what would be christmas eve without a special christmas message from the legend himself coming up in just one moment. but later in the show, i'll be joined by a famous politician who talked to us about what the meaning of christmas is to him or her. we'll find out. i'll speak to a remarkable man from the northeast of england who's been trying to spread some festive cheer in ukraine. and i'll be asking the question, whatever happened to the classic christmas tv shows of the past .7 christmas tv shows of the past.7 and for the next 2 hours, we'll keep you up to date with santas progress. there he is as he makes his way around the world. all and more coming up

all of that and more coming up between now and 8 pm. you will not to it. but before not want to miss it. but before we hear from neil, let's get an update on the latest news headunes update on the latest news headlines from tatiana sanchez . headlines from tatiana sanchez. emily, thank you. this is the latest from the gb newsroom protests have clashed with police again today in paris as a vigil was being held at a kurdish cultural centre where a gunman killed three people and left several injured. police used tear gas to try to disperse the crowd . it's after riots the crowd. it's after riots broke out yesterday in the wake of the attack . members of the of the attack. members of the community have gathered this morning close to where the incident happened. a 69 year old man who was already known to police is in custody in relation to the shooting . paris based to the shooting. paris based columnist for the telegraph anne—elisabeth moutet told gb news the perpetrator it had doesn't fit the terrorist portrayed . 69 years old. he's portrayed. 69 years old. he's a former mc hall driver. he portrayed. 69 years old. he's a

former mc hall driver . he lived former mc hall driver. he lived in a flat alone in the centre of his own 90 year old. father's says that he's crazy. he collected guns and managed to get some in france where the gun laws are very strict. and he came out of one of the time in jail . only came out of one of the time in jail. only two came out of one of the time in jail . only two weeks came out of one of the time in jail. only two weeks ago. and that was already for attacking a camp of migrants. that was already for attacking a camp of migrants . all of this camp of migrants. all of this points to a racist murder . well, points to a racist murder. well, ship police have confirmed a four year old boy has died following a serious medical incident at longleat centre parcs. emergency services were called to the resort at 11 am. this mourning . the death isn't this mourning. the death isn't being treated as suspicious. holidaymakers said the swimming pool there had been closed due to the incident . rail passenger to the incident. rail passenger airs have been rushing to get the last trains before christmas eve services has come to a halt. the strike action is expected to cause heavy traffic as well as people travel to see their

families for christmas . families for christmas. travellers heading abroad are also being warned of delays , as also being warned of delays, as border force officials walk out for a second day. disruption at uk airports was brought under control yesterday as the military stepped in to replace workers on strike. scotland's rail operator is warning strikes will severely limit services , will severely limit services, with people being advised to only travel if absolutely necessary . meanwhile, there is necessary. meanwhile, there is disruption to christmas deliveries for many as postal workers represented by the communication workers union continue to walk off the job over pay jobs and conditions. royal mail employees began their industrial action on friday ahead of christmas. members are very angry about the way they've been treated by royal mail. people don't take strike action lightly. people don't want to lose pay. they want to actually be at work serving the customer. but the freight, the overwhelming massive feedback from they support from the customers, they support their support their posting. they support their posting. they support their mail workers. they their royal mail workers. they understand strike is understand that the strike is not just about being greedy .

not just about being greedy. it's about actually having a future service and ensuring this great royal mail service. it's been there for 500 years, continues to thrive and grow in the future . that was andy the future. that was andy fairley there from the cwa . fairley there from the cwa. ukrainian authorities say a russian strike on the southern city of her son has killed at least seven people and wounded almost 60. keefe says moscow carried out the attack for pleasure . president volodymyr pleasure. president volodymyr zelenskyy published photos showing burning cars on the streets, smashed windows and bodies. russia denies targeting civilians. gb news is unable to independ and verify the reports from her son. now, at least 19 people are thought to have died as a heavy storm sweeps across parts of the us. a number of fatalities have involved road traffic accidents , including a traffic accidents, including a pile up in ohio that reportedly killed at least two motorists. several were also injured. temperatures plunged as low as

—45 degrees in some areas with around 250 million people under weather warnings . the storms weather warnings. the storms forecast to develop into what's being described as a bomb cyclone, bringing with it heavy, blinding snow. cyclone, bringing with it heavy, blinding snow . and bad care. blinding snow. and bad care. forecasters are predicting a white christmas for the highlands with unsettled weather for the rest of the uk. the met office has pushed a yellow warning for snow and ice in place for most of the highlands, running from tomorrow night until 6 pm. on boxing day. meanwhile, downpours are forecast in most other places over the christmas weekend. the environment agency has issued 66 alerts for possible flooding in england and the lead singer of dance group faithless has died at the age of 65. maxi jazz, whose real name was maxwell fraser, was a member of the group alongside rollo and sister bliss . a statement on his social bliss. a statement on his social media said he died peacefully at his home in south london and

changed lives in so many ways. they were best known for songs insomnia and we come. they were best known for songs insomnia and we come . one and insomnia and we come. one and father christmas, his journey delivering presents to children around the world is well underway . around the world is well underway. this is the around the world is well underway . this is the live feed underway. this is the live feed of sandy's movements tracked by the north american aerospace defence command . norah have been defence command. norah have been tracking his annual trip since 1955, when a child found the command asking for sandy's location . norad's deputy location. norad's deputy commander says children in the uk need to be in bed by 9 pm. traditionally we've seen santa arriving over the uk around 1130 at night, so that's why we keep repeating to the kids out there. be in bed by nine and keep the magic of christmas alive and you're going to wake up to a great surprise of having present properly under your trees or by the fireplace, depending on your traditions , tv, online and dab

traditions, tv, online and dab b plus radio. this is gb news. now it's back to neil oliver live with . with. emily last week. so the anniversary of the loss of the penley lifeboat with all hands, she was the solomon brown, a 47 foot watson class vessel paid for like all rnli lifeboats by donations from the public on the evening of the 19th of december, 1981, the union store , a brand new 1400 union store, a brand new 1400 tonne coaster on our maiden voyage and making for our crew in ireland was in trouble around eight miles off the wiltshire lighthouse in south—west cornwall . our engine had failed cornwall. our engine had failed and could not be restarted. a board. her skipper, henry morton , his wife, two teenaged daughters and a crew of four or eight souls in all morton's call

for help was helped first by the crew of a nearby tug, also struggling through the english channel that night and the teeth of a dreadful storm, they offered to put a abort and the union star in to. but morton knew that that would have made the ship salvage fatefully he said thanks but no thanks and radioed the rescue services instead . the situation quickly instead. the situation quickly deteriorated dead in the water. they were being driven inexorably towards the rocks of the cornish coast . a sinking the cornish coast. a sinking helicopter was scrambled from the base at called rose and a call was sent out to raise the main of the penalty lifeboat at mosel coxswain william trevelyan richards received the alert. he stepped out of the hole he shared with his mother, keith, onto the teeth of what was by then a full blown hurricane . it then a full blown hurricane. it was the last saturday night before christmas, and he made his way to the village's ship in what he knew, many would have gathered for the festivities. he asked for quiet, told them the

score, and asked for seven volunteers. year a dozen men raised the hands by the time they got to the boathouse, there were more men waiting, all having received the call out at the homes in the end, that night of nights, the solomon brown was crewed by trevelyan , richards, crewed by trevelyan, richards, james stephen margin, nigel brockman and john blewitt, charlie green, barry tory, kevin smith and gary wallace . the sea smith and gary wallace. the sea king helicopter piloted by lieutenant commander russell smith, a us navy pilot on exchange with the royal navy, was first to reach the union store . he lured has winch man store. he lured has winch man into the hellish soup of rain and hurricane force winds in hopes of plucking some souls from the ruling deck of the ship below . but the conditions were below. but the conditions were so bad they had to pull back and only watch what happened next. the solomon brown , utterly the solomon brown, utterly dwarfed by the coastguard who into view and immediately sought to come alongside trying again and again to get into position

so as to be able to take our people off. lieutenant commander smith later described how the solomon brown was picked up by mountainous waves not once, but several times , and tossed onto several times, and tossed onto the deck of union style like a landed fish before washing back off into the sea once more . off into the sea once more. finally, trevelyan richard was able to keep out alongside the coast . out just long enough. coast. out just long enough. lieutenant commander smith watched as foreshadows , slept watched as foreshadows, slept from the deck of union star down into the outstretched arms of the lifeboat. man waiting so very far below , having saved for very far below, having saved for trevelyan, richard's steered the solomon brown back to try and get the rest . the helicopter get the rest. the helicopter crew watched the operator's farm with coastguard, listened . what with coastguard, listened. what came next was everlasting silence . no one knows for sure silence. no one knows for sure what happened. it seems likely the lifeboat and the coast that had been pushed so close to land that finally the rocks in shallow water union staff may have rolled over on top of the lifeboat when she capsized . in lifeboat when she capsized. in any event, all were lost. the

aid from union staff and the eight lifeboat men, only eight bodies were ever found from each vessel. bodies were ever found from each vessel . it's the last time the vessel. it's the last time the rnli lost an entire crew without side record stand forever more. william trevelyan richard's the coxswain was buried on christmas eve . there were more funerals to eve. there were more funerals to come on the morning after the tragedy, many volunteers stepped forward from the community of mosul. ready to take the places of the lost men . a subsequent of the lost men. a subsequent inquiry , a letter from inquiry, a letter from lieutenant commander smith , was lieutenant commander smith, was read out to the court throughout the entire rescue , the penley the entire rescue, the penley crew never appeared to hesitate after each time they were washed or blown away from union staff, the penalty crew immediately commenced another run in the spirit and dedication. what amazing they were truly the greatest eight men i have ever seen. greatest eight men i have ever seen . truly, they were truly . seen. truly, they were truly. they were kneeling over after the last transmission from solomon brown, aluko on the

cliffs saw blind. he saw her lights making her way home. dusk is droned forever until tomorrow. dylan thomas it is all at once night no the windy town is full of windows and from the lot up to waves the lights of the lamps and the windows call back the day and the dead that have run away to see ever since it has been the tradition to switch off the mosel christmas lights at 8:00 on the 19th of december as a gesture of remembrance. i think about the penalty life boatman every year at this time you see greater love have no man than this, but he lay down his life for his friends . i say that isn't friends. i say that isn't greater love . and that was greater love. and that was revealed in the willingness of those eight mosul men who were ready to lay down their lives for they had never met for people they had never met and would know. i often and would never know. i often remind myself of the penalty life men . in fact, life put men. in fact, throughout year , and i think throughout the year, and i think about selfless acts of courage that declared in the strongest possible what it truly possible terms what it truly means to be human and alive . i means to be human and alive. i think about what people are

capable of, how much they have to give , and how much some of to give, and how much some of them will give. the penalty life. portman gave everything they at christmas. we think they had at christmas. we think about the birth of a child. jesus christ, he is god's gift to the world. every child is a gift, precious beyond description . it's also an act of description. it's also an act of immeasurable bravery by every woman who bears a child because every child is she knows at the mercy of the world. and every mother must understand without needing to think about it, that her child is autumn , at least her child is autumn, at least surrendered to life itself . mary surrendered to life itself. mary gave birth to jesus, the son of god, and even she would not be spared the ultimate loss. all our lives are forfeit a debt that must be repaid willingly or unwillingly. christmas is the time to think about all this , to time to think about all this, to think about what it means to give and to acknowledge the meaning of the gift of the child of every child . the selfless of every child. the selfless courage of the penalty life men, and the message of the christmas story can be the antidote to

