It's Merry Spooksmas! Our full on Halloween Episode explores some British artists with spookily-titled songs, an ex-haunting via The IT Crowd, and some creepy Cornish tales of death and the supernatural. We also finish the first round of the BIG XMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN and kick off Round Two! 

The Fratellis - Halloween Blues

Laura Marling - Ghosts 

Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave 

Spooky Xmas music copyright free by Myuu 

In our first October episode of the year, I get to grips with some British artists with slightly spooky names who released original Christmas songs, a haunting tale of St Nicholas' bones from Inside No 9, and set up the final group of the first round of the BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN!

Boo Hewerdine - Xmas Morning

The Spook School - Someone To Spend Xmas With

Mogwai - Xmas Song 

Dog Is Dead - TV Xmas

Spooky Xmas music copyright free by Myuu 

In our first BER episode of 2023, I get extra festive with a look at Not Going Out's second seasonal episode, Absent Father Christmas, as well as discussing Band Aid 20, the 20th anniversary release from 2004. And, as all through this year, I share the results of the last round and the face-offs of the next round of the BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN!

Band Aid 20

Keith Lemon - Do They Know It's Xmas Lockdown

Daddy's Home 2 - Do They Know It's Xmas 

Gavin & Stacey Do They Know Sing-Along

In our August 23 episode, I take a look at a 90s nostalgia-hit of rural Sunday night watching with a festive Heartbeat episode, listen to some (supposedly) comedic Christmas songs, and continue the GREAT BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN! Get voting at Merry Britsmas 

Ricky Tomlinson - Xmas My Arse

The Goodies - Father Xmas Do Not Touch Me

The Goodies - Make a Daft Noise for Xmas 

Dora Bryan - All I Want For Xmas Is A Beatle

It's Xmas in July! Let's get extra festive with some British covers of The Christmas Song, an exploration of timey wimey Dr Who episode Last Christmas, and the next round of voting in the Big Christmas Number One Showdown!

The Xmas Song covers:

Smith & Burrows

Delegation

Clare Teal

Joss Stone

In the summery 47th episode of Merry Britsmas, I take a look at a festive episode of strange sitcom Mandy, listen to a ever-so-slightly summery folksy Xmas record from The Boy Least Likely To, and continue to run down the BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN! Go to https://twitter.com/MerryBritsmas to vote, share, and comment! 

Listen & buy via Bandcamp: The Boy Least Likely To - Christmas Special

In our May episode, I look at some more under-heard alternative British festive songs, discuss a tangentially Coronation linked episode of King Gary, and start my BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN POLL! Vote at Merry Britsmas 

Snow Patrol - When I Get Home For Xmas 

Bird to Beast - Winter Snow 

Shy Nature - Xmas Lullaby   

Sandra's Wedding - Spite Xmas

In my April episode, we go a little bit sweet for Easter with British covers of A Marshmallow World, explore the final chapter of Christmas at War, and take a look at an outdated classic British sitcom called On The Buses. 

Deacon Blue - Marshmallow World

Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler - Marshmallow World

In the March 2023 episode of Merry Britsmas, I explore some alternative, little known (but brilliant) British indie christmas songs from the likes of Oh Wonder and Gaffa Tape Sandy. I also look at how nurses and hospitals dealt with the festive season during World War II, and take a gander at a BBC Sherlock Holmes episode set during the holidays. 

Oh Wonder - This Xmas 

Citizen Helene - On Xmas Day 

Mary Hepworth - The Wolf & The Woods 

Gaffa Tape Sandy - Black Xmas 

In a kind-of-but-not-really Valentine Special, I explore My Family's Xmas Special, The Heart of Christmas, British covers of the heartbreak festive tune Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), and more stories of the frontline during WWII during the holidays. 

Xmas (Baby Please Come Home) covers:

Leona Lewis

KT Tunstall

Olly Murs 

Slow Club