麻豆社

One Night In Winter

TX details: Sunday 9 December, 4pm-5pm

Rose Tremain’s play is set among the guests and staff at Beth’s Hotel, as Christmas approaches.

The hotel's resident chef Mordy is devastated when his wife leaves him, taking their son with him and never to be seen again. He becomes preoccupied with hosting Mr Littlejohn’s 'Dance and Dream' weekends for the elderly, which are proving very popular at the hotel. But not everyone, including Mordy, is looking forward to the festive season.

David Bannerman (Uncle Vanya, Copenhagen) is Mordy and Elizabeth Spriggs plays Queenie (RSC, Midsomer Murders, Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone).

First broadcast on Radio 4 in 2001.

• Directed by Sue Wilson
• Written by Rose Tremain (pictured above)

Sean At Home With Bryn Terfel

Comedy Club: Pleased to Meet You - A Very Dora Christmas

TX details: Monday 17 December and Monday 24 December, 11.30am-12pm

The first of a two-part festive edition of the comedy spoof, where showbiz veteran Dora Dale shares wild tales from her star-strewn past with host, Martin Kelner.

Jake Yapp’s ghastly, indiscreet creation Dora Dale is a wizened showbiz diva who delights in exposing the bizarre encounters she had throughout her lengthy career.

For the Christmas two-parter, Dora has filled a bulging sack of festive tunes and anecdotes to share.

For example, Dora was present for the recording of Slade's Merry Christmas Everyone. Apparently, when Noddy Holder went for the big, "It's Christmas!' shout, he suffered a prolapse that looked like a "foot-long sea anemone". Then, when Bing Crosby and David Bowie recorded Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy in 1982, the vintage crooner "flew into a crazy rage" - furious that he was stuck with just doing the pa-rum-pa-pum-pums.

As a fitting climax, Dora performs her own Christmas song, I Need A Little Me Time At Christmas in episode one.

First heard on Radio 4 Extra in 2011.

• Writer: Jake Yapp
• Producer: Martin Kelner

Grace And The Angel

TX details: Thursday 20 December, 11.15am-12pm

Rudolph Walker stars as a disgruntled angel, dispatched on Christmas Eve to Ruislip to collect his first soul.

Angel, played by EastEnders stalwart Rudolph Walker, is packed and ready for a carnival at the beach, where he spends every Christmas. However, he is given a rush job to collect a ‘fragile soul’ called Grace, a pensioner who has become too scared to venture out at night.

Angel, manages to catch his wing on a roof-mounted Prancer decoration and crash-lands in Grace’s garden. She ventures out to investigate and threatens to call the police before nursing Angel’s injured foot. Angel, still desperate to get to the beach, is annoyed to discover that Grace is reluctant to go but he eventually talks her round. From on high, they both look down to see a genuine spirit of Christmas suffusing the neighbourhood.

Also stars Marlene Sidaway and Carolyn Pickles.

First heard on Radio 4 in 2001.

• Writer: Sheila Goff
• Director: David Hunter

Podcast Radio Hour

TX details: Friday 21 December, 11am-12pm

Amanda Litherland presents a Christmas special of Podcast Radio Hour, with seasonal episode recommendations. Including a history of holiday music in Pitch and stories of awkward Christmas Eve sleeping arrangements in The Boring Talks.

Also regular guests such as Cariad Lloyd, Olly Mann and Luke Jones will suggest the best podcasts for festive situations: chopping sprouts, long winter drives, surviving the boredom of Crimbo Limbo and more.

All Of You On The Good Earth

TX details: Monday 24 December, 11.15am-12pm

Radio 4 Extra marks the 50th anniversary of an historic moment in the human exploration of space.

On Christmas Eve 1968, the Apollo 8 mission - the first manned flight to the moon - orbited ten times. In this play, the spacecraft’s progress is followed obsessively by astronaut enthusiast Neil O'Brien, who becomes increasingly engrossed in the mission as he tries to block out the family problems that look set to ruin Christmas, and the space mission, for him.

Written by Stephen Sharkey, it stars Sean Harrison, Fiona Victory and Daniel Ryan.

First heard on Radio 4 in 2003.

• A Pacificus production for 麻豆社 Radio 4