Programme Information

BBC Radio 2 presenter Dermot O'Leary

This week, Dermot O'Leary has live sessions from Imogen Heap and Brendan Benson and also speaks to Dame Shirley Bassey fresh from her performance at the BBC's Electric Proms.

Imogen Heap is a British-born, Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist who has recorded with Guy Sigsworth as Frou Frou, as well as producing solo material. Her third album, Ellipse, recently charted at No. 5 on the US Billboard charts, her most successful to date following exposure on film and TV soundtracks including Garden State and The O.C.

Brendan Benson is a Detroit-born singer-songwriter who has released four solo albums and collaborates with Jack White in The Raconteurs. His latest solo album, My Old, Familiar Friend, combines many facets of his music: American, anglophile, rock and the pop. It was recorded in Nashville and London, produced by Gil Norton (Pixies, Echo And The Bunnymen, Foo Fighters) and mixed in LA by Dave Sardy (The Rolling Stones, LCD Soundsystem, Oasis).

Presenter/Dermot O'Leary, Producer/Ben Walker

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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Legendary soul singer, songwriter and producer Smokey Robinson

Smokey Robinson takes to the Roundhouse stage, with the BBC Concert Orchestra and his band, for an Electric Prom celebrating 50 years of Motown records. He performs brand new arrangements of some of his greatest hits, alongside tracks from his new album, Time Flies When You're Having Fun.

Smokey was one of Berry Gordy's first signings to the Motown Records label, which operated out of the Hitsville USA studio in Detroit. He delivered a string of hits with his band The Miracles including the singles The Tracks Of My Tears and Tears Of A Clown.

With pounding rhythm tracks, jubilant string arrangements and that intoxicating, instantly recognisable falsetto, Smokey's recorded output is emblematic of the Motown sound. He was also the primary songwriter for The Temptations from 1963-6, penning classics such as My Girl and Get Ready.

Paul Gambaccini introduces this special celebration of Motown, 50 years after Smokey first sang for the label. He also interviews Smokey in Paul Gambaccini With America's Greatest Hits on BBC Radio 2 immediately after the live performance at 9.15pm.

Presenter/Paul Gambaccini, Producer/Sarah Gaston

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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Bob Harris's After Midnight live session comes from Lorraine McIntosh and Ricky Ross, who, after more than two decades in and out of the Scottish pop band Deacon Blue, decided to make an album together.

The tracks are both written and sung by the pair and the album was recorded in the Red Star Studio in Silver Lake, Los Angeles. Mark Howard, who has previously worked with Bob Dylan and Tom Waits, was hired to produce and with his help, Ricky and Lorraine hand-picked a band that included drummer Steven Nistor (Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse), bass player Daryl Johnson (Emmylou Harris, the Neville Brothers) and Doug Pettibone on pedal steel and banjo. Completing the line-up was guitarist and backing vocalist David Scott (of The Pearl Fishers), who produced Ricky's last solo album, Pale Rider. The resulting album, entitled The Great Lakes by McIntosh Ross, combines echoes of their Celtic homeland with the sound of the American south.

In the final hour of the show Bob pays tribute to one of his heroes, Roger Scott, and commemorates the 20th anniversary of his death at the age of 46. Best known for presenting an afternoon radio show on London's Capital Radio from 1973 until 1988, Roger ended his illustrious career at the BBC in 1989.

Bob will be playing some of Roger's favourite artists alongside links from his career and excerpts from the special radio documentary recorded for the BBC by Johnny Beerling and Philip Swern towards the end of Roger's life, in which he talks us through his career, including his bedside position at John and Yoko's peace protest in Montreal.

Archive comes from American and Canadian Radio stations such as WPTR 1540 in Albany and CFOX in Montreal, the Three O Clock Thrill, Cruising and All Time Top 100 on London's Capital Radio and both his Seventies Bob Baker and final Scott On Sunday shows for BBC Radio 1. Contributors include Tim Blackmore MBE, the first Director of the Radio Academy and who was also head of music and programmes at Capital during Roger's time there.

