Christmas on Greatest Hits Radio ho-ho-ho!

It’s CHRISTMAAAAAAS!

Author: Paul Carter

Christmas has arrived at Greatest Hits Radio and it’s a cracker – we’ve got a stocking full of festive treats just for you!

So, let’s go old school and grab the highlighter pen and get circling your favourite shows...

Friday 20th December

All Request Friday with Simon Mayo, 4-7pm

The Simon Mayo Drivetime Show will be putting you in control and picking the music whilst Driving Home for Christmas.

Christmas Party Weekend

Sleigh Ride into the pre-Christmas weekend with a family themed Siblings Weekender, plus Christmas Party Anthems. Whether you’re Christmas Wrapping or Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, enjoy our good times soundtrack playing festive favourites and party classics.

Monday 23rd December

All Rick-Quest Keys-mass on The Simon Mayo Drivetime Show, 4-7pm

Join our original caped crusader Rick Wakeman at the piano performing your Christmas requests for the last Simon Mayo Drivetime Show of the year.

Best of The Great Conversations with Jackie Brambles, 7-10pm

Jackie wraps up another incredible year with Part 1 of her Best of The Great Conversations highlights of 2024.

Christmas Eve

PopMaster Champions League Final, 10am (Ken Bruce, 10am-1pm)

Ken gets Christmas Eve underway by crowning the 2024 PopMaster Champion of Champions as the PopMaster Champions League comes to its dramatic finale.

Christmas Day

Ken Bruce, 10am-1pm

Stop for a special Christmas Day edition of PopMaster at 10:30 – and spend Christmas morning with Ken and his guests from the world of music & celebrity, dropping in to share their Christmas Day with the nation.

Simon Mayo, 1-4pm

Simon and the team bring you Christmas fun, food, confessions and the Kings Speech – set to a soundtrack of the Greatest Christmas Hits you need on Christmas day. Also, another chance to hear Rick Wakeman at the piano.

Kate Thornton’s Christmas Number Ones, 4-7pm

Kate Thornton, the youngest ever editor of Smash Hits magazine, celebrates Christmas Number 1s from across the decades and tells the stories of the chart battles over the coveted top spot.

Band Aid and the Class of ‘84 7-8pm

Another chance to hear this special Programme that celebrates one of the greatest years of chart music ever, 1984. Culminating with the story of Band Aid and celebrating its legacy as the original release hits its 40th anniversary this December.

Boxing Day

The Best of The Guests with Simon Mayo, 4-7pm

Simon reflects on a great year of guests and specials with some of the world’s biggest artists, including when Simon met Bruce Springsteen.

Friday 27th - Tuesday 31st December

Top 500 2024

We replay in full Greatest Hits Radio’s Top 500 for 2024. The Greatest Hits that have defined the nations most listened to commercial radio station, as voted by you. Andy Crane reveals the number 1 just before 7pm on New Years Eve.

New Years Eve

Hogmanay with Boogie and Arlene, 7-10pm

Into the evening on New Years Eve, Boogie and Arlene are in Edinburgh where the Hogmanay celebrations are underway.

Groove Years Eve with Des Paul 10pm-1am

Join Des with the ultimate party soundtrack as we say goodbye to 2024 and hello to a brand-new year – includes the chimes before midnight and the start of 2025!

New Years Day

Ken Bruce’s Golden Years, 7-10pm

Ken is joined by stars from the world of stage & screen to find out their Golden Year of music from the 70s, 80s or 90s. They’ll play their favourite songs from the year and share the stories and memories that made it special.

Ken returns to his usual show, 10am-1pm, on Monday 6th Jan.

Thursday 2nd Jan

Simon Mayo’s Best of The Confessions – 7-10pm

Join Simon and the team as they gather around the Parish Noticeboard for a look at the Confessions highlights of 2024.

Simon also returns to his usual show, 4-7pm, on Monday 6th Jan.

How to listen to Greatest Hits Radio this festive season:

Listen to Greatest Hits Radio on the free Rayo app, online or on your DAB digital radio. You can also listen on your smart speaker by saying “Play Greatest Hits Radio”.

Now watch the Greatest Hits Radio family debate Celebrations: Best and worst! 🍬

Ken Bruce reads The Night Before Christmas:

Now take part in our Christmas song lyrics quiz:

Lyrics...

Guess the song from these lyrics, and then scroll down for the answers:


1) "Under the ground there is the sound of a symphony, the lights are low, the fire is bright..." -

2) "Said Santa to a boy child, What have you been longing for? All I want for Christmas is a rock'n' roll electric guitar..." -

3) "Later we'll have some pumpkin pie and we'll do some caroling... (pumpkin pie anyone?)"

4) "I loved you from the start, 'cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart..."

5) "The mood is right, the spirit's up, we're here tonight, and that's enough..."

6) "The moon and stars seem awful cold and bright, let's hope the snow will make this Christmas right..."

7) "Peace on Earth can it be? Years from now, perhaps we'll see?"

8) "My tears could melt the snow, what can I do without you? I've got no place, no place to go..."

9) "I wanna wish you a merry Christmas, from the bottom of my heart..."

10) "A&P has provided me with the world's smallest turkey, already in the oven, nice and hot...
Oh damn! Guess what I forgot?"




1) The Wombles – Wombling Merry Christmas


2) Chuck Berry - Run Rudolph Run


3) Kim Wilde and Mel Smith (or Brenda Lee!) - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree


4) The Ramones - Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)


5) Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmastime


6) Queen - Thank God It's Christmas


7) David Bowie and Bing Crosby – Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy


8) Mud - Lonely This Christmas


9) José Feliciano - Feliz Navidad


10) The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping


Read more:

Ken Bruce's Christmas Decoration for 2024