All Star Record Breakers was an annual Christmas ‘extravaganza’ borne out of the weekly programme Record Breakers. It ran from 1974 to 1982.

I was never a big fan of Record Breakers. From an early age (soon after the thrill of seeing the tallest man in the world on TV wore off) I saw the programme for what it really was: a televised trot through the Guinness Book of Records, fronted by a trumpet-playing presenter whose cheeky smile, twinkling eyes made me, and breath-taking exuberance made him the equivalent of the kid at school everyone wanted to be a bit like. Let’s just call that jealousy on my part and be done with it.

All Stars was ‘event TV’. I remember that much.  My memory of its content is scant, but its effect was striking. Children’s TV personalities from across the 成人论坛 join together in a glittering fun-filled extended edition – the TV equivalent of Whizzer and Chips Summer Special.

Festooned with big musical numbers, loads of energy  and very wide smiles, All Star Record Breakers was the moment when the artificial boundaries between TV programmes were temporarily dismantled. All of the 成人论坛’s TV presenters now appeared themselves as friends of one another, creating a whole other imaginary world in my head. They probably gave each other cards and presents in the canteen. And like Bucks Fizz, they probably all lived in the same house together somewhere in the country, assuming they didn’t have an apartment they shared in Television Centre with Noel Edmonds, Keith Chegwin, John Craven and Maggie Philbin.

I’m also not entirely sure whether All Stars was my first TV Christmas extravaganza, or whether it was Blue Peter’s Christmas edition. After weeks of struggling to make and then subsequent light each candle on the Blue Peter Advent Crown, : presenters gathered around a Christmas tree, joined by a procession of local school children kitted out in scarves and thick bobble hats to sing Hark the Herald Angels Sing under hot studio lights. Presenters exchanged gifts on TV, seemingly allowed to open them before the big day. And they got real gifts too. Simon Groom once gave Lesley Judd a puppy.  I seem to recall Peter Duncan getting a tool kit.

 

If All Stars was the TV version of an end of term Christmas show, then Blue Peter’s Christmas edition (still running today) was the TV carol service.  These were the magical moments of television, when viewers marvelled at how the implicit barriers constructed by the grammar of television were broken down. Excitement and anticipation mixed with the tantalising sight of familiar faces participating in a show-home illustration of our own Christmas celebrations. Heady visual cues.

Strictly Come Dancing has a similar effect on the senses. After weeks of regular feel-good doses, we skid towards the end of term with a vast dance floor ahead of us, numerous lights bouncing off every available shiny surface, and the chance to do our own ‘sofa salsa’ along to the signature tune for one last time. There’s an unshakeable sense of camaraderie – we’re not just observing that but participating in it as viewers too.

There is a sense of occasion about the whole affair. Not just because it’s the final and we want to know who the winner is. Like All Stars, Blue Peter and school Christmas parties, us viewers get to treat ourselves with a lavish event none of us have had the inconvenience of having to stage, and from which we don’t need to get our parents to pick us up at the end.

My perception of Strictly behind the scenes triggers memories of the school Christmas show. Weeks of rehearsals culminating in the thrill of afternoons taken over by vaguely glamorous-sounding occasions like ‘dress rehearsals’ or ‘run-throughs’. School-children normally marooned by the protocols imposed by tyrannical contemporaries throughout the rest of the year, now bonded with kids they never dreamed they’d be ‘cool enough’ to get on with.  An eclectic mix of young performers convened in a way they knew all too well they wouldn’t once term started up again in a few weeks’ time. This unusual billing and the feelings which emerged from it was something to savour.

The Strictly series has at its heart a similar eclectic billing. The Final is the prize for our series-long commitment. It’s the first of the big Christmas ‘parties’ – self-contained on our screens and not needing us to tidy up afterwards - which eases us towards a more personal festive celebration. As much as I adore Christmas Eve and the big day itself, it is the end-of-term party which stokes the greatest excitement in me. And from someone who is renowned amongst his colleagues for not especially liking parties, that’s saying something. 

