good morning, welcome to breakfast with rogerjohnson. happy christmas. our headlines today. the king is expected to draw on his cancer treatment in his christmas message, as the royal family prepares to attend church at sandringham without prince andrew. delivered from hospital chapel. merry christmas from the sandringham estate in norfolk where the king and queen will spend christmas with other members of the royal family, but one person not on the guest list, prince andrew, after his relationship with an alleged chinese spite was exposed that white the archbishop of york will call for actions over words in his christmas sermon, as the church of england faces criticism over its handling of abuse scandals. hgppy happy christmas. today we are lookin: happy christmas. today we are looking at _ happy christmas. today we are looking at a _ happy christmas. today we are looking at a fairly _ happy christmas. today we are looking at a fairly cloudy - happy christmas. today we are looking at a fairly cloudy day i happy christmas. today we are l looking at a fairly cloudy day with murky conditions around, some drizzle, also some wet and windy

conditions across the north—west of scotland but they will be some sunshine in the forecast. and we'll have a special performance from winner of the piano, brad kella, who tells us about growing up in care with his twin brother. good morning and merry christmas. it's wednesday 25th december. our main story. the king is expected to refer to his cancer treatment during his traditional christmas message later. the royal family will go to church at sandringham this morning — but prince andrew will not bejoining them. our senior royal correspondent daniela relph has more. so much has changed since the royal family gathered at sandringham a year ago. both the king and the princess of wales have had to cope with a cancer diagnosis. and prince andrew, with his ex—wife sarah, duchess of york, will notjoin the family this year to avoid being a distraction after his links to an alleged chinese spy were made public.

the king has, unusually, chosen to deliver his christmas message today from a former hospital chapel in central london, rather than a royal residence. it's a sign that his own health problems will form part of the broadcast. fitzrovia chapel is a community space, and the power of bringing people together is also likely to feature. the themes of health and community have run through much of the king's work in recent months. his final engagement of the year in northeast london last week celebrated community, diversity, and cohesion — but there was also a passing reference to his health challenges. good morning. how are you? i'm still alive! after the royal visit to australia and samoa in october, more international travel is planned for the king in the coming months. his cancer treatment is ongoing, but palace sources say he ends 2024 feeling optimistic and positive about the year ahead. daniela relph, bbc news.

joining us now from outside sandringham church is our correspondent charlotte gallagher. the royal family will be there later. good morning. happy christmas. a difficult year for the royals, tell us more about what will be happening today.— royals, tell us more about what will be happening today. happy christmas. it reall was be happening today. happy christmas. it really was the _ be happening today. happy christmas. it really was the year _ be happening today. happy christmas. it really was the year that _ be happening today. happy christmas. it really was the year that changed - it really was the year that changed everything for the family. they were here last year, smiling the crowds and cameras. then within the space ofjust a few months, both at the king and the princess of wales theatre announced they were being treated for cancer so i think to date will definitely be looking forward to the future and perhaps reflecting on what has been a very difficult very stressful year for the whole family. later this morning they will come to the church and will be greeted by the hundreds of well—wishers that are usually here. already, even though it is very early, people are arriving to claim their place in the queue, to stake their place in the queue, to stake the best spot to see the royal family. after the church service, the royal family will go family. after the church service, the royalfamily will go back family. after the church service, the royal family will go back to the

house here in sandringham and have a private day, christmas lunch together as a family. and of course one person who will not be here is prince andrew, who is spending christmas we think in windsor with his ex—wife cerro ferguson. he was not invited, after his relationship with the alleged chinese spite was exposed —— sarah ferguson. he was already on the sidelines but i think we will see even less of him in the new year. . ~ we will see even less of him in the new year-— the archbishop of york, stephen cottrell, will focus on the importance of actions over words in his christmas sermon. it comes as the church of england faces criticism over its handling of abuse scandals. last month, the archbishop of canterbury, justin welby, resigned after he was criticised for not doing enough to stop a prolific abuser. mr cottrell has himself faced calls to step down. our religion editor aleem maqbool reports. give hope, peace and joy as part of his plan. lovely. christmas is when the church is at its most prominent in british life, and its mostjoyous.

