From
Sadlers Wells to the Queen Vic - the BBC is alive to the sound of
Christmas music
 From
The Nutcracker to an EastEnders variety special to
singalonga Sound Of Music on BBC ONE;
from
Die Fledermaus to Cinderella on BBC TWO;
from
a West End show to a musical edition of Two Pints Of Lager And
A Packet Of Crisps on BBC THREE;
and
from country classics to soul legends on BBC FOUR - there is a world
class performance for every taste on the BBC this Christmas - including
a CBBC Panto!
Stunning
– and award-winning - performances in original British dramas also
add to the mix over the Christmas season.
The
Young Visiters (sic) stars Jim Broadbent and Hugh Laurie, in
a colourful, quirky and enchanting view of Victorian London as seen
through the eyes of a nine-year-old girl; Pauline Quirke and Lesley
Sharp star in Carrie's War - a beautiful and moving production
of the Nina Bawden classic novel - and Judi Dench, Kate Winslet,
Hugh Bonneville and Jim Broadbent join forces in the premiere of
the Oscar-winning BBC Film Iris.
"This
year the BBC has an all-star line up of performances from the world's
most talented entertainers," says Jana Bennett, Director of
Television.
"Great
British comedy, dazzling arts spectaculars, West End musicals and
country and soul music legends are just part of a diverse schedule
that will provide a Christmas treat for every viewer, their family
and their friends."
BBC
ONE
"A
range of comedy performances to make the nation laugh are the key
to the BBC ONE schedule this Christmas," says Lorraine Heggessey,
Controller of BBC ONE.
"The
Office, Posh and Becks' Big Impression, French and
Saunders, My Family, Absolutely Fabulous and Dame
Edna are central to a season with something for everyone.
"And
it doesn't stop there - the range of programmes goes from Matthew
Bourne's Nutcracker to the EastEnders Christmas Party,
and from the premiere of Stuart Little to The Young Visiters
- a beautiful and quirkily original drama starring Jim Broadbent
and Hugh Laurie."
A huge
range of festive comedy is spearheaded by The Office making
its debut on BBC ONE and the final instalment of the Only Fools
and Horses Christmas trilogy.
Other
comedy highlights include seasonal editions of My Family,
Posh and Becks' Big Impression, Dame Edna - Live At The
Palace, Absolutely Fabulous and French & Saunders.
Entertainment
highlights include a Test The Nation end of year quiz, family
fun with Dear Father Christmas and I Want To Be Mary
and a behind the scenes look at The Story Of Absolutely Fabulous.
Further
musical highlights include ALL NEW Top Of The Pops Christmas
special and Michael Parkinson presenting Christmas Night With
The Stars.
Live performance provides a festive treat for BBC ONE viewers with
Matthew Bourne's acclaimed production of The Nutcracker making
its television debut and Cirque du Soleil's unique brand
of spectacular returning to the small screen.
Drama
that all the family can enjoy has long been a staple of BBC ONE's
Christmas schedule and this year is no exception.
Jim Broadbent and Hugh Laurie star in The Young Visiters
(sic), a quirky and charming view of Victorian London through the
eyes of a nine-year-old girl, while a new adaptation of Nina Bawden's
wartime classic Carrie's War stars Pauline Quirke.
There
are also seasonal treats from a whole host of other BBC ONE drama
favourites.
Monarch of The Glen takes a trip back in time for a turn of
the century Hogmanay special, while Christmas is celebrated 1950s
style in Born and Bred.
Perennial
favourites EastEnders, Casualty and Holby City
also celebrate the festive season with seasonal editions.
Albert
Square doesn't just feature in EastEnders, however. The regular
cast and some favourite faces from Walford's past join forces with
an array of famous names from the world of entertainment, sport,
cookery and music to throw a truly unique variety show.
Hosted
by Shane Richie, EastEnders Christmas Party will feature
Liberty X, Lulu, Jo Brand, Suggs, Greg Rusedski and Richard E Grant
for the best night's entertainment the Queen Vic has ever seen -
with Mike Reid pulling pints behind the bar and Clarissa Dickson
Wright serving up a Christmas feast.
And
completing the Christmas treat for BBC ONE viewers is a line up
of feature films which includes terrestrial premieres of family
favourites Stuart Little and Mulan, and hit comedies
Galaxy Quest, What Women Want and Meet The Parents.
Adding
a whole new dimension to festive movies The Sound Of Music
and The Wizard Of Oz will also be broadcast in interactive
'singalonga vision' with digital viewers being able to sing along
to subtitled lyrics added to two of the UK's best loved musicals
simply by pressing the red button.
