Christmas TV

For many years now, families have gathered together on Christmas Day to enjoy Christmas lunch and Christmas telly.
Below you can find listings of every programme broadcast on British television on December 25th during the twentieth century.

<< Christmas Day 1982 >>

The UK now had four terrestrial channels to choose from, with all four broadcasting The Queen's Christmas message at some point during the day.


\| LWT \| CHANNEL 4 \| BBC ONE \| BBC TWO \|

	LWT
	00.05	Closedown
	09.00	Journey back to Oz (1972)
	10.30	Christmas Morning Service
	11.30	Enid Blyton's The Island of Adventure
	13.00	Film Fun at Christmas
	14.00	Andy Williams' Christmas Special
	15.00	The Queen
	15.05	The Parent Trap (1961)
	17.25	ITN News
	17.35	3-2-1
			Christmas Special
	18.35	Game for a Laugh
	19.25	Bruce Forsyth's Play Your Cards Right
	20.00	The Black Hole (1979)
	21.30	Chaz and Dave's Christmas Knees Up
	22.50	ITN News
	22.55	Cleo and John
	23.55	Christmas at Radio GOSH

	CHANNEL 4
	10.30	Captain Stirrick (1982)
	12.10	The Tender Tale of Cinderella Penguin
	12.20	Caesar and Cleopatra (1945)
	14.40	Preview 4
	15.00	Magic of China
	16.00	The Navigator (1924)
			Buster Keaton
	17.05	Brookside
	18.00	The Queen's Christmas Message
	18.05	St Mark's Gospel
	20.00	News Headlines
			Followed By Upstairs Downstairs
	21.00 - 00.45	Richard III (1955)

