22/12/2017

0:00:05 > 0:00:07Hello - this is Breakfast,

0:00:07 > 0:00:09with Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty.

0:00:09 > 0:00:11An early Christmas present for motorists as hundred

0:00:11 > 0:00:14of roadworks are temporarily lifted.

0:00:14 > 0:00:16But there's a warning that there'll still be severe delays

0:00:16 > 0:00:20as millions of drivers take to the roads on one of the busiest

0:00:20 > 0:00:27days of the year.

0:00:27 > 0:00:33I am here at the RAC control centre in Birmingham are expecting a busy

0:00:33 > 0:00:36day as the Christmas getaway begins.

0:00:44 > 0:00:48Good morning - it's Friday 22nd December.

0:00:48 > 0:00:49Also this morning:

0:00:49 > 0:00:52The woman who accused the former deputy prime minister Damian Green

0:00:52 > 0:00:55of inappropriate behaviour, says a Downing Street official knew

0:00:55 > 0:00:57of claims against him before he was promoted.

0:00:57 > 0:01:00Back to blue - the colour of the British passport will change

0:01:00 > 0:01:09when we leave the European Union.

0:01:09 > 0:01:14In sport, the best of football kicks off tonight with Arsenal looking for

0:01:14 > 0:01:18seasonal jeweller by replacing liveable in the top four Champions

0:01:18 > 0:01:33League places. -- seasonal joy. -- Liverpool.

0:01:33 > 0:01:37Six Breakfast presenters, what could possibly go wrong?

0:01:37 > 0:01:41And Carol has the weather.

0:01:41 > 0:01:47The forecast for the next few days is mild. Rain at times. Also windy

0:01:47 > 0:01:52across the north-west. The brightest conditions in the east and

0:01:52 > 0:01:54north-east.

0:01:54 > 0:01:56Good morning.

0:01:56 > 0:02:06First, our main story.

0:02:06 > 0:02:09Hundreds of miles of roadworks have been suspended by Highways England

0:02:09 > 0:02:10as the great Christmas getaway begins.

0:02:10 > 0:02:13Today is predicted to be the busiest travel day

0:02:13 > 0:02:15of the festive period, with millions of extra vehicles

0:02:15 > 0:02:16taking to the roads.

0:02:16 > 0:02:19There's good news for rail travellers as planned strike action

0:02:19 > 0:02:21on the West Coast mainline has been called off.

0:02:21 > 0:02:24Our reporter Kathryn Stanczyszyn is at the RAC's

0:02:24 > 0:02:24headquarters in Walsall.

0:02:24 > 0:02:29How is it looking?It looks like it might be the calm before the storm.

0:02:29 > 0:02:32Still looking pretty quiet out there. And in here as well although

0:02:32 > 0:02:37staff say they are gearing up for an extremely busy day. It is a double

0:02:37 > 0:02:41whammy before Christmas because it's fat Friday that people go away for

0:02:41 > 0:02:46the Christmas weekend. It would be busy anyway but of course, you've

0:02:46 > 0:02:50still got people who are finishing work today, finishing school because

0:02:50 > 0:02:55of the way Christmas has fallen and that is why it's being advised to

0:02:55 > 0:03:03and avoid journeys if you don't have to do them. It's going to be

0:03:03 > 0:03:06exceptionally busy, particularly between 4pm and 8pm tonight and if

0:03:06 > 0:03:11you don't have to make a journey, if it is visiting auntie Mildred and

0:03:11 > 0:03:16uncle Bob, you can do it tomorrow it's just a supermarket, you can do

0:03:16 > 0:03:22it elsewhere. The motorways and the roads will be busy. 3 million people

0:03:22 > 0:03:28will be expected on the roads today. It will be busy at our ports and

0:03:28 > 0:03:33ports and international train stations around 4.5 million people

0:03:33 > 0:03:37expected to get away there as well. But some good news for travellers

0:03:37 > 0:03:43today. 392 miles of roadworks which caused so much misery have been

0:03:43 > 0:03:48suspended from midnight last night all the way up to the second of

0:03:48 > 0:03:51January so that should help you if you are getting out and about and

0:03:51 > 0:03:55also good news for rail travellers as well. That Virgin Trains strike

0:03:55 > 0:04:02has been suspended. Here at the RAC, they are saying determination will

0:04:02 > 0:04:05get them through today because it will be a busy one.

0:04:05 > 0:04:07The woman who alleged Damian Green made inappropriate advances

0:04:07 > 0:04:13to her has told BBC News she spoke to a senior Downing Street official

0:04:13 > 0:04:15about his behaviour - before he was promoted

0:04:15 > 0:04:16to First Secretary of State.

0:04:16 > 0:04:19Number Ten denies Theresa May was aware of the claims.

0:04:19 > 0:04:22Mr Green was sacked on Wednesday for making misleading statements

0:04:22 > 0:04:24about the discovery of pornography on his Commons computer

0:04:24 > 0:04:25nine years ago.

0:04:25 > 0:04:32Our political correspondent Leila Nathoo is in Westminster.

0:04:32 > 0:04:43How damaging are these new claims?

0:04:43 > 0:04:50I think it is an increasingly serious suggestion that number ten

0:04:50 > 0:04:55new about Damien Green before he was promoted to number ten flatly denies

0:04:55 > 0:04:59the Prime Minister knew anything about it but it does raise questions

0:04:59 > 0:05:03about the culture here in Westminster, the working culture,

0:05:03 > 0:05:06how serious the allegations of inappropriate behaviour were taken

0:05:06 > 0:05:11in the past. Remember, it was Kate Moore to be, the Young conservative

0:05:11 > 0:05:19activist, her claims that Damien Green Centre suggested texts,

0:05:19 > 0:05:24touched her on the knee fleetingly. It is those claims which led to the

0:05:24 > 0:05:32investigation. She says she told the BBC yesterday that she was coming

0:05:32 > 0:05:35forward because she said things needed to change your in

0:05:35 > 0:05:45Westminster.There seemed to be an improper mixing of mental ship and

0:05:45 > 0:05:53sexual advance within the Conservative Party. -- mentorship.

0:05:53 > 0:05:57In his case, I was aware he was the Deputy Prime Minister and I was

0:05:57 > 0:06:02aware that number ten new about it. The investigation into Damien Green

0:06:02 > 0:06:09found Kate Moore to be plausible but Damien Green, although he has

0:06:09 > 0:06:16apologised, he says he does not recognise that version of events.

0:06:16 > 0:06:20Competing accounts of what were private meetings. Downing Street

0:06:20 > 0:06:26said it was very clear that he wants everybody to work in Westminster.

0:06:26 > 0:06:31The party leaders are working together to try to implement new

0:06:31 > 0:06:36grievance procedures. Parliament is also trying to put new measures in

0:06:36 > 0:06:40place but it will take a lot of convincing for people to think that

0:06:40 > 0:06:45things really have changed. They will be taken seriously. And that

0:06:45 > 0:06:50action will be taken against people against whom claims are made.

0:06:53 > 0:06:56Boris Johnson will warn Russia to stop cyber attacks which threaten

0:06:56 > 0:06:59Britain's national security or face retaliation of a similar kind

0:06:59 > 0:07:00from the UK.

0:07:00 > 0:07:02He's making the first visit to Moscow

0:07:02 > 0:07:05by a British Foreign Secretary for more than five years.

0:07:05 > 0:07:08He'll say he wants the two countries to co-operate on international

0:07:08 > 0:07:16challenges, including the threat posed by North Korea.

0:07:16 > 0:07:19Pro-independence parties in Catalonia have won a majority

0:07:19 > 0:07:21of the seats in an election for the regional parliament.

0:07:21 > 0:07:25The result is a setback for the Spanish government,

0:07:25 > 0:07:28which called the poll after an independence referendum

0:07:28 > 0:07:31held by the region in October was declared unlawful.

0:07:31 > 0:07:41Speaking in Brussels, where he is in self-imposed exile,

0:07:41 > 0:07:43Speaking in Brussels, where he is in self-imposed exile,

0:07:43 > 0:07:45the Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said

0:07:45 > 0:07:47the "the Spanish state had been defeated".