Jon Jacob is Editor, About the 成人论坛 Blog

• is on Saturday 17 December at 6.40pm on 成人论坛 One
• Read from this year's competition
• is on Sunday 18 December at 6.40pm on 成人论坛 One
• Read Jon Jacob's blog about

My Christmas starts with Advent, signposted by the Sunday afternoon broadcast of . The broadcast is the starting point for a month of preparations, culminating in Radio 4’s Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve and a big warm Italian-influenced family get-together in leafy Purley soon after.

Both services hark back to childhood memories. My first experience of Nine Lessons was our school carol service – a seemingly grand affair in St Edmundsbury cathedral attended by every pupil and their parents. Those with a demonstrable ability to sing processed up the aisle to Once in Royal David’s City. Those without shuffled uncomfortably in the pews, bored by proceedings.

The order of service followed that of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. Readings and congregational carols were interspersed with various John Rutter creations. The air was cold and the organ was loud.

I had always thought that our school carol service, and the Christmas Eve service it aped, was the beginning of Christmas. Thirty-five years later I’ve changed my mind. 

A few years after my first school carol service, I joined the school chapel choir, a subset of keen and able singers who sang in church services at school and various churches across the county. One of those events – one we all initially resented slightly because it fell on a Sunday afternoon in late November – was the Advent carol service. This was a much smaller affair, attended by maybe only 50 in the congregation. The advent carol service competed for my enthusiasm. Spoilt by the scale of the end of term Carol Service, Advent felt like an effort.

One year the service was billed as a candlelit event. Our opening carol - Veni Veni Emmanuel (O Come, O Come, Emmanuel ) - suddenly took on a new significance. Intimacy and modest theatrics were combined with a majestic introduction from the organ, an eager congregation rising to its feet and an insistent and irresistible kind of commitment all condensed in the most deliciously austere of carols. 

O Come O Come Emmanuel was for the hard-core singers it seemed to me. Us in the school chapel choir were the advance party, signalling the start of end-of-term countdown.

Today, Choral Evensong fills a gap. It gives me an opportunity to participate in a live relay of an event that stirs up unexpectedly fond childhood memories. But its magic is more than O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Like Nine Lessons it is, I now come to understand, the opening introduction given by the announcer. If ever there was a script I long to have an opportunity to read on-air it's this: 

Its 3pm and time to go live and time to go to the  Chapel of St John's College, Cambridge for a service for Advent with carols.

The pattern of the liturgy reflects the season of Advent's growing anticipation both of the celebration of Christ's nativity at Christmas and looking forward to his second coming in glory.

There are four sections in the service: the message of Advent; the word of God; the prophetic call; and, the Christ-bearer.

And each section consists of antiphons, hymns carols and prayers with lessons from the Bible read from members of the College.

The full order of service can be found on page 128 of Radio Times and on the 成人论坛 Radio 3 website.

O Come O Come Emmanuel  takes on a rich significance today. It’s the moment when I feel I have permission to get stuck into my preparations for the festive season. It’s when I pickle, plan, decorate and reflect, a time when things glisten, dangle, flicker, and bubble, and a time when I start making plans for the next twelve months. And when I hear O Come O Come Emmanuel's crawling base, rousing refrain, and terrifying descant a tear comes to my eye. I wouldn't want it any other way. 

It’s signalled now, not only by a carol, but by a script read out on 成人论坛 Radio 3. That’s when the season begins – when the announcer says so. 

Jon Jacob is Editor, About the 成人论坛 Blog

• Listen to  on 成人论坛 Radio 3 on Sunday and Wednesday afternoons. 
•  is repeated on Wednesday 30 November at 3.30pm on 成人论坛 Radio 3 and available on 成人论坛 iPlayer Radio until Sunday 25 December 2016. 