	BBC ONE
	08.40	The All-New Pink Panther Show
			Presenting the optimistic, indestructible panther who is permanently in-the-pink and the Inspector with unquenchable joi de vivre who hardly ever gets his man, in a triple helping of comic fantasy. Supermarket Pink Animal Crack-Ups String Along in Pink
	09.00	Carols from Buckfast
			In the centenary year of Buckfast Abbey. Devon, Paul Daniels introduces a programme of music for Christmas. with Stephanie Lawrence Cambridge University Chamber Choir Director of music RICHARD MARLOW Timothy Lole (organ) Frances Kelly (harp) MONKS OF BUCKFAST ABBEY CHOIR OF BUCKFAST ABBEY SCHOOL Musical director TREVOR JARVIS Director TONY WOLFE Producer ROY RONNIE BBC Pebble Mill
	09.45	Christmas Parade
			At Hyde Park Barracks The Queen's Life Guard prepares for Christmas Day ceremonial duties while sons and daughters of The Household Cavalry and The Scots Guards enjoy a special television request party, with visits from favourite personalities. Introduced by Simon Bates and Floella Benjamin Director KEN GRIFFIN Producer DOUGLAS HESPE
	10.35	Christmas Morning Service
			from St Chad's Church, Lichfield Holy Communion Rite A celebrated by the Rector, PREBENDARY JOHN WIDDAS Lessons: 1 John 4, vv 7-14; John 1, vv 1-14 Carols: O come, all ye faithful; Child In the manger; O little town of Bethle. hem; Love came down at Christmas; Hark! the herald angels sing Director of music GEOFFREY THRELFALL Organist DUNCAN MOON Television presentation MICHAEL SHOESMITH BBC Pebble Mill
	11.38	Weather MICHAEL FISH
	11.40	Raccoons on Ice
			The musical cartoon narrated by RICH LITTLE with the voices of RITA COOLIDGE and LEO SAYER For animals and humans alike, the frozen lake in the Evergreen Forest is a winter paradise. But the horrible Cyril Sneer has plans to turn the playground into a colossal concrete complex .. Produced and directed by KEVIN GILLIS A GlLLIS.WISEMAN production
	12.05	Mister Quilp
			The feature film starring Anthony Newley, David Hemmings In this highly entertaining musical version of Charles Dickens ' The Old Curiosity Shop, Anthony New ley plays Daniel Quilp, the sly and grasping Cockney moneylender who describes himself as ' so crooked I have to screw my socks on'. London 1840: Richard Swivel ler becomes involved in the affairs of Nell Trent and her old grandfather, forced into the clutches of Quilp in order to maintain his little shop of curios ... Screenplay by LOUIS KAMP AND IRENE KAMP Based on CHARLES DICKENS The Old Curiosity Shop Music and lyrics by ANTHONY NEWLEY Produced by HELEN M. STRAUSS Directed by MICHAEL TUCHNER (First showing on British television) Films: page 15
	14.00	Top of the Pops
			Christmas Party with Peter Powell John Peel, Dave Lee Travis together with Steve Wright Andy Peebles, Richard Skinner Tommy Vance and Mike Smith presenting their favourite hits of 1982, including a review of this year's number one records with Mike Read. zoo Dance director FLICK COLBY Sound SCOTT TALBOT Lighting WARWICK FIELDING Designer JO DAY Director GORDON ELSBURY Executive producer MICHAEL HURLL
	15.00	The Queen
			speaks to the Commonwealth Producer RICHARD CAWSTON (Also on BBC2 at 6.45 pm) * Subtitles on Ceefax page 170
	15.05	International Velvet
			The feature film starring Tatum O'Neal, Nanette Newman Christopher Plummer Anthony Hopkins A love of horses dispels the unhappiness of 14-year-old Sarah, an orphan sent from America to live with her Aunt Velvet in England. Determined to buy the last foal sired by Pi, the horse which Velvet once rode to victory in the Grand National, Sarah takes the first step on the road to her dream of becoming an Olympic horse-woman. Suggested by the novel National Velvet by ENID BAGNOLD Written, produced and directed by BRYAN FORBES. Films: page 15 (First showing on British television)
	17.10	News
			with Jan Leeming ; Weather Reporter
	17.20	Jim'll Fix It
			Dear Jim, Please may I ... Visit Ken Dodd's jam butty mines? Sing with Val Doonican ? Help Father Christmas pack his sack? In this special Christmas edition, Jimmy Savile, OBE, makes these and other dreams come true. Sound RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN Lighting PETER WESSON Designer SALLY MCKEE Director PETER CAMPBELL Producer ROGER ORDISH A new series of Jim'll Fix It begins on Monday 3 January
	18.00	The Paul Daniels Magic Christmas Show
			Join Paul Daniels as he entertains in the special company of Floella Benjamin, Lorraine Chase, Billy Dainty, Jill Gascoine, Lucinda Green, Rolf Harris Nerys Hughes, Barbara Kelly, Patrick Moore, Tim Rice, Barry Took and Kenneth Williams introduces the remarkable skills of his international guests: from France, the inspired puppetry of Compagnie Philippe Genty from the USA, Luisa, the first lady of hula hoops from Morocco, The Rios, with their incredible precision acrobatics from Great Britain, The Trocaderos, with their sensational 1 Globe of Death' With GLEN BEXFIELD, DEBBIE MC GEE Musical director KEN JONES Magic associates ALI BONGO, BILLY MCCOMB Technical consultant GIL LEANEY Sound ANTHONY PHILPOT Lighting DICKIE HIGHAM Designer RICHARD MORRIS Director JOHN BISHOP Produced by JOHN FISHER (Paul starts a new series on R4 on Tuesday 12.27 pm) * Subtitles on Ceefax page,
	18.55	Last of the Summer Wine
			by ROY CLARKE starring Bill Owen I Peter Sallis and Brian Wilde in All Mod Conned MUSIC RONNIE HAZLEHURST Studio lighting RON BRISTOW Film cameraman MAX SAMETT Film editor FRANCES PARKER Designer TIM GLEESON Produced and directed by SYDNEY LOTTERBT
	19.30	The Two Ronnies Christmas Show
			starring Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett and their special guest David Essex With DEBBI BLYTHE, ALEC BREGONZI BRIGIT FORSYTH, PETER HUGHES TRACY RISPOLI, MICHAEL REDFERN KENNETH SEDD, DEREK WARE THE LORDSHIP RINGERS THE FRED TOMLINSON SINGERS Script associate IAN DAVIDSON Written by BARRY CRYER, IAN DAVIDSON DAVID NOBBS, DAVID RENWICK PETER ROBINSON, JOHN SULLIVAN PETER VINCENT and GERALD WILEY Musical director RONNIE HAZLEHURST Sound MICHAEL MCCARTHY Lighting BILL MILLAR Designer JAN SPOCZYNSKI Executive producer MICHAEL HURLL Film directed by MARCUS PLANTIN Producer PAUL JACKSON
	20.15	Death on the Nile
			by AGATHA CHRISTIE The feature film starring The great Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, can hardly guess how many enemies the beautiful American heiress. Linnet Ridge way, has made. And when she is murdered on her honeymoon cruise, Poirot begins his investigation. The problem is, everybody on board could have done it and everybody had a reason for doing it! Screenplay by ANTHONY SHAFFER. Produced by JOHN BRABOURNE and RICHARD GOODWIN Directed by JOHN GUILLERMIN, Films: p 15 (First showing on British television) * Subtitles on Ceefax page 170
	22.30	News
			with Jan Leeming ; Weatherman
	22.40	Perry Como
			An invitation to spend Christmas in Paris with Perry and his friends and to enjoy some songs for the festive season.
	23.30	The Signalman
			A ghost story for Christmas by CHARLES DICKENS dramatised by ANDREW DAVIES with A lonely signalman is haunted by a hooded figure which warns of danger. But what is the danger? Producer ROSEMARY HILL Director LAWRENCE GORDON CLARK