0:07:47 > 0:07:50A man is being questioned on suspicion of murdering a woman

0:07:50 > 0:07:53who was stabbed in a supermarket in North Yorkshire yesterday.

0:07:53 > 0:07:55The 30-year-old woman was attacked in an Aldi

0:07:55 > 0:07:56store in Skipton.

0:07:56 > 0:07:59Police said the suspect, who's 44, was detained by shoppers

0:07:59 > 0:07:59and supermarket staff.

0:07:59 > 0:08:03The dark blue British passport is to make a return after Brexit.

0:08:03 > 0:08:05The government said what it described as the "classic" colour

0:08:05 > 0:08:07would be reintroduced from October 2019.

0:08:07 > 0:08:13Here's our Home Affairs Correspondent Tom Symonds.

0:08:13 > 0:08:14What does Brexit mean?

0:08:14 > 0:08:19It turns out Brexit means no more European burgundy.

0:08:19 > 0:08:21Brexit means British blue.

0:08:21 > 0:08:24And on the new passport, the E word is nowhere to be seen.

0:08:24 > 0:08:28Some like this person will rejoice.

0:08:28 > 0:08:38It is the reality of what we are, where we feel we belong.

0:08:38 > 0:08:42And for some people, pocket sized burgundy simply is not

0:08:42 > 0:08:45British.

0:08:45 > 0:08:48The past is something so many people still have fond memories of.

0:08:48 > 0:08:51The British blue passport was with you for many years.

0:08:51 > 0:08:55I am pleased to let people know we are going back to the classic

0:08:55 > 0:08:56blue and gold design.

0:08:56 > 0:08:57Not quite.

0:08:57 > 0:09:00The classic 1980s era passport was bigger and hard-backed.

0:09:00 > 0:09:04The EU one, definitely easier to slip into a shirt pocket.

0:09:04 > 0:09:10The new one will be the same design.

0:09:10 > 0:09:13The government says the new colour will not cost any more.

0:09:13 > 0:09:15Passports are redesigned regularly to make them harder to forge.

0:09:15 > 0:09:20The blue one will start appearing in 2019 as passports are renewed.

0:09:20 > 0:09:29Tom Symonds, BBC News.

0:09:29 > 0:09:33MPs are calling for the introduction of a national deposit scheme for

0:09:33 > 0:09:37plastic bottles to protect the sea from pollution. The Environmental

0:09:37 > 0:09:42Audit Committee wants free drinking water and public premises and using

0:09:42 > 0:09:48phones which uses plastic house -- packaging companies financially

0:09:48 > 0:09:52responsible. A policeman in the US State of Florida has been dragged by

0:09:52 > 0:09:57half a mile. Despite falling off at high speed, the officer was

0:09:57 > 0:10:04unharmed. Filmed by his body camera.

0:10:04 > 0:10:08Have you got ID? A police officer in Florida are putting on protective

0:10:08 > 0:10:14gloves. This car pulled over with two suspects inside. The officer has

0:10:14 > 0:10:18spotted what he believes could be heroin and needles in is about to

0:10:18 > 0:10:29search the vehicle. But the driver has other idea.It's going to be in

0:10:29 > 0:10:34front of Cambridge and M.Clinging to the open door and with one foot

0:10:34 > 0:10:38in the car, he takes off at high speed. Despite his shouts, the

0:10:38 > 0:10:46driver shows no signs of slowing down. For the officer, this

0:10:46 > 0:10:56unexpected ride is only and in one way. -- ending one way. Amazingly,

0:10:56 > 0:11:01the officer gets back on his speech. The suspect is long gone but the

0:11:01 > 0:11:07video camera is still recording.You are a hero, awesome.The Pembroke

0:11:07 > 0:11:11Pines police Force later posted this to ditch that Facebook, the office

0:11:11 > 0:11:17are somehow unharmed.I came and saw syringes everywhere.And with the

0:11:17 > 0:11:22evidence they need to pursue these dangerous drivers.You got the

0:11:22 > 0:11:34camera.Good job.All should on camera. -- should on camera. -- all

0:11:34 > 0:11:36captured on camera.

0:11:36 > 0:11:38Now, what do you think a Japanese Christmas tradition

0:11:38 > 0:11:39would look like?

0:11:39 > 0:11:48Something like this.

0:11:49 > 0:11:53A choir of around 10,000 people get together each

0:11:53 > 0:11:56year to perform Beethoven's ninth symphony.

0:11:56 > 0:11:58It's thought the tradition began during the First World War

0:11:58 > 0:12:03when a group of German prisoners of war being held in the country

0:12:03 > 0:12:21sang 'Ode to Joy' at Christmas time.

0:12:21 > 0:12:26Wow, that would get in the mood. A busy time. They play mostly tomorrow

0:12:26 > 0:12:30and Boxing Day as well. They don't have any time off but we don't feel

0:12:30 > 0:12:42sorry to them. With the wages they get.Borno State told to hold.They

0:12:42 > 0:12:50can't have that extra roast potato? Arsenal against Liverpool. It's a

0:12:50 > 0:12:56big victory to kickoff the traditional run of festive fixtures.

0:12:56 > 0:13:06Chamberlain returns to his old ground as Arsenal hosts Liverpool.

0:13:06 > 0:13:10Milk was thrown and it all turned sour but both Mancheter clubs have

0:13:10 > 0:13:13escaped punishment after the Rumble in the Tunnel folowing the recent

0:13:13 > 0:13:13derby.

0:13:13 > 0:13:16And the start of the Six Nations is still six weeks away,

0:13:16 > 0:13:19but two of England's stars may miss the tournament.

0:13:19 > 0:13:23And South Africa's Devon Peterson is at it again at the PD World Darts

0:13:23 > 0:13:25Championship.

0:13:25 > 0:13:28You might remember his walk-on efforts going viral in year's gone

0:13:28 > 0:13:37by - this was his latest effort at Ally Pally -

0:13:37 > 0:13:41but it couldn't stop him going to defeat against Darren Webster.

0:13:41 > 0:13:46He is really put a lot of effort into that. The precision, the

0:13:46 > 0:13:53make-up. I have another story after the weather. Carol was in sparkling

0:13:53 > 0:13:59form. As always. Even more so. In a sparkle has come out. Good morning,

0:13:59 > 0:14:04Carol. Good morning, all. This morning, not very sparkly outside.

0:14:04 > 0:14:09It is quite grey but it's also a mild. It will continue in that way

0:14:09 > 0:14:13as we had on towards Christmas. Some drizzle around, some of us seeing

0:14:13 > 0:14:17some splashes of rain but the drizzle was clearing away. This

0:14:17 > 0:14:21ridge of high pressure builds across us and as you can see from the

0:14:21 > 0:14:25squeeze on those isobars, breezy in the north of the country but in the

0:14:25 > 0:14:31south, in south-west England, there is a fair bit of drizzle. A lot of

0:14:31 > 0:14:38low cloud around. And it is mild. Some murky conditions around. For

0:14:38 > 0:14:41East Anglia and the Midlands, a lot of cloud as well. Seven o'clock, 10

0:14:41 > 0:14:48Celsius. Also some patchy frog across northern and -- northern

0:14:48 > 0:14:53England and Central Scotland. Northern Scotland seeing a fine

0:14:53 > 0:15:04start to the day. Northern Ireland, YouTube have some patchy fog. We

0:15:04 > 0:15:10have also got some drizzle across southern and western parts of Wales.

0:15:10 > 0:15:16There is a weather front -- the weather front taking things with it.

0:15:16 > 0:15:21Behind, there will still be a lot of cloud around. The brightest breaks

0:15:21 > 0:15:26will be across eastern Scotland and also north-east England.

0:15:26 > 0:15:30Temperatures rise, -- temperature-wise, pushing down

0:15:30 > 0:15:36towards Cardiff. Overnight, it could be fairly cloudy and once again,

0:15:36 > 0:15:41some patchy mist and fog. It's also going to be breezy in the North with

0:15:41 > 0:15:48coming in. Not particularly heavy. To visualise, between five and 10

0:15:48 > 0:15:56degrees. Most of those temperatures are pretty good overnight lows.