much of the madness that is all around us now. it's a time to remember what we have to value our loved ones and to be thankful they are with us rather thankful they are with us rather than a hollow , self—serving than a hollow, self—serving leaders. it's the courage and sacrifice of our fellow citizens that should capture and hold our attention and not just now, but all through the year. it often feels like we're supposed to focus all our attention on those who have not worthy , those whose who have not worthy, those whose faces we see every day, the politicians and parliament, the leaders around the world, the profound experts whose names we hear over and over , they have hear over and over, they have nothing to give that is of any use to us. no, but much has been made painfully obvious in recent years have long stopped paying attention to any of them . attention to any of them. instead, i look for heroes elsewhere . we're supposed to elsewhere. we're supposed to believe our leaders mean to rescue us from whatever covid was , from the warmongers, from was, from the warmongers, from climate change, from the cost of lockdown crisis. but the hard and have no such intentions as far as i can see. if they have

plans to make anything better , plans to make anything better, it's certainly not our lives or the lives of our children . they the lives of our children. they will send no cavalry to rescue us if we are to be saved and we surely will be , then we must surely will be, then we must look to one another for the necessary effort. what more than capable of the task, we must save ourselves and each other by setting aside old, broken ways and finding new we should turn away from those who have failed us, lied to us, deceived us and left us feet . and see that it is left us feet. and see that it is time to take the initiative to sheep and build something new, something untouched by those who have betrayed us and let us down just because to help and leadership we need is not yet clearly in view. the seeds of it are there among us already. nonetheless, we must come to our own rescue in the year and years ahead because there is no one else. the christmas story tells us that 2000 and more years ago, a baby boy was born into poverty and into obscurity. during the 33 years of the life of the man

he became, he was recognised for what he really was. his true value by relatively few. he died as he had lived in obscurity . t as he had lived in obscurity. t he was executed for standing up to and challenging the establishment, but by his actions the world was changed forever for the better. sometime the most obvious people changed the most obvious people changed the world. at other times, it's the world. at other times, it's the people the world does not nofice the people the world does not notice that the world thinks nothing of and so ignores. you end up making all the difference. i hope and also trust that this is one of those times i have no faith in the obvious load. people with their hands on the levers of power. we will be saved by our own actions in defiance of those who care for is not a jot and who prioritise only those they serve, which is to see the already and already already rich and already powerful. the banks, the markets and the global corporations. i say we should ignore the whole lot of them. here's the thing together right now. we already have everything we will ever need, which is to see each other. we can share food and

warmth and light . we are free warmth and light. we are free people . it's christmas and the people. it's christmas and the christmas message is that hope is here. light in the dark. merry christmas. you beautiful people . people. thank you very much indeed for that mail. oliver, your stirring christmas message this evening. it was some uplifting moments in that i think what i took from it was that we need to rely on each other, not just look to our politicians, so—called experts and so on. we have strength among us and with our loved ones. thank you very much indeed. we'd love to hear what you think about what neil had to say there. do you have a little christmas message for us.7 perhaps tweet us, email perhaps you do. tweet us, email us at gb news at gb news uk. you can tweet us at gb news and we'll try to get to some of your comments a little bit later.

now, neil will be with us throughout the show. never fear, but keeping me company here in the studio this evening is the conservative of the conservative member of the london . prince london assembly. kate prince keith, what you take from keith, what did you take from neil's monologue i neil's monologue there? well, i thought it was very deep, actually, and i think it was all really about sacrifice . someone really about sacrifice. someone putting others before themselves, which really is the spirit of christmas and what jesus taught us. you know, matthew , 1919, honour thy mother matthew, 1919, honour thy mother and father. you live that in your life, keith. i try. i try. i'm a politician. so you know, i'm a politician. so you know, i'm up there with estate agents and bankers, but not much . you and bankers, but not much. you know, i work with a number of charities, so i do try. yeah. yeah. and another thing that neil was talking about was the bravery of having a child . yes. bravery of having a child. yes. yes i mean, i've had a couple, so i don't think that makes me brave. i think it makes my partner brave, but not me. well, he said yes. the bravery of a mother for having children and i do sometimes think that actually

i children yet, but i haven't had children yet, but bringing a small being into the world, such a complex world as we live in now and of course, we always have doom and gloom on the news, but fundamentally people are good. i believe that anyway , but it is still a very anyway, but it is still a very brave endeavour. well, it was the most charming . you've given the most charming. you've given it thought. yeah. you have a child. the most amazing moment in my life when i heard my i saw my son being born. and then i held him, i thought, wow, you know, this is really scary. i've created this whole human being, you know, what do i do now? you got me. here go, mum. but got me. here you go, mum. but what's the first christmas like with boring with a little baby? boring agile? yeah. my son was born in october. so you boring. now you have to have to be about eight months, ten months before they get interesting to start having something . but i do think do you something. but i do think do you think that in our country we sometimes do defer too much to i know you're a politician, but do you think we defer too much to

politicians and experts and even corporations? as neil was talking about in terms for guidance ? of course, we look guidance? of course, we look back to the last couple of years throughout the pandemic. we very much did what we were told. should it be more about personal responsibility ? yeah, responsibility? yeah, absolutely. i don't want to live in a nanny state where other people make decisions for me. and as new was quite often pointed out over recent months and years , quite often those and years, quite often those experts haven't really got it right. so i think you should rely on yourself and your own self judgement. they have the confidence in your own beliefs and your own moral standards. and you doing this and what will you be doing this christmas? i'm christmas? well, actually, i'm obviously hair spending. obviously your hair spending. i'm eve, i'm spending christmas eve, which is fabulous. thank you very much for coming in this evening. but do you have any other plans on with nana tomorrow? actually, i'm with nana tomorrow and then between christmas and is not due to . she christmas and is not due to. she has. yes, she has. but christmas and is not due to. she has. yes, she has . but between has. yes, she has. but between new christmas and new year , i'm new christmas and new year, i'm going away for a few days to

wales with a good friend of mine. yeah. oh, lovely. i'm getting away in january, actually. hopefully, if the strikes don't my plans strikes don't curtail my plans anyway. the break, former anyway. after the break, former conservative mp ann widdecombe will talk to us about the meaning of christmas and why it's so important this year after such a turbulent one. see you in 2 minutes.

welcome back to this christmas eve edition of neil oliver. live with me, emily carver in the studio. neil, also joining us onune studio. neil, also joining us online from stirling. now there's still a few hours to go until father christmas visits all the good boys and girls in the uk. but his mammoth journey around the world is already well underway. those good at underway. those good people at the america aerospace the north america aerospace defence command spend the rest of the year protecting the airspace above the united states and canada. but tonight they're doing something much more useful. yes, they're santa's

tracker. there it is. there's all santa traffic. it looks like it looks like santa and his reindeer are above a rather massive water air mass that i don't know which ocean , which don't know which ocean, which sea that is, but it looks like he's heading in the indian ocean . perhaps he has just told me it's the indian ocean. yes, that's our santa tracker following father christmas. there so, yeah, look at him. go now. i don't know if you can remember at home what the names of the reindeer are, but my producer is very carefully giving me their names here. dashen giving me their names here. dasher, dancer , prancer, vixen, dasher, dancer, prancer, vixen, comet , dasher, dancer, prancer, vixen, comet, cupid, thunder and brixham and of course, there's rudolph as well. but he was a reject. if i remember rightly, was he not keith ? he was indeed was he not keith? he was indeed for his red nose. yes, apparently wasn't very bright . apparently wasn't very bright. it wasn't price enough, but look, there's santa crossing, the indian ocean to get to where will he get to next? well, he's in between iraq and afghanistan at the moment, as far as i can

see. those who are listening on radio essentially looking at a live footage on the screen of the santa moving across the indian ocean. we'll be coming back to that later to see where he is next. but i think we can all agree it's been a rather difficult year for most of us, at least from the war in ukraine to the cost of living crisis in this country. there's been no shortage of bad news. christmas is, of course , a special of is, of course, a special time of yeah is, of course, a special time of year. but last month, it year. but just last month, it was revealed that less than half of people in england and wales. now identified themselves as now i identified themselves as christian so joining christian christians. so joining us now is someone definitely who identifies herself as a christian , the former christian, the former conservative mp . and welcome and conservative mp. and welcome and thank you so much for joining conservative mp. and welcome and thank you so much forjoining us this evening on christmas eve. how are you spending this evening after spoken evening after you've spoken to me? course , a couple of hours me? of course, a couple of hours time , i should go off to time, i should go off to midnight mass and then i shall come back. i'm going to stop by on this occasion and the doors open at 11:00 and everybody

tries to get up because it gets asked. and then there is the midnight mass and i shall come home. i shall probably have a glass of mulled wine to warm up. of course, nappies, quite cold. and then i shall go to bed and hope that father christmas comes overnight . well, i hope he does. overnight. well, i hope he does. i mean , he's travelling over the i mean, he's travelling over the indian ocean at the moment, so i'm not sure at what time he will reach you, but i'm sure he will reach you, but i'm sure he will be there with lots of presents. now we've got you to on talk the state of the on talk about the state of the world this christmas. what can you us? a big question . i you tell us? a big question. i didn't think i was going to talk about the of the world. i about the state of the world. i thought to talk thought i was going to talk about importance of about the importance of christmas. obviously, christmas. i mean, obviously, the the world is not the state of the world is not happy. we've got war in europe . happy. we've got war in europe. we've got an awful lot of economies in serious trouble following covid. and also, of course, because of the war in ukraine, in afghanistan, we've got the taliban now quite overtly persecuting women. i don't think there's any word for

it. so everywhere you look, it's a bit difficult, but then it always is. and you know, i hear you say, why is it important to celebrate christmas this year? it's important every year because the real meaning of christmas is the dawn of redemption . it's that mankind redemption. it's that mankind can what mankind doesn't redeem himself, that the christ redeemed mankind find. and we all get rather better . now let all get rather better. now let me say. good. so who was one thing about neil? all of us addressed that. that really disturbed me. he appears to be saying peace and goodwill to all men, all except politicians . men, all except politicians. believe me, i worked with politicians at the height of power for 23 years. i was actually in westminster for 23 years on. i saw the amount of self sacrifice and the real enthusiasm that those employees had for helping constituents, for trying to sort out the country . they will get it wrong country. they will get it wrong from time to time. they will get it wrong. they will make big

blunders and occasionally they will do bad things that should not put them beyond the bounds of our charity . mr. oliver and of our charity. mr. oliver and i'm not sure i got to neil right now . do you? i i'm not sure i got to neil right now. do you? i would. i would absolutely argue that there has been something profoundly different in recent months and years. there's an ideological problem. the i daresay the constituency camps are working in the way that they always have and representing the constituents. but the front row, the front rank of politicians has consistently let us down that has been an ideological failure . they are definitely not failure. they are definitely not looking out for the people. i would contend they are representing corporations. they are representing other, other powers that be and i don't think there's any denying that for the last couple of years, the people have been desperately let down by the people that are that are they are recognisable, that are behind podiums all time. the behind podiums all the time. the things being promised things that are being promised are are being

