Festive schedule includes the Prime Brass Christmas Family Concert; Midnight Mass, live from the Church of Our Lady and English Martyrs; a new Cambridge 105 Pantomime featuring Bake Off winner Ian Cumming; Eclectic Light Show Specials on Syd Barrett, KT Tunstall and Sir Paul McCartney; and the return of Where’s Flossie?
Cambridge 105 Radio celebrates the festive season with a schedule of music, entertainment and documentary.
Christmas Eve (December 24)
Bake Off finalist Ian Cumming makes a special appearance in the Cambridge 105 Christmas Pantomime (Christmas Eve 6pm, Repeated Christmas Day 7pm). The Bake Off is looking for a new host, and in pantoland Dame T Cosey thinks she’s the woman for the job. But not if the evil Burner & Spark have anything to do with it.
Later, the Eclectic Light Show special pays tribute to Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett. Mandy Morton talks to Syd’s former girlfriend Jenny Spires about the early days of Pink Floyd, the London music scene of the 60s and Syd’s music, art and abiding love of Cambridge. (Christmas Eve 10pm)
We step into Christmas with the church of Our Lady and English Martyrs and a live broadcast of Midnight Mass (Coverage starts at 11.20pm).
Christmas Day (December 25)
We start Christmas morning with Phil Rowe and Tony Barnfield as they wake Cambridge up with Christmas Breakfast starting from 8am.
At 1pm there’s a chance to hear the Prime Brass Family Christmas Concert, recorded earlier this month at the West Road Concert Hall.
The ensemble is joined by the junior choirs of Younger Twisters, Humming and Notes, Harston and Newton Community Primary School; and Haslingfield Endowed Primary School. Music includes Away in a Manger, Walking in the Air and Let it Snow.
On Christmas Day afternoon Mandy Morton follows the progress of the Kings College Choir as they record and perform one of Sir Paul McCartney’s choral works. The programme includes Sir Paul, Stephen Cleobury and several the boys who were involved. (Sir Paul McCartney’s Ecce Cor Meum, Christmas Day 2pm).
After The Queen’s traditional Christmas Day message Neil Whiteside presents a special programme live from our Gwydir Street studios (Christmas Day from 3pm).
From 5pm there’s a second chance to listen again to Tony Barnfield in conversation with legendary broadcaster and Clare College alumnus Sir David Attenborough in the year of his 90th birthday.
On Christmas Night (December 25th) there’s highlights of two of the city’s major musical events. At 8pm Les Ray and Tim Willett introduce highlights of the 51st Cambridge Folk Festival from Cherry Hinton Hall. Then at 10pm Neil Whiteside picks his personal favourites from across five days and three stages at this year’s Cambridge Rock Festival.
Holiday Tuesday 27 December
On Tuesday evening we hear from acclaimed singer-songwriter Andy White, three decades after he began his career in Cambridge. Andy meets Trevor Dann who gave him his first radio play and first interview to discuss the release of his new 14-CD box set, his time as a student in Cambridge and his new life in Australia (Andy White – Unboxed, December 27, 7pm).
Wednesday 28 December
In an hour-long special Mandy Morton talks to pop and rock artist KT Tunstall about her new album Kin, her move to the United States, and why she’s turned her life upside down. With Mandy, she discusses her songwriting, her live performance, her fans and her philosophy on life in general. The programme includes tracks from the new album (Wednesday 7pm).
Then from 8pm Tim Willett introduces the 4th annual NMG Awards, recorded at the West Road Concert Hall in October.
New Year’s Eve
Where’s Flossie returns on New Year’s Eve afternoon. Tim Willett introduces the fourth treasure hunt around the city as Louise Wilson is the willing runner (New Year’s Eve 1pm).
Later, Cambridge 105’s two soul hosts Tony Dellar and Mike Prior reunite for an evening of soul music in Mike and Tony’s Soul Night. (December 31, 7pm).
Then from 10pm Matt Webb sees you into the New Year with The Party Zone.
Tim Willett, Station Manager, Cambridge 105 Radio said: “It’s sometimes hard to believe that such a schedule can be put together by a community radio station staffed entirely by volunteers.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our listeners for letting us into their homes in 2016 and we look forward to serving the community again in 2017”.