churches up and down the country are filled with the story of hope defying darkness. but this year there is a troubled backdrop, and local clergy are hearing the frustration. it is just a magical time for the community, but this month has been really hard to be in the church of england because of all that's going on. it's an institution that's probably in crisis, really. so there is a sense that people feel really confused and disappointed with what's gone on, and just longing for some leadership to get things sorted out. last month, justin welby resigned as head of the church after a report pointed out his failings in dealing with a prolific child abuser. well, this year there will be no christmas sermon at canterbury cathedral from the archbishop of canterbury. he will, we're told, be spending private time with his family. instead, all eyes will be on york minster —

and the archbishop of york, stephen cottrell. he, too, is now under scrutiny for his handling of a child abuser in his charge, though he says he did everything he could. in his sermon today, he's expected to talk of putting first the needs of the vulnerable. ijust feel that he's not the right person to give that message at this time. she doesn't want to be identified, but one of the abuse victims of the priest that continued in post for nine years under stephen cottrell is having her say, after decades of suffering trauma in silence. i will find it difficult to listen to stephen cottrell and not separate the message that he's putting across from what i know he hasn't done. and i don't think that's what the christmas message should be about. for victims — notjust in this case, but others — there is a sense this can't be

a christmas where it's business as usual, and where they end up getting forgotten again. ali maqbool, bbc news, in york. usually at christmas there would be no rooms available in bethlehem. but for the second year running, the streets are nearly empty as tourists are mostly staying away, and public festivities have been cancelled because of the gaza war. here's our middle east correspondent, yolande knell. the little town of bethlehem. this is the nativity church, built on the spot where it's believed jesus was born, and christmas began. but this christmas, for local palestinian christians, festivities are muted. public celebrations have been cancelled because of the gaza war. usually, the saint nicholas feast

would bring a big parade. this is the second year, unfortunately, we don't have this. just to pray in the church, that's it. and it's... it's a little bit sad. here at the christmas church, prayers are said for people in gaza. the nativity scene shows a baby in the rubble. some palestinian christians, like yousef khoury, have families in gaza, and they've been living in the churches there. they are subjected, like the entire gaza strip, of starvation. um... of course, almost no sleep because of bombardment, because of, um, all the drones hovering above their heads. and the lack of medical attention and services. here in the occupied west bank, there's also fear and uncertainty amid heightened tensions with israel. and the economy is in dire straits.

bethlehem is built on tourism, but now local guides stand idle, with very few visitors coming. normally, the street around here would be bustling at christmas time — and, just like in the nativity story — all the rooms would be taken in bethlehem. not this year. most hotels are closed. but this local community group is trying to make a difference. packing up food parcels for those in need. donors have sent money for handouts, too. here, there's no governmental assistance. christmas is the spirit of giving and love and joy, and we hope with this parcel we can give some hope and joy to the families in our area. and, as each volunteer makes their delivery, they spread some cheer in the city that sees itself as the capital of christmas.

yolande knell, bbc news, bethlehem. let's go tojerusalem and speak to emir. good morning. happy christmas from the studio. midnight mass did take place last night. no festivities today, though, in bethlehem, as we havejust festivities today, though, in bethlehem, as we have just been hearing. bethlehem, as we have 'ust been hearinu. . . ~ bethlehem, as we have 'ust been hearin. ., ., ~ ., �*, hearing. yeah, and i think that's because the _ hearing. yeah, and i think that's because the minds _ hearing. yeah, and i think that's because the minds of— hearing. yeah, and i think that's because the minds of those - because the minds of those palestinian christians who we saw in the report is very much with their extended family members, cousins, other palestinian christians and the situation in general in gaza not so far away in the other palestinian territory of gaza and sadly we have seen the situation there really deteriorating, especially in parts of northern gaza, where we have just

had a statement from the united nations this morning saying they have been attempting to deliver aid to parts of northern gaza that are essentially under a military siege by the israeli military and they have had huge impediments to delivering that aid while the israeli military says it is continuing to facilitate the delivery of aid. the access to food is difficult and access to health care is difficult. the hospitals in that area are also struggling heavily under a lack of access to basic medical equipment and military operations taking place notjust around them, but those hospitals are reporting being directly hit whilst there are patients inside being treated. ., ~ , ., , . treated. thank you very much indeed. emir nader in — treated. thank you very much indeed. emir nader in jerusalem _ treated. thank you very much indeed. emir nader in jerusalem this - emir nader injerusalem this morning. some people will be spending christmas day somewhere unexpected

and that is the case for these astronauts. butch wilmore and sunita williams. injune, they set off from earth for what was meant to be an eight—day mission, but six months later they're still in space. camilla mills has the story. barry "butch" wilmore and sunita williams became the first astronauts to travel to space on private company boeing starliner capsule. it blasted off injune but, due to technical issues, their eight—day stay on the international space station has now turned into more than eight months. celebrating christmas on the international space station isn't uncommon — astronauts have been doing it for more than 50 years. it's considered a holiday for all concerned, regardless of faith or ethnicity. for the team on board this year, it's still about spending time together and enjoying the day. it's a great time of year up here. we get to spend it with all of ourfamily up on the international space station — there are seven of us up here, and so we're going to get to enjoy company together. and one of the best things that i like about christmas is the preparation and just getting ready, and the anticipation — everybody getting together

