Read this: 18/12/2020 Radio 4 Feedback

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts hello, it's Christmas Eve the light is bigger outside and The Gloom descends means that we can't have all our loved ones around us and we can't sing Carol's together in church or attend Christmas concerts King's College chapel in Bridge strangely empty.

There's no congregation, but it's choristers are rubbed and ready and there is still magic in the air.

Do you know when red light goes on and they know that does 150 million people around English-speaking world? They know there are people there in spirit.

It will be electric.

I'll be talking producer of one of the highlights of the Christmas period the Festival of nine lessons and carols from Kings College Cambridge and it's been voted the most popular radio comedy of all time but it.

Didn't survive its pilot and the original much love presenter almost quit.

He didn't think it was very good and he didn't think he was very good on it and you know he wanted to go so that action of this reluctant chairman rather be someone else was actually reading in truth for example.

If I say this game is a terrific waste of my and everybody else is bloody time and always will be the original meaning become so apparent in the championship of Jack Dee and in this week's out of your comfort zone feature and marital divide opens up you didn't I didn't actually do they agree on anything find out later in feedback.

Facade it's the moment when Christmas really starts the store invoice of a by seller is breaking The Silence of the candle the chapel of King's College Cambridge the Festival of nine lessons and carols is brought the millions around the world on Christmas Eve the service consist of the reading of nine lessons covering the main themes of an eternity story interspersed with Carol's old and new but this year.

I normally of course far from it.

So what will happen this Christmas Eve and I joined by the man who is producing the service Philip Wilson so will it be significantly different this year? Do you know if someone is going to sound better than normal because it is a tortured.

It's going into an empty chapel and the choir are going to be spaced out in a covid and secured and will the content be significantly different well somewhat faithful.

You won't have to sort of lagging large accommodation around as I think we'll

Sing that's got a Angels this year.

I'm not going to be belting out from 1000 and 1/2 people in King's College Cambridge vs.

Soft poly more whispering at the beginning with this wonderful organ introduction to introduce different every year, but Stephen bumfrey thinks he's notice some changes about the same time detected in recent years and move back towards traditional carols and settings in my opinion that is important for general popularity and broadcasting though perhaps not for King's College who's service it is so who's in charge King's College or you know it's King service most definitely and we are their guests as if the whole world.

Can you manage them to save up actually come on his demand for more shall we say popular service this year when they listen to you if you said that I wouldn't dream of it.

I'm sure that they are well aware of the audience.

I know they are and they speak quite.

That because each year there's been a commissioned Carol and the director of music always most concerned as to how that commission would come across and some years the commission is musically very demanding and other years.

It's a little bit easier on the year, but that's only one moment in the service most years most of the time the first lesson is highly accessible to the audience were for the rest of you produce Sunday worship, Hannah must have been quite a year to do that here's what some of your listeners have made of your broadcast this Caroline water.

I especially enjoy anything from Iona all in this fun.

I enjoy when there's occasionally not a service is such an expiration of a theme using music poetry description of police variety is the spice of Life and it goes down well most Sunday mornings not a huge fan of heavy rock band worship, but it's great there's something for everyone.

14 Newland I'm sure that most people will be interested to know where the radio broadcasts of Church services have attracted bigger audience is in lockdown, when many churches remain closed live broadcasting has worked for some of the technology and the absence of suitable broadband has restricted that radio might have been the Salvation in till the end of the pandemic you noticed an increase in Lister do you know if I has been what league are the traditional method by which agencies numbers are measured has not been reporting during lockdown, but I can tell you for certain that the increasing lockdown and the huge amount of appreciation that Sunday worship has received during lockdown must indicate that the audience is still there and very much with do some extraordinary, but of course the battery Canterbury thing conducted one from his kitchen and he did indeed and remarkable in the liturgy was entirely predictable and tired of the Knoll Anglican

You can have any Sunday in half the churches of the UK and but it's still had an extraordinary impact party because if he's very domesticated and intimacy of Emily said it better to meet you together.

It is totally wonderful is it too early to talk about whether people have a renewed spiritual interest at the moment.

I think it's that they have anybody at your age or mine has after all had to concentrate alone potential mortality model activity.

They might have done before covid.