Presenter/Bob Harris, Producer/Mark Simpson

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

Bizet's Carmen is one of the most popular of all operas. It also continues to tempt the world's finest singers. In this recent revival of Francesca Zambello's colourful production from the Royal Opera House, the Latvian mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca sings the title role. Starring opposite her is the Sicilian/French tenor Roberto Alagna, for whom Don José has long been a special role.

Carmen and José's doomed relationship lies at the heart of this opera. The performance is conducted by Bertrand de Billy.

Presenter/Louise Fryer, Producer/Mark Lowther

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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"Are we meant to take more than we give, or are we meant to be kind? And if only fools are kind, Alfie, then I guess it's wise to be cruel."

Preparations are under-way in a Newcastle two-up two-down for the perfect Christmas party. Cilla Stephenson's making the buffet, her husband Ringo's "apparently" at his pantomime rehearsal, and son Alfie is upstairs trying on his new outfit. But every seasonal scenario has a dark lining. In a house of secrets, can any of these fantasists succeed in a festive game of truth Buckaroo? When their individual glass bubbles come crashing into one another with an almighty and irreparable smash, Cilla Black's lyrics help them give voice to their wounds.

Me And Cilla, a bold new piece from exciting emerging Newcastle talent Lee Mattinson, stars Charlie Hardwick, Trevor Fox and James Baxter.

Producer/Katherine Beacon

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

Liverpudlian actor Jason Isaacs

Detective Frank Clancy, head throbbing from days without sleep, is assigned to protect an important mafia witness Johnny Rossi. He's been put on the case by his nemesis, Assistant District Attorney Chalmers. But when Rossi is found dead, Clancy has only a matter of hours to find the killer before Chalmers finds out.

When Robert L Pike's atmospheric detective novel was turned into a film starring Steve McQueen, it was relocated from its original slummy New York setting to the more glamorous San Francisco. This adaptation goes back to the original novel.

Clancy is woken in the middle of the night to be told there's a problem with Rossi, the mafia-hoodlum-turned-state-witness being guarded in a hotel room. When Clancy arrives at the hotel, Rossi is still alive and being put into an ambulance. He places a trusted cop on guard outside Rossi's hospital room.

Later Lieutenant Clancy returns to find Rossi dead in the hospital bed, a kitchen knife sticking in his chest. It seems the murderer must have disguised himself as a doctor to get past the guard. Clancy persuades a frightened Dr Willard, who had operated on Rossi, to hide the body in a basement storeroom for 24 hours, and hopes that will be enough time to solve the murder and save his career.

Narrated in the first person by Clancy, Jason Isaacs plays the under-pressure detective. The book has been adapted by Adrian Bean.

Producer/Pauline Harris

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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Presented by Sir John Tusa, 1989 – Day-By-Day recreates the year's major political, cultural and social events through archive and music from the time.

Looking back at this week's news from 1989, Egon Krenz is officially installed as East Germany's new leader and Zsa Zsa Gabor and US TV evangelist Jim Bakker are both sent to jail.

The BBC's Panorama investigates whether a crack crisis is about to hit Britain; and a recently freed South African activist sends wry thanks to Margaret Thatcher.

Nigel Lawson resigns after six years as Chancellor of the Exchequer prompting a further drop in the value of the pound; President Gorbachev promises unilateral disarmament in the Baltic; and Nirvana record their first session for BBC Radio 1.

Margaret Thatcher's leadership style comes under fire after a quick cabinet reshuffle; the IRA admits killing a British soldier and his six-month-old baby in West Germany; and new East German premier Egon Krenz agrees to release reformist protestors.

A pro-democracy rally in Prague turns violent after police move in; a Northern Irish peace train is held overnight due to a bomb scare; and Prince Charles calls on politicians and business leaders to tackle global warming.

Walter Sisulu addresses 70,000 at the biggest ever African National Congress rally; East Berlin's Communist party chief tells socialists "we need to practice democracy" while riots in Moscow follow a demonstration outside the KGB headquarters; and the Bishop of London warns the church against an invasion of female priests.