are not happening. we are being let down. i don't believe that we are being deliberately let down. as i say, politicians will get things wrong. they're only human all. they're going human after all. they're going to they're to get things wrong. they're going believe particular going to believe particular advice find actually advice and then find actually that that advice was the wrong thing. but what i do reject consistently wrong what neil said, what i really utterly reject is your contention that they are there in their own self—interest , just only looking self—interest, just only looking after their rich friends. just think that you talk about the importance of a child. they would . cameron lost a child . would. cameron lost a child. lost a child . and while he was lost a child. and while he was prime minister and anything can happen to any politician . they happen to any politician. they are humans like the rest of us . are humans like the rest of us. and at least try to have some respect for what they're trying to do, what they're trying to do. but there's been a consistent failure. and when people make the kind of mistakes that been being made at that have been being made at that have been being made at that they ought step that level, they ought to step aside. there comes a time when you just keep you can't just keep making mistake mistake after mistake after mistake after mistake after mistake after mistake continue to mistake and still continue to hold there's been hold up position. there's been

nothing and let down nothing but failure and let down for couple of years. for the last couple of years. that's position this to that's my position on this to move conversation on. you're move the conversation on. you're exactly you're here to exactly right. you're here to talk about christmas and you're here the here to talk about the performance other leaders as performance of other leaders as well. you rate the well. how do you rate the performance faith in performance of faith leaders in the of years? lead the last couple of years? lead to the church of england, leader of church of scotland, of the church of scotland, leader of the catholic faith. what do see regarding what do you see regarding closure of churches closure of closure of churches pushing vaccines ? do you pushing the vaccines? do you think that the faith leaders held up their end of the bargain with their congregations? well, i said at the time that i thought the churches should have been open during the pandemic, because there is anywhere because if there is anywhere where you can socially distance , it's certainly church. you , it's certainly at church. you know, accused , from know, bishop accused, apart from somebody . and i thought somebody else. and i thought they should because that they should be open because that was when people needed was precisely when people needed the comfort the church. so the comfort of the church. so you know, and the catholic church did object but didn't actually go into open rebellion and open the churches. but it did least object, which did at least object, which some of the other churches didn't. but i always say this. i say hang on my own amendment. you

know, growth of christianity know, the growth of christianity or the shrinkage of christianity isn't going to be to down the church leaders. it's down to us as christians. church leaders. it's down to us as christians . we are the ones as christians. we are the ones with the responsibility for spreading the message . and if spreading the message. and if the early christians are just sat back and left it all to the apostles and haven't done anything themselves, we'd all still be worshipping zoos, quite honestly . you know, we have the honestly. you know, we have the ability. yes, it does. it does it upset you that fewer and fewer people are attending the church ? well, obviously , it church? well, obviously, it disappoints me. and obviously , i disappoints me. and obviously, i feel that they are missing out on something essential. yes i feel that. but i also feel that thatis feel that. but i also feel that that is down to us. it's no good going to work and not saying a word about what you believe. and i'm not talking about pressurising people. i'm just talking about bearing witness, not saying a word about what you believe, blaming some believe, then blaming some archbishop because he archbishop somewhere because he somehow has presided over a declining congregation . so, i

declining congregation. so, i mean, come on, folks. i think it's what i think it's worth pointing out that christianity specifically is growing around the world. you know, the numbers numbers are on the rise . and numbers are on the rise. and although it's fair to say that that fuelled and a half of british people identify as christians, that still makes it by far and away the biggest single religion in the country. you know, and i think i do wonder if the last couple of years which have been very stressful, to put it mildly, for so many people, would we expect that a rising uptake or a rediscovery of faith in many people when they start to look to the eternal verities? yes i think that's absolutely right . think that's absolutely right. if you cast your mind back to 911, one of the things we saw in the immediate aftermath was a lot of people going to church who hadn't been in locations and who hadn't been in locations and who suddenly , because the world who suddenly, because the world took a very, very fragile place, we were all talking about world

war three. in case anybody's forgotten. and because the world suddenly looked a very fragile place, people thought spiritual comfort. that is why i'm so cross . the churches won't open cross. the churches won't open dunng cross. the churches won't open during covid because i think that was a time when people really needed spiritual comfort . yes, i think i think it's also because pointing out as well that the number of people identifying as atheist is in decline, i think i looked up figures of 147 million in 1970, but it's in decline and it's expected to continue to decline in the years and decades ahead . in the years and decades ahead. and there's 84% of people alive on the planet today that identify with some kind of religious belief. identify with some kind of religious belief . and sometimes religious belief. and sometimes i think the death of faith, the death of christianity included the reports of exaggerated , to the reports of exaggerated, to put it mildly. the reports of exaggerated, to put it mildly . yes, i think put it mildly. yes, i think that's a very valid point, particularly about i'm not i've never understood atheists and i do understand agnosticism . i

do understand agnosticism. i understand that. but i don't understand that. but i don't understand atheism because it insists that a negative is proved and you almost can never proved and you almost can never prove a negative. you can prove a positive , but you can't prove a positive, but you can't prove that something isn't so i i'm if i say i'm not surprised, it's declining . i am a little declining. i am a little surprised because of the rise of secularism . but i think you're secularism. but i think you're right . sometimes we are too right. sometimes we are too readily and we should look at the positive. but we've all got to work on the positive. you know, it's the duty of every christian to work on that positive. thank you very much. and for joining positive. thank you very much. and forjoining us positive. thank you very much. and for joining us this evening on christmas eve. i hope you have a lovely time . you've been have a lovely time. you've been very serious, but merry christmas this merry christmas is going to be popping open some champagne later in the show . so champagne later in the show. so don't worry. we're going to don't you worry. we're going to be talking sorts. but be talking about all sorts. but thank very much for telling thank you very much for telling us christmas means to us about what christmas means to you. and thanks, neil, as well. we're going moving on. we're going to be moving on. keith come to very, keith will come to you very, very after break. very shortly after the break. i will joined by a real hero,

will be joined by a real hero, a man who has delivered more than £25,000 of aid to ukraine. please stay tuned. please stay tuned. see you shortly .

welcome back to this christmas eve edition of neil oliver live with me, emily carver. eve edition of neil oliver live with me, emily carver . a little with me, emily carver. a little later in the show, we will be joined by someone who says he'll eat 200. yes, 200 yorkshire puddings over christmas . i have puddings over christmas. i have absolutely no idea why , but we absolutely no idea why, but we will find out later in the show. before that, we're going to speak to a man who featured on the show earlier this year as one of neil's great britain's. but he's got such an incredible story that we just had to catch up him again. kevin rodham up with him again. kevin rodham was so moved by the plight of ukrainian following ukrainian refugees following russia's invasion that he's made four trips to eastern europe to deliver aid . so far, kevin's deliver aid. so far, kevin's taken more than deliver aid. so far, kevin's taken more tha n £25,000 worth of

taken more than £25,000 worth of food, clothes and other supplies . and he's heading out there again on january the second. i'm delighted to say . kevin joins again on january the second. i'm delighted to say. kevin joins me now . kevin oh, there you are . now. kevin oh, there you are. oh, festive. very festive, indeed. so you are clearly not out in ukraine at the moment. where are you based ? no, i mean where are you based? no, i mean in my house, in route co—op, in weardale , which is in county weardale, which is in county durham. now i was reading an article that was written you a report, i think it was in a local paper or perhaps one of the nationals and it said that it was your illness that spurred you want to want to do this want to make a difference in ukraine. yes, it was. i retired in july 20, 20 and sadly in towards the end of august 2020, i contract to covid. i was doing odd jobs at the time, but it did made me very, very ill and i didn't really think i was going to recover for from it. i'll be

perfectly candid . i haven't perfectly candid. i haven't recovered. i did . and maybe recovered. i did. and maybe i recovered. i did. and maybe i recovered to do something different. and that difference is to take it to ukraine. well, what lovely thing to do now. i just read out, of course , in just read out, of course, in your introduction that you've managed to deliver your introduction that you've managed to delive r £25,000 of managed to deliver £25,000 of suppues managed to deliver £25,000 of supplies to ukrainians. managed to deliver £25,000 of supplies to ukrainians . who's supplies to ukrainians. who's been donating? who's been giving you those supplies? he's been giving the money to support what you're doing . i could a network you're doing. i could a network of people who are so, so generous . and to be honest, i'm generous. and to be honest, i'm humbled with the generosity of people i've had donations that have come from switzerland, from scott linked up in your country that neil and far down into the south of england . it's on south of england. it's on believable the amount of support that i get and i do it all through social networking . and through social networking. and facebook is good thing if used correctly . it's a disaster. if correctly. it's a disaster. if used incorrectly. i believe that. tell me . but also, i do

that. tell me. but also, i do fundraise as well. my wife and i and one or two others, we were at two agricultural shows in august and september , and we august and september, and we were raffling a full wheelbarrow full of booze . and two lucky full of booze. and two lucky people. they're wonderful wheelbarrows full of booze and i generated in excess of £3,000 over the two weekends. kevin it's lovely to see you again looking so well , looking at looking so well, looking at christmas. well what can you tell is about what ukraine looks like after the better part of a year of war? not by what you think . yeah, we starting to see think. yeah, we starting to see . the last time i was there, the weather was starting to wear to get colder and the resolve of the ukrainian people is . i've the ukrainian people is. i've never seen anything like it. they are sort strong and determined . and to give you an determined. and to give you an idea , i had a message from a of idea, i had a message from a of mine over there. very good

friend . and i said to him, how friend. and i said to him, how are you today? and he said , we are you today? and he said, we have no electric, but we are strong. and the resolve is they are been virtually to the frontline. i've spoken with soldiers there and they all talk about when the war is over. but more importantly , when the more importantly, when the victory comes . and are you victory comes. and are you seeing the damage to infrastructure ? you know? you infrastructure? you know? you know, it's you know, it's difficult to gauge sometimes away from, you know, where we are in kyiv there's a certain amount of footage comes out of there and a few other places. but i presume you're in the in the wider countryside and seeing a you know, getting a better sense of what it's really like for the for the ukrainians on the ground . absolutely. what the ground. absolutely. what i see in some of the newly liberated villages is massive destruction as the russian invaders leave in retreat and they leave some dreadful things.