Adil Ray’s creation gives us plenty of iconic Christmas comedy moments from donkeys to talking snowmen, it’s packed with great set-pieces and a wonderful emotional ending. Great to see this series go from strength to strength at the heart of 成人论坛 One. Long may he continue to cause chaos all around him.

We’re Doomed: The Making of Dad’s Army
Wednesday 22nd December, 9pm, 成人论坛 Two

Paying homage to the origins of this comedy titan. Charting the fascinating journey from the writer’s vision to television glory with insights in to the vagaries of the creative and commissioning process and how sheer determination, passion, luck, alchemy and mischief played their part in making TV history. Sublime performances throughout, We're Doomed does a huge legacy justice.

Boomers
Wednesday 23rd December, 9.30pm, 成人论坛 One

A special Christmas mis-adventure ahead of the new series next year. The cast deliver a masterclass in comic performance as they return from a French trip to a Christmas market and the wheels come off in more ways than one. Fantasy casting and pin sharp writing, something for everyone to relate to here.

The Detectorists Christmas Special
Wednesday 23 December, 10pm, 成人论坛 Four

More of an adjunct to series 2 than a Christmas themed special. Mackenzie keeps on surprising with this wonderful tale. A modern day parable which on one level works as a cautionary tale but at heart contains all the rich metaphors of life’s journey and deep-seated friendship. Just a delight unlike any other.

Harry Hill in Professor Branestawm Returns
Christmas Eve, 5.20pm, 成人论坛 One

Harry Hill returns in this fantastical comic romp as the madcap inventor, mainly of chaos. This time there’s a rival for young Connie’s attention. It plays out like a modern day Ealing comedy packed with a dazzling array of modern British comedy faces.

Peter Kay: 20 Years of Funny 
Christmas Eve, 9.05pm, 成人论坛 One

Car Share and Cradle to Grave have enjoyed phenomenal success this year and we celebrate this milestone in Peter’s life and career by looking back on his journey to the top. Featuring highlights from his stand-up and scripted work, Peter and those who know him well tell us how he got there. A chance to revel in the creations and work of a unique and well-loved British comedy talent.

Walliams & Friend
Christmas Eve, 10.05pm, 成人论坛 One

David back to what he does brilliantly, create and perform terrific sketches alongside comedy hero Joanna Lumley. Filmed before a live studio audience the show romps through hilarious concepts and parodies with relish. Contemporary yet classic, it’s a rare feat to pull off and proof that the sketch show in the right hands can still deliver laughs in surprising and satisfying ways.

Not Going Out Christmas Special
Christmas Eve, 10.45pm, 成人论坛 One

One man joke machine Lee Mack heads up this festive treat in which he becomes the unlikely hero when a Christmas shopping trip goes very badly wrong. This sitcom is now the longest running British sitcom still on air with next year marking its 10th anniversary. The gag well never runs dry with Lee.

Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Special
Christmas Day, 9.45pm, 成人论坛 One 
New Year's Day, 10.30pm, 成人论坛 One

Come on Agnes! Two specials from the big comedy heavy-weight. The whole family is rooting for Mrs Brown in this feel good family treat. If there’s a finer and more inventive comic performer in front of a studio sitcom audience than Brendan O’Carroll in the whole wide world then I’ll eat something I shouldn’t, then again that’s what Christmas is all about.

Comedy Bloopers
Christmas Day, 11.45pm, 成人论坛 One

Cock-ups and howlers from all your favourite comedy shows. Hilarious stocking filler stuffing for when you’re just about to pass out.

Comic Relief 2015: Thanks a Billion
Boxing Day, 1pm, 成人论坛 One

Highlights and reflections on another landmark year for Comic Relief.

The Farmer's Llamas
Boxing Day, 6.10pm, 成人论坛 One

Originated half hour animation created for the 成人论坛 featuring the characters from the recently Golden Globe nominated Shaun The Sheep. Quintessential family entertainment from one of the most globally successful proponents of British creativity.

