I didn’t include Spector. I won’t be including Bardot either.

I offer this one to the crowd... Can anyone have a guess at this irish place name written on the UK 1871 census? Could be a township, a village or a town. Any clues gratefully received :-)

Certainly true that anyone who ‘loves animals far more than human beings’ is someone to beware. Morning Ricky.

There's a WhenWasRIP2025 card upcoming and Bardot is one of those where I am seriously torn. (Bearing in mind, Tebbit will not feature.)

Barney and Clive.

Week in week out, that archive hour at 8pm on Saturdays on R4 is one of the best things the BBC does.

I do love her sixties records, despite her terrible politics.

Al Jean made headlines twice this year, for stepping down as The Simpsons show runner after 25 years and also for coming on ALFsplaining to talk about Monty Python. Linktr.ee/ALFsplaining

This is so great. What a project to have been part of. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

With talk about podcasts this morning (to film or not to film), seems the moment to plug my 'textcast' again: #FirstLastAnything, on all types of music, with some very special guests indeed. You read the chat, you listen to the playlists. Archive of 36 episodes here. firstlastanything.co.uk/about

‘How has Farage got away with it?’ - well, you can start with some of Dulwich’s senior staff.

‘Of course he abused pupils’: ex-Dulwich teacher speaks out about Farage racism claims www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...

I live in hope that the iPod Classic will make a dramatic comeback one day.

For those who got #IntoTheGroove for Christmas or just for those who fancy a mix of the familiar and the not quite so familiar!

(Must admit, though, glad it's over.)

With talk about podcasts this morning (to film or not to film), seems the moment to plug my 'textcast' again: #FirstLastAnything, on all types of music, with some very special guests indeed. You read the chat, you listen to the playlists. Archive of 36 episodes here. firstlastanything.co.uk/about

Some lovely feedback on #IntoTheGroove. Thank you to everyone who bought a copy for themselves, for other people, as presents. It means a lot, and I hope it lives up to expectations. x

We found enough to watch over Christmas: Two Doors Down, Amandaland, Mammoth (sort of felt like regional Toast of London), the Absolutely Fabulous repeat from whenever it was, When Harry Met Sally, the odd quiz, the Innes Lloyd doc and East of Ipswich. That was plenty.

Hope you had a lovely Christmas. And, as I've said before, never trust anybody who laughs at *everything*.

Merry Christmas, Blueskyers xx

A happy Christmas is made of moments like this: Melvyn and Misha shaking hands in the Today studio. Thanks for listening in the past, present and future. We’re back on 15th January 🙂

Just up on the Telegraph, a thorough and thoughtful piece about the wrongheaded policy changes at WAC. Thanks to Kate Murphy, @illuminations.bsky.social, @unamccormack.bsky.social and @marklewisohn.bsky.social for giving up their time. Gift link here www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/65a1031...

If you haven't listened to this, go and give it a listen. Justin is knowledgeable and engaging (just as he is in person - I always wish we had more time for our catch-ups when I'm in Swansea 💖)

This is the official “Who did I miss off?” #sgtpepper2025 thread. I started the update with all the obvious ones last night but I’m sure there’s a few I’ve missed. Replying does not guarantee inclusion and please try not to come across as aggressive or entitled xxx

We hope everyone enjoys tonight's profile of Doctor Who producer Innes Lloyd on BBC Four. We're pleased to announce we'll be publishing Innes' recently discovered memoirs. Innes Lloyd: Memory Box is edited by Charles Norton from Innes' surviving manuscripts and diaries, and will be released in 2026.

What a cracking gift @whenisbirths.bsky.social

A real honour to appear *twice* on this list! “The most satisfying thing about this album, however, is Williams’ magisterial approach to her writing for orchestra, followed very closely by John Andrews’s and the BBC Philharmonic’s devotion to what she’s written.”

This is really good. It's made me think the word "critic" is a problem. It doesn't always mean slagging stuff off but is often seen as that.

Day 23’s door reveals musician Alexander Wolfe, who - as well revealing the Xmas song he can’t stand - tells us about being ‘a bit of a Scrooge’. Listen podfollow.com/hellish Pre-order Alexander’s new album, Everythinglessness, now - out January 16th. alexanderwolfe.bandcamp.com/album/everyt...

Meanwhile on BBC2 10.00 Open University Seminar On The Social Construction Of Christmas 2.00 Jumpers by Tom Stoppard 4.00 Pro-Celebrity Bridge 6.00 Award-Winning East European Cartoons 6.30 Closedown

Why can't we have the 1977 Christmas Schedule 2.00 Top Of The Pops 3.00 The Queen Responds To The Sex Pistols On Top Of The Pops 3.15 Film: Star Wars recreated in the studio with Morecambe&Wise 5.30 The Archbishop of Canterbury and A.J.Ayer debate the existence of God 6.00 Cartoons 6.30 Closedown

Heavy sigh this morning. Over stuff I can do nothing about.

Here's Tom Phillips' 1973 oil painting "After Raphael" that Brian Eno used a part of the make the cover to Another Green World.

The cafe down the road played this version the last two times I was in there and In My House sounds really weird in that context.

Showaddywaddy, like a 1978 Polyphonic Spree. #totp

In a sense the Floral Dance is the most Christmas record ever, because when else would it spend six weeks at number two. #totp

Brian and Michael’s real names were Kevin and Michael. True story. #totp

I really like Chris Rea and loads of his records. I also think the Paddington trope is bollux.

My favourite Rea moment in comedy though is when he went on Shooting Stars quite early on and proceeded to do and say almost nothing whatsoever.

Other least favourite cliche when famous people die is 'What a sound all those rock stars will be making up in heaven now' and you think to yourself, 'Wow, so worse than a Grammy Awards interlude then.'

The question is: Are Driving Home for Christmas and The Road to Hell (Parts 1 *and* 2) in the same Rea-niverse.

What next, Pingu to voice all eulogies. (Actually I'd like this for my funeral, oh hang on I wouldn't be there, though.)

(I love the films, the books, Michael Hordern doing the voice, Ben Whishaw doing the voice but) Paddington as The Twee Reaper can piss off.

My favourite of his, though Looking for the Summer, I Can Hear Your Heartbeat and obviously Fool If You Think It's Over are up there too. RIP to an often underrated figure in pop. www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIRO...

Those early Black Dog/Plaid records were seminal to me. And I still regard the first Black Dog album as the best UK techno LP ever made. This is very sad news. Rest in peace Ken.

I am actually working a fair bit over Christmas, but there will hopefully be time to upload a few extra treats. Not quite promising anything yet, but let's see.

Here's a short extract of my Let in the Light, from the BBC Singers contemporary carols concert last Friday. You can hear the whole thing from about 1.53.20 here (preceded by a short interview) www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... #classicalChristmas

Spooner's career as a continuity announcer was short-lived

Morning everyone. I’ve got a new play on tomorrow (Tuesday) and on @bbcsounds.bsky.social thereafter. It’s about PG Wodehouse’s war and it’s a comic defence of laughter in dark times. BBC Radio 4, 23 Dec, 2.15pm.

As the advent calendar gallops towards its end, it’s time for us to get reacquainted with top actor and Xmas Enthusiast Laura Checkley! the Christmas song she cannot stand prompts a barrage of song facts, not all of them seasonal… Listen podfollow.com/hellish