and preparing stuff and just getting ready for the holiday. the astronauts have now received fresh ingredients and gifts from home — sent via the spacex dragon capsule. they'll enjoy the day with a meal together, listen to christmas music, watch films, and talk to their families back on earth. you know, in christmas time, the holiday season, it's about spending time with friends and family and loved ones. you know, this year we're going to be in orbit away from them, so we want to send our heartfelt merry christmas and we hope you have a wonderful holiday. as well as being an astronaut, butch is also a pastor, and is said to be planning a christmas sermon. we have an object —j looks like a satellite going from north to south, probably in a polar orbit. l christmas messages from space have become a firm favourite during the holiday season. in december 1965, astronauts on board nasa's gemini vi—ajokingly claimed to have seen an unidentified flying object piloted by santa claus.

music: jingle bells. they then played jingle bells on a harmonica, making it the first song to be played in space. butch and suni are due back on earth at the end of march, but after all the delays, they may be wondering if it could be another christmas in space next year. but for now, they remain in good spirits. so from all of us to all of you... all: merry christmas. it makes the bobbles on top of the santa hats behave excellently. nobody can question your commitment, here you are on christmas day to tell us what the weather is. happy christmas. . , , tell us what the weather is. happy christmas. . , _ , ., , ., tell us what the weather is. happy christmas. . , _ , ., christmas. happy christmas to you, as well. we are not looking at a white christmas. it will be mild, fairly cloudy for many, some murky

conditions around to start the day and also a bit of drizzle. we have some mist and fog, fog wound warwickshire, missed in north yorkshire and north—east scotland. here is where we will see some breaks as we go through the day, so some of us will see a bit of sunshine but there is quite a bit of cloud around. some drizzle out towards the west. then we have the rain across the north west where it is also rather windy. temperatures today way above what we would expect at this time of year. not quite as high as yesterday, when we got 15.2 in the highlands, making it one of the warmest christmas eves on record. today we are looking at the 11 to 12 or 13, we could squeeze out a 1k in any sunshine around the moray firth. tonight, we are looking at, again, a fair bit of cloud around, our weather front bringing the rain a little further south, through scotland, and by the end of the night into northern ireland. by the night into northern ireland. by the end of the night we will also see a bit more cloud across southern england. but with all of this going

on, it will not be a cold night. these are our overnight lows, ten in belfast and five in hull. boxing day, our weatherfront belfast and five in hull. boxing day, our weather front move south across scotland, might click northern england and northern ireland before it starts to retreat northwards again. on the other side of it, the northern side, some brighter conditions. it will be cooler. forthe brighter conditions. it will be cooler. for the rest of us, cloudy and still mild, roger. carol, thank you very much. we will speak to you in the next hour. thank ou. we speak to you in the next hour. thank you- we are — speak to you in the next hour. thank you- we are going — speak to you in the next hour. thank you. we are going to _ speak to you in the next hour. thank you. we are going to talk— speak to you in the next hour. thank you. we are going to talk about - you. we are going to talk about someone we — you. we are going to talk about someone we have _ you. we are going to talk about someone we have mentioned . you. we are going to talk about someone we have mentioned a | you. we are going to talk about - someone we have mentioned a number of times on the programme. the family of laura nuttall, who completed an extensive bucket list before she died from brain cancer, have climbed one of her favourite walking spots for the 100th time to mark her 25th birthday. laura died in may 2023 after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. our reporter katie barnfield joined them. laura nuttall�*s family are now

well used to this climb. this is the 100th time her mum and sister have gone up pendle hill together, completing their challenge on what would have been her 25th birthday. we've done snow, we've done ice, we've done rain, we've done bright hot sunshine, and also, like, gale—force winds. so it's... wow. it's quite mild today. pendle hill was one of laura's favourite walking spots, and where her family scattered her ashes after she passed away from an aggressive brain tumour last year. what are we looking for? pirates. anything. she became an inspiration to others, completing a bucket list of challenges before she died, while campaigning for better treatment. for her family, these walks are a way to remember her. we've kind of done it for our...for our mental health as much as anything, and it's a really good way of dealing with grief — to actuallyjust be outside in nature, to be appreciating what's around you.