Still Open All Hours
Boxing Day & 27th December 8pm, 成人论坛 One

Still fantastic, what a privilege to see a comedy classic in full flow after all these years. I had a personal 'religious' moment when I first saw the unpredictable till on set at a recording. Sir David Jason and Christmas just feel so perfect together. We are blessed with a Christmas special which flows in to the new series.

A Gert Lush Christmas 
Boxing Day, 9pm, 成人论坛 Two

Russell Howard writes and stars in this raucous family Christmas story shot through with earthy humour and lots of heart. If you think your family is a bit full on, strap in for this.

Catherine Tate's Nan
Sunday 27th & Wednesday 30th December, 10.25pm, 成人论坛 One

The nation’s most cantankerous relative is back with 2 specials that can only serve to make us feel better about our own relatives. Catherine Tate’s performance is a tour de force of character comedy and long may she continue to wind everyone up. For those who like their comedy with a kick in the teeth.

Two Doors Down
Mon 28th December, 10.50pm, 成人论坛 Two

Ok, a repeat. Sue me. The series is coming soon and this’ll whet the appetite. The Bairds host a wee party for neighbours and family which doesn’t quite go to plan. Wonderful writing and a terrific cast.

Charlie Brooker's 2015 Wipe
Wednesday 30th December, 9pm, 成人论坛 Two

Insightfully sharp reflections on the year's events. Your full on satire fix and much needed anti-dote to cleanse the palate after all the forced jollity of Christmas.

Billionaire Boy
New Year’s day, 7pm, 成人论坛 One

Screen adaptation of the hugely popular David Walliams book. Another treat for all the family with an array of superb comedy cameos and a wonderful Christmas message about family and friendship at the heart of it.

COMING SOON!

Tracey Ullman's Show (成人论坛 One) in early January. She’s back at the Beeb after a 30 year break taking America by storm. Talent doesn’t come much bigger and the show is packed with characters, ideas and impressions that’ll knock you for six. A personal childhood hero and turns out is a very lovely woman to boot. Not that I’d boot her, just a saying.

The Rack Pack in mid-January (iPlayer exclusive). A feature length fictional biography about the heyday of the British Snooker world in the 70s and 80s. Charting the huge growth in popularity of the game from backroom hobby to national phenomenon through personalities like Alex Higgins, Steve Davis & Jimmy White – 18.5 million people watched the ’85 final. It’s iPlayer's first fictional feature length piece and perfect for those dark winter nights.

Rest assured that we’re already putting markers down on pieces for Christmas 2016, the panic has kicked in that it’ll never be as jam-packed and varied as this year. We do have a special Sitcom Season to look forward to in early Autumn which runs across all the channels and will be a big moment for British comedy. The laughter never stops. Nor do the migraines.

All the best to you and yours! Enjoy!

Shane Allen is Controller, Comedy Commissioning.

The stars of some of our biggest shows have made a special video wishing viewers of a Merry Christmas using British Sign Language (BSL).

The one-minute film features Fiona Bruce, the Strictly judges, EastEnders and Casualty cast members, Countryfile's John Craven, 成人论坛 weather forecaster Matt Taylor plus See Hear presenter Clive Mason.

The film will be shown on See Hear on Wednesday 2 December, 8.15am on 成人论坛 Two.

• an interview with See Hear Editor William Mager published in October 2015. 
• the See Hear Christmas video on YouTube
• See Hear on Twitter and on . 

Simon Vivian, is the person responsible for the international live broadcast on Christmas Eve of from the Chapel of King鈥檚 College, Cambridge on and the .聽Here,聽he reflects on the role of the radio producer and explains how this world famous service makes it to air.

