Muir talks to friends and colleagues who worked with him and for him, including Oscar-nominated actor, Stephen Rea. Rea, who co-founded the Field Day Theatre Company with Friel in the early 1980’s, gave The Arts Show his only broadcast interview since Friel’s passing, saying; “He was a majestic figure and a dear, dear friend who had more influence on me than anyone else, and immense kindness and generosity. I will remember him always being irreverent and he was not impressed by anything - he was fearless, he was theatre.” Other interviewees include Friel’s close friend, Irish Playwright Tom Kilroy, who remembers his mischievousness, saying; “His postcards with their hilarious one-liners were like a burst of laughter coming through the door”, and Actor/Director Adrian Dunbar, who said; '”Friel was a towering figure – he led us out of the parish and into the wider world”. Downpatrick photographer, Bobbie Hanvey, and Field Day administrator, Collete Nellis also feature, with Nelis remembering her former boss as a 'pure gentleman'. In recognition of Friel’s international standing, the lights on Broadway will be dimmed for one minute on Dec 8th as a mark of respect. The Arts Show: Brian Friel - A Tribute is broadcast on Thursday 17 December, 10pm, BBC Two NI. MD _______________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ SATURDAY 19 DECEMBER TELEVISION & RADIO HIGHLIGHTS / BBC WEEKS 50-52 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ A Christmas Star NEW Saturday 19 December BBC Two Northern Ireland, 5pm Northern Ireland and Ireland's first locally made Christmas movie centres around a spirited young girl named Noelle O’Hanlon (Newtownards