Global, the Media & Entertainment Group, has shared festive radio and podcast highlights for Christmas 2023 that yule not want to miss! The spectacular Christmas schedule presents listeners with a fabulous mix of radio and podcast content to enjoy throughout the festive period.
This Christmas Eve listeners can turn up the festive feel on Heart with Emma Bunton’s A Spice Girl Christmas and delight in the sounds of Carols by Candlelight with Aled Jones on Classic FM.
On Christmas Day the treats continue with rock and roll legend Bonehead’s Christmas Day on Radio X, the star-studded Dev Griffin’s All-Star Christmas on Heart and a special festive edition of The News Agents on Global Player – plus don’t forget to tune-in to Sky VIP Official Big Top 40 from Global with Will Manning to find out who is the Christmas Number One!
The festivities don’t end with Christmas, on Boxing Day for the first time ever James O’Brien, Shelagh Fogarty, Iain Dale and Lewis Goodall combine forces to review the year that was for the LBC Boxing Day Special.
And finally, party into 2024 with Chris Moyles New Year’s Eve Platinum Hours on Radio X and relax with Classic FM’s New Year’s Day at the Movies on New Year’s Day.
Sunday 24th December, 7pm – 10pm
A Spice Girl Christmas
Join Emma Bunton and Geri Horner for a mini-Spice Girl reunion this Christmas Eve! Chatting about their festive plans and their favourite memories from their career.
Monday 25th December, 6pm – 10pm
Dev Griffin’s All-Star Christmas
Dev is joined by Kylie Minogue, Michael Fassbender, Richard Osman and more special guests on this bumper Christmas party. So, grab the left-over cheese, a box of choccies and put your feet up as Dev’s got your Christmas Day evening soundtrack sorted.
Sunday 31st December, 7pm – 1am
Heart’s New Year’s Eve Club Classics Party with Toby Anstis
Join Toby for his New Year’s Eve Club Classics Party, with non-stop music and no adverts until 1am. Get your New Year’s message read out on air by texting 82122 or ask your Alexa to “send a comment to Heart”.
Available now
Heart Xmas
The Christmas-themed sister station to Heart, Heart Xmas delivers the biggest and best non-stop Christmas hits throughout the day, Monday to Sunday from the biggest artists including Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé and Wham!
Saturday 23rd December, 6pm – 7pm
Carols from St Paul’s Cathedral with Moira Stuart
The St Paul’s Cathedral Choir and London Youth Choirs both perform at the concert in aid of The Prince’s Trust, alongside pianist Jamie Cullum, and festive readings come from Sir Tony Robinson, Richard E. Grant and Dame Joanna Lumley.
Sunday 24th December, 5.30pm – 6.45pm
Classic FM’s Carols by Candlelight with Aled Jones
Recorded live in the candlelight setting of London’s oldest surviving church, St Bartholomew-the-Great, the choir of St Bartholomew performs special arrangements of favourite Christmas carols; Konya and Braimah Kanneh-Mason duet, and Aled Jones himself performs a selection of seasonal solos.
Monday 25th December, 1pm – 3pm
The Nation’s Favourite Carol with Alexander Armstrong
Over the past three weeks, the public has been voting for their best-loved Christmas carol – and this afternoon, Alexander Armstrong counts down this year’s top 30.
Monday 25th December, 3.05pm – 5pm
Christmas from Buckingham Palace with Alan Titchmarsh
This special carol service was recorded live in the grand surroundings of the Palace ballroom, held to thank members of the Royal Household for their work throughout the year. Once again, Classic FM has been given exclusive access to record the event, which features the Choir of the Chapel Royal performing a collection of traditional seasonal carols, alongside members of Palace staff giving readings to tell the Christmas story.
Wednesday 27th to Friday 29th December, 7pm – 10pm
The Story of Strauss with John Suchet
John Suchet presents a new three-part series which tells the story of one of classical music’s most famous dynasties – the Strauss family. He plays some of the music that brought them to fame, as well as some lesser-known works. In the first episode, John explains that Johann Strauss I, upon hearing that his eldest son Johann wanted to become a musician, forbade it. But Johann the younger was soon good enough to form his own orchestra, and staged his first public concert, despite his father doing everything to prevent it.
Sunday 31st December, 7pm – 10pm
Pet Classics with Katie Breathwick
Following the massive success of Classic FM’s programmes for pets and pet-owners on Bonfire Night, join Katie for a special programme designed with furry, feathered and scaly listeners in mind. Katie has three hours of the most soothing music to calm and relax anxious animals, while the New Year’s celebrations and fireworks are in full swing.
Monday 1st January, 10am – 7pm
New Year’s Day at the Movies
Classic FM kicks off the New Year with a day of blockbuster music from the big screen, presented by Aled Jones, John Brunning and Margherita Taylor. All-day, the greatest film scores ever composed will feature, including Star Wars, Gladiator, The Lion King, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones, Gone With The Wind, Chariots of Fire and Jurassic Park.
Sunday 23rd December
Sky VIP Official Big Top 40 from Global
Tune-in to find out who is Christmas Number 1!