It鈥檚 a magical moment which, for so many decades now, has marked the beginning of the Christmas celebrations for millions around the world.聽As a small red light begins to flash, a lone chorister steps forward in the hushed and expectant candlelit Chapel of King鈥檚 College, Cambridge and begins singing the opening solo verse of Once in Royal David鈥檚 City.聽As it soars from the west end of the Chapel, high over the congregation鈥檚 heads, the innocence and beauty of the angelic unaccompanied voice takes us immediately away from the hustle and bustle of the world outside.

And in a state-of-the-art 成人论坛 digital sound truck parked outside, sits the radio producer, the sound balancer and a small team of audio engineers.聽They have the switch to operate that red light inside the Chapel which indicates when the service should begin.

For the past two years, it鈥檚 been my privilege to be the radio producer of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (not to be confused with Carols from King鈥檚, the similar television sequence of Christmas carols and readings recorded a fortnight or so before).聽And I will be there again in Cambridge this Christmas Eve to ensure that those millions listening live, in so many different time zones 鈥� on 成人论坛 Radio 4, the 成人论坛 World Service, and distributed to many other radio stations around the world - can 鈥渉ear again the message of the angels鈥�.

When I arrive in Cambridge each year on December 23^rd for the first sound-check with the Choir alone, my quartet of 成人论坛 Outside Broadcast colleagues will have already rigged the Chapel, laying long lengths of cable to and from the sound truck, lugging heavy equipment up the Chapel鈥檚 spiral staircase into the roof space, and slowly and carefully lowering 30 or so microphones through holes in the medieval fan vaulting.

During the rehearsals, I鈥檓 listening from the sound truck. As we work towards getting a good sound balance, we bear in mind that, once the space is full with congregation, the sound of the Chapel鈥檚 echo dries up considerably.聽Throughout it all, my intention as the radio producer is not only to reflect as closely as possible the beautifully crafted sounds to be heard inside the Chapel but to transmit the magical atmosphere of the live service to the listener, placing them in 鈥渢he best seat in the house鈥�!

Before the end of the rehearsal on Christmas Eve morning comes the all-important audition to find the chorister who will be asked to step forward and sing the solo first verse of Once in Royal David鈥檚 City at the very beginning of the service.

Stephen Cleobury, the Director of Music at King鈥檚 College, asks four or five choristers to audition.聽 Of course, he has a sense of who he may pick but, after the choristers have headed off to lunch, he is keen to hear from me as to how each of the choristers sounded over the speakers in the sound truck before making his decision.聽The name of the chosen chorister will be kept under wraps however - even from the chorister himself to prevent undue nerves 鈥� until seconds before the service begins.

As the 3 o鈥檆lock news draws to a close on 成人论坛 Radio 4, the Continuity Announcer in Broadcasting House begins reading the introduction to the service.聽As this proceeds, we begin to flash the red light 鈥� 鈥淕et ready鈥�.聽Stephen Cleobury points to a single chorister 鈥� the chosen voice who will begin the Christmas celebrations of millions.聽Unheard in the Chapel, the Continuity Announcer is coming to an end and the red light goes off 鈥� 鈥淭hey鈥檙e about to come to us鈥�.聽The chorister steps forward and clears his throat.聽And then comes the moment.聽The red light is switched on - and remains on.聽The world is listening.聽And a serene sound fills the space, floating through the Chapel and over the airwaves.

In the sound truck, we are subtly tweaking this fader and turning that dial, very aware of the great significance of the moment.聽For the next hour and a half we will be focused on the music and readings, and on the rehearsal notes we鈥檝e scribbled down over the past day and a half, attempting to put into practice all that has been carefully rehearsed. But, with the listeners, we will also take the opportunity to marvel at the beauty and magic of this live annual service 鈥� cherished by so many millions and one of the jewels in the crown of radio broadcasting.

Simon Vivian is聽a radio producer in the 成人论坛鈥檚 Religion & Ethics department.

