Programme Information

Liza Tarbuck and Adam Buxton sit in for Jonathan Ross for the next two weeks.

Adam previews his new show for BBC 6 Music, Adam Buxton's Big Mix Tape, which begins tomorrow at midday, with special guest Julian Barrett.

Presenters/Liza Tarbuck and Adam Buxton, Producer/Fiona Day

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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This week, Dermot O'Leary's live session guests are Doves and Phoenix.

Jimi Goodwin and twin brothers Jez and Andy Williams have known each other since they were 15. They first recorded as Sub Sub and, as Doves, they released the Mercury-nominated Lost Souls in 2000.

Following the release of a third album in 2005, Doves spent two years holed up in a makeshift studio on a Cheshire farm, working on new material. The end result, Kingdom Of Rust, was released last April. They headlined the BBC Electric Proms in October, performing with the London Bulgarian Choir. Doves release a best-of collection next week and are marking the occasion with some live dates in April and May.

Phoenix are a Parisian quartet whose 10-year, four-album career received a boost when Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix won a Grammy Award for best alternative album earlier this year. They have just finished recording the soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's new film, Somewhere.

Presenter/Dermot O'Leary, Producer/Ben Walker

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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Bad Company, who recently reformed with original members Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs and Simon Kirke, perform a special concert for BBC Radio 2.

Introduced by Johnnie Walker, the concert includes hits from Rodgers's long career, including the 1968-1973 era of Free and the 1973-1982 era of Bad Company. It was recorded at the end of March in the BBC Radio Theatre, London.

Presenter/Johnnie Walker, Producer/Paul Long

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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Indiana-born, Nashville-based rising Americana star Stephanie Lambring makes a welcome return to the Bob Harris show tonight, playing acoustically After Midnight.

Stephanie, 23, cites Patty Griffin as her inspiration and has recently released her debut album, Lonely To Alone.

Presenter/Bob Harris, Producer/Mark Simpson

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

World-famous musician Ravi Shankar

Mark Tully surveys the career of Ravi Shankar, who celebrates his 90th birthday on 7 April. Mark looks back on an interview recorded with Ravi for World Routes 10 years ago, and introduces some of his classic recordings.

In this archive interview, Ravi recalls his early life performing in Paris; his collaborations with Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison; and talks about his eventful love life. Mark also drops in on a lesson with Ravi's daughter, Anoushka.

Mark Tully is a writer and broadcaster, and was, for many years, the BBC's Delhi correspondent.

Presenter/Mark Tully, Producer/Roger Short

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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Opera On 3 – Live From The Met: Aida

Saturday 3 April

6.00-10.00pm BBC RADIO 3

Verdi's Aida comes live from the Metropolitan Opera in New York, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Chinese soprano Hui He takes the title role and internationally renowned Italian tenor, Salvatore Licitra, is her lover.

Set in the ancient Egypt of the pharaohs, Aida tells the story of an Ethiopian slave girl who finds that her lover and her father are on opposite sides of two warring nations. A love rival to her Princess employer, she chooses to be buried alive with her lover, Radames, rather than endure life without him.

Commissioned for the opening of the Suez Canal, Verdi's Aida has been a staple of the repertory ever since its Egyptian première in 1871.

Margaret Juntwait presents with guest commentator Ira Siff, and there are live backstage interviews and the Met Quiz during the two intervals.

Aida features the Chorus and Orchestra of The Metropolitan Opera.

Presenter/Margaret Juntwait, Producer/David Papp

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

Presenter Katie Derham discovers what it is like for an artist to perform for a leading VIP in a private performance.

Command Performance explores prestigious concerts held in unique places under special circumstances. The command performance is a royal prerogative and, among those describing their experiences in the programme are singer Katherine Jenkins, who discusses her recent performance for Her Majesty The Queen at Balmoral.

Jazz musician Yolanda Brown was invited to perform for Russian President Medvedev at the Winter Palace in St Petersburg. Jools Holland describes his command performance when he played for then Prime Minister Tony Blair at the G8 summit and why US President Bill Clinton had difficulty leaving the event.

For many artists, a performance for his Holiness the Pope is a command performance to be embraced with relish. Composer Simon Wills performed for the Pope on two occasions and reveals what happens behind the walls of the Vatican, what the changing facilities are like and how the Pope responds to a performance.

For many artists, the after-dinner speech or corporate gig is the most common private performance where lucrative money can be made. Comedian Barry Cryer gives tips on the best way to approach these unique events and veteran Roy Hudd also suggests how to make the most of these performance opportunities without losing your nerve.

The programme concludes that anyone can purchase their own command performance and music promoter Hugh Phillimore can help. He has secured Kylie Minogue, Whitney Houston and Rod Stewart for weddings and parties and reveals it's not that difficult to get your favourite star to perform ... providing the price is right.

Presenter/Katie Derham, Producer/John Sugar

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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The cast of Goldfinger (left to right) Lisa Dillon, Jon David Yu, Nigel Anthony, Kyle Soller, Ian McKellen, Toby Stephens, Tom Hollander, Tim Pigott-Smith and Rosamund Pike

Toby Stephens returns as 007 in the radio première of Ian Fleming's Goldfinger.