Presenter/Sir John Tusa, Producer/Robert Abel

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

OCTOBERFEST
Fighting Talk

Saturday 24 October

11.00am-12.00noon BBC RADIO 5 LIVE

BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Colin Murray

Colin Murray presents a special edition of the points-for-punditry sports panel show in front of a live audience at the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull as part of BBC Radio 5 Live's Octoberfest.

Colin will be joined on the panel by NFL broadcaster Greg Brady, journalist and broadcaster Martin Kelner and sports commentator John Rawling.

Presenter/Colin Murray, Producer/Simon Crosse

BBC Radio 5 Live Publicity

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OCTOBERFEST
5 Live Sport

Saturday 24 October

12.00noon-7.20pm BBC RADIO 5 LIVE

Mark Pougatch presents an afternoon of sport, live from the KC Stadium, Hull, as part of BBC Radio 5 Live's Octoberfest.

The action kicks off with commentary of the Midlands derby between Wolves and Aston Villa live from Molineux at 12.45pm, plus updates of Hamilton versus Celtic in the Scottish Premier League (kick off 12.30pm).

From 3pm there's coverage of Tottenham Hotspur versus Stoke City, plus updates from the rest of the games around the country, including Hull versus Portsmouth and Birmingham versus Sunderland in the Premier League, and Rangers versus Hibernian in the SPL. There are also updates from London Irish versus Leicester in rugby union's Premiership from 3.15pm.

At 5.30pm there's commentary of the Premier League's late kick-off, Chelsea versus Blackburn, plus updates from Gloucester versus Wasps in rugby union's Premiership.

Presenter/Mark Pougatch, Producer/Mark Williams

BBC Radio 5 Live Publicity

5 Live Football League

Saturday 24 October

2.45-5.00pm BBC RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

Listeners can enjoy commentary on a leading game in the Championship, plus reports and score updates from across the Football League.

Producer/Jen McAllister

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra Publicity

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Rugby League

Saturday 24 October

7.45-10.00pm BBC RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

Uninterrupted international commentary of Australia versus New Zealand in the Four Nations tournament comes, live, from the Twickenham Stoop.

Producer/Jen McAllister

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra Publicity

BBC 6 Music presenters Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish

Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish present the highlights of Super Song Wars performed at the BBC Electric Proms, where listeners joined the boys on stage at the London Roundhouse to sing along to a Song Wars classic composition. There's also all the usual Black Squadron antics and Text The Nation

Presenters/Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish, Producer/James Stirling

BBC 6 Music Publicity

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Legendary DJ and producer Andrew Weatherall returns for the next instalment of his 6 Mix residency. In his latest show, he plays an eclectic mix of new music, from unsigned artists and underground guitar bands to punk and rockabilly, plus new musical discoveries from his travels round the world. In the final 30 minutes of the show he throws open the doors to his Saturday Night Disco for an exclusive live mix, playing upfront club tunes and new remixes fresh from his studio.

Presenter/Andrew Weatherall, Producer/Rowan Collinson

BBC 6 Music Publicity

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Listeners can enjoy the pick of the best new online music by unsigned, undiscovered and under-the-radar artists, recommended by listeners, bands and BBC presenters.

Tom Robinson chats to Fangs, allegedly the best-looking band to come out of Glasgow since Franz Ferdinand. They pride themselves on their pithy self-description: pin-ups, protagonists, androgynists, style icons and blood-sucking monsters!

Also on the show are exclusive session tracks recorded by The October Game. The four-piece write songs inspired by nature, books, films, music and art, mixed with elements of post-rock and folk and the result is a truly unique form of alternative rock music. They're busy boys, being in the middle of a UK tour and also recording their second album at home in leafy, suburban Bedfordshire. The record's due out this year on Carmandie Records.

Presenter/Tom Robinson, Producer/Louise Orchard

BBC 6 Music Publicity