0:15:56 > 0:16:01Tomorrow, we start off on a cloudy note. The front is still across the

0:16:01 > 0:16:06North of Scotland. Fairly windy. Elsewhere, the wind won't be as

0:16:06 > 0:16:11noticeable. Much lighter but still cloudy with one or two brighter

0:16:11 > 0:16:20breaks. The temperature creeping up in Aberdeen. In the Christmas Eve,

0:16:20 > 0:16:24if you're travelling, we still have a weather front. Bringing in some

0:16:24 > 0:16:32heavy rain. By then, starting to mount up. Can see how it sinks into

0:16:32 > 0:16:41southern Scotland. Some showers and murky conditions. A mild day

0:16:41 > 0:16:44generally. For Christmas Day, if you're travelling, it's going to be

0:16:44 > 0:16:52wet across the northern half. We still have the south-westerlies

0:16:52 > 0:17:07coming in. Not quite as great.

0:17:07 > 0:17:12I think this is on every front page. One picture dominating this morning.

0:17:12 > 0:17:17The royal pictures, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Their engagement

0:17:17 > 0:17:24shots. Some people commenting on that, others just using it as a

0:17:24 > 0:17:28moment. The other main story, following on from Damian Green, the

0:17:28 > 0:17:34suggestion that police turned on officers who brought down Green.

0:17:34 > 0:17:37There are questions about the behaviour of the police in the

0:17:37 > 0:17:41run-up to the revelations.The black-and-white version of that

0:17:41 > 0:17:44action, Harry and Meghan Markle on the front page of the Telegraph,

0:17:44 > 0:17:49also leading with that story about the police, saying that they had a

0:17:49 > 0:17:58Green vendetta, according to Boris Johnson.On the front page of the

0:17:58 > 0:18:03Daily Mirror, a very different story. A suggestion of a Russian spy

0:18:03 > 0:18:06in Downing Street, standing inches behind Theresa May. A political aide

0:18:06 > 0:18:12was arrested yesterday over claims he has been spying.Boris Johnson is

0:18:12 > 0:18:18on his way to Russia. The UK is prepared and able to launch a

0:18:18 > 0:18:21massive retaliatory cyber attack against Russia, he warned yesterday.

0:18:21 > 0:18:25And on the front page of this newspaper, the return of the blue

0:18:25 > 0:18:29British passport. That is coming back after Brexit.Well, we've heard

0:18:29 > 0:18:34of grunting in tennis. Putting off opponents. Now there are accusations

0:18:34 > 0:18:44of coughing in darts, on the cue. -- occy. Bernie Smith throwing arrows

0:18:44 > 0:18:48from the occy, and behind him is Justin Smith. Nothing was set at the

0:18:48 > 0:18:53time. Justin had a cough. It was one of the commentators on TV who said

0:18:53 > 0:18:56it was disgusting trying to put him off.It seems to be happening at

0:18:56 > 0:19:03particular moments?Yes, and not turning away.So who won?The bloke

0:19:03 > 0:19:07coughing one, but there was no complaint from Bernie at the time.

0:19:07 > 0:19:10It was the commentator who raised it, saying that Justin should be

0:19:10 > 0:19:14investigated. He has hit back, saying he certainly didn't mean to

0:19:14 > 0:19:18put anybody off and it is hurtful to him and his family has been accused

0:19:18 > 0:19:22of this. He said he would never do anything like that. It might be a

0:19:22 > 0:19:25story that just goes away, it depends if the comments are taken

0:19:25 > 0:19:29further.I am thinking of snooker, the accepted norm is that there is

0:19:29 > 0:19:33no noise.Yes, darts is different because there is the enthusiastic

0:19:33 > 0:19:37crowd. They do tend to go quiet for the vital points. Now, Santa Claus

0:19:37 > 0:19:48wears a red, but Sam Allardyce is wearing a blue hat and bringing some

0:19:48 > 0:19:51festive cheer to the Children's Hospital in Liverpool. His team are

0:19:51 > 0:19:57in good form, so he is smiling away. That looks white.No, the hat is

0:19:57 > 0:20:06blue. And what looks like red, Angry Bird.The whole team turned out?

0:20:06 > 0:20:10Yes, lots of teams do their bit at this time of year. It is all over

0:20:10 > 0:20:13social media this weekend, teams going to local hospitals and helping

0:20:13 > 0:20:17out.I will draw attention to the inside pages, you might have heard,

0:20:17 > 0:20:22there has been lots of hype. The musical Hamilton, which has been an

0:20:22 > 0:20:26amazing success story in the United States on Broadway. It had its

0:20:26 > 0:20:30opening night in London last night. Almost all the critics now agree,

0:20:30 > 0:20:35believe the hype. Sensational. A view of the others have in talking

0:20:35 > 0:20:40about this. The reviewer says, I didn't want the interval to happen.

0:20:40 > 0:20:45I was sorry when the show ended.I feel a bit ignorant about this.

0:20:45 > 0:20:49Hamilton, the musical. It has had this extraordinary reception in the

0:20:49 > 0:20:54US.What is it about?It is sort of a story about... It is in American

0:20:54 > 0:20:59history story, really. It involves, as it explains here, what they call

0:20:59 > 0:21:06the maelstrom of wrap, hip-hop and the ballet and jazz. -- rap. So it

0:21:06 > 0:21:11works as a historical monument, but also a show in its own right.It is

0:21:11 > 0:21:14about Alexander Hamilton, a leading politician in the creation of the

0:21:14 > 0:21:17United States. A bit of contrast. It's good, but don't believe the

0:21:17 > 0:21:21hype. That is what the Daily Mail says. Hamilton is no revolution.

0:21:21 > 0:21:25These things are no good if they don't divide us.Exactly.We will

0:21:25 > 0:21:29see later on, my. -- Mike.

0:21:29 > 0:21:31Are you prepared for Christmas dinner?

0:21:31 > 0:21:35Lots of us still aren't and today is expected to be the busiest day

0:21:35 > 0:21:39of the year for food and drink sales as we stock up for the big day.

0:21:39 > 0:21:42In a moment we'll hear from John Maguire, who's

0:21:42 > 0:21:45at a hospital in Stockport where staff are preparing to cook

0:21:45 > 0:21:47some of the 400,000 Christmas lunches the NHS will serve

0:21:47 > 0:21:48up across England.

0:21:48 > 0:21:51First, let's join Ben Thompson at a supermarket in East London,

0:21:51 > 0:21:53where the doors have just opened.

0:21:53 > 0:21:59Yeah, that's right. Welcome to east London. The doors at Morrisons have

0:21:59 > 0:22:02just opened and already people were queueing outside when I write this

0:22:02 > 0:22:05morning to make sure they get the last-minute things they need before

0:22:05 > 0:22:10Christmas. -- when I arrived. There are just two shopping days left for

0:22:10 > 0:22:14people to get their self-service supermarkets have a lot of work to

0:22:14 > 0:22:17make sure they get the right stuff on the right shelves at the right

0:22:17 > 0:22:21time. Let me run you through the numbers. We are expected to spend a

0:22:21 > 0:22:24staggering amount of money over the next 48 hours, about 1.5 million

0:22:24 > 0:22:29pounds. That is just over the next two days alone. -- £1.5 billion.