you can see a photograph there on the screen that was the site of four houses in the dnipro , a of four houses in the dnipro, a missile camp in. and there was four families, sadly lost their lives that that's clearly not a military base it's not a military base it's not a military target it was housing and we started to see more and more this is happening. and we started to see more and more this is happening . and more this is happening. and kevin, have you been you must have been there often enough that you can only imagine you've made friends, that you must be a establishing a network of people on the ground that you see . you on the ground that you see. you know, time you go in, know, every time you go in, you've know, a real a you've got, you know, a real a real network of people there. no i do, neal. i've got some real good friends out there now. right the way from the lviv region command or right the way across in to do dnipro and dare to pablo ground and of course i've met quite a number of the defence owners who become

friends as well. and the one thing that you don't do is you don't let friends don't and i will never do that . and kevin will never do that. and kevin what's your what's your priority in your next trip? you're heading out again after christmas in the new year on january, the second. well, will you be heading ? right. january, the second. well, will you be heading? right. i'm heading out. my wife's actually going with me. and the first part of the trip and we are taking toys to orphanages in and around the even to people area kindly donate a lot of these from the humanitarian help for ukraine, which is an organisation run by a team of ladies from consett in county durham . and then we've got the durham. and then we've got the two catherines, jose justine jean, carol and dan . they've jean, carol and dan. they've done an amazing job not only getting toys for ukraine, but also for the uk as well . and the also for the uk as well. and the other priority, of course , is other priority, of course, is power and generator is a big need out there . i'm taking need out there. i'm taking a generator with me this time. i'm

taking power banks. i'm taking in inverters, i'm taking batteries . just things that are batteries. just things that are going to make life that a little bit better and a little bit easier for the people that really need it . well, i think, really need it. well, i think, kevin, everyone at home will be saying what a lovely christmas message from your cell phone, you know, helping . that's what you know, helping. that's what christmas is all about. you know, helping. that's what christmas is all about . you christmas is all about. you really are doing some amazing work and you should feel very proud . i think you and your proud. i think you and your partner at home, i wish you all the best. on january the second, on your next trip to the ukraine. i know you're probably making a big difference out there now, keith , what have you there now, keith, what have you been doing when it comes to ukraine? well, i have to honestly say i haven't done very much about ukraine, obviously. do you have any friends and family who have taken in ukrainians? do you know anyone who's speaking to a good friend of mine ? only a couple of days of mine? only a couple of days ago and he's got a woman and her

daughter staying at his place in london, actually . and yeah, london, actually. and yeah, they've been there for almost a year now . it's just gone over year now. it's just gone over 300 days and, you know, it it's an adjustment for them . but, you an adjustment for them. but, you know, he's said to his the other day, well, you know, it's a very small sacrifice for us . her small sacrifice for us. her husband, the wife's husband who is living with them . he's still is living with them. he's still in ukraine fighting. is living with them. he's still in ukraine fighting . so it must in ukraine fighting. so it must be a terrible time for them, really i mean, it's i mean, i think the british are particularly good at this. if i'm allowed to be patriotic on, this one, it does seem like the charities in this country and the individuals who decide to put aside their own lives and wants deeds, etc, to help go above and beyond essentially is above and beyond essentially is a rather nice message at this time of year . a rather nice message at this time of year. it is, and christmas is all about should all do more. really, we should . all do more. really, we should. well, on new year's day i'm actually going to help at the local night shelter. so that's my bit for christmas. oh that's

a quite a nice bit there. yeah. right well after the break, the late queen's former chaplain will tell us why the christmas story is one of hope. we'll be back in 2 minutes.

this delivered. welcome back . this delivered. welcome back. right. | this delivered. welcome back. right. i don't know about you, but i think it's about time we checked up on father christmas and how he's getting as he and how he's getting on as he travels the world. coming travels around the world. coming up on screen, if you're up on the screen, if you're listening radio, we are listening on radio, we are looking santa. he is crossing looking at santa. he is crossing a mass. keith, tell me a land mass. keith, tell me where. well according to my tracker, due to arrive in tracker, he's due to arrive in santa denis reunion in about 2.4 minutes. well there you go. the children of that area will be very happy indeed because presents will be i don't know what time of day it is over there, presumably in the middle of the night. yeah, because that's the santa can arrive that's the time santa can arrive without children waking up. without the children waking up. of i said before, of course. and as i said before, all of the reindeer there. look

at him go. what a good job he does. he does. he must be proud to sleep at night that santa's out. we've got the right. well, moving on from santa, although he is still there up on our screen, travelling across the world, travelling across the globe to deliver gifts. but back in 1965, i don't know if you remember this film. perhaps you do a film called the greatest story ever told was released. it's about the life of jesus christ starting with the nativity, the story of jesus is one of hope that inspires christians all over the world. so to discuss this, i'm joined now by gavin ashenden, who is a former chaplain to queen elizabeth. i must ask you , elizabeth. i must ask you, gavin, what was that like ? it gavin, what was that like? it was great. it was quite exciting to be in, in the wonderful buildings , buckingham palace, buildings, buckingham palace, windsor castle and really a great privilege to be anywhere near the queen and her family. she was she was a wonderful human being and it was well, it

was very inspiring to be to part of what she did . and gavin, of what she did. and gavin, you'll be leading a service tomorrow in somerset, i believe. is it . well no, i become a roman is it. well no, i become a roman catholic layman, so i shall be. oh, i am terribly i've completely someone with something else. i'd be terribly happy. something else. i'd be terribly happy . i'm something else. i'd be terribly happy. i'm had i how responsibility lifted off my shoulders gavin. how will you be spending this christmas ? oh, i spending this christmas? oh, i should be singing my heart out. i shall be in church full of the most enormous joy singing and also hugging and greeting people and re—evaluating. really what's happened this year in the world and re—evaluating the place that i can play. and it's two for what's to come . i think what's to come. i think christmas is ought to be a time of recalibration. so that we throw ourselves back into the struggle because it's a very struggle. we're in both personally and politically . yes. personally and politically. yes. i think we all need a bit of

recalibrate. and now . yeah. recalibrate. and now. yeah. gavin, it's great to see you again . always good to hear your again. always good to hear your voice and your message. like a lot of people, i receive a lot of letters throughout the year and a lot of christmas cards this year in particular. and so many people declaring , how much many people declaring, how much their faith has meant to them over last couple of years . over the last couple of years. and i wonder to extent you think there is a research inside of christiana ti at the moment, especially , you know, worth especially, you know, worth discussing this christmas time of all times . i think i'd of all times. i think i'd certainly say looking back over the past few decades, things have got darker. the partition between good and evil, light and darkness open despair seems to be growing more intense . and the be growing more intense. and the reason that matters is that you have to do something about it . have to do something about it. you get caught up in it. i think as the industry paradoxical way as the industry paradoxical way as the industry paradoxical way as the church is empty, as some of the church leaders appear to give up on the struggle , it's

give up on the struggle, it's bnngs give up on the struggle, it's brings an extra focus to the importance of finding a way of renewing faith, renewing humanity, renewing the church. we're in a time of very serious cultural crisis . no one knows cultural crisis. no one knows quite how it's going to work out. there are some fairly worrying out there , but we're worrying out there, but we're struggling for freedom, for democracy, for the integrity of the individual and to save a dying culture from in on itself and i don't think people realise quite how serious the collapse is going to be and what the consequences are . so yes, it's consequences are. so yes, it's christmas . yes, we celebrate christmas. yes, we celebrate with all the usual cultural accoutrements, but right the heart of it, it's an invitation , i think, to look 23 fairly in this in the face and say we've got to step up to the mark morally, spiritually, philosophically as well . it does philosophically as well. it does seem to me if viewers and listeners at home just heard some carols my brilliant guests to my left was just playing some

christmas carols , i think he was christmas carols, i think he was tracking some. so snow so i'm terribly sorry to interrupt, neil. take it away . no, i'm just neil. take it away. no, i'm just i'm just interested in whether, gavin, you think that the casual erosion of christianity in this country, you know, might be in the spotlight somewhat. you know, its traditional almost every year to , you know, to say, every year to, you know, to say, well, we mustn't say merry christmas, we should see, you know greetings know, seasons, greetings or happy holidays or whatever and, you know, piece by piece, there's an innovative there's been an innovative erosion of christianity for the whole of my lifetime. i would say. and wonder if the time say. and i wonder if the time has come for faith leaders to be a little bit more lion and less of the lamb about all of this . of the lamb about all of this. it's long past the time that they should have stood up. i've watched a woman being arrested by the british police today for saying a prayer on the street in birmingham. the thought that with the fact we've moved from fort crime to treating prayer as something can be criminalised

for means that things are very much more serious than they look. is how this has been look. this is how this has been developing under our noses for some time. many us have been some time. many of us have been speaking it. i think speaking out about it. i think one the that seriously one of the things that seriously disappoints is that disappoints me is that the people have been people who have been charged with responsibility with the responsibility of guarding freedoms, guarding guarding our freedoms, guarding our guarding our our democracy, guarding our faith, the integrity of faith, guarding the integrity of the individual there the individual person there asleep job or they're asleep on the job or they're scared , but they wake up scared, but they should wake up because the whole culture and civilisation depends upon this. you cannot have people locked up for saying a prayer on the silently just being suspected , a silently just being suspected, a sack of bread on the streets of birmingham is amazing footage. isobel vaughan spruce , i think, isobel vaughan spruce, i think, is the name of the lady in question and you hear her being asked, is she praying? and she says, well , it might have been says, well, it might have been in head , but there are also in my head, but there are also times my thoughts drift to what in my head, but there are also tim

always, always feels here in you know, we're the largest religion is christianity that it's christianity that's always the target in a way that perhaps other faiths are not ridiculed, run down and seen as a soft bet for that kind of abuse . i think for that kind of abuse. i think there are two reasons. one has to deal always with the practical as well as the metaphysical. i think practically speaking, is because christians are trained not to retaliate. so you don't have christians at christians throwing bombs at people you don't have christians cutting throats cutting people's throats or resorting to knives and weapons. it's against our religion. you know , not a christian if you do know, not a christian if you do it, that's the first thing. i think the other thing is that there's a very profound struggle between going on. between good and evil going on. ihave between good and evil going on. i have been a practising christian for 40 years. i a i'm a sceptical kind of person. i don't believe easily, but but growing up reading solzhenitsyn, i'm convinced that we're in the middle of a very, very serious struggle between good and evil. and if christ is the way, the truth and the life, if he is god

come to rescue people. if he is the healing of our souls and our hearts , then it's no surprise at hearts, then it's no surprise at all that his will come against him and those who stand with him. and that seems to me to be exactly what we're experiencing at mean why is it at the moment. i mean why is it that when people curse and swear, they only use the word of jesus surrounded by a fewf jesus surrounded by a few f words? you don't hear them using language from other religions. it's as christ really is the it's as if christ really is the most holy, the most beautiful, the most powerful, and therefore gets the most despoiled and blasphemed. so we're in a struggle between good and evil , struggle between good and evil, and christianity is the one thing i would say, jesus rather than christianity, because i believe in personalising it rather than a system or a religion. jesus is the one thing that stands between us and the darkness and that's why he comes under attack from the dark side .thank under attack from the dark side . thank you very much for joining us this evening on, this christmas eve edition of neil oliver live. that was very interesting indeed. and some

uplifting messages of within that, of course , that was gavin that, of course, that was gavin ashenden, who is a former chaplain to queen elizabeth. her key . do you chaplain to queen elizabeth. her key. do you think that christianity is under attack? i'm not sure myself . i think it i'm not sure myself. i think it depends on what angle you come from. i'm a member of a pentecost style church and through having the one in lewisham tabernacle , i get 7 to lewisham tabernacle, i get 7 to 800 people attend every sunday. i'm terribly sorry. i'm going to have to really interrupt you, because we have to get to the break. that's all we've got time for at the moment. but there's lots to come between now and 8:00. an expert will tell us how to make sure we don't make a fool of ourselves around the christmas dinner table. i'll speak who's planning to speak to a man who's planning to eat 200 yorkshire puddings over the one of the festive period and one of the festive period and one of the top tv critics the country's top tv critics will what look out will tell us what to look out for over the next days when you're not watching tv news, that is. i'll be back in a that is. i'll be back in just a few minutes

