THE BBC has announced its programming for Christmas and the New Year. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who is due to resign his official duties at Epiphany, does not feature.
In previous years, the BBC has broadcast his Christmas Day sermon from Canterbury Cathedral, and a pre-recorded message on New Year’s Day. Archbishop Welby resigned five days after the publication of the Makin report (News, 8 November).
Church services still make up a large proportion of the BBC’s religious programming this year. Carols from King’s — pre-recorded in the candlelit Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge — will, as usual, be broadcast on BBC2 on Christmas Eve. The service will be led by the Dean, the Very Revd Dr Stephen Cherry.
Midnight Mass is to be broadcast live from St Mary’s, Warwick. The Christmas morning service is to be broadcast from Halifax Minster. The service will be led by the Vicar, Canon Hilary Barber, who will bless a “live crib” of animals, mother, and child. The Bishop of Huddersfield, the Rt Revd Smitha Prasadam, is due to preach.
Choral and gospel music will also feature prominently on BBC Radio. On the First Sunday of Advent, Radio 3 is to broadcast a service for Advent with carols, live from the Chapel of St John’s College, Cambridge. The traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s will, as usual, be broadcast live on Christmas Eve afternoon on Radio 3, and repeated on Christmas Day.
BBC/Big Circus MediaDame Sheila Hancock and Anita Rani in My Life at Christmas (BBC1)
Radio 4’s Sunday Worship on 15 December will explore the tradition, dating back more than 100 years, of carols’ being sung in pubs in the villages around Sheffield, known as the Sheffield Carols. Sunday Worship on 22 December will be broadcast from Methodist College, Belfast. The President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Revd Dr John Alderdice, is due to preach.
Early on Christmas morning, on Radio 2, the Revd Kate Bottley is to present a programme of popular Christmas carols, and, later, Good Morning Christmas at 8 a.m. Radio 1Xtra is to host a Gospel Christmas on Christmas morning, with Swarzy Shire and Jeremiah Asiamah. In the evening, on Radio 2, the actor Beverley Knight is to celebrate festive songs and traditional gospel carols from the UK and Ireland.
Radio 4 will also broadcast midnight mass from Leeds Roman Catholic Cathedral, and Christmas Day worship with the Salvation Army in the Royal Albert Hall.
The head of Religion and Ethics for BBC Radio, Tim Pemberton, said: “It’s a very special season of programming, and I hope listeners will find much to entertain, uplift, and inspire.”
Other highlighted religious programmes this year include a third series of My Life at Christmas (News, 1 December 2023), with a new presenter, Anita Rani. Over three episodes, the British actors Dame Sheila Hancock and Rudolph Walker, and the TV personality and podcaster Spencer Matthews, are interviewed about memorable moments in their careers, family life, and faith.
Songs of Praise is to host BBC Young Chorister Of The Year on 1 December, A Christmas Celebration from Huddersfield Town Hall on 15 December, and a Candlelit Christmas on 22 December. On Christmas night, on BBC1, Kate Garraway is to read from Luke’s Gospel, followed by a choral musical performance.
The head of Religion and Ethics for BBC Television, Daisy Scalchi, said that the BBC had a “dynamic range of programming” this year. “I hope viewers are brought together by the live worship, carols, spiritual reflection, and musical celebration we have on offer as we celebrate Christmas and look forward to the year ahead.”