It's so anything which addresses those things and and it's very hard to open scripture and not find some 2:2 jumping out at you which speaks in a different way, what they were programs include out whether that you can it can be worship.

What's happening at the other end for example? This is what listening Christopher Stiles has to all I can really say about worship.

Services on the radio is that for me at least it just doesn't work.

It's like trying to make a feature film our an opera isn't it or do an orchestral concert on the telly something that you really have to be a participant in and not something that you can just be a passive spectator of so with that in mind.

How does someone like Phil Bilson reconcile himself to this kind of challenge and to make the thing come alive many people are very happy worshipping at home and don't forget the Christian Faith started in the house the church was to a few centuries down the track and Claire and reading scripture is a deeply personal thing which many many people can do not everybody chooses to have some people Woods Woodfield button S7 church.

They can't worship but we provide them with an experience of worship through music Reading and prayer which is of a somewhat vicarious maybe.

Is the next bus to being there and sometimes better than being there because we try and Sunday worship to out church church, as best we can look forward hopefully to next summer or whenever you'll be able to get back into churches and son and a list of the Reverend captain Peter Alan has a question about the variety of churches you visit and baps will visit in the future.

Is it please to for churches which aren't of the size of makeup of the kind of place Sunday worship tends to come from I do wonder if there is more scope for better representation of smaller poor struggling admittedly they can't compete with the professionalism of some of the regular church is used on Sunday worship, but I just wondered if voices from across the whole spectrum of Communities of faith philippas well as an opportunity in that respect.

I would say because couple of weeks ago.

We went to Welwyn Garden City at to Rob

Church here thought for the day.

I don't think it's a massive successful well-heeled church community particularly in one way you're driven as it worth of the find musical experience but there are obviously distance to think that anyway that should be the primary thing to quality of life of the worship is not dependent necessarily on the size of the church or even the Koala if we don't provide people with a high quality of Music and indeed thoughtful and insightful speech we really have to pack up and go home afraid, but that's not to say that we don't represent people from all parts of the of the Christian Community often the what at my tap and he said something like summer from the field is one of our celebrated partner Downing vitalsource people on to come and preach from across the country and finally plans to change it in the light paps of the experience of the last year.

We have learnt a few things during lockdown.

I suppose the power of human experience of the story.

I think the more we can enable individuals to speak at off the experience the more powerful programs can be but in terms of how we make the program in future with always made a small number of more feature-based programs not in church.

I think we'll do more in the years to come my banks to Philip Wilson producer of Sunday worship and the Festival of nine lessons and carols will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service on the 24th of December at 3 p.m.

And will be repeated at 2 p.m.

On Radio 3 on Christmas day, and do let us know your thoughts on that interview or anything else to do with BBC Radio this is how you get in touch you can send an email to feedback at bbc.co.uk write a letter the address is feedback PO Box 672.

34 London se1p 4ax you can follow activity on Twitter by using at BBC R4 feedback, or you can call us a phone message on 03345 standard landline charges apply, but it could cost more on some mobile networks always details on our website each week, we're asking to BBC Radio listeners to step out of their comfort and listen to a program that would normally be on their radar this week.

We have husband and wife chica and an Ender vanity from Chandler's Ford in Hampshire she could just to get an idea of your what would be your top 2 programmes if you were stranded on that mythical desert island and your top 3, please.

Would listen to the Today programme I'm an artist fan.

I'm afraid and I listen to the radio 4 play in the afternoon.

If I'm not at work, but I wouldn't ask if you think Alice is giving her the whole the whole different story will concentrate anyway on work-life India it's a series on the BBC world service and this particular edition with asked you to listen to you was big in India's music industry.

How hard is it for musicians to make money outside the Bollywood system well and I could describe what actually the program turn down to be so the program.

I think turned out to be a seminar.

So you had three people from the industry to who are musicians and one who is part of Spotify soa music platform to talk about the ins and outs and some detail about how you get into the music industry in India and how

That works and cheeky you're a motivation extraction but by this country.

Did you learn anything about India and in specifically about music industry from this program? No not really I mean you know I do listen to Bollywood music and lot of the Bollywood music comes from the bollywood film so I've always thought India such a huge country so much talent.

Why isn't there alternative forms of Music and it was interesting for me because there does seem to be an emerging new voice coming out.

