Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

• Annabel Croft presents James – My Alcoholic Friend
• In Search of the Real Didier Drogba
• Jenson Button – Champion of the World
• Richard Bacon and Danny Wallace
• Kermode and Mayo's Films of The Year
• Best of Mayo
• Ashes review

Annabel Croft, Didier Drogba and Jenson Button are part of the festive line-up on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 5 Live which includes new documentaries, current affairs and comedy programmes, plus a look back at the year's news, sport and entertainment on 5 Live.

In follow-up to the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One documentary Famous Rich And Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔless broadcast earlier this year, Annabel Croft presents James – My Alcoholic Friend. Unable to forget his tragic tale Annabel tracks down James Brodie who she met when sleeping rough on the streets of London. Off the streets and in rehab for his alcohol addiction James is reunited with Annabel who wants to assist him getting his life back on track.

Journalist Ian McGarry presents In Search Of The Real Drogba a one-off documentary with one of the Premier League's most controversial and gifted players Didier Drogba. Revealing a different side to his public persona, he explains his motivation for helping build a new hospital in the Ivory Coast.

Drogba was part of the Ivory Coast team playing Malawi in March this year when a wall collapsed in the stadium killing 29 spectators. Shocked by the lack of resources to cope with the disaster the Chelsea striker vowed to do something to improve the health care in his home country.

5 Live's Formula One reporter Holly Samos presents Jenson Button – Champion Of The World. Holly's joined by World Champion Jenson Button to look back on a dramatic F1 season both on and off the track: from his own stunning victory and the emergence of the Brawn and Red Bull teams to Renault-gate and Schumacher's on/off comeback. It will also feature Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Frank Williams, Ross Brawn and the thoughts of Jenson's rivals on the track.

Max Rushden makes his 5 Live debut live on Christmas Day presenting Snapshot Christmas. Max will be taking a whistle stop tour of the UK to find out what the nation is doing at midday, from serving soldiers and on duty nurses, to bar humbugs trying to avoid the celebrations.

Comedy highlights this Christmas on 5 Live include Wallace And Bacon, good friends Richard Bacon and Danny Wallace team up to deliver a host of Christmas goodies on Christmas morning; Justin Moorhouse's Triumphs And Turkeys, Justin is joined by fellow comedians to look back at 2009's winners and losers; and Sony-nominated podcast sensations Helen Zaltzman and Olly Mann host their very own "weblebrity" awards show for 5 Live, Web 2009 With Helen And Olly, judging the funniest and strangest web-content from 2009.

There's also a special edition of the points of punditry sports panel show Fighting Talk with Colin Murray; Christian O'Connell and guests attempt to solve some festive conundrums in The Christian O'Connell New Year Solution; and Colin Murray and Tim Lovejoy take a quick-fire look at sport over the festive period in Murray And Lovejoy's Sports Express Christmas Special.

5 Live will also take a look back at a memorable year of sport: Matt Dawson presents The 5 Live Sport Review Of The Year, in which Matt will be joined by guests to review the big stories of the year, including Manchester United's 18th league title, another dramatic men's Wimbledon final and Tom Watson's near miss in the Open; Phil Tufnell and Jason Gillespie will take a look back England's Ashes series victory in Ashes Review; and Garry Richardson presents the Best Of Sportsweek with highlights from the year's sports stories and interviews.

Simon Mayo is also in reflective mood as he picks his favourite interviews from the last eight years of his afternoon show on 5 Live in the Best Of Mayo; Simon will also be joined by Mark Kermode to cast his critical eye over the best (and worst) big screen releases of 2009 in Kermode And Mayo's Films Of The Year.

Former stockbroker Max Keiser predicts the major economic trends for 2010 in The Keiser's Business Guide To 2010. Max is joined Andy Zaltzman, economist Professor Steve Keen, politicians and financial experts to take a look back at the extraordinary events of last year and make predictions about what could happen in the next twelve months.

There's also a review of the year's big news stories on 5 Live: Peter Allen and Anita Anand present the 5 Live News Review Of The Year, whilst Frontline 09 looks back at the highlights of Peter's military broadcasts from Catterick to Afghanistan. Stephen Nolan is joined by guests for a topical quiz, giving listeners the chance to pit their wits against the news experts in Nolan's Big Quiz Of The Year.

5 Live Sport will also have live coverage of all the festive football fixtures, for further information visit bbc.co.uk/5live.

You can listen to 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra via DAB radio, online at bbc.co.uk/5live, Digital Freeview, Sky, Freesat, Virgin Media and 909 & 693 AM.

Notes to Editors

5 Live Christmas Schedule Highlights 2009:

Thursday 24 December
James – My Alcoholic Friend, 6.00-7.00pm
5 Live Sport Review Of The Year, 8.00-10.00pm
Murray and Lovejoy's Sporting Express, 10.00-10.30pm

Christmas Day
Wallace & Bacon, 9.00-11.00am
Nolan's Big Quiz Of The Year, 11.00am-12.00noon
Snapshot Christmas, 12.00noon-1.00pm
Best Of Simon Mayo, 1.00-3.00pm
Justin Moorhouse's Triumphs And Turkeys, 4.00-5.00pm
In Search Of The Real Drogba, 5.00-6.00pm
Ashes Review, 7.00-8.00pm
Mark Chapman's World Cup Years, 8.00-9.00pm
Jenson Button – Champion Of The World, 9.00-10.00pm

Boxing Day
Fighting Talk, 11.00am-12.00noon
5 Live Sport, 12.00noon-7.30pm with live commentary of Birmingham v Chelsea (12.45pm), coverage of all the 3.00pm games and commentary of Liverpool v Wolves (5.30pm)

Sunday 27 December
Best of Sportsweek, 8.30-9.30am
The Christian O'Connell New Year Solution, 11.00am-12.00noon

Thursday 31 Dec, New Years Eve
5 Live News Review Of The Year, 6.00-8.00pm
The Keiser's Business Guide To 2010, 8.00-9.00pm
Web 2009 With Helen And Olly, 9.00-10.30pm

Friday 1 January 2010, New Years Day
Kermode And Mayo's Film Of The Year, 2.00-4.00pm
Frontline 09, 6.00-7.00pm

DL