The Radio Times Christmas Podcast Season: David Tennant, Julie Walters, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Strictly Stars, John & Johannes!

Episode Two: John and Johannes - available now - click here to listen

Episode Three: David Tennant and Lin-Manuel Miranda - available now - click here to listen

Christmas Season Episode One - Julie Walters:

Guest starring on the first episode is Dame Julie Walters who joins Jane Garvey to discuss Channel 4’s Christmas animation special, The Abominable Snow Baby.

This adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s short story, narrated by David Harewood, tells the tale of a quintessential English Town thrown into disarray by the appearance of a 14-foot-tall Abominable Snow Baby.

Walters plays Granny – a spirited 98-year-old – and discusses with Garvey how she has been playing “ancient people” since she was in her 20s and how she manipulated her vocal cords to sound older. She also reveals a festive childhood story – which involves a home-reared turkey that became something of a watch dog.

Listen to Episode 1 here:

Christmas Season Episode Two - Strictly Stars, John and Johannes.

Joining The Radio Times Podcast for episode 2 of the Christmas series is beloved Strictly stars, John and Johannes. The dancing duo discuss what it is like to be the first male same sex couple on the show and why John originally wanted to be partnered with a straight man. In a revealing interview they discuss the flack, trolling and hate mail they initially anticipated - "it is what we are accustomed to as Queer people", says John - but they have been overwhelmed with kindness and generosity.

Also on the episode:
Rhianna Dhillon and Jane Garvey review BBC1's The Girl Before (Sunday 20 December)And Just Like That (Now TV) and Amazon Prime's Being the Ricardo's.

Listen to Episode 2 here:

Episode Three: David Tennant and Lin-Manuel Miranda

Joining The Radio Times Podcast for episode 3 of the Christmas series is David Tennant who stars in the BBC’s remake of Around the World in 80 Days (available Boxing Day). Tennant sits down in the studio, with resident TV critic Rhianna Dhillon, to discuss shooting in Romania and South Africa, why camels are not the calmest creatures and why when filming a fish market scene in the sweltering heat one should always use plastic, as opposed to real, fish as props.

Also on the episode is Lin-Manuel Miranda, who chats about upcoming Disney+ film Encanto. The creator of Hamilton and In the Heights discusses his trip to Colombia that inspired the film’s music.

Radio Times’s TV Editor, David Butcher, takes to the studio in Jane Garvey’s absence – offering nuanced and thought-provoking reviews on BBC’s A Very British Scandal, Netflix’s Don’t Look Up and Sky’s Amazing Mr Blundon.

Listen to Episode 3 here:

When and where can I listen?

Join Jane and Rhianna every Wednesday (except 29 December) for interviews with TV’s biggest stars, plus a whistle stop tour of the finest treats the entertainment world has to offer. Follow via your preferred podcast provider so as to never miss an episode! Available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.