Radio Listener by Jim Gilchrist

Published on Sunday 5 February 2012 13:00

IF I MAY say this without repetition, hesitation or deviation, a radio institution celebrates an anniversary on Monday as the splendid Nicholas Parsons introduces the panel show he has chaired since its inception in just a minute.

Doubtless the shades of such esteemed departed panellists as Clement Freud and Kenneth Williams will be issuing some hollow challenges from the wings as panellists Ross Noble, Jenny Eclair, Gyles Brandreth and Paul Merton are asked to pontificate on subjects given out in the original series back in 1967, from “Why I Wear a Top Hat” to “Knitting a Cablestitch Jumper”.

Earlier on Monday, Radio 4’s Afternoon Play – blue flu, by first-time playwright Peter Bleksley, envisages the consequences of a one-day police strike. The speculation should be well-informed – Bleksley was a founder member of Scotland Yard’s undercover unit during the 1980s – as the drama follows two police officers and a junior minister as the police sirens fall silent.

Silence is not an option as two major music events hit the airwaves. Part of the mammoth Celtic Connections festival currently raising dust in Glasgow, Radio Scotland’s YOUNG TRADITIONAL MUSICIAN OF THE YEAr 2012 final goes out live tomorrow night from the City Halls, Mary Ann Kennedy introducing the six young finalists. Victory can mean a useful leg-up for an aspiring muso.

The old-timers, meanwhile, get their due in the bbc raDIO 2 FOLK AWARDS 2012, hosted by Mike Harding and Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, with the Dubliners – this year celebrating their half-century – and US singer Don MacLean receiving lifetime achievement awards.

The black and white beasties with the serious bamboo habit come under the spotlight once again in THE POLITICS OF PANDAS, as Philip Dodd investigates the niceties of “panda diplomacy”.

Just a Minute

Monday, Radio 4, 6:30pm

Afternoon Play – Blue Flu

Monday, Radio 4, 2:15pm

Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2012

Tomorrow, Radio Scotland, 5:05pm

The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2012

Wednesday, Radio 2, 7:30pm

The Politics of Pandas

Thursday, Radio Scotland, 2:05pm

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joeholding

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 01:09 PM

Reviewed Just A Minute's first episode of Series 62 for a new blog that I've just set up. Would love to hear some feedback should anyone have the time to read it: http:gigglevision.wordpress.com20120213just-a-minute-series-62-episode-1-review

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