Bod's Present

with Quentin Blake
The Adventures of Lester
It's difficult to describe Lester - so it's easier to draw him. Quentin Blake illustrates and tells the stories of Lester and his friends.
Today: Lester and the Wibbly-Wobbly Business

Boris and the Gamekeeper

A film from Yugoslavia.

The classic serial in 12 exciting episodes starring
Buster Crabbe as Flash Gordon
10: The Death Mist

with Suzanna Leigh
James Shigeta , Donna Butterworth Elvis plays an unemployed pilot who starts up a charter helicopter service.
Directed by MICHAEL MOORE. Films : pp 17-18

Introduced by TONY GUBBA
12.20*
Football Focus
BOB WILSON looks forward to 1978 with a New Year proposal for Football Focus.
12.40; 1.10; 1.45; 2.20* Racing from Cheltenham
12.45 Minster Lovell Hurdle (2im)
1.15 Worthington E' Novices' 'Chase (2 1/2m)
1.50 Ernest Robinson Handicap Hurdle (3m)
2.25 Bass Handicap 'Chase (4m)
Commentators PETER O'SULLEVAN
JULIAN WILSON and RICHARD PITMAN
12.55; 1.25*
International
Ski-jumping from Garmisch
This traditional New Year winter sports classic on the giant 90-metre hill, set in the Bavarian Alps, has a special significance for the world's best ski-jumpers with the World Championship to be held in Finland next month.
Commentator DAVID VINE
2.35*
International Basketball from Crystal Palace
The Final of this special Grandstand event will be one of the major basketball attractions of 1978. RED
STAR BELGRADE and MILAN are the favourites to qualify.
Commentator STUART STOREY
3.35*
The Sporting Year 1967
A British team won the European Cup; the first professional tennis tournament at Wimbledon; and mayhem' in the Grand National.
These are some of the memorable events of 1967. 3.55* Sports Round-up
Today's timetable:
12.20 Football Focus; 12.40 Racing
12.55 Ski-jumping; 1.10 Racing
1.25 Ski-jumping; 1.45 Racing
2.0 Sports Round-up; 2.20 Racing
2.35 Basketball; 3.35 Highlights of 1967
3.55 Sports Round-up
* Timings are subject to change
Television presentation:
Football Focus MIKE MURPHY Racing BARRIE EDGAR
Ski-jumping GERMAN TV SERVICE Basketball JOHNNIE WATHERSTON
Grandstand producer MARTIN HOPKINS Editor PAUL LANG

Told by MICHAEL FLANDERS

with Claire Bloom
The Golden Bird by EDITH BRILL
Babka, the broom-maker, lived all alone in the forest. When she found a poor, exhausted bird, she took it home, and fed and warmed it by the fire. Then she discovered that this was no ordinary creature, but the King of Birds. In return, it granted her three wishes, and it was not long before Babka found herself in need of the Golden
Bird's magic again.
Today: The Three Wishes

Written by Roger Simpson.
An adventure story in 13 episodes set in New Zealand in the 1860s.
Scott Hunter knows there must be something desperately wrong when his father doesn't return home from the goldfields. What has happened? Scott is determined to find out and sets out in search.

with John Noakes, Peter Purves and Lesley Judd
Has the Key-Note Appeal hit the jackpot? Will the keys and cars pouring into the collecting depot reach the two million target on the totaliser?
If so, "Blue Peter" viewers will have provided four mobile classrooms for deaf children in Wales, the Highlands of Scotland, Norfolk and Cornwall.
To start the new year "Blue Peter" travels back in time to the days of old when knights were bold! Peter goes to Knight School and learns the skill of jousting under the expert eye of Max Diamond.
And 52 gnomes invade the studio for a 'live' phone-in with Noel Edmonds.

with Peter Woods ; Weatherman

All other English Regions: Regional News

Sci-fi series following a group of rebels from Earth fighting an evil dictatorship, The Federation. Roj Blake leads his team against the forces of its leader Servalan. Show more

also starring Geraldine Page
John Wayne plays Hondo Lane, us Cavalry, in this rousing and spectacular Western set in New Mexico in 1874. Hondo warns Angie Lowe and her small son to leave their lonely ranch because of an expected Apache uprising but she refuses to accompany him to safety ...
Directed by JOHN FARROW. Films: pp 17-18

Two schoolfriends are reunited at an exclusive club for adventurers. In the penultimate instalment of Stop! You're Killing Me, Piggy and Charlie uncover strange goings-on. Show more

with Peter Woods ; Weather

A major six-part fictional series starring
Episode 3
As conflicts between the Monckton administration and the CIA and FBI over ' bugging' and illegal campaign contributions develop, presidential aides Roger Castle and Hank Ferris continue their rise up the White House ladder - at the cost of the love and loyalty of those closest to them. For idealist Adam Gardiner , disillusionment begins to destroy his hopes for a better future under Monckton.

Michael Parkinson presents a special Bank Holiday entertainment featuring the comedy of ' Big Yin' Billy Connolly making a return appearance to the show which brought him national fame and the amazing dexterity of Borra, the legendary ' King of the Pickpockets'
Music HARRY STONEHAM
Director DAVID G.HILLIER Producer JOHN FISHER