welcome back. there's just 5 hours to go until christmas day. and the best way to spend that time is, of course, watching tv news. i'm emily carver and i'm in the studio in london. but now a lot of it is in scotland and he's going to be with us all the way up to 8:00. there he is in a few minutes, i'll speak to a man is uniquely placed talk about is uniquely placed to talk about christmas respected christmas as a respected historian and a labour minister , we're also going to have an expert who will tell us whether you eat christmas you should eat your christmas dinner after the dinner before or after the king's i think i think king's speech. i think i think after probably in the 1970s, more than 20 million people watch morecambe and wise on christmas day. a tv critic will us. why modern day television bosses can only dream of that kind of audience. and of course, i'll you know how santa is

i'll let you know how santa is getting on as the seven reindeer take him his incredible round take him on his incredible round the is all of the journey. there is all of that more coming between that and more coming up between now p.m. but first, let's now and 8 pm. but first, let's get an update on the latest news from tatiana's sanchez . emily, from tatiana's sanchez. emily, thank you. this is the latest from the gb newsroom. protesters have clashed with police again today in paris as a vigil was being held at a kurdish cultural centre where a gunman killed three people and left several injured. police used tear gas to try to disperse the crowd. it's after riots broke out yesterday in the wake of the attack. members of the community have gathered this morning close to the incident happened. a 69 year old man who was already known to police is in custody in relation to the shooting . well, police to the shooting. well, police have confirmed a four year old boy has died following a medical incident at longleat centre. parcs emergency services were

called . to the resort at 11 am. called. to the resort at 11 am. this morning. the death is not being treated as suspicious. holidaymakers said the swimming pool that had been closed due to the incident . rail passengers the incident. rail passengers have been rushing to get the last trains before christmas eve. services have come to a halt. the strike actions expected to cause heavy traffic . millions of people travelling to see their families for christmas. travellers heading abroad are also being warned of delays as border force officials walk out for a second day. disruption uk airports was brought under control yesterday as the military stepped in to replace workers on strike . the replace workers on strike. the duke and duchess of sussex have reacted to the apology made by the sun newspaper on behalf of jeremy clarkson, calling it a pr stunt. in the article written by mr. clarkson , he said he hated mr. clarkson, he said he hated meghan . that article has become meghan. that article has become the independent press standards organisation . most complained organisation. most complained about piece . yesterday, the sun

about piece. yesterday, the sun said it regrets publishing it and have said it sincerely. sorry. the sussex spokeswoman said the newspaper has not contacted meghan to apologise . contacted meghan to apologise. eyes at least 19 people are thought to have died as a heavy storm sweeps across parts of the us. a number of fatalities have involved road traffic accidents, including a pile up in ohio that reportedly killed at least two motorists. temperatures plunged as low as minus 45 degrees in some areas , with around 250 some areas, with around 250 million people underway . the million people underway. the warnings. the storms forecast to develop into what's being described as a bomb cyclone bringing with it heavy, blinding snow . and back here, forecasters snow. and back here, forecasters are predicting a white christmas for the highlands with unsettled weather for the rest of the uk. the met office has put a yellow warning for snow and ice in place for most of the highlands, running from tomorrow night until . 6 pm. on boxing day. until. 6 pm. on boxing day.

meanwhile, downpour is a forecast in most other places over the christmas weekend. the environs agency has issued 66 alerts for possible flooding in england , tv, online and dab england, tv, online and dab radio. this is gb news. now it's back to neil oliver live with . emily welcome back to neil oliver live with me, emily calvin. now it is christmas eve, after all, and i've got keith here in the studio with me. so i thought i would treat him to a little christmas eve toast. well, i hope it's calm. i've got a bottle of cheap pink cava. cheap pink prosecco here for you, keith. only the best. and i a pro at opening this. oh, yeah. my pro at opening this. oh, yeah. my mother at home, who i hope is watching, will know that to be true. i'm just going to pop this open because it's christmas eve,

after all, and it's already 7 pm. so i think that's i think that's fine. right. here we go. here we go. now, i'm going to ask the etiquette expert later how should open a bottle? but i'm to give it a go. how should open a bottle? but i'm to give it a go . there i'm going to give it a go. there we go. perfectly done . perfectly we go. perfectly done. perfectly done. here you go, keith . thank done. here you go, keith. thank you.so done. here you go, keith. thank you. so there we are for you . you. so there we are for you. well, you can have a little bit more than half drop more. think you can have a little bit more and a little bit for me. so happy christmas eve to you. merry christmas . happy christmas merry christmas. happy christmas eve, everyone . merry christmas eve, everyone. merry christmas from home. i hope you're having a lovely evening watching us, listening to us on radio . of listening to us on radio. of course. now we're going to be continuing to talk about christmas evening. christmas this evening. of course and christianity. course. and christianity. christianity is, of course, more than 2000 old, but it took than 2000 years old, but it took more 300 for more than 300 years for christians to actually celebrate christmas in the uk. the first recorded commemoration of christmas or christ's mass , was christmas or christ's mass, was in 1038. i'm delighted to be joined now by a man who can talk

about the history of christmas and its many traditions with great authority. martin whittaker is a historian and a licenced, licenced lay minister who will be leading the christmas day service at a church in somerset tomorrow . church in somerset tomorrow. please tell me about the history of christmas. a brief overview paper. christmas it's fascinating because it's so important for christians. this idea that god became a real human being to restore people back to himself and to create a new relationship with them. that's obviously crucial. but the thing is, the new testament doesn't say when in the year it happened, we know easter happened, we know easter happened around passover , happened around passover, christmas. just don't know christmas. we just don't know and around the sort of the three 43505, and around the sort of the three 4350s, as the church became more influence short, it was able to effectively choose a date in in the middle of winter 25th december, which was already a sunshade with a lot of pagan celebrations . saturnalia, for celebrations. saturnalia, for example, in rome and a number of other celebrations that took place in other parts of the northern world. it's very dark time and said , well, basically time and said, well, basically this is a period of time where

people are used to celebrating, if you like, light triumphing over darkness. to over darkness. what we want to tell jesus, is the light of tell you, jesus, is the light of the world. and that's the key time to celebrate it. so christmas gets at christmas actually gets fixed at a actually we don't a date, but actually we don't actually know when jesus was actually know when jesus was actually born. but picks up actually born. but it picks up greatly after that. we know from alfred laws in the alfred the great laws in the ninth century that can't ninth century that you can't make or work a work for make a slave or work a work for the 12 days after christmas. that's a famous 12 days after christmas . you're quite right christmas. you're quite right that at 1038, i was first reference to it as a as a christmas moss before. that was certainly no record . midwinter certainly no record. midwinter which kind of does what it says on the tin, which is kind of like the middle of winter, but it clearly has become a very, very important time when christians can actually choose the of year, which is a the time of the year, which is a social date with celebrations of light, of a darkness and christianise it and make talk christianise it and make it talk about light the about jesus, the light of the world expands to the world really expands to the middle . 12 days middle ages. 12 days of christmas become to christmas become a time to celebrate and the franciscans give us the nativity for give us the nativity play. for example . we see a lot of

example. we see a lot of boisterous behaviour happening as well. we see the first appearance of carols, although a carol that accompanies carol is a song that accompanies a it's not actually a a dance. it's not actually a christmas song. some them are. some of them aren't . it then some of them aren't. it then takes a nose dive at the reformation when people begin to say , i started a say in this country, i started a catholic party, a catholic, it gets banned this country. gets banned in this country. between 1645 and 1660. it revives a bit in the 18th century, but struggles a bit . century, but struggles a bit. the 12 days come right, right down to act of 1838, says workers can only have two holidays. christmas day and new year's day. well that did for the 12 days of celebrating. sure. i can tell you. but by the 1840, people are fighting back. people are really missing it. and so we see albert bring the christmas tree and see christmas tree and we see pictures, drawings him, of pictures, drawings of him, of victorian hey this victorian people say, hey this christmas cool. christmas he's really cool. we've them before, but what we've seen them before, but what a great way for to celebrate dickens back and he dickens fights back to and he bnngsin dickens fights back to and he brings in christmas carol brings in a christmas carol and people there's real people say there's a real morality and morality to christmas. you and we see the first we start to see the first appearance of father christmas in imported from

in the 1870s, imported from america. interesting enough , but america. interesting enough, but we take away his son nick's cup , and we put him in a hood like the old christmas appears in 17th century pamphlets , and 17th century pamphlets, and suddenly he explodes on the scene as . well, church of scene as. well, the church of england saying, scene as. well, the church of england saying , hey, scene as. well, the church of england saying, hey, this is a really great way connect really great way to connect working people and start working class people and start to the first collections of to see the first collections of carols. suddenly having taken carols. so suddenly having taken something nosedive in the something of a nosedive in the 17th century, struggling in the 18th century, we see a extraordinary return to popularity of christmas, which had been so popular in the middle ages . but, boy, it's back middle ages. but, boy, it's back andifs middle ages. but, boy, it's back and it's back . energised . and it's back. it's energised. that was such a brilliant , that was such a brilliant, enthusiastic history . that was such a brilliant, enthusiastic history. neil, would you like to come in that was the speed is dome ever seen anyone run us through the history of christmas. so neil would you like to ask what a tour de force martin that was most impressive. i have to say. i was thinking in my head all things i was going to ask about. and i think you managed touch base on all of them. something that's interested me , the

that's always interested me, the we that, you know, every kid has taken a nativity at taken part in a nativity at school. you know, so , so school. you know, it's so, so embedded tradition . but embedded as a tradition. but when actually look at the when you actually look at the gospels , there's precious little gospels, there's precious little detail between matthew, mark and luke and even less in john about what actually happened, how did we develop such a deep field idea about ? we develop such a deep field idea about? the we develop such a deep field idea about ? the nativity, the idea about? the nativity, the shepherds star, the three who brought all of that, all those fragments together into the scene were so familiar with ? scene were so familiar with? that's a really good question , that's a really good question, because what people tend to do is both christians and non—christians, they tend to harmonise the gospels, the kind of mix them in together and take a here, take that make a bit from here, take that make one narrative. but one running narrative. but matthew only the wise matthew only mentions the wise men and jesus would have been about when they arrive, about two when they arrive, which herod killed all the which by herod killed all the children the age of two, children up to the age of two, so would have visited so they would have visited a toddler. okay, matthew toddler. okay, so matthew mentions wise men. mark mentions only the wise men. mark has jesus explode galilee as an aduu has jesus explode galilee as an adult , luke has jesus explode galilee as an adult, luke gives us almost everything we associate with the christmas story. the angel at

the station, the shepherds , the the station, the shepherds, the baby being placed in a manger, no mention of a stable no mention of a stable it have been in a in a undercroft where animals are kept. it could have beenin animals are kept. it could have been in the it could have been in the yard. it could have been even more blatantly said no donkeys are mentioned. i'm really sorry to spoil that. it was christmas, there's no was christmas, but there's no donkey at all. and donkey mentioned at all. and then when john writes his gospel a bit in the first a bit later in the first century, so much really been century, so much has really been said. steps back says said. eden steps back and says well, minute, me talk well, wait a minute, let me talk about significance in the about the significance in the beginning word the beginning was the word and the word with god he gives word was with god that he gives us display about how the us amazing display about how the creative energy and power of god has a baby in has appeared in a baby in bethlehem clearly the church bethlehem so clearly the church had a of material to had quite a lot of material to go on, but most of it was actually based in gospel of actually based in the gospel of luke, it was mostly luke, and so it was mostly focussed on luke and. so that decides its trajectory from then on.and decides its trajectory from then on. and then the franciscans who were great publicises in popular eyes and speaking to the people , preachers in the 13th century really honed on this and took