	BBC TWO
	14.10	The Islanders
			In the second of four programmes Dennis Skillicorn samples the beer from Ventnor brewery and meets the latest generation of the brewing family. He also finds out about deck chairs and pleasure boats. Film editor BEV AMBROSE Producer JOHN COLEMAN (Third programme tomorrow 1.45 pm)
	14.40	Gold from the Deep
			The Salvage of the Century Narrated by Robert Powell Forty years ago HMS Edinburgh sank 800 feet down into the icy waters of the Barents Sea. In her bomb room lay 5i tons of Russian gold, apparently out of any diver's reach, and today worth around £45 million. Last year, however, in one of the most ambitious and hazardous salvage operations ever undertaken, Yorkshireman Keith Jessop fulfilled a dream. He led an all-or-nothing multi-million pound venture to wrest Edinburgh's gold from its deadly hiding place. For the divers, too, it was a gamble -no gold no pay, as they risked their lives at the very limits of endurance and modern technology. Written by BARRIE PENROSE A JOHN GAU production
	15.40	The Book Game
			Chairman Robert Robinson Anthony Burgess, Susan Hill Frederic Raphael, Gillian Reynolds try to identify prose extracts and give vent to their literary likes and dislikes. Readings by Bernard Hepton Director TONY TYLEY Assistant producer MICHAEL PARKER Producer PHILIP SPEIGHT (Third programme tomorrow 3.35 pm)
	16.10	25 Years in Space
			A Horizon special On 4 October 1957 the space age began as Russia sent Sputnik 1 blasting into orbit to become the world's first artificial satellite. Twenty-five years later, more than 100 people have ventured into space - 12 Americans have walked on the moon, a Russian has spent a year away from earth and a derelict robot probe is speeding towards the stars. Horizon recalls the highlights of the space age and reviews the story of space exploration. Videotape editor CHRIS BOOTH Film editor ROY SHARMAN Produced by MAX WHITBY Editor GRAHAM MASSEY (Postponed from 3 October)
	17.20	Sellers Over Christmas: The Millionairess
			starring Peter Sellers also starring Sophia Loren Sophia Loren as the richest woman in the world, who is amazed to find that money can't buy love and perfect marital bliss. Peter Sellers is the bewildered but resourceful Indian doctor desired by the millionairess in this comedy, which established him as a major star. Screenplay by WOLF MANKOWITZ Based on the play by BERNARD SHAW Produced by PIERRE rouve Directed by ANTHONY ASQUITH. Films: p 15
	18.45	The Queen
			speaks to the Commonwealth Producer RICHARD CAWSTON
	18.50	News on 2
			with Jan Leeming Weather
	18.55	The World About Us
			On the Tracks of the Wild Otter Beautiful, rare and secretive - the otter is one of our most delightful animals, yet one of the most elusive. Over the last three years wildlife cameraman Hugh Miles has spent many weeks on the wild and stormy islands of Shetland, in patient pursuit of these fascinating creatures. In this programme he tells, in words and pictures, the story of his relationship with one particular wild otter and her family. Narrator PHILIP MADOC Filmed and directed by HUGH MILES Film editor TOM POORE Producer DILYS BREESE (Hugh Miles was nominated as Best Wildlife Cameraman at the Wildscreen International Film and Television Festival 1982) (Osprev is on Tuesday 28 Dec at 1.55 pm) The World About Us 1983 Wildlife Calendar, £2.25 (recommended price) from retailers
	19.45	The World of James Joyce
			Is There One Who Understands Me? James Joyce was born in Dublin 100 years ago. At the age of 20 he left for Paris to begin a self-imposed exile that was to last most of his life. Dublin, however, remained the inspiration for his writing. This Emmy Award-winning film, complete with many previously unseen interviews, shows the obstacles that lay in the path of Dubliners, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, the books that were to make Joyce one of the most famous and influential writers of this century. Narrated by T. P. McKenna Script COLBERT KEARNEY MUSIC SEORISE BODLEY Programme consultant RICHARD ELLMAN Produced by SEAN O'MORDRA, RTE (Joyce in June, Thursday 7.40 pm)
	21.35	Richard Baker's Christmas Dozen
			Festive concert of carols and Christmas music PhUharmonia Orchestra conducted by Andrew Davis with Margaret Marshall and John Rawnsley CHORISTERS OF WESTMINSTER ABBEY directed by SIMON PRESTON Introduced by Richard Baker from the Barbican Hall, London (Produced in association with Prime Time Television at a public concert in the Du Maurier series) Director john VERNON
	22.40 - 00.35	Fedora
			Billy Wilder's elegant and witty feature film starring William Holden Marthe Keller, Hildegard Knef Jose Ferrer, Stephen Collins Michael York, Henry Fonda The fabulous, enigmatic film star Fedora has committed suicide. At her lavish lying-in-state in Paris, Hollywood producer Barry Det weiler recalls how, hardly two weeks before, he had travelled to Corfu in a desperate bid to lure the still beautiful actress out of retirement. Although Fedora badly wants to reach out for the limelight again, she is held back by the sinister entourage with whom she lives in a fortified villa. For Detweiler it is the start of a complex mystery - the key to which lies in the dark secret of Fedora's eternal youth. Screenplay by BILLY WILDER and I. A. L. DIAMOND Produced and directed by BILLY WILDER (First showing on British television) Films: page 15
Back to the top

<< Christmas Day 1982 >>