0:22:29 > 0:22:35That is up nearly 3% on last year. That is interesting, because there

0:22:35 > 0:22:39has been a lot of talk lately about whether we are tightening our belts,

0:22:39 > 0:22:42especially on things like food and drink. That is partly because food

0:22:42 > 0:22:47and drink prices have gone up. They are about 4% higher due to the

0:22:47 > 0:22:51inflation we have heard about this year. So, even though prices have

0:22:51 > 0:22:54risen we are still spending more. And for the big supermarkets, that

0:22:54 > 0:22:59has been good news. Their sales are up about 2%, for the big five

0:22:59 > 0:23:03supermarkets. They are cashing in on what is a pretty crucial time of

0:23:03 > 0:23:07year for them, to make sure that we spend and spend it with them. Let me

0:23:07 > 0:23:11introduce you to Jennifer. Good morning. Explain to me how you make

0:23:11 > 0:23:16sure you get all of this right. It is pretty crucial.Yes, it is the

0:23:16 > 0:23:20busiest time of year for us. To put it in context, we will sell about

0:23:20 > 0:23:24twice as much as normal in a typical week this week. It is a bit

0:23:24 > 0:23:29challenge. We have 1000 lorries on the roads, getting stock to our

0:23:29 > 0:23:33stores. We have lots of measures in place inside the stores to make sure

0:23:33 > 0:23:36that customers can to the right shelves. We have a new online

0:23:36 > 0:23:40ordering system that will help stop you to our stores and make sure it

0:23:40 > 0:23:44is the right stock.Just explain to me, we have a full weekend this

0:23:44 > 0:23:47year, so you can shop on Saturday and Sunday before Christmas Day,

0:23:47 > 0:23:51which is Monday. But Sunday is a sure today and that could catch

0:23:51 > 0:23:54people unawares?Yes, it is restricted due to Sunday trading

0:23:54 > 0:23:58hours. Customers will have six hours to shop on Sunday. At Morrisons we

0:23:58 > 0:24:02are doing what we can to make sure customers get what they need on

0:24:02 > 0:24:05Sunday. There are helpful reminders around the store. We know how

0:24:05 > 0:24:08frustrating it is if you forget an item on Christmas Eve. We have help

0:24:08 > 0:24:13is at the checkout to walk run to get items if you have forgotten one,

0:24:13 > 0:24:16and we have arrows all over the store pointing people to the right

0:24:16 > 0:24:19items.Thank you. So, that is how the supermarkets are preparing.

0:24:19 > 0:24:25Buying all the food we are going to cook. Who is going to cook it? My

0:24:25 > 0:24:30colleague John Maguire is in south of -- Southwark, with some people

0:24:30 > 0:24:34who have their work cut out over the next few days.Yes, a busy day. The

0:24:34 > 0:24:40NHS will be cooking the use of -- biggest Christmas lunch in the UK on

0:24:40 > 0:24:44Monday. There will be 1 million people working across the country on

0:24:44 > 0:24:48Christmas Day. The NHS will serve 400,000 meals. Here at Southwark

0:24:48 > 0:24:55Hospital, it is busy, it smells wonderful, they will cook 30

0:24:55 > 0:24:59turkeys, 3500 Russell sprouts, Love them or loathe them, and they will

0:24:59 > 0:25:05serve 450 patients, 250 staff. -- brussels sprouts. Let's see what is

0:25:05 > 0:25:09on the menu today, just one of the choices. A beautiful joint of beef.

0:25:09 > 0:25:13Some roast potatoes and some pigs in blankets. You can already smell the

0:25:13 > 0:25:17rosemary coming off the beef, it smells wonderful. We were here

0:25:17 > 0:25:21yesterday filming during a busy lunch service, and I spoke to a

0:25:21 > 0:25:25couple of patients to ask them what they thought of the food in the

0:25:25 > 0:25:29hospital.It is something you look forward to, yeah. As far as I'm

0:25:29 > 0:25:36concerned, it is this good.It is delicious. A surprise, because I'd

0:25:36 > 0:25:41always heard hospital food is, you know, not very good. Every meal is

0:25:41 > 0:25:45gorgeous. It really is.Satisfied customers all round. Greedy bubbling

0:25:45 > 0:25:51away. Paul, good morning. What do you cooking this morning?Just

0:25:51 > 0:25:55getting breakfast ready for the restaurant.Most people do not have

0:25:55 > 0:25:59a cooked breakfast in hospitals, but it is just for the people who really

0:25:59 > 0:26:02need to eat something in the mornings to get them going,

0:26:02 > 0:26:06especially some of the elderly patients. You'll do something like

0:26:06 > 0:26:11700 people, 900, on a normal day? How do you achieve that kind of

0:26:11 > 0:26:16level of service?Teamwork, you know. We go through the teamwork, we

0:26:16 > 0:26:20just crack on with it, you know? Can't stress out. You just get on

0:26:20 > 0:26:26with it.If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Let me

0:26:26 > 0:26:30show you his festive apron. Look at that. What a body. It certainly is

0:26:30 > 0:26:36Christmas. Let's come around and have a chat to Tracy. Good morning.

0:26:36 > 0:26:40The girls are chopping away, all very busy this morning. It is quite

0:26:40 > 0:26:46a challenge to feed that many people at the same time. You have so many

0:26:46 > 0:26:49different dietary requirements and speciality needs. How do you cope?

0:26:49 > 0:26:55Dawn is the back and of all this, she keeps it to gather.Absolutely.

0:26:55 > 0:26:59It is important to note is that you have the different dietary

0:26:59 > 0:27:02requirements?Yes, about eight or nine different dietary requirements,

0:27:02 > 0:27:07every lunchtime and evening.Good stuff. Lovely. The patient's order

0:27:07 > 0:27:10their food one day in advance. The system is very impressive and

0:27:10 > 0:27:15sophisticated. As we say, certainly the people we have spoken to so far

0:27:15 > 0:27:18have been satisfied customers. Wonderful smells from the kitchen. I

0:27:18 > 0:27:22hope we are not making you feel too hungry yet at home.Everybody looks

0:27:22 > 0:27:29very neat and tidy there stop don't they just.We will be back with John

0:27:29 > 0:27:32this morning, and Benjamin. We have been talking about people travelling

0:27:32 > 0:27:36back home for Christmas.Yes, if you need to know if there are any

0:27:36 > 0:30:59problems with the news travel and weather

0:30:59 > 0:31:01Plenty more on our website at the usual address.

0:31:01 > 0:31:12Now, though, it's back to Charlie and Naga.

0:31:12 > 0:31:14Hello this is Breakfast with Charlie Stayt and Naga

0:31:14 > 0:31:19Munchetty.

0:31:19 > 0:31:22We'll bring you all the latest news and sport in a moment.

0:31:22 > 0:31:23Do you remember these?

0:31:23 > 0:31:28Well the blue passport will be making a come back after Brexit.

0:31:28 > 0:31:30What could possibly go wrong?

0:31:30 > 0:31:32Six Breakfast presenters, one Christmas song and an audience

0:31:32 > 0:31:35of over 1000.

0:31:35 > 0:31:41See how we got on in rehearsals for our BBC Sing challenge.

0:31:41 > 0:31:46And after nine, finding their feet in their frozen world.

0:31:46 > 0:31:50The story of two polar bear cubs as they travel 400 miles

0:31:50 > 0:31:57in search of food.

0:31:57 > 0:32:02There is a summary of this morning's main stories.

0:32:02 > 0:32:05Hundreds of miles of roadworks have been suspended by Highways England

0:32:05 > 0:32:07as the great Christmas getaway begins.

0:32:07 > 0:32:10Today is predicted to be the busiest travel day

0:32:10 > 0:32:12of the festive period, with millions of extra vehicles

0:32:12 > 0:32:13taking to the roads.

0:32:13 > 0:32:15Many airports are also expecting a pre-Christmas rush.

0:32:15 > 0:32:18There is good news for rail travellers as planned strike action

0:32:18 > 0:32:25on the West Coast mainline has been called off.

0:32:25 > 0:32:29In a few minutes, we will talk to someone at the RAC headquarters for

0:32:29 > 0:32:31all the latest on the roads.

0:32:31 > 0:32:33Kate Maltby, the woman who alleged Damian Green made inappropriate

0:32:33 > 0:32:37advances to her, has told BBC News she spoke to a senior Downing Street

0:32:37 > 0:32:40official about his behaviour - before he was promoted

0:32:40 > 0:32:41to First Secretary of State.

0:32:41 > 0:32:44Number Ten denies Theresa May was aware of the claims.

0:32:44 > 0:32:47Mr Green was sacked on Wednesday for making misleading statements

0:32:47 > 0:32:49about the discovery of pornography on his Commons computer

0:32:49 > 0:32:55nine years ago.

0:32:55 > 0:32:59I wrote about the problem of sexual harassment in Westminster because I

0:32:59 > 0:33:03knew it was a persistent problem but I also knew of similar experiences

0:33:03 > 0:33:09with many other people in Westminster across all parties. What

0:33:09 > 0:33:15I was not seeking was a resignation. I've never called for Damien Green's

0:33:15 > 0:33:19resignation as an MP or minister, frankly I was expecting an apology.