Did you think everything was missing from the UK expected to be there the thing that struck me strongly about it was that they didn't have anyone who's up-and-coming in the industry.

I would have been really interested to hear somebody who is relatively new to the street or somebody who's trying to get up up the ladder to talk about their experience chica.

Did you share that yes, I did think that was missing and also for me.

I would like to hear a little bit more about the alternative music scene you hear the action music and you is to start without it.

Did enjoy it in your vehicle have interspersed the discussion with snippets of the alternative music that they were talking about as you say it was essentially a discussion not an illustrated that the program has been put together with music to illustrate.

What was talking about this Witcher senses to discussion depends absolutely on the choice of guest how interesting they are and how well it's dead that start with the guests.

She could you think that place in the programme? Yeah? No I like the thought they were measured.

I thought they were articulate they put their points across well.

I thought it was a good panel.

I didn't if you wear a young in my head a young Indian person sat in their bedroom at home listening to this wanting to know how do I get a recording contract?

Leatherhead in the music industry a young lady who was a student at Oxford University and then left that to go off to Los Angeles to record music is for you in the realm of Dreams to be honest and I thought that somebody Hood grown up in India or in a smaller community without necessarily privilege might have been a better choice perhaps about the presenter of the programme devina Gupta did she was very welcoming and she did she tear it intelligent.

I think she's definitely enthusiastic and think she ask pertinent questions questions, she asks which was quite refreshing because one of the seems as you know about making the end of one of the gas.

What was where's more money in this alternative and the kind of

Rather bleak later and taxman was listening or money.

There's more money and I have not making music for money money's amazing if it comes by even if I was not making any money.

I would still be doing it so probably not the wrong guy to answer this question another rongai to answer this question we've all seen what kind of gives you been pulling all but actually made a lot of singles and you've got your team together in the end.

We got to ask you whether you're at your comfort zone in one way of course.

You weren't musicians and people they shouldn't instruction you're not had become.

What do you want to listen to this program again work-life India just encourages music it covers a range of subject matter but do you think you'll go back to it? I think I would I would give it one more go simply because it is interesting to.

Hear people who are from that country so it's going to be different aspects of Indian life, so in that respect.

I would go back and try another program and see how that goes and then they are you going to give it another how are you think now the other pregnancy rather listen to know I think I will I think India is a difficult place to understand the UK's relationship with other countries is becoming ever more important more of an understanding of some of our potential markets some of our potential other places around the world that will work with us is important and I was very interested to see that the program before it is how do you vaccinate a billion people which is actually incredibly relevant well you had to become a note but I'm not sure you're very comfortable with that so that you very much for talking to him and an Ender do let us know if you would like to be put out of your comfort zone.

Radio 4 I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue is nearly 50 years old yet.

It recently took two polar radio times listings for the best radio comedy of all time what accounts for the programs Poppy and longevity is producer Johnny Smith has been looking after the show for almost thirty years he also produces and co-created with brown garden the Unbelievable Truth I know that you'll be popular comedy series are strong first how we got the job of producing clue.

I took over the show sorted by accident really the producer left at short notice and I was at the time and I was terribly young.

I never produced a show before and I remember going to see the production systems on the show a lady called Janet Staplehurst used to blow the whistle on just a minute and I asked her so who writes Humphrey lyttelton links and she said you do and this was a week before the broadcasts and I've never known such time.

Why does it work so well? I'm in somebody said to me one of the key things is it doesn't trying to be topical is just trying to be silly.

Yes, and it succeeds is that one of the keys to it's success is essentially sort of games parlour games.

It's showing off the teams and antonyms for the late arrivals at the orientals ball getting out the way quick induct.

You know we have all these people have written nice email saying how much they value the show need to thank a Radio 4 controller called Tony Whitby because he saw merit in it that no one else did.

As I learnt from Humphrey lyttelton, Diaries when Humphrey passed away is sun brought out.

I'm going to discovered some Diaries that he'd written and I only learnt that throughout much of the 1970s Humphrey was preparing to submit his resignation from the show he didn't think it was very good and he didn't think he was very good on it and you know he wanted to go so that ocean of this reluctant chairman rather be someone else was actually reading into many of the words we use today have a meaning which is quite different from the original for example the term terrific as in the sentence this game is terrific one girly means really good, but I used meaning stealing Tara and it's still can giving a set of change of context for example if I say this game is a terrific ways to play and everybody else bloody time and always will be the original meaning they can sort of a parent.

