The Truth about Christmas Carols

BBC Four

25/12/2008

BBC Two - The Truth about Christmas CarolsSearch BBC

Composer Howard Goodall uncovers the surprising history of the Christmas carol.

Composer Howard Goodall uncovers the surprising and often secret history of the Christmas carol including how, over the centuries, carols have been banned by both church and state.

There could be nothing more sweet and sentimental than the sound of traditional carols performed by a velvet-voiced choir at Christmas. Or so you would think. Composer Howard Goodall uncovers the surprising and often secret history of the Christmas carol. 

Far from being accepted as part of the celebrations of Jesus's birth, over the centuries carols have been banned by both church and state. The carols we sing seem set in stone and yet they can have up to 400 regional variations. Individual carols have caused controversy - While Shepherds Watched had to be cleaned up by the Victorians for being too crude and there's a suspicion that O Come All Ye Faithful was a call to 18th-century Jacobites to rebel.

The documentary celebrates the enduring power of the carol with a variety of performances from folk singer Bella Hardy to the choir of Truro Cathedral.

BBC Two

BBC Two is a TV channel that started broadcasting on the 20th April 1964.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Howard Goodall investigates the uncomfortable relationship between carols and the Church's celebration of Christmas. Includes performances by Bella Hardy and the Purbeck Village Choir.
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Games Britannia: Episode 2: Monopolies and Mergers

Episode 2

Episode 2: Monopolies and Mergers

Games Britannia

Monopolies and Mergers

BBC Four - Games Britannia, Monopolies and Mergers

A look at the political and social impact that board games have had in the past 200 years.

Series about the history of popular games in Britain. Benjamin Woolley traces the political and social impact that board games have had in the past 200 years.

Three-part series presented by historian Benjamin Woolley about popular games in Britain from the Iron Age to the Information Age, in which he unravels how an apparently trivial pursuit is a rich and entertaining source of cultural and social history. 

In part two, Woolley traces the surprising political and social impact that board games have had in Britain over the last 200 years. It was the British who developed the idea of the board game as an instrument of moral instruction and exported it to America. There, it was adapted to promote the American Dream of free enterprise and economic success. 

This crusading element in board games is perhaps best exemplified by the best-selling game in history - Monopoly - which celebrated wealth and avarice in the wake of the Great Depression. Ironically, this most capitalist of games was derived from a radical socialist game first published in Britain in 1913. 

Woolley goes on to trace the development of board games through their post-war heyday, when together with Cluedo and Scrabble, Monopoly formed a holy trinity of British family favourites that endures to this day. 

Now in the information age, board games have evolved to include fantasy role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons - an American invention. The British continue to produce niche political games like War on Terror which plays on satire, but mainstream British games designers have joined the computer games revolution.

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

Series about the history of popular games in Britain.

Benjamin Woolley looks at how popular games in Britain from the Iron Age to the Information Age are a rich source of cultural and social history.

Games Britannia: 2/3

Benjamin Woolley traces the political and social impact that board games including Monopoly, Scrabble and Cluedo have had in Britain over the past 200 years.
Shown last Monday (S)

Bennett on Bennett

Bennett on Bennett: Episode 1: Mixing

Episode 1

Episode 1: Mixing

Mixing

BBC Four - Bennett on Bennett, Mixing

Alan Bennett's descriptions of his parents' social aspirations are touching and humorous.

Disastrous excursions into leisurewear and attempts to entertain the vicar - Alan Bennett's descriptions of his parents' social aspirations are both touching and humorous.

'Your Dad and me have found an alcoholic drink we really like. Bitter lemon'. Disastrous excursions into leisurewear; failed attempts to entertain the vicar; and embarrassing post-church discussion groups - Alan Bennett's monologue describing the social aspirations of his parents is as touching as it is humorous.

Series of wry and touching monologues by playwright and humorist Alan Bennett

Playwright and author Alan Bennett reflects upon his life in a series of wryly humorous monologues.
More tomorrow at 7.50pm (S)

Cardigans at Christmas

25/12/1997

BBC Two - Cardigans at Christmas

A look at the rise and demise of the Christmas light-entertainment spectacular.

A feast of old chestnuts from the glory days of Christmases past with this look at the rise and demise of the Christmas light-entertainment spectacular.

A feast of old chestnuts from the glory days of Christmases past with this look at the rise and demise of the Christmas light-entertainment spectacular. From Christmas Night with the Stars to Val Doonican and Christmas Snowtime special, the programme revisits a world of snow made from soapflakes, chorus lines sweating in winter woolies and recycled sleighs.

Charting the history of Christmas light-entertainment specials on television, where stars such as Val Doonican would perform popular hits and seasonal songs.
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The Andy Williams Christmas Show

20/12/2009

BBC Four - The Andy Williams Christmas Show

Highlights from Andy Williams's annual yuletide songfest on NBC between 1962 and 1974.

The best moments from a number of snowy Christmases that came to the NBC Studios in California between 1962 and 1974 for Andy Williams's annual yuletide songfest.

It being the season of goodwill and bad jumpers, it is time to relive the best moments from a number of snowy Christmases that came to the NBC Studios in California between 1962 and 1974 for Andy Williams's annual yuletide songfest. With guest appearances from the Osmond Brothers and the Williams Family.

A compilation of highlights from the easy-listening singer's Christmas TV specials, which were recorded for NBC in California between 1962 and 1974. (S)

Your Date With Val

08/04/2007

BBC Four - Your Date With Val

Val Doonican stars in a special 1976 Christmas edition of his music show.

Val Doonican stars in a special 1976 Christmas edition of his music show with guests Nana Mouskouri, James Galway, Tony Blackburn, Pete Murray, Terry Wogan and Janet Brown.