BBC
ONE Christmas highlights - schedule information
BBC
TWO
BBC
TWO provides an eclectic mix this festive season with an alternative
Christmas treat for every member of the family.
A Restoration
Christmas special, nature at its most dangerous in Wild Battlefields
and the premiere of Iris - the acclaimed BBC Film starring
Judi Dench, Kate Winslet, Hugh Bonneville and Jim Broadbent - are
just some of the channel highlights.
Celebrity
Mastermind will tax the nation's post Christmas brains as well
as those of its famous contestants David Blunkett and Shaun Williamson;
while Grumpy Old Christmas will be entering into the seasonal
spirit with a slightly more cynical view of the festive season.
BBC
TWO will also celebrate Bruce Forsyth's return to the corporation
with Brucie Night - including a documentary on his life as
one of Britain's most popular entertainers, his edition of Room
101 and previously unseen footage of his famous appearance on
Have I Got News For You.
Cutting
edge comedy adds to the festive mix with two topical Dead Ringers
specials, The Kumars' unique take on yuletide hospitality
and a glimpse of Christmas celebrity style through Doubletake's
distorting lens.
Plus
Porridge and The Good Life return to the BBC's screens
with A Life On The Box in which viewers can see how comedy
icons Fletcher and Margot Leadbetter have fared in the years since
they were last seen on the UK's screens.
Performance
highlights on BBC TWO include Johann Strauss's opera Die Fledermaus
and the Prokofiev ballet Cinderella while other treats include
the movie premieres of High Fidelity, Anna And The King
and the acclaimed French animation Belleville Rendezvous.
BBC
THREE
BBC
THREE's first Christmas schedule features the television premiere
of Our House - The Musical featuring the music of the Eighties
most prolific hitmakers - Madness.
Filmed
live at the Cambridge Theatre at the end of its West End run it
features two new Madness songs as well as some of the band's greatest
hits, including Baggy Trousers and It Must Be Love.
Comedy
favourites on THREE include an episode of Two Pints of Lager
and a Packet of Crisps - staged as a musical comedy extravaganza!
- and the 3 Non-Blondes causing Christmas chaos.
BBC
FOUR
BBC
FOUR celebrates its second Christmas with a season of dramas by
the prolific BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning writer Andrew Davies.
The
season includes House of Cards, A Very Peculiar Practice,
Mother Love, The Signalman, Vanity Fair and
Tipping the Velvet.
The
channel will also broadcast a new interview with Davies in which
he discusses what themes attract and motivate him in his work.
Featuring
exclusive interviews with John Cleese and Terry Jones, Time Shift
- Missing Believed Wiped will screen some of TV's finest comedy
moments recently unearthed from the archives.
In
addition to this shows not seen since their original transmission
in the Sixties will be screened - including At Last The 1948
Show from John Cleese and Graham Chapman and Spike Milligan
Offers A Series Of Unrelated Incidents At Current Market Prices.
Celebrating
the massive international popularity and worldwide influence of
soul music with a Soul Weekender, BBC FOUR will screen two
new documentaries exploring some of the genre's rich history and
some classic concerts.
The
channel will also explore a completely different musical area with
country music from Dolly Parton and Nanci Griffith
and an exclusive concert from Emmylou Harris.
CBeebies/CBBC
For
younger members of the family, the BBC's two dedicated children's
channels offer some seasonal treats over the festive season.
On
CBeebies, take a Christmas trip to Balamory for a winter
special in The Snow Flake Fairy.
On
the CBBC Channel Sleeping Beauty Uncovered sees a star-studded
cast of CBBC presenters update this classic tale in a modern pantomime.
Fearne
Cotton and Barney Harwood star as the Princess and Prince, while
the mischievous Dick and Dom are two halves of a pantomime horse.
The
Evil Warlock (Ortis) does his best to scupper the plans for the
princess while Angellica Bell plays the Queen and Simon Thomas is
the King.
Notes
to Editors
More
information on the offerings this Christmas from the BBC's digital
channels - BBC THREE, BBC FOUR, CBBC and CBeebies - is available
through the link below:
Have
A Very Merry Digital Christmas! (25.11.03)
Other
related links
Christmas
with BBC Entertainment (18.12.03)
Celebrate
Christmas with BBC Religion & Ethics (05.12.03)
BBC
ONE Christmas 2003 highlights (02.12.03)
Feature
films on BBC Television this Christmas
All the
BBC's digital services are now available on Freeview,
the new free-to-view digital terrestrial television service, as well
as on satellite and cable.
Freeview
offers the BBC's eight television channels, interactive services
from BBCi, as well as 11 national BBC radio networks.
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