0:33:19 > 0:33:21Boris Johnson will warn Russia to stop cyber attacks which threaten

0:33:21 > 0:33:24Britain's national security or face retaliation of a similar kind

0:33:24 > 0:33:25from the UK.

0:33:25 > 0:33:27He's making the first visit to Moscow

0:33:27 > 0:33:30by a British Foreign Secretary for more than five years.

0:33:30 > 0:33:33He'll say he wants the two countries to co-operate on international

0:33:33 > 0:33:36challenges, including the threat posed by North Korea.

0:33:36 > 0:33:37It will

0:33:37 > 0:33:39Pro-independence parties in Catalonia have won a majority

0:33:39 > 0:33:41of the seats in an election for the regional parliament.

0:33:41 > 0:33:44The result is a setback for the Spanish government,

0:33:44 > 0:33:49which called the poll after an independence referendum

0:33:49 > 0:33:51held by the region in October was declared unlawful.

0:33:51 > 0:33:55Speaking in Brussels, where he is in self-imposed exile,

0:33:55 > 0:33:58the Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said the "the Spanish state

0:33:58 > 0:34:08had been defeated".

0:34:08 > 0:34:13the dark blue British passport is to make a return after Brexit.It will

0:34:13 > 0:34:17replace the current burgundy design from October 20 19. The Immigration

0:34:17 > 0:34:21Minister said the change was a tangible symbol of the UK taking

0:34:21 > 0:34:25back control.

0:34:25 > 0:34:29A policeman in the US State of Florida has had a lucky escape after

0:34:29 > 0:34:34being dragged for more than half the Nile -- half a mile clinging to a

0:34:34 > 0:34:38car door.

0:34:38 > 0:34:41Officer John Cusack was about to carry out a search

0:34:41 > 0:34:44of the car after spotting the driver asleep, surrounded

0:34:44 > 0:34:44by suspicious packages.

0:34:44 > 0:34:47The video, recorded on a body-camera, shows the driver

0:34:47 > 0:34:50suddenly waking up and driving away with the officer still holding

0:34:50 > 0:34:51on to the car.

0:34:51 > 0:34:54Despite falling off at high speed, he was released from hospital

0:34:54 > 0:35:03the next day.

0:35:03 > 0:35:06The driver was eventually arrested and charged with attempted murder

0:35:06 > 0:35:10and drug offences.

0:35:10 > 0:35:17634 is the time. Mike is here with sport. Gearing of festive fun.

0:35:17 > 0:35:25Boxing Day as well. A busy time. Obviously a great time probably the

0:35:25 > 0:35:28only time in the year that families do that. And it kicks off tonight

0:35:28 > 0:35:35with Arsenal Holst in Liverpool. -- hosting.

0:35:35 > 0:35:38The festive run of fixtures in the Premier League kicks off

0:35:38 > 0:35:40tonight at the Emirates, where Arsenal welcome,

0:35:40 > 0:35:40Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.

0:35:40 > 0:35:42It'll be Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's first game

0:35:42 > 0:35:45against his former club, since leaving Arsenal in the summer,

0:35:45 > 0:35:48and his current manager, still thinks, the England midfielder

0:35:48 > 0:36:04can improve as he adjusts, to his new club's style of play.

0:36:04 > 0:36:08It is on the pitch, he needs to be involved in these situations as

0:36:08 > 0:36:13well. The moment, it is fine, I am all good. But I see space for as

0:36:13 > 0:36:17well.

0:36:17 > 0:36:20Milk was thrown and it all turned sour, Guardiola took the points,

0:36:20 > 0:36:22Mourinho got the pint.

0:36:22 > 0:36:24But both Manchester clubs have escaped punishment after the tunnel

0:36:24 > 0:36:27bust up at Old Trafford, folowing City's recent

0:36:27 > 0:36:272-1 derby win.

0:36:27 > 0:36:30Separately, Mourinho has also escaped with a warning

0:36:30 > 0:36:32about his pre-match comments, regarding match officials.

0:36:32 > 0:36:34Now, how about this for a Christmas present?

0:36:34 > 0:36:36Huddersfield Town defender Mathias Yorgensen has offered to buy

0:36:36 > 0:36:40a pint, for every fan who makes the 500 mile round trip

0:36:40 > 0:36:43to Southampton on Saturday.

0:36:43 > 0:36:46(TX OOV) It's payback for their amazing support,

0:36:46 > 0:36:49he says, but that's a round that could end up costing the defender,

0:36:49 > 0:36:57who's nicknamed "Zanka", over 8 thousand pounds....

0:36:57 > 0:37:02It easy to say yes, this is football, they get a lot of money,

0:37:02 > 0:37:08drive flashy cars but we are all people, we all just normal people

0:37:08 > 0:37:14that enjoyed the life that we have been given and sometimes, you get at

0:37:14 > 0:37:21the show that. Having thought about how much this is going cost you.

0:37:21 > 0:37:23It's Christmas anyway.

0:37:23 > 0:37:25It's Christmas anyway.

0:37:25 > 0:37:28England will be without, wing Elliot Daly, and back row

0:37:28 > 0:37:32Nathan Hughes for at least, half of the six nations.

0:37:32 > 0:37:35Daly has an ankle injury and could miss up to 12 weeks,

0:37:35 > 0:37:38while Hughes is suffering from a knee problem,

0:37:38 > 0:37:40and is expected to be out for 10.

0:37:40 > 0:37:43Missing both players, will be a blow for Eddie Jones'

0:37:43 > 0:37:46side, who are looking to win a third 6 nations title,

0:37:46 > 0:37:47on the bounce.

0:37:47 > 0:37:50They start their title defence on the 4 February against Italy.

0:37:50 > 0:37:52WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders says former

0:37:52 > 0:37:55Heavyweight Champon Tyson Fury is doing all the right things

0:37:55 > 0:37:58as he bids to make a return to competitive boxing.

0:37:58 > 0:38:00Fury hasn't fought since his victory over

0:38:00 > 0:38:02Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, but Saunders thinks he could

0:38:02 > 0:38:09announce his return to the ring any day.

0:38:09 > 0:38:13He's linked up with Ben Davies who is a very good trainer. I've had on

0:38:13 > 0:38:17my corner. He's the youngest man ever, youngest man ever to be

0:38:17 > 0:38:24involved in a world tournament. That is a good element. He is on it. I

0:38:24 > 0:38:29speak to him every day. He is in the gym twice a day. He is back in love

0:38:29 > 0:38:35with boxing. He is looking at opponents now. Expect an

0:38:35 > 0:38:39announcement as soon as he teams up with a promoter.

0:38:39 > 0:38:42There are plenty of characters that grace the stage at Darts' PDC

0:38:42 > 0:38:46World Championship, but one person who goes the extra mile for his walk

0:38:46 > 0:38:47to the oche is this man.

0:38:47 > 0:38:49Devon Peterson's known as the African Warrior -

0:38:49 > 0:38:52he's the only player from the continent of Africa in this

0:38:52 > 0:38:55year's draw - and you may remember his walk-ons going viral

0:38:55 > 0:38:56in previous years.

0:38:56 > 0:38:59These were his latest moves for the Ally Pally crowd but it

0:38:59 > 0:39:02didn't help him to victory in his first round match

0:39:02 > 0:39:03against Darren Webster.

0:39:07 > 0:39:15And very intricate. You know what? You didn't make any difference to

0:39:15 > 0:39:19his darts because he was beaten by Darren Webster. So we won't be

0:39:19 > 0:39:28seeing any more of that.It was a cross between blow, body popping and

0:39:28 > 0:39:39lots of things. Keeps us entertained. -- though.

0:39:39 > 0:39:42For many of us today marks the start of the Christmas break,

0:39:42 > 0:39:45meaning millions will take to the roads and railways

0:39:45 > 0:39:46as the great Christmas getaway begins.

0:39:46 > 0:39:49This evening is expected to be the busiest day period

0:39:49 > 0:39:50for holiday travel.