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols can be heard live on 成人论坛 Radio 4 and the 成人论坛 World Service on Christmas Eve at 3pm.聽A repeat of the service, including both organ voluntaries, can be heard on on Christmas Day.

The front cover of the 2011 Christmas Radio times

Some have come to expect Santa's face beaming out, tempting us to tune in to two solid weeks of family viewing, and we have begun to think it's his rightful place. However, looking back though nearly 90 years of Radio Times covers at Christmas, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Santa is a relative newcomer to the scene.

It's where he doesn't feature that the Radio Times at Christmas becomes even more interesting, and where the creative festive flow of the illustrators cranks up.

The earliest Christmas covers from the 20's and 30's are the most striking.

Take the Christmas RT for 1926 (pictured below left), no Santa that year, instead a prominent yellow star perches above an alarmingly modernist lightning strike. Is it the communists or the fascists running Christmas that year?

Covers from the Christmas Radio Times in 1926 and 1929.

1929 (above right), and Santa still doesn't get a look in. Instead, something heavenly is definitely going on, but there's a sinister air, and storm clouds are brewing.

By 1931 (below left) things had calmed down a bit with frolicking angels taking centre stage - much more reassuring. However, it's not to last.

Covers from the 1931 and 1933 editions of the Christmas Radio Times.

Snow engulfed transmitting stations and an iced-up Broadcasting House makes one wonder if the 成人论坛, during Christmas 1933, wasn't quite certain of getting on air at all, 'due to adverse weather conditions'.

Edward Ardizzone, Val Biro, Eric Fraser, Anthony Gross, Ralph Steadman and Rex Whistler have all illustrated for the Radio Times over the years, contributing their fair share of abstract and traditional designs. This years' Santa-less front cover by Kate Forrester takes us back toward tradition, a wavering green Christmas tree, decorated in gold and red, but it's no less impressive than the perceived to be all important tubby Father Christmas.

The cover of the 1988 Christmas Radio Times.

Forrester follows a long tradition of producing successful non Santa covers. After all it was the 1988 Christmas edition (above) that netted a record 11,220,666 editions sold, and Santa was nowhere to be seen that year either.

• The website provides schedule information including .
• Discover more treats from the archive including a gallery of other Radio Times covers on the .

Tatiana Maslany and Andrew Buchan star as Mary and Joseph in Tony Jordan's adaptation of The Nativity for 成人论坛 One this Christmas.

With less than a month to go before Christmas Day (where has this year gone?), the first week of December has certainly blustered in with what can only be described as a uniquely Baltic flourish.

This is my second Christmas as the 成人论坛's Head of Religion and Ethics and Commissioner for Religion TV, a job that I am extremely honoured to hold. As I write, across "Frozen Britain" (a 成人论坛 News term, not mine) the snow is falling across most of the country as fast as the temperatures outside, and the bookies odds on a white Christmas are changing daily.

In addition to the inevitable news of the gridlocked roads, stranded trains and lorries, closed schools and general commuter mayhem have come some brilliant and heart-warming stories of both seasonal goodwill and the Great British spirit rising to the occasion - battling on against the elements to help others, and to keep the country moving.

Of course as the temperatures drop outside, even the most hardy of us look forward to slumping on the sofa and watching television. As usual this year to both mark and celebrate the significance of Christmas, the 成人论坛 has some really fantastic programmes to offer across both TV and radio, from stunning original drama to worship and inspiring musical celebration.

I am particularly pleased to tell you about a new commission from 成人论坛 Religion and Ethics for Christmas Day afternoon. 成人论坛 Two's Carols From Winchester is an hour long special which will feature some of the best-loved Christmas carols and classical Christmas music.

And don't miss stunning new drama for 成人论坛 One, , starring and as Mary and Joseph. The drama, over four half-hour episodes, shows the Nativity from a fresh viewpoint and tells the traditional tale known to millions from a very human perspective.