these, these themes and ideas from luke and they gave us the nativity as we see today , the nativity as we see today, the stable and as at bethlehem, stable ox and as at bethlehem, the manger for that in luke and they give us the angels over and over there as well. although luke doesn't say they were actually at the bedside, actually angels at the bedside, the only about the hills the only about on the hills outside . so in many ways we've outside. so in many ways we've got francis assisi to thank got some francis assisi to thank for us this this very for giving us this this very clear image . the nativity, i clear image. the nativity, i think, really took on it spread across mediaeval europe, and it really caught people's imagination . now, martin, you'll imagination. now, martin, you'll be meeting christmas. oh, sorry, neal. be meeting christmas. oh, sorry, neal . i just would like to know neal. i just would like to know martin , you can give us a little martin, you can give us a little sneak peek of what you'll be saying. you'll leading a service tomorrow a church in tomorrow in a church in somerset, i believe . yeah. they somerset, i believe. yeah. they actually will jump . it's actually will jump. it's actually will jump. it's actually in trowbridge, but we're very very close to somerset here. we're still borderline people here. the borders just over there. and i will be talking about that passage from john. john says, the amazing great power of god, the majesty of god, the word,

the majesty of god, the word, the logos through god created the logos through god created the world became a little baby , the world became a little baby, became a real human being , came became a real human being, came to his own, and was rejected . to his own, and was rejected. and then he ends it by saying, but see what he's like, full of grace and truth and. my message to people in austerity winter, in a difficult winter , in a time in a difficult winter, in a time of anxiety and tribulation , is, of anxiety and tribulation, is, you know what, god knows all about this because this jesus is so many had to flee as a refugee . egypt, this jesus just of who into poverty, this jesus is somebody whose that's just a local builder, carpenter builder could be either. actually, the greek word. in other words, if you think you're an ordinary person got i got a clue what person and got i got a clue what you're again because the you're think again because the story starts as god what it's like to be a person and you know what's even better? he loves you and fantastic stuff . martin can and fantastic stuff. martin can ask you as well about a particular a favourite of mine. we love christmas trees here in my house. we have a couple of real trees and we've got all sorts of, you know, artificial trees as well. every corner

we've got them, there's more there than meets the eye that not not just you know it's not it's not just you know it's not it's not just you know it's not just a you know lot of the additions it does go quite deep . yes, it goes very deep. it's clear that a tradition of celebrating with greenery in the dead of winter goes right back to the pagan times. we talk about times some bonifaz , for about times some bonifaz, for example, oil cuts down an oak , example, oil cuts down an oak, for example, cut some sort of sacred tree, get into big trouble for it as well. we know, for example, that is brought into all sorts of different situations to celebrate life in the middle of winter. so it's quite clear that this this use of tree of greenery to of a tree of greenery to symbolise life at a time of death, apparent death, you know, the winter is quite a the middle of winter is quite a big deal. and we've got lots of church wardens, accounts, for example, from the ages of example, from the middle ages of them holy and them bringing in holy and bringing mistletoe and bringing in mistletoe and bringing in mistletoe and bringing of berries. bringing in mistletoe and brinthe| of berries. bringing in mistletoe and brinthe key of berries. bringing in mistletoe and brinthe key thing of berries. bringing in mistletoe and brinthe key thing is berries. bringing in mistletoe and brinthe key thing is nonees. bringing in mistletoe and brinthe key thing is none them but the key thing is none them think doing anything think they're doing anything weirdly of them weirdly, you know, none of them are doing a bit of the undercover is i mean, it's simply that what spoke

powerfully people before christianity also speaks powerfully to people within christianity as well that this is a symbol of life at a time of death and darkness . and i reckon death and darkness. and i reckon a symbol only means what you purpose it with and what you invest it with. so occasionally christians are uptight about about christmas trees , i say, about christmas trees, i say, yeah, yeah, yeah. what if you're about to sacrifice your neighbour under it then . yes. neighbour under it then. yes. you've got a problem there. but actually if you it's simply , actually if you it's simply, it's sign of might and it's simply a sign of might and like time of darkness . like the time of darkness. loosen up, guys. it's certainly a visual image. no history a good visual image. no history that know i love i love what you were touching on at the beginning as well. always been fascinated the way which fascinated by the way in which the christian well the early christian church well as proselytising to as it was proselytising to convert other useful ideas like sol invictus unconquered sun. that was the roman ceremony. that was the roman ceremony. that was the roman ceremony. that was on 25th. the december was the feast day for that and mithra is the god of light and loyalty that soldiers liked and all that you're talking about as well. drawing on the on the

evergreen trees and greenery and light in the darkness . and it light in the darkness. and it does give you that real sense that where people talk about, you know, christmas is just about shopping. it's just a, you know , you know, worship of know, you know, worship of consumerism . when you actually consumerism. when you actually pay consumerism. when you actually pay attention to the to the traditions all around us, the deep roots of them, i think, are very reassuring in adding giving to all. it's rooted in a deep needin to all. it's rooted in a deep need in the humans psyche to find hope in the middle of bleakness, to find purpose when facing apparent death , apparent facing apparent death, apparent loss of life apparent darkness . loss of life apparent darkness. but i think it's rooted in that deep that deep need of human beings. and i think church is very skilful. something to say, oh, a bit cynical, but i don't see it that way. i think they were skilful at saying, look, let's let's let's take that symbol, let's use, reuse it, let's use, let's reuse it, let's investigate different investigate the different meaning to people, meaning basically say to people, when up, used when you put that up, you used to think this, but from now put it up and think that as long as people are thinking different,

it only means what you invest it with . yeah, i mean, i do you with. yeah, i mean, i do you think because you mentioned john, you know, in the beginning was the word and the word which is jesus was when god the idea that it was all there all the time and that people were the christmas ness and the christianity was there before christ, you know. and what happened what the story seems to tell us is that by the time christ is actually here, 2000 years ago, the traditions and the traditions get swept up into what that story is all about. yes, it's an extra outrageous and contrived . social belief, and contrived. social belief, really. i mean, there's a hymn title that says our god contracted to a span in comprehend ably made man and thatis comprehend ably made man and that is quite extraordinary really. i mean whether people believe it or they don't believe it, it is quite an extraordinary belief. obviously, it's core to me and my belief, but this concept that god would do that because he so loved the world as

also wrote john to love the world, he gave his only son that whoever in him would not perish would have a everlasting life. this idea for me that god but through all of because , he through all of that because, he loves regardless of loves everybody, regardless of age and gender and colour. this is the radical message in the universe as far as i'm concerned. but i'm very, very biased. thank you very much . biased. thank you very much. martin if we are enthused as of this evening on christmas eve and thank for joining this evening on christmas eve and thank forjoining us on and thank you for joining us on this day us this special day to run us through the entire history of christmas. was brilliant christmas. that was brilliant martin is, of course, a historian , a licenced lay historian, a licenced lay minister who will be leading minister, leading the christmas day service at a church , day service at a church, somerset, tomorrow . after the somerset, tomorrow. after the break, we're hoping i'm very sorry we haven't got to. keith on this side of the break. we'll be coming to him straight after the break. and we're also hoping speak to etiquette expert . speak to an etiquette expert. you can tell us what we should and shouldn't christmas and shouldn't do on christmas day. in 3 minutes.

okay now, i'm sure you will be wondering , thinking about wondering, thinking about throughout this time where on earth father christmas is . let's earth father christmas is. let's see how he's getting on as he travels around the world. there he is on screen. he's over a large landmass . keith, take it large landmass. keith, take it away. where is he? well according to google, he's just arriving in jimma in ethiopia . arriving in jimma in ethiopia. he's in ethiopia. well, according to the google. well, he gets around pretty quickly. he hasn't got too much time. when he once he in london, when see in the us, about 6 hours, they're reckoning only 6 hours time. so that would take us to quick maths . that would be 1:00 quick maths. that would be 1:00 in the morning, 1:00 in the morning. he's going to arrive in the uk probably sooner than that . so you probably should get your children bed if they're your children to bed if they're still with your grandchildren your children to bed if they're sthey with your grandchildren your children to bed if they're sthey need your grandchildren your children to bed if they're sthey need to»ur grandchildren your children to bed if they're sthey need to get|randchildren your children to bed if they're sthey need to get t01dchildren your children to bed if they're sthey need to get to bedildren your children to bed if they're sthey need to get to bed soon, . they need to get to bed soon, make that they're asleep if make sure that they're asleep if it decided to come anyway . it i've decided to come anyway. let's more now ahead of let's get more now ahead of midnight mass, which course midnight mass, which of course is part of the festive is a big part of the festive calendar christians .

calendar for christians. thousands will gather thousands of people will gather at going, let thousands of people will gather at know. going, let thousands of people will gather at know. across going, let thousands of people will gather at know. across britain ng, let thousands of people will gather at know. across britain this.et me know. across britain this evening. let's cross to our yorkshire reporter. anna, really , reverend, down thomas. we're here christmas eve , cell therapy here christmas eve, cell therapy and christmas message for us. but we also heard in november with census results that came out that less than the population of england and wales now say that their christian . now say that their christian. what do you make of those findings ? i think a lot of us in findings? i think a lot of us in the church possibly weren't actually that surprised by them. i think it's a challenge to us in terms of how we think about our practise how we reach out to people . from my point of view , people. from my point of view, everybody is on a spiritual journey . we might use different journey. we might use different language to communicate that , language to communicate that, but i think for us as a church, it's a case of, well, how do we walk, alongside people, meet them exactly where they are, rather than assuming know who we are and what we're about. and why would you say christianity is still relevant in this day and age ? i think christianity us

and age? i think christianity us to relate better to each other, to relate better to each other, to connect better to who we are as individuals , to connect to as individuals, to connect to nature , to connect, to the nature, to connect, to the divine, to connect with god . and divine, to connect with god. and i think those four connections are important . timelessly, are important. timelessly, really . and have you seen the really. and have you seen the people's faith have helped them through difficult times? you know, we've had coronavirus pandemic. now we're going through a of living crisis . through a of living crisis. yeah. personally it's definitely been an impact for me and my faith has kept me going through a number of difficult times. i would hope that that's something that congregation would echo as well . but that congregation would echo as well. but it's that congregation would echo as well . but it's really important well. but it's really important for me to, just as i say, connect with people's stories. they are. i find it so encouraging when people tell me about their faith and how their faith has helped them. it's faith has helped them. and it's christmas eve. you've got a number of services coming, including midnight mass. this evening. what is the christmas message ? the christmas message message? the christmas message is that that god's delights and

being with us , that god wants to being with us, that god wants to being with us, that god wants to be with us, that god came as a little baby boy to an economically deprived family who was struggling. and that's god chooses to be . and in that chooses to be. and in that little baby . god provides a way little baby. god provides a way for all of us to be in relationship shape. thank you. thank reverend dan thomas there with the christmas message. so a merry christmas here from selby abbey . thank you very much. that abbey. thank you very much. that was our yorkshire , anna riley was our yorkshire, anna riley there. now, every family has its own christmas day traditions . own christmas day traditions. for instance, some people exchange first thing in the morning. others do it after the big dinner . as a child, i'm not big dinner. as a child, i'm not sure i could have waited that it was first thing in the morning, probably about 6 am. but there are some definite do's and donts are some definite do's and don'ts that of us should know about sure don't about to make sure we don't embarrass ourselves. tomorrow laura, now by laura, i'm joined now by etiquette expert laura windsor. laura. are you there , laura?