so is this the most people you've had with you so far? yes, definitely. we normallyjust have one occasional special guest who willjoin us for the walk. but, yeah, we've never had this many. yeah. it's a tough and icy climb in places, but nothing to deter them — or the a0 friends and family who've joined them to mark the occasion. at the summit, it's time to celebrate. 100! laura! hi, laura. it just feels like it's a connection with laura, doesn't it? it feels like she'd be really proud of you. she... she'djust go, "well done, kid." yeah, it's really emotional. and it'sjust an emotional day anyway, because it should be laura's birthday. it feels really overwhelming, but it's nice that we've included her in it. yeah. even after 100 climbs, they have no plans to rest, as they continue fundraising for research into brain cancer. so the next challenge is we're going to do

the chicago marathon next year. so we're going to... having kind of got to grips with walking this year, next year it's going to be running! 100! cheering. it's a milestone achievement for the memory of a sister and daughter who was very much loved. katie barnfield, bbc news, in pendle. she was an amazing young woman and herfamily are remarkable, as she was an amazing young woman and her family are remarkable, as well. we wish them all the best. one of the stand—out tv moments of this year was 23—year—old brad kella blowing away the judges to win the second series of channel 4's the piano. since then, he's performed at the royal albert hall, the liverpool philharmonic, and released a debut single which he dedicated to his foster parents. brad and his twin brother aron have been speaking to breakfast about what brad's success has meant to them both.

hello, everyone watching bbc breakfast, i'm brad kelly — the winner of series two of the piano on channel 4. my name's aron and i'm brad's twin brother. brad's one minute older than me, although he can act like he's about ten years older than me sometimes! tell me about you and the piano. i never started playing piano until i was 1a. i can't read music, i've never had a lesson in my life.. ..but ijust — when i hear music, it's something about it, i just feel it differently than normal people. what he's done in this last year is something that we couldn't even fathom. amazing — you are amazing! even though through the years we used to fight all the time and argue all the time — i think that'sjust what brothers do and that's what make brothers brothers. and he supported me since day one — told me i was going to achieve things even before i went out and achieved them.

this is where we used to come and vent, lad. cry on your shoulder — every week! this is our therapy room, this. just a really big and green one. on most occasions, brothers and sisters are separated when they when they get took away from their parents. and this is just something that we were extremely lucky with when ev and frank took us in. we used to go to a woods local to us called bluebell woods. from when we were kids, and he told us that there and ev told us that there was monkeys in the trees! and that was where we used to go — there — vent, rant with any issues we had and a lot of his views on where he wanted to be in his career stemmed from them walks and them talks, in that woods. used to just go on walks constantly all the time, just round the woods by ev

and frank's house, and walk for hours and hours round here and manifest. laughter. tell each other one day something good's going to happen out of all of this mess. yeah, i'm so grateful that he's in my life and made this year a massive thing for me, just in being part of it. 0h, lad! since the very first day he got a keyboard at christmas, he always just seemed to be able to play an odd tune. until one day when he played fur elise in front of me out of nowhere. and i looked at him and i was like, "brad, you've got a serious, serious talent there." when i played at the liverpool philharmonic, i was so scared. i remember when i first walked out on the stage and got a massive standing ovation before i'd even played, which was just the most

adrenaline—induced feeling i'd everfelt in my life. as soon as brad walked out, the entire crowd wasjust cheering and screaming his name. it was just the whole room was filled with love. ijust felt like i had the best show of my life. that's my city — my people. it was just the best feeling in the world, it really was. like the first thing he shouted was, "mum, i've made it." and that wasjust...wow, like, insane. knowing i always had my real blood around me is something that i'll always treasure, because there's so many kids in care who just get left on their own, separated from family, and i think that leads them sometimes to just go into a dark place that they'll carry with them forever. i love it — i want one of these exact pianos in my house. definitely want one of these. i believe in you, lad, i think it'll definitely happen. me and aron got to spend each and every moment together throughout this whole care experience and i think, for me,

it made each and every circumstance a bit more easier to deal with. ijust want to say a huge, huge thank you to all the foster carers, social workers — anyone in the system at all who's helping these young children. if it wasn't for foster care, i wouldn't be sat in front of this camera now, thanking each and every other foster parent for doing what they're doing. so, yeah — thank you so much. brad. a massive thank you to ev and frank because, without them, i wouldn't have went out and achieved any of these things that got put in front of me. so i hope that everyone throughout the christmas period has an amazing time. again, a massive, massive thank you to everyone who supported brad. the whole family — like, we've all had so much love and support this last year.