Whatever the weather throws at us in the next few weeks, I hope you have a fantastic Christmas and that you manage to watch/listen to some of the 成人论坛's Christmas programming and, more importantly, that you enjoy it.

More details of .

Aaqil Ahmed is he 成人论坛's Head of Religion and Ethics and Commissioner for Religion TV

Christmas is a very important time of year for 成人论坛 television. It's not that everybody suddenly watches loads more television (on average only 20 minutes more per day than the usual four hours per day in winter) - it's that people look to the 成人论坛 to offer something special and the number of people watching 成人论坛 One soars.

2009 was no different - 's share of Christmas Day viewing in peak hours (that's the percentage of viewers watching the channel between 6pm and 10.30pm) averaged nearly 40%, by far the highest of any broadcaster. The biggest audience of the day was for (10.9 million), followed by (10.2 million) and (10 million). (8.7 million) and The Gruffalo (8.8 million) also had strong audiences. It's also not just a 成人论坛 One story any more for the 成人论坛 - and both had their best ever Christmases in terms of audience share this year.

You may have read in the press that people aren't watching as much television at Christmas as they used to, but the figures don't back that up. Although numbers for individual programmes are far below those of the seventies and eighties (when 29 million watched Morecambe and Wise's Christmas Show in 1977 and when in 1986 a double showing of where Den gave Angie divorce papers had a combined audience of 30 million), this is a result of much wider choice, rather than people turning away from television altogether. Remember, back in 1977 there were only three channels to choose from, today there are hundreds. And if you missed a broadcast then, there were no catch-up services.

If you look at the average live audience to TV over the whole festive period, audiences have been remarkably steady over the past 10 years, and on Christmas Day itself they have actually grown in recent years after a period of mild decline. What makes this truly remarkable is that this is in the face of an increased capacity to timeshift programmes through personal video recorders, on-demand services such as , and , narrative repeats and catch-up channels. If we add this extra viewing into the figures for the Christmas Day EastEnders, for example, nearly 800,000 watched the episode from a recording, a further 800,000 watched it on 成人论坛 Three and nearly half a million requested it on iPlayer - making the total audience closer to 13 million, before we even get to the omnibus edition later in the week. This isn't just a Christmas phenomenon - the impact of viewing beyond the first showing is increasingly crucial to tell the whole story.

To further underline this change in behaviour, this Christmas iPlayer had its biggest week ever. There were over 17 million requests to view TV programmes on iPlayer in the week starting 28 December (a huge 2 million more than the previous high) and a new daily record on 1 January 2010 of 2.8 million requests. The most requested programmes on iPlayer over the festive season included the special, Doctor Who, Gavin & Stacey, EastEnders and the family comedy . And with the continued growth of on-demand television, to the television set as well as the PC, there's no reason to expect this record to last very long.

All this makes me think that the public haven't yet fallen out of love with TV at Christmas. While the way we watch it may evolve and fragment, and those big peaktime shared moments do get a little smaller each year, as long as there are programmes we really want to watch we will find a way to watch them sometime and somehow.

David Bunker is Head of Audience Research, 成人论坛 Vision

The About the 成人论坛 blog will be taking a short Christmas break over the following week but will return in January. Many thanks for all your visits and comments in 2009. All the best for the holiday and see you in the New Year! - Chris Jones, Editor

When I was growing up I used to wait eagerly for the Christmas schedule to see what delights would be coming on television in late December. I still get the same excitement seeing the final Christmas schedules, but for different reasons. As Head of Scheduling for 成人论坛 Vision I oversee the plans for five television channels and 成人论坛 One in particular. It's a privilege to be responsible for the 成人论坛 One schedule over such an important time of year, but I'm always anxious that our channels live up to the expectations of all our viewers.

