Not long before the Christmas Radio Times is out.

WHILE looking into the TV schedule for next week to see if there was any interesting new series to put in my weekly TV segment on my blog, which has not been happening over the last few weeks. I put that down to Christmas. Thinking of Christmas my mind then drifted to Christmas and the pending release of the Radio Times Christmas/New Year edition, like when will it be released and how much will it set me back?

I can’t remember a time the Radio Times was not part of my Christmas the simple answer, never. It’s been the one constant other than receiving a present always there for reference more so years back.

As a kid, we would have it on order around our local shop and with my receding memory, the Radio Times would be first in then the TV Times. Back then the Radio Times just covered BBC TV shows, television, and radio while in the TV Times it was the commercial channel ITV. Listen up youngsters we had three channels in those distant dark days BBC One and Two and ITV.

I pick the above 1977 editions as examples both cost 26p back in 1977 and the devil in side me wondered what the two would cost on eBay. It was a bit of a shock and got me thinking why the hell didn’t I save them the two would set you back nearly £60 a nice mark-up.

In my home, it wouldn't be Christmas without a copy next to me even though I don’t need it. In these days of free information, does anyone really need a copy? Not really, however I will always part with cash to own it. The TV Times is still out there but there is no need to buy it as most channels including ITV are in the Radio Times these days.

We only have one TV in our house and I had no control over the television other than being the remote control for my mum and dad but I would sit there writing out a list of what I wanted to watch but I could dream. Today you can watch TV just about anywhere I have a phone, pad, laptop and TV of which in this house I am king, king of the remote control.

It’s scheduled to be released on Saturday 9th December in London and the South East and will be available nationwide by Tuesday 12th December. However its normally available at the first date around here.

Turkey, presents… a highlighter pen and a copy of the Radio Times Christmas double issue. Now that’s a proper Christmas! The Christmas Radio Times is so big (nearly 300 pages) and so jam packed full of interviews, features and the best TV, film and radio listings for a full two-weeks and I can’t wait.