Val Doonican stars in a special 1976 Christmas edition of his music show with guests Nana Mouskouri, James Galway, Tony Blackburn, Pete Murray, Terry Wogan, Janet Brown, Arthur Askey, Henry Cooper, Cliff Michelmore and the Eddie Lester Singers.

Your Date with Val

Christmas edition of The Val Doonican Show from 1976, with guests including Nana Mouskouri, James Galway, Tony Blackburn, Pete Murray, Terry Wogan, Janet Brown and Henry Cooper. (S)

Queens of British Pop

Queens of British Pop: Episode 1

BBC One - Queens of British Pop, Episode 1Search BBC

The series looks at stars including Sandie Shaw, Suzi Quatro and Siouxsie Sioux.

Documentary charting the highs and lows of Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw, Marianne Faithfull, Suzi Quatro, Siouxsie Sioux and Kate Bush, looking at their influence on music.

Queens of British Pop and narrator Liza Tarbuck offer a celebration of six female pop stars, singers and icons that lit us up from the early 60s to the late 70s.

Programme one tells the story of Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw, Marianne Faithfull, Suzi Quatro, Siouxsie Sioux and Kate Bush - some of the female artists that emerged alongside some of Britain's defining musical movements, from the swinging sixties through to glam rock and punk.

The programme gives an insight into the lives of these top female artists, offering first-hand or eyewitness accounts of the highs, the lows and the obstacles they had to overcome. The selected artists have pushed boundaries, played around with gender roles and had their private lives overshadow their success, but it is their experiences that have helped change the face of British pop as we know it today.

Includes new interviews with Sandie Shaw, Marianne Faithfull, Suzi Quatro, Siouxsie Sioux and contributions from Tom Jones, Lulu, Burt Bacharach, John Lydon, Martha Reeves, Nancy Sinatra, Mark Radcliffe, Henry Winkler, Marc Almond, Peter Gabriel, Claire Grogan, Jarvis Cocker, Kiki Dee, Nigel Havers, Lily Allen and Adele, to name but a few.

BBC One

BBC One is a TV channel that started broadcasting on the 20th April 1964. It replaced BBC Television.

Documentary celebrating female pop stars and icons who have influenced British pop music.

Documentary celebrating female pop stars, singers and icons who have influenced British pop music.

Female singers who influenced British pop over the past 50 years. (S)

Queens of British Pop: Episode 2

BBC One - Queens of British Pop, Episode 2Search BBC

A celebration of the queens of British pop as it journeyed from post-punk to The X Factor.

Documentary celebrating the careers of Annie Lennox, Alison Moyet, Kylie Minogue, Geri Halliwell, Amy Winehouse and Leona Lewis, who took us from post-punk to The X Factor.

A celebration of six queens of British pop music, and a look at their impact between 1980 and 2009. 

This programme profiles Annie Lennox, Alison Moyet, Kylie Minogue, Geri Halliwell, Amy Winehouse and Leona Lewis. These female stars take us from post-punk to The X Factor, with a slice of girl power along the way. 

Narrated by Lisa Tarbuck, with contributors including Annie Lennox, Dawn French, Dave Stewart, Alison Moyet, Pete Waterman, Alexandra Burke, Leona Lewis, Lily Allen, Adele, Marc Almond and more.

Cilla

Vintage variety series hosted by Cilla Black

Cilla: Series 2

Cilla: Series 2: Episode 8

Episode 8

Series 2

BBC Four - Cilla, Series 2, Episode 8

With Georgie Fame, Dusty Springfield, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graham Chapman and Graeme Garden.

Edition of Cilla Black's 1960s TV series, with guests Georgie Fame, Dusty Springfield, Tom Ward, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graham Chapman and Graeme Garden.

Edition of Cilla Black's 1960s TV series. Cilla sings Step Inside Love and Pass Me By, and performs duets with Georgie Fame on For Once in My Life and Dusty Springfield on If You're Ever (Friendship). Dusty and Georgie also take the mic for solo numbers. 

Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graham Chapman and Graeme Garden do a Top of the Form take-off and a ritual Japanese wrestling act, while comedian Tom Ward does a drunk act.

Variety series with Cilla Black and guests

The Sandie Shaw Supplement

The Sandie Shaw Supplement: Episode 2: Quicksand

Episode 2: Quicksand

Quicksand

BBC Four - The Sandie Shaw Supplement, Quicksand

1960s show in which Sandie Shaw performs music on the theme of transport and travel.

Archive footage of the barefoot 60s chanteuse, in which Sandie introduces a show on the theme of travel. Songs include Route 66, Homeward Bound and Day Tripper.

1960s show in which Sandie Shaw performs music on the theme of transport and travel. She is filmed riding a horse on a Welsh beach, in a racing car, on a Marylebone station platform and in the studio, singing Route 66, Do you Know the Way to San Jose, Homeward Bound, By the Time I Get to Phoenix, Girl Don't Come, Got to Go, Planes and Boats and Planes, Day Tripper and Ticket to Ride.

1960s series in which Sandie Shaw performs songs on a specific theme

1960s series in which Sandie Shaw performs songs on a specific theme.

Lulu's Back in Town

Lulu's Back in Town: Episode 3

Episode 3

BBC Four - Lulu's Back in Town, Episode 3

Edition of Lulu's 1960s TV variety show, with guests Les Dawson and the Everly Brothers.

Edition of Lulu's 1960s TV variety show, in which she sings solo numbers and duets with guests Les Dawson and the Everly Brothers.

Variety show from the 1960s featuring singer Lulu.

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