ijust want to wish you all a very, very, very merry christmas, and keep all your loved ones close. spend it with your family, definitely — don't take it for granted, ever. and, yeah, just cherish the moment. christmas is such a special, warm time of the year and it's meant to be around yourfamily and the people that you love. brad and aron. what a talent, can't read music. brad kella has recorded a special performance for breakfast of his latest single, home to me.

absolutely wonderful. absolutely wonderful. that was channel 4's that was channel 4's the piano winner brad kella the piano winner brad kella performing his latest performing his latest single home to me. single home to me. we will hear more of that after 8am. we will hear more of that after 8am. gchq is one of the most secretive gchq is one of the most secretive institutions in the world — institutions in the world — and now a very special part and now a very special part of its history is being uncovered of its history is being uncovered for the very first time. for the very first time. a photo album documenting a photo album documenting that is almost irreplaceable. the social lives of the hidden the social lives of the hidden bletchley spies has gone on display bletchley spies has gone on display — showcasing some of — showcasing some of the only photographs the only photographs of the codebreakers in existence. of the codebreakers in existence. our reporter graham satchell has our reporter graham satchell has been to have a look. been to have a look. you've got dances, amateur you've got dances, amateur dramatics, you've got dramatics, you've got marriages, weddings. marriages, weddings. it's just a really unique collection it's just a really unique collection

that is almost irreplaceable. deep in the archives of gchq, a remarkable piece of wartime history — a photo album full of hundreds and hundreds of pictures of the codebreakers who worked at bletchley park. what is fascinating about it is the intimacy of some of the pictures. so you see some of these group photographs — it's almost like a a team photo. that's right. i mean, the work at — you know, during the war was hard. it was... it was monotonous, it was tedious, in often pretty primitive working conditions. but they had fun, as well. they were human beings. they socialised, they went to dances and played sport. so it really gives you that sort of exposure of what life was like. bletchley park was the secret

forerunner to gchq. working in separate huts, codebreakers intercepted, decrypted and analysed messages from germany. most famously, they broke the enigma machine, which many historians believe shortened the war by at least two years. the photo album contains some remarkable characters. the chap here on the left of this photograph is olivia newton—john's father, bryn. he worked at bletchley from �*42 to �*45 — he worked out of hut three, but he was also part of the air section monitoring the luftwaffe air traffic. but he went off to — after the war — to take up a position in melbourne, and thus olivia was born... in australia. in australia, yeah. extraordinary. and here we've got a photograph of a hockey team. yeah. and the lady at the back there isjoan clarke, a very prominent female cryptanalyst

— or code breaker — certainly quite famous for the fact that she was alan turing's fiancee at bletchley park. joan clarke was played by keira knightley in the film the imitation game. they are very, very rare photographs. um... you know, there's people in here that i've never seen photographs of before, so it's a really unique, um, window in time of our history. the album is full of beautiful portraits, stunning studio shots — mainly of the women who worked at the government code and cypher school. but because bletchley was kept secret for decades,

and it's really nice to see a photograph reflecting that in his own personal sort of bletchley. um, it's sort of... it sort of stands out because it's very different from all the others, but it's a signpost to his heritage and his roots. # my mother always said that before a girl can wed. # you must be sure that he's the man for you... there are. ..countless wedding photographs in here, aren't they? and, um, it.... a lot of people who ended up working at bletchley ended up getting married to each other, didn't they? that's right, yeah. and it's still true today — you know, you work with people and, you know, you build up relationships and many of those turn into marriages. so there are a lot of gchq marriages. there are, indeed — yeah, yeah, yeah — there's a lot of couples around the organisation. um, and it was as true in the 19405 as it is today. # i stopped the search

when i met you... so if you were to try and sum up the importance of this photograph album, what would you say? this is one of the most iconic items in our museum collection, and it really portrays a window in time during that critical bletchley park period. and i love it — i think it's a real snapshot of social history of an organisation at war. um, this is the first time we've ever shown this in the public. yeah, it is incredible. thank you very much for showing us. thank you. that was graham satchell reporting. hello, this is breakfast. hgppy happy christmas. i will have the headlines for you at 7am. it's been one of the most challenging years in recent memory for the royal family. the king and princess of wales have both been treated for cancer, and prince andrew's newsnight interview was turned into not one, but two, tv dramas. sarah campbell takes

a look back at the royal family's 202a. a year like no other. first the king, then the princess of wales diagnosed with cancer. this, of course, came as a huge shock, and william and i have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family. good man, this one. prince william called it the hardest year of his life, supporting his wife and famil