Both make festive specials for Radio 4

Count Arthur Strong and John Shuttleworth are returning to Radio 4 for Christmas specials.

Graham Fellows’s mild-mannered alter-ego is reviving his series The Shuttleworths after eight years for a one-off special on December 23.

The versatile singer-songwriter’s show ran from 1993 to 1997 with extra series in 2003 and 2010 (with two series of Radio Shuttleworth in the interim)

Since then he as mode two four-episode series of John Shuttleworth’s Lounge Music, but the Christmas special will be a return to the show that made his name

The plot of the new episode, to air at 7.15pm, has John combining his  Christmas  broadcast  with  a  visit  to  the  local  hospital,  as  his  friend  Alan  the  Opera  Singer  is  in  for  tests. John’s  wife  Mary, her friend Joan Chitty, and John’s agent Ken  Worthington  all accompany him.

Meanwhile Count  Arthur  Strong’s  Radio  Show! returns for a Christmas  Special entitled  Doorknobs  and  Matchsticks at 6.30pm on Boxing Day – in what will be the 50th episode of the sitcom.

It ran for seven series between 2005 and 2012, with Christmas specials in the last four yers.

In this episode, the  former  variety  star  created by Steve  Delaney is  understudy  on  a  Christmas  production  of  Bedknobs  and  Broomsticks. Regulars Mel  Giedroyc,  Terry  Kilkelly,  Alastair  Kerr  and  Dave  Mounfield make up the supporting cast.

Published: 22 Nov 2018