laura. are you there, laura? yes, i am . how many christmas yes, i am. how many christmas eve to you ? and i imagine eve to you? and i imagine probably one of the worst things to do is to get sloppily drunk , to do is to get sloppily drunk, overindulging, absolute deeply historically . any behaviour that historically. any behaviour that showed greed or attention to food was in appropriate. and one of those is a raw indulgence. also smacking of lips. but peeing and other weird noises is what makes slurping and gulping. and blow ing on food. but however , in some cultures, however, in some cultures, burping is a sign of appreciation . for example, in appreciation. for example, in some asian countries, if you don't book after a dinner, it shows that you didn't enjoy it. so politeness is subjective depending on where you . i was depending on where you. i was about to say my dad's in trouble, but perhaps he should. he's just showing some asian etiquette . perhaps when it comes etiquette. perhaps when it comes to smacking the teeth and burping, i'm just joking. if my

dad is burping, i'm just joking. if my dadisindeed burping, i'm just joking. if my dad is indeed watching . now, one dad is indeed watching. now, one of the questions that you raised with one of our producers, i think, was whether unbuttoning your trousers is a good etiquette or not. surely it's better to unbutton them than to. i don't know. suffer from bloating, which could lead to adverse cancer quinces. however in today's fashion we have those trousers that are less elastic . trousers that are less elastic. that's that sort of grow with you as the stomach grows rather than restricting you. so there are ways around it . than restricting you. so there are ways around it. but yes, overindulgence undoing your buttons isn't the most elegant thing. but if you can hide it with a shirt or some cheesy jumper, then why not not? lord laura, i see you again. laura yes. your own . well, i'm going yes. your own. well, i'm going to use the i'm going to use the word gaudy, but i don't it to be taken in the pejorative sense

necessarily. lights and. and santa and his reindeer on the roof. and it's , you know, blow roof. and it's, you know, blow up snowmen on the doorstep . i up snowmen on the doorstep. i say, the more area myself . what say, the more area myself. what is your take on decorations ? is your take on decorations? might appal the neighbours . well might appal the neighbours. well christmas is only once a year , christmas is only once a year, so you know why , not. why not so you know why, not. why not take advantage of it? it may annoyed neighbours, but how many times do you annoy the neighbours without even really using? so it's about body language. if you see your neighbours just to smile, say don't show that you're a bit annoyed with them with their christmas furniture outside on the lawn and it's connected in way i used to be. i used be very iused way i used to be. i used be very i used to be very dismissive of jumpers. you snowmen and, reindeers and whatever. but no, i actually have come to the conclusion in advancing years there's something humble about

not taking yourself too seriously . for at least one day seriously. for at least one day of the year. what do you think about the kind of outrageous garb that people like to dawn for the couple of days before and after enduring christmas? i think it depends how or informal the do is . if think it depends how or informal the do is. if you think it depends how or informal the do is . if you know, the the do is. if you know, the people that are going there and they're already used to the way you behave and the things that you behave and the things that you wear, then why not? however, if it's a formal affair , you if it's a formal affair, you might be embarrassing or making someone feel uncomfortable . so someone feel uncomfortable. so you really need to sort weigh out. and when you fumble through your drawer , less is always more your drawer, less is always more and you can always show your wonderful personality in different ways. now, hold that thought, laura. i'm just to bnngin thought, laura. i'm just to bring in keith, who's here with me in the studio. keith, is there anything. you would like to ask laura our etiquette expert. are you worried about how to behave at christmas ? any how to behave at christmas? any bad memories of christmases gone wrong? yeah, i think laura, you

know how how do you pass around the sprouts? that's what i would like to know. is there an etiquette around passing around the rough, around ? well, in the rough, around? well, in britain , i don't know why you're britain, i don't know why you're asking me this. britain, i don't know why you're asking me this . is it because asking me this. is it because you don't like brussel sprouts or is it actually. no, i do . or is it actually. no, i do. they don't like me, but i like them. yeah well, that's all right. well, you should in britain , you pass it clockwise britain, you pass it clockwise to the left, whereas in the rest of the world, we're always different in. the rest of the world, you pass it counter—clockwise. yes not just a basic , basic question, keith . a basic, basic question, keith. you know, you should have known that. you know, you should have known that . presumably you pass them that. presumably you pass them to who you who you don't like , to who you who you don't like, but possibly with the brussel sprouts , possibly. but another sprouts, possibly. but another question for laura. christmas and paper hearts. yes no. oh, absolutely. i wear actually. and

moncler head. i shouldn't really say it on tv, but i have been guilty of wearing weird things and of course if everybody around the table is wearing a hat or an clar headband, then it would be rude not to wear it yourself because would show your superior . yourself because would show your superior. and yes, not a good sign here. you need to go with the flow. polite nice is about making others feel comfortable. and laura very , quickly now. and laura very, quickly now. a lot of a lot of are struggling this christmas and often falls on one member of the family or one half of the family, one side, one child, one grandparent, whatever, to sort of host everyone. now, what's the etiquette. can you ask for a bit of cash upfront or should you just say, oh, please, can you just say, oh, please, can you bring a bottle of wine or contribute to the meal in one way or another ? yes. well way or another? yes. well i think it's the little things in life. so any kind of appreciation . but of course, why

appreciation. but of course, why not? everyone bring a then everyone chips in. there's no money involved . says no money involved. says no embarrassment. one family, one. i don't know. the sisters bring in one cause. and grandma brings in one cause. and grandma brings in the cake at the end and everyone chips in. i think that's a real good compromise . i that's a real good compromise. i think . and just very quickly, think. and just very quickly, before before you have to go and, what should one wear on christmas day? a lot of people are tempted stay in their pyjamas , just roll out of bed pyjamas, just roll out of bed and stay in their christmas pjs all day long. should one get their heels and the glad rags on? depends what everyone is wearing. if everyone else is wearing. if everyone else is wearing , then it's polite to wearing, then it's polite to wearing, then it's polite to wear pyjamas yourself. if a formal do, then why not? i mean, what is so wrong about dressing up? i love dressing up. it kind of is part of the merriment , so of is part of the merriment, so it really depends on the you're in. fantastic. thank you , laura,

in. fantastic. thank you, laura, for joining us this christmas eve to tell us the do's and donts eve to tell us the do's and don'ts of what to do at christmas dinner. that was, of course, laura windsor, our etiquette expert there. now, after the break, i will meet britain's biggest yorkshire pudding fan who says he's going to eat 200 of them over christmas. slightly odd, but we'll find out why you shortly after the .

break welcome back. now don't know about you, but i do love a yorkshire . unfortunately, my yorkshire. unfortunately, my mother says they're not a traditional part of a christmas dinner. i think she does anyway. so i won't be getting to any tomorrow. i don't think. now, one man who hasn't got that problem , jake farrar. in fact, problem, jake farrar. in fact, he says he's britain's biggest fan of puddings. and so he's planning eat 200 of them over ,

planning eat 200 of them over, the festive period . i'm the festive period. i'm delighted to say that. jake joins me now along with his mother in law, tracey reid. jake, why on earth do you love yorkshire pudding? so much? i mean, i like them every now and again, but every day . why no, again, but every day. why no, they're absolutely delicious. and i feel sorry for love in the money that now do they belong to the roast dinner and christmas ? the roast dinner and christmas? the best roast the now. you know there is some there is some difference of opinion when it comes to whether yorkshire pudding even belongs in a christmas lunch. what do you think tracey . yes certainly. you think tracey. yes certainly. you to be yorkshire pudding when you from yorkshire. right now how did you get famous . tick tock. did you get famous. tick tock. through this . i don't know if we through this. i don't know if we can show one of your videos. we may. well a video clip coming in just shortly. so how did you manage to make it? oh, here we go . there you are. oh, my go. there you are. oh, my goodness. you've got a place just for people who are watching , who are listening on radio .

, who are listening on radio. there is jake with tracey eating what looks like about three dozen yorkshire puddings . how dozen yorkshire puddings. how many views did you get on that ? many views did you get on that? so there's over 1.1 million views. oh my . yes. oh, my god. views. oh my. yes. oh, my god. so you must have a lot of followers then. i got 53,000 followers then. i got 53,000 followers now. that's pretty impressive . still blown up on impressive. still blown up on there . everyone is loving the there. everyone is loving the yorkshire pudding content . that yorkshire pudding content. that was just my normal dinner. yorkshire pudding content. that was just my normal dinner . and was just my normal dinner. and tracey said, oh, you can't just be up in your best film and let everyone see what you do. you know the trend and sound of the are trained in some degree with are trained in some degree with a trend and some articles because cross is the of any yorkshire pudding companies asked for you to be an influencer be an ambassador . influencer be an ambassador. honestly what try and name quite a few with i'm not very name dropping another one until they spoke to me. yeah we've got oprah, but think . i think it's

oprah, but think. i think it's only a matter time. i mean, you are you are very committed. now, i've heard that you eat yorkshire puddings . well, you yorkshire puddings. well, you have many recipes and you eat them with some rather stray toppings . i wouldn't call them toppings. i wouldn't call them strange if i weren't told strange . go and tell me, pops. strange. go and tell me, pops. anything with a yorkshire pudding. so you know, anything from savoury to a sweet. that's got to put in essentially mix. so if you were to put it with jam, flour, cream, anything like that because it just goes anything just. well i've only ever tried a savoury yorkshire pudding but my actually when we were in scotland had a roast three different types of roast beef just in one yorkshire pudding and it was called the mighty yorkshire lunch or the mighty yorkshire lunch or the mighty dinner. anyway, it went down a treat with him. so perhaps onto something now all the now all you telling the truth is only yorkshire puddings that you do eat or you got do

you like other foods . i've never you like other foods. i've never said it was all the ones i eat and a lot of them not. how many are you having tomorrow then , are you having tomorrow then, jake? i sorry. i've got a very excited year old. yes, i just heard . how many yorkshire heard. how many yorkshire puddings are you having tomorrow then, jake . so i'm not the one then, jake. so i'm not the one making the dinner but i'm have plenty to put on my plate tomorrow. oh, my god. you've got them there now for people listening at home has just raised a plate with rather large yorkshire filled with yorkshire pudding filled with many more yorkshire puddings , many more yorkshire puddings, little mini yorkshire puddings . little mini yorkshire puddings. hi, jake and tracey. hi i'm, i'm fascinated to see the how do you competitive eater of anything else are you are you moving into the terrain of are you going to practise consuming vast quantities is of any other commodity. okay i'm not well

funny you should mention competitive eating . i was asked competitive eating. i was asked to be a of the yorkshire pudding festival this year , but i bet festival this year, but i bet the festival never offered to be a display . oh, the festival never offered to be a display. oh, i'm sorry , i've a display. oh, i'm sorry, i've been reading. i've also been reading around the subject of a competitive yorkshire pudding eating and i couldn't quite get to the bottom of what the world record is. is that is that is that a number or a target that you would go for that would put you would go for that would put you actually at the top of the yorkshire pudding eating ? i'll yorkshire pudding eating? i'll be honest, i'd be looking at that and the number i've found is around 300, i've been looking at it, it's in one sitting and it's 304 is how they define yorkshire puddings to is dessert and size like are they just by the smallest of the smallest. that's what i've been trying to find out. it's something that i want to do. yes. you've had competition. do not go with friends. oh, yeah, but you should. i'm going to. and how many it how many many minutes? it was? how many people ? oh, yeah. and i also .