0:39:50 > 0:39:52Our reporter Kathryn Stanczyszyn is keeping an eye

0:39:52 > 0:39:54on the roads from the RAC's headquarters in Walsall.

0:39:54 > 0:40:03What is the situation today?They are gearing up for a busy day here

0:40:03 > 0:40:06at the nerve centre of the RAC, the place where they manage all their

0:40:06 > 0:40:14patrols. This is the Eastern team, Knights team who swapped quite soon.

0:40:14 > 0:40:19But the eastern team has been quite at the moment, hasn't it?We don't

0:40:19 > 0:40:27use the cute word. Because that all the workload in quickly.What is

0:40:27 > 0:40:33going to get you through today?Team spirit, and working together and

0:40:33 > 0:40:38some Christmas treats. And then we break for 12 days.There you go.

0:40:38 > 0:40:44Lots of people are saying it will be an extremely busy day. 3 million

0:40:44 > 0:40:48motorists on the road today. A bit of a double whammy going on because

0:40:48 > 0:40:51as well as people finishing the Christmas weekend and heading to are

0:40:51 > 0:40:55over they will be the Christmas, there are people finishing work on

0:40:55 > 0:40:59school today because of the way the Christmas weekend has fallen. That

0:40:59 > 0:41:02means it will be very busy, particularly between four and 8pm

0:41:02 > 0:41:07tonight although some good news on the roadworks suspension. Nearly 400

0:41:07 > 0:41:12miles of roadworks will be suspended. I am joined by the travel

0:41:12 > 0:41:16editor to the Independent and all-round travel guru.Telstra

0:41:16 > 0:41:22hotspots will be. The morning rush hour is getting under way and it's

0:41:22 > 0:41:30fairly quiet. Problems in the 850 and Stanford share. But it is later

0:41:30 > 0:41:34on that things get really exciting when you have the normal end of the

0:41:34 > 0:41:41week working rush combined with lots of people if they start our journeys

0:41:41 > 0:41:47between four o'clock and eight o'clock. Particularly on the M6

0:41:47 > 0:41:52mainly southbound just where we are here. Any direction around the M25

0:41:52 > 0:41:57and then worst jams of all of last Friday before Christmas last year is

0:41:57 > 0:42:04anything to go by. Stonehenge, we have four lanes coming down for two.

0:42:04 > 0:42:12Just where the ancient stones. They have 13 hours of jams there last

0:42:12 > 0:42:16year. If you are aiming between south-east England and south-west

0:42:16 > 0:42:26England. A really good idea.A bit of good news for rail travellers.

0:42:26 > 0:42:30The Virgin Trains strike was called off late yesterday. They are having

0:42:30 > 0:42:36to run a full service today.They have now got to plan everything

0:42:36 > 0:42:47again. The still got a strike taking place in Merseyrail. A gap in the

0:42:47 > 0:42:53middle of the day. Elsewhere, the rail engineering works, the best of

0:42:53 > 0:43:06times kicking in tomorrow. Airports are going to be very busy as well.

0:43:06 > 0:43:11You need to pack some festive cheer.

0:43:11 > 0:43:22There will be lots of festive cheer. As this is Breakfast. That is the

0:43:22 > 0:43:26main story this morning. Hundreds of miles of roadworks have been

0:43:26 > 0:43:30temporarily lifted on what is predicted to be the busiest travel

0:43:30 > 0:43:34day of the Christmas period. The woman at the centre of allegations

0:43:34 > 0:43:39of inappropriate behaviour by Damien Green said a senior Downing Street

0:43:39 > 0:43:49official knew about games before he was promoted. Lots of people on the

0:43:49 > 0:43:53roads, a lot of travel. What is the picture across the UK?

0:43:53 > 0:43:58roads, a lot of travel. What is the picture across the UK? Fairly cloudy

0:43:58 > 0:44:03and some patchy fog and drizzle but it smiled. The drizzle will clear

0:44:03 > 0:44:08through the course of the morning. Foremost, the will remain. The

0:44:08 > 0:44:15drizzle was courtesy of the weather front pushing away. If you look at

0:44:15 > 0:44:20isobars in the north of the country, they are tightly squeezed. For

0:44:20 > 0:44:23south-west England, very murky this morning. A lot of low cloud and

0:44:23 > 0:44:29patchy fog. The drizzle continues. Continuing to push away to the

0:44:29 > 0:44:38continent. Look at temperatures. Not bad at this late in December. A lot

0:44:38 > 0:44:45of low cloud and some fog, especially around the Vale of York.

0:44:45 > 0:44:49North of the Central Lowlands is this different story. A beautiful

0:44:49 > 0:44:55but cold start to the day. Western Scotland and Northern Ireland,

0:44:55 > 0:45:06murkier. Also some patchy fog across Wales. The drizzle will continue

0:45:06 > 0:45:12through the Channel Islands. The fog will slowly lift and the most, a

0:45:12 > 0:45:16cloudy day. The brightest breaks will be in the shelter of any

0:45:16 > 0:45:21mountains soar across north-east Scotland and England adhere to

0:45:21 > 0:45:29example, only six degrees in Aberdeen. Through this evening in

0:45:29 > 0:45:37overnight, cloudy. We also have the wind strengthening with a weather

0:45:37 > 0:45:49front coming in. Not terribly heavy. Alert times heavier bursts. Again,

0:45:49 > 0:45:57around the hills, it will be damp and murky. The weather front on the

0:45:57 > 0:46:04North of Scotland, producing some rain. It could reach gale force.

0:46:04 > 0:46:09Away from that, a lot of dry weather and cloud. Murky once again in the

0:46:09 > 0:46:18West. A big difference in Aberdeen tomorrow. For Christmas Eve, the

0:46:18 > 0:46:22weather front producing wet and windy conditions. If that is sinking

0:46:22 > 0:46:25and across northern England by the end of the day, showery conditions

0:46:25 > 0:46:32and drizzle across West Wales and south-west England. The

0:46:32 > 0:46:41south-westerly is bringing a smile throughout. Some snow in the hills.

0:46:41 > 0:46:47A wee bit uncertain. Windy, cloudy, but not quite as cloudy and grey as

0:46:47 > 0:46:51the next few days.

0:46:55 > 0:46:57It's 06:45 and you're watching Breakfast from BBC News.

0:46:57 > 0:47:00This week we've been hearing all about the benefits of singing.

0:47:00 > 0:47:03So the producers set us the challenge to have a go

0:47:03 > 0:47:03ourselves.

0:47:03 > 0:47:08Did you notice that Carol got out of it?Yeah, she wasn't there.She got

0:47:08 > 0:47:09out of it.

0:47:09 > 0:47:11They gave us just a few

0:47:11 > 0:47:12hours to learn a Christmas classic,

0:47:12 > 0:47:16and then perform it to a crowd of more than 1,000 people.

0:47:16 > 0:47:22What could possibly go wrong?

0:47:22 > 0:47:26I think you are going to see the breakfast team a

0:47:26 > 0:47:29I think you are going to see the breakfast team a little bit naked.

0:47:29 > 0:47:35People have come to hear nice singing. That's us.What could

0:47:35 > 0:47:49possibly go wrong.Six presenters and the ultimate Christmas

0:47:49 > 0:47:54challenge.Here we are. I hope you are ready for this.We've all got a

0:47:54 > 0:48:00bit of a voice in us. But actually, we sound terrible.They have just a

0:48:00 > 0:48:11few hours to learn a song. And sing it, in front of a live audience.

0:48:11 > 0:48:181400 people. That is daunting, isn't it?I am terrified.

0:48:26 > 0:48:32Via presenters will be singing with the gospel choir Manchester

0:48:32 > 0:48:39Inspirational Voices, led by Wayne Ellington.We are going to nail it.

0:48:39 > 0:48:46I know is a sure that I can't, Naga. When we walked out earlier I

0:48:46 > 0:48:50suddenly thought, I'm not sure I can do this.

0:48:52 > 0:48:55APPLAUSE .

0:48:57 > 0:49:04No pressure, then.To make things a bit more fun, they don't yet know

0:49:04 > 0:49:09which song they have to learn.Good morning.Good morning!Welcome to

0:49:09 > 0:49:16the beautiful Ridge -- the beautiful Bridgewater Hall. The song, you have

0:49:16 > 0:49:20been waiting to find out what this song is going to be. And the song

0:49:20 > 0:49:30is... The Christmas song.How does that go?You might know it as

0:49:30 > 0:49:36Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.