Monday 25th December, Christmas Day
From 10am – Roman, Chris and Sian are on Christmas Day 10am to 2pm, joined by Santa and the Grinch plus many others!
From 6pm – Jimmy Hill will be joined by David Guetta, Mimi Webb and Jazzy.
Tuesday 26th December, Boxing Day
From 6pm – Joel Corry takeover with Jimmy Hill
Sunday 31st December
Sky VIP Official Big Top 40 from Global
4pm – Chart of the Year on New Year’s Eve!
Sunday 31st December, 7pm
Capital’s New Years Eve House Party
MistaJam will be kicking off New Year’s Eve by checking in with David Guetta, Joel Corry, Becky Hill, Raye, Jax Jones and Nathan Dawe.
Sunday 31st December, 10pm – 1am
Capital’s New Years Eve House Party
Meg McHugh brings all the energy, counting down to 2024.
Tuesday 26th December, 1pm – 3pm
LBC Boxing Day Special
For the first time ever LBC presenters James O’Brien, Shelagh Fogarty, Iain Dale and Lewis Goodall come together to review the biggest stories in news and current affairs in 2023. The LBC Boxing Day Special will also be available as a podcast on Global Player.
Monday 25th December
The Chris Moyles Show – Christmas Day Special
Monday 25th December, 1pm
Bonehead’s Christmas Day
Bonehead – from Oasis – and Liam Gallagher’s solo band – hosts a special Christmas Day show on Radio X, revealing what Christmas Day is like when you’re in the biggest band in the world. What do you buy Liam Gallagher for Christmas? What does he buy you? Where’s the weirdest place they’ve spent the day?
Monday 25th December, 3pm
Johnny Vaughan’s Christmas Day Thang
Monday 25th December, 10pm
Noel Gallagher: On The Beach
Highlights of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds playing on the Brighton pebbles from July this year.
Sunday 31st December, 1pm
Radio X Record of The Year
Polly James counts down the best songs of the year, as voted for by the Radio X audience. Every song has featured as a Record of the Week, and then Polly will reveal the number 1 of 2023, as chosen by the public.
Sunday 31st December, 4pm
Chris Moyles New Year’s Eve Platinum Hours
For the 3rd year, Chris Moyles brings his legendary, hot-jocking platinum hour to New Year’s Eve, so kick of a night of partying on the station.
Monday 1st January
Radio X Chilled – All Dayer
Whether you’re easing yourself into the new year or easing the hangover… Radio X has got the perfect mix of relaxed, laid back, and acoustic indie, rock and alternative music all day.
Monday 25th December, 7pm – 10pm
Capital XTRA’s Christmas with Ella Thomas
After an incredible year reaching the final of Love Island and making her mark in the fashion industry, Ella Thomas is wrapping up Christmas with the biggest Hip Hop & RnB on Capital XTRA. In this 3-hour special co-hosted by Capital XTRA’s Omah Howard, Ella will be celebrating her year so far, giving all the exclusives on her Love Island experience and revealing what’s next for her in 2024.
The UK’s Official Dance Music Station, Capital Dance, is playing just 100% dance bangers this Christmas.
Saturday 23rd December, 4-7pm
Jamthems with David Guetta: The Making of The World’s Number 1 DJ
A 3-hour special where David Guetta picks his favourite Dance tunes that not only changed Dance music over the years but inspired his career. He chats to MistaJam about his days DJing on the club scene in Paris, meeting Daft Punk and how an international megastar turned down Titanium.
Sunday 31st December, 7pm-1am
New Year’s Eve on Capital Dance is a Club Capital Dance Special. Sam Lavery will be LIVE and, In the mix, counting down to 2024.
Monday 18th December
You’re Wrong About ADHD Christmas Special
Christmas can be really stressful. There are so many things to think about, so many gifts to organise, food to buy and so little time to get everything sorted. Add ADHD into the mix and it becomes even harder. By Christmas day, you can end up feeling totally exhausted. But there are ways to make things easier and more enjoyable. Henry Shelford from ADHD joins our presenters Sam Pittis and Katie Breathwick to answer your questions on Christmas. They share their top tips and strategies, so you can enjoy the festive period without feeling like it’s all too much.
Wednesday 20th December
Reel Talk with Honey and Jonathan Ross: Ross Family Christmas Favourites
Honey and Jonathan share the Ross family’s favourite Christmas films. The two discuss if Love Actually and The Holiday have aged well. If Elf can ever be beaten, their favourite festive animations and which film is watched by the entire family every year.
Monday 25th December
The News Agents Christmas Special
Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall return to News Agents HQ for a special Christmas podcast packed with listeners’ questions and lively discussion reviewing the year that was.
Available now
Reel Talk with Honey and Jonathan Ross: Best Film and TV of 2023
Jonathan and Honey select their must-watch films and favourite television series of 2023. Highlights include Nicholas Cage’s latest movie Dream Scenario, why Barbie didn’t go down well with the entire Ross family, and a TV streaming highlight, Beef.
Available now
Global Player Christmas Playlists
Enjoy the very best, specially curated Christmas playlists from Heart, Capital, Smooth, Radio X, Classic FM and Gold on Global Player.