people? oh, yeah. and i also. there's one. yeah, there's another question i feel a need to ask. tracey is this all your fault? it was. are you are you the maker of the of the yorkshire puddings or is it a do you make your own. it's i make my own. well it's all tracey's fault that it's gone viral . so fault that it's gone viral. so each step is it. you can say the big light , a each step is it. you can say the big light, a big part, a big thing then. and you picked yesterday. you chose it tonight . it was going tropical and i just want why don't you put it on picked off with a trend in and say well up and so when you go because you're going to get comment so people like you after patterns of people going say says too many people to agree with while wish off well with them while wish off well you you know what i quite like watching those 10,000 calories a day challenges so perhaps you could do that only with the yorkshire puddings, although i don't know how many yorkshire puddings that would be. that would masses . so would probably be masses. so i to put in about 60 to 80

calories . so you have to you calories. so you have to you have to make or buy a hell of a lot of yorkshire puddings. thank you so much forjoining us this evening. that, of course, jake farrow mother in farrow alongside his mother in law, reed and jake love law, tracey reed and jake love has a penchant for yorkshire puddings there. let me if you think yorkshire puddings belong on a christmas dinner or whether you take part in competitive eating, it's quite you know it looks it looks fun if you have a big appetite doesn't it have? you done one of these food you ever done one of these food challenges, no, no, but challenges, keith? no, no, but i had two lunches. the other day. i had to have lunch with a friend and i didn't want to upset another friend due to already arranged lunch. so i had one lunch at 12:00 and one to lunchesin one lunch at 12:00 and one to lunches in one day. and did you have dinner as well? no, i didn't . i was just in calvert didn't. i was just in calvert and that's just that's just you know what i? think lunch is the best meal of the day. absolute you know, it divides it up quite nicely. it gives you something to look forward to when you're at work or when you're at home.

the morning. all for the morning. yes. all for lunches, lunches and lunches, long lunches and i don't see anything with that. i mean, it's one might say it's slightly indulgent how, many calories. do you think the average person to eat on christmas day, that's usually the daily mail usually writes up an example of the average person and they consume compared to what public health officials we should and they comparison. istock keith would you believe. well, i would imagine i mean, i think you're supposed to eat between two and two and a half thousand. if you're if you're a and i should think it's probably around about 4000, something like that. i think it's more like that. i think it's more like ten actually. yeah. with the as well. but after the booze as well. but after the we'll back the good old we'll look back on the good old days christmas tv, going days of christmas tv, i'm going to need your help with this one, keith. and i've looking keith. and i've been looking forward all show. we forward to this all show. we might celebrating christmas might be celebrating christmas with drink. we've with a little drink. well, we've already little drink. already had a little drink. we'll another to we'll be doing another toast to you the christmas eve. you later for the christmas eve. see shortly .

welcome back. so we're going to catch up with the progress of father christmas as he visits all the good boys and girls around the not the bad boys and certainly not the bad girls. so our screen right now, we've got santa again with his lovely reindeer. now tell me keith it away. where is he? well, according my tracker, he's minutes away from moscow . well, minutes away from moscow. well, that looks like it could be near moscow, so it's going to be terribly for. moscow, so it's going to be terribly for . cold santa and his terribly for. cold santa and his reindeer. i do wonder how he keeps warm . well, i keeps them warm. well, i understand a bit like they do in vienna. he puts earmuffs on them. he puts earmuffs on them . them. he puts earmuffs on them. and of course is not and rudolph, of course is not bad. we all know what happened to rudolph not invited on to rudolph is not invited on this well, it's foggy, it's this. well, if it's foggy, it's quite handy when he's held. right now, you when it looks it's a nice snow. anyway, it's just a nice snow. anyway, we're move from the we're going to move on from the santa although i'm sure santa tracker, although i'm sure we'll keeping that we'll be keeping an eye that throughout evening on gb throughout the evening on gb news. you've ever news. now, if you've ever thought ever thought

thought if have ever thought christmas all thought it christmas wasn't all thought it would be spare a thought for those not see another those that may not see another in northern ireland, the children two land trust took a planeload of children with terminal and life conditions to see father . our reporter doug see father. our reporter doug beattie went along with them in a string of affairs. well what fun it is to . write something, fun it is to. write something, say christmas gifts can come in many forms , and for families many forms, and for families that are part a child with terminal or life threatening illnesses , a getaway to a land illnesses, a getaway to a land of innocence, snow and make believe may just the ticket means ever son. really, to be honest , we've never been in honest, we've never been in a family travelling best before, so that's going to be magical. yeah. this the first time. this is his first time away to see fresh holiday. yeah al, i was diagnosed with a brain tumour,

so we had went through a whole year of chemo and everything and we've come to the end of and the nurses say, tell us if they would nominate her. and that's how we got here. the wit finally over this private charter jet behind me will fly these children to la , planned for the children to la, planned for the magic of christmas to meet santa. i'm going to see santa are i? what are you going to ask him for? a pleasant. i'm going to ask him for that to give him an monitor. now i'd like to know from my bedroom for such a journey a magical experience must be on hand and doctor mark rowlands is the medical director and explains the seriousness of the situation . these children the situation. these children are sick. i mean they are limiters and terminal. some of these kids might never see santa claus again. so this is a big, big trip. but you name it, they've had everything liver

transplants, heart transplants bone marrow transplants still , bone marrow transplants still, all of them under a lot of a lot of care and treatment at the moment. they're all stabilised . moment. they're all stabilised. we've all had to go head from their individual consultants that they're go . and we that they're fit to go. and we want make sure that they have want to make sure that they have a day . even the flight a great day. even the flight crew have a soft for this trip . crew have a soft for this trip. and captain john rowland is no different. oh, it's wonderful to see all the kids going away, to see all the kids going away, to see father christmas. they're really excited. so love doing these flights . the landscape and these flights. the landscape and climate here are very different and that the families an opportunity t the sample some new experiences . the highlight new experiences. the highlight of the day is the 1 to 1 with santa and his face for children very clear . santa and his face for children very clear. how long santa and his face for children very clear . how long should it very clear. how long should it be before they go to sleep on christmas eve? on christmas ? it christmas eve? on christmas? it could be very good . they can go could be very good. they can go and sleep about at least up 9:00

in the evening. yeah and then if they have a fireplace so that they have a fireplace so that they should check up that they have no fire in the fireplace on christmas eve , the whole christmas eve, the whole experience may be a lot to put into one day, but the children on this plan need specific medical support and time is of the essence . but for most it's the essence. but for most it's a day that dreams will be realised and memories it to give it a gb news so that . thank you very news so that. thank you very much to reporter dougie beattie there with that package from lapland. now we've talked a lot about a lot of christmas traditions during the show, but one big change in recent years is the decline in the popularity christmas tv specials. back in the day, than 20 million the day, more than 20 million people would tune see the people would tune in to see the of and wise only fools of morecambe and wise only fools and horses and even eastenders, but more. we're going to but not any more. we're going to go live to sara robertson , i go live to sara robertson, i believe, who is from the sunday

mirror. are you there, sara is there? i'm not sure we're going to be . oh, there she is. lovely to be. oh, there she is. lovely sara, this is going to have to be very quick because have to go to the break very quickly. but how is our tv watching patterns changed over the years? they have changed completely from what we remember the eighties, in the nineties, when all of the family on christmas day gather around and watch, you know, the full terrestrial channels . full terrestrial channels. everyone would be glued eastenders when it was getting figures of 30.1 million with dirty dancing and the divorce papers there was never yet been a soap or any show has ever beaten that viewing figure that was received for that time back in the eighties . it was the same in the eighties. it was the same when appealed to, hoped and coronation tonight's 87 coronation street. tonight's 87 that was over 20 million. so we've never seen those figures the only show in recent years that's close has been gavin and stacey. when they did the special 2019 that got over 70 million, which was huge hit for

the bbc but we haven't seen anything since even call the midwife last year that figures dramatic only halved from 2020 and it was the queen's speech which has led the viewing the ratings for the last two years on terrestrial so safe to say how we view tv now and those shows you know it's just changed completely the landscape sara just very quickly because we're going to have to finish the show so shortly . what should people so shortly. what should people be watching tomorrow if they're not if they're foolish enough to switch over from gb news the king's speech . king charles, his king's speech. king charles, his first speech to the nation course and it'd be fantastic the king's speech always that's that that's your mark christmas day. you can't miss it. that's your mark christmas day. you can't miss it . well, there you can't miss it. well, there you go. the king's speech, i'm sure, will tune in at 3 pm. thank you very much, sarah, for giving us a very quick interview there. that's from there. sadly that's all from neil and i this evening. thank you to keith to and all of my

guests. keith here in the studio, and will be back studio, neil and i will be back at next saturday, which is, at 6:00 next saturday, which is, of new year's eve . of course, new year's eve. neil's say goodbye next on tv . neil's say goodbye next on tv. this is a special programme. cameron walker looks back on a royal year . i cameron walker looks back on a royal year. i hope you have a truly wonderful christmas this yeah truly wonderful christmas this year. goodnight looking ahead to tomorrow's weather and the uk is looking and mild for most with a mixture of sunny spells and showers. let's take a look at the details . showers will affect the details. showers will affect northern scotland to start christmas day , though. some christmas day, though. some sunny spells as well , especially sunny spells as well, especially in the east. windy morning particularly for coastal regions though. mark for most showers , though. mark for most showers, many in the west. but a dry start for eastern parts of northern ireland. those showers will soon feed in on the south—west through the a mixture of sunshine and showers just on christmas day for northern england with the heaviest and more frequent showers across the west. there will be some dry weather across wales begin tomorrow. however there will be some showers too, especially in

the northern and western parts . the northern and western parts. a breezy morning. bowman dry start for most of the midlands on christmas day with sunny spells to what will be some showers spreading into the west of the region later in the morning. phase anglia although will be a mostly cloudy start tomorrow . it will be dry for tomorrow. it will be dry for many, though there is a chance of some in. the faster southern england it will be dry for many. at first, though, showers will maybe in the west. chance of some more prolonged rain in the east. showers will continue to feed in from the west remaining generally prior and east, becoming colder in the far north—west and that is how the weather is shaping up during tomorrow morning . we are gb news tomorrow morning. we are gb news and we'd like to say thank you to each and every one of you for bringing us your conversations for, helping our great nation find its voice. we are for you on radio , television and online on radio, television and online across england, scotland , wales

across england, scotland, wales and northern ireland . it's not and northern ireland. it's not the bbc, you know. you actually get your facts right. we are proud to be gb news the people's channel. britain's news .

channel good evening. i'm tatiana sanchez in the gb newsroom. protesters have clashed . police protesters have clashed. police again today in paris as a vigil was being held . a kurdish was being held. a kurdish cultural centre where a gunman killed three people and left several injured. police used tear gas to try to disperse the crowds. it's after riots out yesterday in the wake of the attack. members of the have gathered this morning to where the incident happened. a 69 year

old man