0:49:40 > 0:49:45# Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

0:49:45 > 0:49:51# Jack frost nipping out your nose. Is there a soul singer, a crooner,

0:49:51 > 0:49:56add adding that King Cole lurking in this group? Let's find out. -- a

0:49:56 > 0:49:59budding Nat King Cole.

0:50:03 > 0:50:11BRAYING.The team have just over an hour with the whining to learn the

0:50:11 > 0:50:16song. It starts fairly well. # Chestnuts roasting on an open

0:50:16 > 0:50:25fire... I have the opening line. # Jack Frost nipping at your nose...

0:50:25 > 0:50:33Nos!And I'm pleased, because in my head, number one, I know the line.

0:50:33 > 0:50:37I've heard the line before. I'm fairly comfortable with it. But

0:50:37 > 0:50:46also, I've got it out of the way. That's good.It is not the sort of

0:50:46 > 0:50:50singing that I'm used to. I'm struggling without it.

0:50:50 > 0:50:56# And folks... It is like around the corner a bit, I'm a straight down

0:50:56 > 0:51:00the middle man.If Dan is struggling, Naga is flying.

0:51:00 > 0:51:08# Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe... I feel joyful. I really

0:51:08 > 0:51:16do. The song is bringing us joy, so I feel good.

0:51:16 > 0:51:26# Out to make the season bright. Sing loud, sing proud.Will it?I

0:51:26 > 0:51:30presumed we would be singing together in a quiet, I did not think

0:51:30 > 0:51:34for one second, one milli second, that at any point I would be singing

0:51:34 > 0:51:37on my own. # We will find it hard to sleep

0:51:37 > 0:51:44tonight... I literally don't even know how it should be.OK, it

0:51:44 > 0:51:50sounds...The babies will be crying if I sing this. I look at the words

0:51:50 > 0:51:55and literally, the tune goes out of my head.

0:51:55 > 0:51:58# They know that Santa's on his way...

0:51:58 > 0:52:05I've got to rein myself in. # He's bringing all sorts of goodies

0:52:05 > 0:52:10and toys... Who knows what can happen? In

0:52:10 > 0:52:14rehearsal I learned the lines off by heart but suddenly couldn't think of

0:52:14 > 0:52:21the word... I've forgotten it again. Presence? No, goodies.

0:52:21 > 0:52:25# He's bringing lots of toys and goodies on his way...

0:52:25 > 0:52:29I was thinking of chicken giblets for some reason. It is not just

0:52:29 > 0:52:32remembering the notes, it is remembering to make short lines,

0:52:32 > 0:52:36which has so far proved difficult. You can either sing or you can't,

0:52:36 > 0:52:42that is how I see it. And I'm definitely one of the people who

0:52:42 > 0:52:50can't. # To CF reindeer really know how to

0:52:50 > 0:52:54fly... You will be absolutely fine.It is

0:52:54 > 0:53:00very hard.With just a few hours ago you could say there is quite a bit

0:53:00 > 0:53:05of work to do, and we haven't even shown you the harmonies.

0:53:05 > 0:53:11# And every mother's child is going to smile...When I'm harmonising,

0:53:11 > 0:53:16I'm just hearing other stuff the whole time. That is... I really am

0:53:16 > 0:53:22struggling with that. # To CF reindeer really know how to

0:53:22 > 0:53:26fly... -- see if.

0:53:30 > 0:53:39HUMMING. In quiet corners of Manchester's Bridgewater Hall, there

0:53:39 > 0:53:48is determined, slightly panicky humming. We know they get up early.

0:53:48 > 0:53:56# We know... They know...They can even read an autocue.

0:53:56 > 0:54:03# Santa's on his sleigh... On his way, not on his sleigh.But as

0:54:03 > 0:54:08showtime approaches... # Every mother's child is going to

0:54:08 > 0:54:14try... There is genuine fear.My hands are

0:54:14 > 0:54:20sweating. My heart is going. I'm going to lock myself in a room and

0:54:20 > 0:54:29hopefully nobody can find me.Next time, Charlie loses his trousers.

0:54:29 > 0:54:34Apparently Mike took my trousers. The audience arrives.Today will be

0:54:34 > 0:54:42a doddle.Enjoy yourselves!And it is showtime.I think we are on.Will

0:54:42 > 0:54:47the Breakfast presenters rise to the Christmas challenge?

0:54:50 > 0:54:55So, you can find out how we got on on Christmas Day, if you can bear to

0:54:55 > 0:54:59hear it. It will be on Breakfast on BBC One. The big mystery as Mike

0:54:59 > 0:55:05Bushell and your trousers.There was... There was a deal of

0:55:05 > 0:55:09confusion, in the dressing room. We went going to the details. That will

0:55:09 > 0:55:14emerge as the story unfolds. I don't know about you, but seeing those

0:55:14 > 0:55:17people arriving at the hall, this was filmed last week, it made be

0:55:17 > 0:55:22quite nervous again. Just watching that unfold. If you have performed

0:55:22 > 0:55:25regularly in front of a lot of people you might be more comfortable

0:55:25 > 0:55:31with that. As we all were. It is a good team bonding exercise.It was

0:55:31 > 0:55:36interesting. We are going to see some beautiful polar bears later in

0:55:36 > 0:55:40the programme. Kate Winslet has narrated a documentary that is

0:55:40 > 0:55:44coming. We will be talking to the person behind that and all the

0:55:44 > 0:55:48filming as well. Lots to come.Yes, slightly better with pictures. If we

0:55:48 > 0:55:53have them we will float them. Maybe we will see those later on. It is a

0:55:53 > 0:55:57remarkable story, like travelogue. It is an adventure of two babies and

0:55:57 > 0:56:01their journey across the ice, as they try to escape predators.We

0:56:01 > 0:56:06will see what else is coming up this morning.So, the knives were

0:56:06 > 0:56:10sharpened and the gas was turned up higher, but only one chef could be

0:56:10 > 0:56:14crowned champion of Master Chef. We will be speaking to the winner. That

0:56:14 > 0:56:18is after 8:30am.

0:56:18 > 0:56:21Time now to find out if there are any problems

0:56:21 > 0:56:23where you are.

0:59:43 > 0:59:45from 6pm tonight, resuming on the second of January.

0:59:45 > 0:59:48I'm back with the latest from the BBC London newsroom

0:59:48 > 0:59:49in half an hour.

0:59:49 > 1:00:27Bye for now.

1:00:27 > 1:00:29Hello, this is Breakfast, with Charlie Stayt and Naga

1:00:29 > 1:00:29Munchetty.

1:00:29 > 1:00:32An early Christmas present for motorists as hundred

1:00:32 > 1:00:33of roadworks are temporarily lifted.

1:00:33 > 1:00:36But there's a warning that there'll still be severe delays as millions

1:00:36 > 1:00:45of drivers take to the roads on one of the busiest days of the year.

1:00:45 > 1:00:49I am at the National RAC control centre as a busy Christmas period

1:00:49 > 1:01:02begins.

1:01:02 > 1:01:04Good morning, it's Friday 22nd December.

1:01:04 > 1:01:07Also this morning the woman who accused Damian Green,

1:01:07 > 1:01:12of inappropriate behaviour talks to the BBC.

1:01:12 > 1:01:15Kate Maltby says a Downing Street official knew of claims

1:01:15 > 1:01:17against the former deputy Prime Minister before

1:01:17 > 1:01:25he was promoted.

1:01:25 > 1:01:30Back to blue - the colour of the British passport will change

1:01:30 > 1:01:34when we leave the European Union.

1:01:34 > 1:01:37Today is expected to be the busiest grocery shopping day

1:01:37 > 1:01:47of the year as people stock up ahead of the Christmas holiday.

1:01:47 > 1:01:51How other supermarkets preparing for the rush? I am in East London this

1:01:51 > 1:01:53morning to find out.