After each year's Christmas schedule has transmitted we receive lots of detailed feedback from viewers. My job is to translate that into our plans for the following year. Audiences have high expectations of Christmas television, whether they're watching as part of a big family or in a smaller group. Surprisingly, more than a quarter of the audience on Christmas Day will be watching alone. Another quarter of the audience will be watching with children. And the remaining 47% will be watching in a group with no children. So when we create the Christmas schedule for , , , and the , we have to finely balance the programmes and schedule to deliver to these distinct audiences.

In addition, the mindset for viewing at Christmas can be contradictory. We enjoy seeking out new programmes, but at the same time many viewers say they're unwilling to 'take risks' when choosing programmes. This is consistently reflected in the numbers of people who love seeing classic television at Christmas such as comedy or vintage films. This need for familiarity could also be down to the desire to keep other people who are watching with you happy. Viewers also tell us that often television is playing as a 'background' over Christmas. So programmes that are lighter in tone and that can be easily dipped in and out of frequently prove popular.

Taking all of this into account, it's easy to see why some of the most popular programmes over the years have been comedy and entertainment specials featuring the biggest stars of the day, blockbuster family films, and high-octane storylines in series such as . Den serving Angie with divorce papers in 1986 remains one of the most enduring Christmas Day specials for over two decades. And I hope people anticipate the Royle Family special at Christmas in the same way that people used to look forward to Morecambe and Wise.

This year's highlights include 's mesmerising performances in his final episodes and also as Hamlet. In comedy, alongside celebrations of , and , we have brand new specials from Catherine Tate, and Outnumbered. In arts we have a celebration of the life and work of , plus a new documentary that examines the story behind one of the world's most admired nativity paintings, . There's also a wide range of music - from , Sting's Winter Songbook, and from Jerusalem to our live Christmas morning service from . I'd argue that this selection is indicative of an unrivalled, high-quality line-up from the 成人论坛, offering something for everyone. So although for obvious reasons I can no longer eagerly await the Christmas schedule, I'm already looking forward to seeing how viewers react to our programmes. I'm planning Christmas 2010 already and I'd love to know what audiences are looking for next year.

On Friday we published and today I want to tell you a bit more about what is coming up on 成人论坛 television over Christmas and the holiday season. We are aiming to create a television schedule which gives viewers a chance to share big moments, especially on , which is why we have so much original programming over the period across our channels.

I am pleased that this year 成人论坛 Television's commissioners, channel teams and programme makers have delivered one of our best ever holiday schedules. There's a cracking list of specials from Britain's best comedy talent from Catherine Tate and Victoria Wood to the Outnumbered family. We will all bid an emotional farewell to David Tennant in one of the most dramatic and spellbinding exits in Doctor Who history, and the much-loved children's book The Gruffalo comes to life on screen for the very first time. I am also looking forward to the Orson Welles season on , and modern dance courtesy of the Ballet Boyz on 成人论坛 Three bringing us The Rite of Spring. I saw the filming in London's East End last month and I can promise viewers that will bring new audiences to Stravinsky's wonderful ballet through this original interpretation.

There's also a whole host of drama and comedy, a celebration of food and a wide range of big family films, with the Incredibles one of the highlights on 成人论坛 One.

We have planned for the arts to take centre stage on , with the Royal Shakespeare Company's acclaimed production of Hamlet with David Tennant demonstrating his wonderful range as an actor alongside Patrick Stewart - another one of Britain's finest. This production is a small miracle of planning. It was shot after the RSC production had ended, in a palatial but abandoned seminary in north London. When I saw the gravediggers' scene being filmed, the cast had gathered after getting time off from other plays, film and TV commitments in order to be reunited. So we will present the original cast and director of Hamlet so that an even wider audience can see it. The Private Life of a Christmas Masterpiece, also on 成人论坛 Two, celebrates another great work as we look at the Mystic Nativity by Botticelli. And this is to mention just a few highlights. More shows will be available in high definition than ever before - and remember, with 成人论坛 iPlayer there's no need to argue over the remote.

Happy Christmas!