Directed by Martin Jarvis, a stellar cast is led by Ian McKellen in the title role, with John Standing as "M", Rosamund Pike as Pussy Galore, Lisa Dillon as Tilly Masterton and Martin Jarvis as the voice of Fleming. Alistair McGowan plays the canny gold caddie, Hawker, and the play also features cameos by Henry Goodman, Ian Ogilvy and Lloyd Owen. Jon David Yu throws his bowler hat with deadly effect as Oddjob.

Auric Goldfinger is not only a cheat at canasta and golf, he's also an international criminal on a massive scale. And his obsession is gold. James Bond is charged by the Bank Of England and MI5 to discover what Goldfinger is actually doing with his vast hoards of gold.

When 007 becomes an undercover member of Goldfinger's team, he learns that the madman's plans are more grandiose than even "M" could possibly have imagined. Amazingly, robbing Fort Knox is on the agenda, as well as mass murder.

This dramatisation, by Archie Scottney, remains faithful to Fleming's book. Music is composed by Mark Holden and Sam Barbour.

Producer/Rosalind Ayres

BBC Radio 4 Publicity`

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Paul Gambaccini hosts a special celebrity Easter edition of the wide-ranging music programme.

Soprano and BBC Radio 3 presenter Catherine Bott, comedian and writer Kit Hesketh Harvey and pianist and comedian Rainer Hersch join Paul for questions and games based on musical extracts. Playing in all the musical clues, live in the studio, is the BBC Philharmonic, conducted by Clark Rundell.

Presenter/Paul Gambaccini, Producer/Paul Bajoria

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

5 Live Sport

Saturday 3 April

12.00noon-7.00pm BBC RADIO 5 LIVE

Mark Pougatch has all the day's sports news, including a look back at this morning's Malaysian Grand Prix qualifying session and a preview of this afternoon's Boat Race.

From 12.45pm there's live commentary of a match which could go on to determine the destination of the Premier League title as Manchester United take on Chelsea at Old Trafford.

There's also coverage of the afternoon's 3pm football kick-offs including Arsenal versus Wolves and Portsmouth versus Blackburn in the Premier League and Rangers versus Hamilton in the Scottish Premier League. From 4.30pm there's coverage of the annual University Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge.

At 5.30pm there's live commentary as Burnley face Manchester City at Turf Moor in the Premier League.

Presenter/Mark Pougatch, Producer/Mark Williams

BBC Radio 5 Live Publicity

5 Live Formula 1

Saturday 3 April

5.55-7.05am BBC RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA
8.55-10.05am BBC RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra brings uninterrupted commentary on the third practice session and the qualifying session repectively for the Malaysian Grand Prix, from the Sepang Circuit, Kuala Lumpur.

Producer/Jason Swales

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra Publicity

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Rowing

Saturday 3 April

4.00-5.15pm BBC RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra brings uninterrupted live commentary of the 156th University Boat Race as Oxford and Cambridge race between Putney and Mortlake on the River Thames.

Producer/Jen McAllister

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra Publicity

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Football

Saturday 3 April

5.15-7.20pm BBC RADIO 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

Uninterrupted commentary of the South Wales derby between Cardiff City and Swansea City comes live from Cardiff City Stadium.

Producer/Jen McAllister

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra Publicity

Underbelly play in session on tonight's Funk And Soul Show.

Underbelly are a six-piece, up-tempo funk band, playing a mixture of original tunes and rare funk classics. Comprising drums, bass, guitar and a three-piece horn section, members of the band have played high-profile gigs nationally and internationally, including Ronnie Scott's, The Jazz Cafe, the Jazz World stage, bandstand and parties at Glastonbury, the Eden Project and Rio Carnival.

Craig Charles first played their music more than a year ago when they were still unsigned. They now have a deal with Record Kicks so it seemed only right they come and perform tracks from their new album on the show. Underbelly also perform a track from Off The Wall, as they "re-soul" a classic album.

Presenter/Craig Charles, Producer/Hermeet Chadha

BBC 6 Music Publicity

BBC Asian Network is hosting the main stage at the "Asian Mela", held at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London. The Asian Network team introduces the best of British Asian Musical talent, including Imran Khan, AG Dhollar and Metz n Tricks, among other great artists.

The Asian Network stage aims to give a voice to home-grown British Asian talent, providing a variety of entertaining visitors throughout the Mela.

The Mela brings together all the best elements of Asian life in the UK, including the fashion and travel industry and the worlds of catering, weddings and music.

BBC Asian Network Publicity

Presenter Harriet Gilbert talks to French Nobel Laureate JMG LeClezio about his recently translated work, Desert.

Contrasting the beauty of a lost culture in the North African desert with a depiction of Europe seen through the eyes of unwanted immigrants, Desert is a rich, poetic and provocative epic about colonisation and its legacy, which is still painfully relevant after 30 years.

Presenter/Harriet Gilbert, Producer/Karen Holden

BBC World Service Publicity