To think it is ABSOLUTELY AWESOME to live in a country that would put 10 hours of War and Peace on national Radio on New Year's Day...AND has national stations like 1extra??

[vinegarandbrownpaper]

Loving the absorption of W&P..

[EBearhug]

You can access it outside the country now we have the internet. (Nonetheless, I can't imagine my life without R4.)

[BringMeTea]

YANBU.

[Bettercallsaul1]

Yes! (as long as someone is listening...!)

[Suzannewithaplan]

yes, I love radio, and podcasts :)

[ZeroSomeGameThingy]

Agree about (the currently fabulous) War & Peace. (Though I need the loo!)

Absolutely hate and despise the separatist, ghettoist creation of 1Extra - just the thought of it made me sad when it started. How can the BBC be so clumsy? But I don't listen so perhaps things have changed?

[grumblepuss]

Yes!
I love the BBC. I've never appreciated in more after spending a week in the US with their dire radio and news.

[LadyGlen]

Agree about War and Peace. Although I have to go out later so I will miss a fair bit.

I remember thinking something similar when Radio 3 did the Bach month a few years ago.

Not sure about 1Extra, though.

[fredfredgeorgejnr]

Surely Radio 4 is as ghettoist as 1Extra - you either like the programming of the radio or you don't? Or are stations obliged to put programmes on you dislike so as not to only appeal to a certain group? I guess that would explain The Archers.

[UptheChimney]

YANBU. At all. I lived for some time in the US, where we had NPR, which is better than nothing but nothing like the BBC. My licence fee would be cheap at twice the price.

[Gruntfuttock]

When I saw the title of this thread I thought "I bet EBearhug posted that". Well I was wrong, but she was the first person to reply. I love Radio 4 too.

[awfulomission]

I love the BBC and if for some reason R4 were taken off air I'd be lost. That they've done it is fabulous.

However, for me personally, 10 hours of W&P is a bridge too far as I can't bear it. Every radio in the house has been tuned to 4Extra today. Next time they may choose to do 10 hours of something I like and then I'll plan to be in and in earshot of a radio everywhere.

For now - enjoy all you fans - for tomorrow the schedule by which I run my life returns and all is well again with the world.

[awfulomission]

And I'd pay my licence fee for the listening of R4 all year alone.

Except for Brain of Britain and Counterpoint.

[stinkingbishop]

Agree. Utterly. And I wholeheartedly commend whoever was brave enough to sign it off as an idea. I imagine it was a bit of a fight.

I once sat and listened to an elderly lady from another, wartorn country, saying I would never realise how important the BBC is, not just here, but round the world. It symbolised trust for them, and hope, and decency, that intelligent, nice human beings could prevail, and kept them going. Every time someone snipes about the Beeb, I think of her.

[ChillieJeanie]

This seems appropriate for this thread (bear in mind it was written a few years ago though...)

[JennyBlueWren]

Many years ago I enjoyed listening to (and reading along to) Harry Potter on Boxing Day. The only time my dad's let me read at the dinner table!

Hadn't known W&P was on -will see if it's on listen again.

[OxonConfusedDotCom]

Agree, brave & fab to have such a heavyweight, highbrow bingefest! Listened to an hr or so while washing up.

[hackmum]

awfulomission: "And I'd pay my licence fee for the listening of R4 all year alone."

Me too. I hate it when people complain about the licence fee. R4 is brilliant and there is nothing like it in any other country as far as I can see.

I couldn't, however, have listened to War and Peace all day. I don't have 10 hours to spare even on New Year's Day! And I read the book about 15 months ago so it would feel too soon anyway. But am quite happy that they have done it and that other people will get pleasure from it.

[TheHappinessTrap]

I was excited about this too, just the concept though, no way I was going to sit down to the whole 10 hours. Reminded me of when I was younger and radio stations would play whole albums.

[MiddleAgeMiddleEngland]

I've had it on at various times during the day. It's about 25 years since I read it so sometimes hard to pick up the plot again.

An amazing idea, can't believe they did it. I thought it was going to be on R4 Extra, but no, on actual R4. It's made me want to read W&P again.

Radio 4 is so amazing, one of my favourite things. It makes me feel a bit sad that we don't pay for it (we don't have a TV so no licence fee), and I'd happily pay a smaller fee just for R4. Our bedside radio switches it on for us each morning and I love to lie there for a bit listening to the Today programme.

Thank you BBC.

[GwenaelleLaGourmande]

I never understand why people criticise the Beeb - other than usual gripes. It is wonderful and the right wing (press and Tories) hatred of it is just bizarre. When you live abroad and have to deal with forrin media :) you really appreciate it.

[OnlyLovers]

YANBU. It is awesome, although I haven't listened and realistically won't.

It's equally awesome that 6Music has the sometimes obscure programming it does. And Asian Network. And 1Extra. IMO it's the BBC's privilege but also their responsibility as a non-commercial organisation to provide a range of options including slightly niche ones. Commercial bodies wouldn't touch a lot of the BBC's output with a bargepole and that's as it should be.

[wobblyweebles]

I live in the US and listen to R4 a lot of the time. Also listen to NPR when I'm in the mood.

[Icimoi]

Absolutely. I love the fact that the BBC is brave enough to do things like this, and also the fact that I regularly hear fascinating, quirky programmes just by turning on Radio 4 at random. I think the licence is fabulous value for money.

[Theas18]

Love it!

[ZeroSomeGameThingy]

Please, please could someone confirm who is playing Nikolai? The dreadful faux vintage cast list says Sam Reid. I have never heard this person's voice before - but it sounds like someone else.