Jude Duncan I have to say that I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue is possibly my all-time favourite programme I couldn't think who could replace Humphrey lyttelton, but he has proved an inspired choice.

I would like to know who will now take Tim Brooke-Taylor as please John Lewis Glasgow Festival Hall about the replacement of the little badger remember when he died he was able.

That's it.

Yes, and you didn't say to yourself.

I know who can replace them is Jack did you know no we didn't what made us convinced that the person is we we do every now and again.

We take the show on a commercial tour and we ask Jack if he would be interested in doing it and about 6 shows in play Just Graham and I just came to Jordan just garden garden.

Who is it was on the tour and we just look together.

We just isn't it? I mean he's starman.

Proteins your examples, please of bands or musicians ruined by a single letter change time you can start small faeces always rely on you for a classes.

Are you going to do with gems departure because he was much loved you was there from the beginning I noticed on the latest program.

I think you had three sided the panels.

Didn't you rather we have Robin for are you deliberately costing there tried a while so I thought this is it was important show back and so I've been bringing in this sort of repertory company very popular and very brilliant people the sort of Sandi Toksvig Susan Calman Rob Brydon David Mitchell Richard Osman etc etc, and they've been filling in we move onto next game based on the TV show give us a clue where the team score points by miming film titles against the clock and who can forget that breathtaking finish.

came from behind and head Dirty Harry LinkedIn under 2 minutes I mean I couldn't believe sometimes I was hearing from Humphrey the wonder by sort of things we've had this from this nipple I find English public school humour often extreme in it's in a charity in defensiveness I have to die for the off switch after hearing all the references singing acts by changing a letter nearly all refer to genitalia taking that you actually say to that's too much yes you tell you on Sunday as I'm concerned about is when it's more it's more single entendre you just hear the racier side you cannot hear the clean site and and the perfect 10 when it

Absolutely reads completely straight and yeah has a perfect double meaning and that's what makes my heart to the leap a great line is timeless in my opinion.

There are some I think what day some of the the naughty postcards or some of the Carry On films is you think that is quite unsophisticated.

Isn't it? Maybe but I still laughing at work programme the Unbelievable Truth which you divide that in with your colleagues garden.

How did yes? How does that sorted bulb an idea like that? Well? I can tell you that has a precise evolution.

There was a show in the 60s and into the 70s called many a slip which I wasn't told to listen to Brian hosted a sort of Return of it in the I think the late 90s the idea was each panelist with delivery a piece of text which was true but hey.

Lies inserted into it and the other Palace had to identify the lies and I remember thinking they've got this wrong.

What they should be doing is they should be having a whole load of lies and the truth concealed because that would lend itself much better to a comic mind you know to a whimsical comic mind you could construct all sorts of nonsense and within the nonsense you reset the trees will Agnew these two programs are very funny.

It's difficult to say why but they are that a scripted or do the contestants make up their own answers which of these programs are scripted and how much are spontaneous take for example clue obviously but bring ideas, but what's the balance between scripted and Unscripted I think it's about 1/2 for both shows with the Unbelievable Truth it starts entirely scripted so I have four lectures from for panellist and there's just a wall of script and in the editing process.

Is the scripted stuff that ends up going and it's the improvised stuff that stays well cool and an ugly but clearly still in fine form and one of our listeners wonders if there's be anything else in the office from Glasgow I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue as one of the best long-running shows on radio and I'm also a big fan of the Unbelievable Truth I feel that there should be more of this programming on Radio 4 does John have any more programs that perceive Sir John this with you going for a hat-trick.

I am developing something with miles job and so what we're hoping to do a show with miles in the mould of Saturday night Friday brilliant show with Stephen Fry but I went well this lockdown this has caused a nightmare.

Sort of recording shows when that is over.

I can then devote myself to this miles Junction we can't wait.

Thank you very much for talking to it is

Play pleasure Roger thank you very much for having me and that's it for this weekend the series will be back in February when daffodils will be pushing their way out of the ground.

I've got some snowdrops in already until then do please keep your comments come again and have is happy at Christmas and New Year as possible keep safe and help give other people saved goodbye.