1:01:53 > 1:01:56the rush? I am in East London this morning to find out. And the NHS are

1:01:56 > 1:02:01gearing up to prepare Britain's biggest Christmas lunch, in the

1:02:01 > 1:02:08kitchens of southpaws -- Southport Hospital were it smells fantastic.

1:02:08 > 1:02:12And in sport, festive football kicks off tonight. Arsenal are hoping to

1:02:12 > 1:02:16get -- to take away the last Champions League place from

1:02:16 > 1:02:27Liverpool. Six Breakfast presenters, 1000- strong audience. What could go

1:02:27 > 1:02:34wrong? Find out how we prepared for our big debut. Voices of angels. If

1:02:34 > 1:02:39you're out and about today, it will be cloudy and mild. Some drizzle in

1:02:39 > 1:02:42the south which will clear and in the north, especially in Scotland,

1:02:42 > 1:02:53some blue sky. I will have more in 15 minutes.

1:02:53 > 1:02:56Hundreds of miles of roadworks have been suspended by Highways England

1:02:56 > 1:02:58as the great Christmas getaway begins.

1:02:58 > 1:03:00Today is predicted to be the busiest travel day

1:03:00 > 1:03:03of the festive period, with millions of extra vehicles

1:03:03 > 1:03:04taking to the roads.

1:03:04 > 1:03:07There's good news for rail travellers as planned strike action

1:03:07 > 1:03:09on the West Coast mainline has been called off.

1:03:09 > 1:03:11Our reporter Kathryn Stanczyszyn is at the RAC's

1:03:11 > 1:03:12headquarters in Walsall.

1:03:12 > 1:03:19The morning.Of course, the last thing anyone wants to do today

1:03:19 > 1:03:25breakdown that people will and so the RAC will be on hand to try and

1:03:25 > 1:03:31help. That is the map which shows the current incidents. It is likely

1:03:31 > 1:03:36to get busier throughout today. It will be busy. We have a double

1:03:36 > 1:03:41whammy of Christmas travel today. People who are finishing their

1:03:41 > 1:03:46standard week, the working week. There have been at work right up to

1:03:46 > 1:03:50the 22nd. And some schoolchildren as well. We have those and everybody

1:03:50 > 1:03:54was travelling to get where they need to be for Christmas. It's not

1:03:54 > 1:03:58looking too bad out there on the motorways at the moment but it is

1:03:58 > 1:04:03getting busier and we hear the busiest time today will be between

1:04:03 > 1:04:084pm and 8pm. The advice is not to travel than if you can help it. 3

1:04:08 > 1:04:15million motorists expected to be out there. On the railways, now that the

1:04:15 > 1:04:19virgin strike has been called off, it's better but it likely to be very

1:04:19 > 1:04:23busy and all our international sites, airports, ports and

1:04:23 > 1:04:28international train stations expected to be extra busy. 4.5

1:04:28 > 1:04:34million people expected to travel through international sites. Here at

1:04:34 > 1:04:40the RAC, they are gearing up for it to get busier. They have got the

1:04:40 > 1:04:45Christmas chocolates out and they will power on fruit. We will be back

1:04:45 > 1:04:48with your across the morning throughout the morning. Thank you

1:04:48 > 1:04:51very much.

1:04:51 > 1:04:53The woman who alleged Damian Green made inappropriate advances

1:04:53 > 1:04:57to her has told BBC News she spoke to a senior Downing Street official

1:04:57 > 1:04:59about his behaviour before he was promoted

1:04:59 > 1:05:00to First Secretary of State.

1:05:00 > 1:05:03Number Ten denies Theresa May was aware of the claims.

1:05:03 > 1:05:06Mr Green was sacked on Wednesday for making misleading statements

1:05:06 > 1:05:08about the discovery of pornography on his Commons computer

1:05:08 > 1:05:09nine years ago.

1:05:09 > 1:05:12Our political correspondent Leila Nathoo is in Westminster.

1:05:12 > 1:05:19How damaging are these new claims?

1:05:19 > 1:05:22Many would have built perhaps Theresa May had managed to draw a

1:05:22 > 1:05:27line under this.There is a suggestion that Downing Street was

1:05:27 > 1:05:31aware of Damien Green's behaviour before he was promoted to first

1:05:31 > 1:05:37Secretary of State. Although as you say, number ten denying the prime

1:05:37 > 1:05:43ministers knew anything about it. But certainly these name -- these

1:05:43 > 1:05:52claims made I Kate Maltby, that is what led to the investigation into

1:05:52 > 1:05:55Damien Green and her account of events was found by the

1:05:55 > 1:05:59investigation to be plausible. She has told the BBC she wanted to come

1:05:59 > 1:06:03forward because she wanted the culture at Westminster to change.

1:06:03 > 1:06:12There seemed to be an improper mixing of men touring and sexual

1:06:12 > 1:06:16advance within the Conservative Party. -- people being mentors. In

1:06:16 > 1:06:21his case, I was aware he was the Deputy Prime Minister. I was aware

1:06:21 > 1:06:30that number ten knew about it. Damien Green has apologised the

1:06:30 > 1:06:33making Kate Maltby uncomfortable but he says he does not recognise that

1:06:33 > 1:06:37version of events. Downing Street say they are clear they want people

1:06:37 > 1:06:41to be able to work at Wentz -- Westminster without fear of

1:06:41 > 1:06:45harassment. This goes to the heart of how serious these claims of

1:06:45 > 1:06:49inappropriate behaviour were taken in the past before we had this

1:06:49 > 1:06:54flurry of activity and before we had a flurry of claims, people coming

1:06:54 > 1:06:57forward in recent months. Despite the best efforts of party leaders,

1:06:57 > 1:07:04but I must -- convened all parties to introduce new grievance

1:07:04 > 1:07:09procedures. Despite this impetus to change, a lot of people will need

1:07:09 > 1:07:14some convincing that the claims in the warm words about changing the

1:07:14 > 1:07:23culture in Westminster will really make a difference.

1:07:23 > 1:07:26Boris Johnson will warn Russia to stop cyber attacks which threaten

1:07:26 > 1:07:29Britain's national security or face retaliation of a similar kind

1:07:29 > 1:07:29from the UK.

1:07:29 > 1:07:31He's making the first visit to Moscow

1:07:31 > 1:07:34by a British Foreign Secretary for more than five years.

1:07:34 > 1:07:40He'll say he wants the two countries to co-operate on international

1:07:40 > 1:07:42challenges, including the threat posed by North Korea.

1:07:42 > 1:07:44Pro-independence parties in Catalonia have won a majority

1:07:44 > 1:07:47of the seats in an election for the regional parliament.

1:07:47 > 1:07:49The result is a setback for the Spanish government,

1:07:49 > 1:07:51which called the poll after an independence referendum

1:07:51 > 1:07:59held by the region in October was declared unlawful.

1:07:59 > 1:08:03We'll be speaking to our correspondent in Barcelona now.

1:08:03 > 1:08:11Given the height of emotions and the subsequent events, this vote takes

1:08:11 > 1:08:21on a bit of significance.The recent election was a gamble ordered by the

1:08:21 > 1:08:26Spanish government. The Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy recast

1:08:26 > 1:08:33the system of government by ousting the separatist government. Somewhere

1:08:33 > 1:08:40in self-imposed exile. They were trying to get both Spain parties

1:08:40 > 1:08:44back in the business and it appears to have backfired. Those who voted,

1:08:44 > 1:08:51record turnout, 86%. The party with the most seats was a pro Unity

1:08:51 > 1:09:01Party. Ines Arrimadas would be the youngest leader in the region. She

1:09:01 > 1:09:08said she should be. I said, can you form a coalition government? She

1:09:08 > 1:09:19said it would be difficult but she will try. Three separatist parties,

1:09:19 > 1:09:22with Carles Puigdemont's party, they together can take the majority. That

1:09:22 > 1:09:40is reflected across the board. They cannot hold the separatists. That is

1:09:40 > 1:09:52Ines Arrimadas celebrating. Weeks of wrangling in talks. It could be deja

1:09:52 > 1:09:59vu in terms of the independence crisis playing out again.Thank you,

1:09:59 > 1:10:03Gavin Lee, our correspondence on the streets of Barcelona.

1:10:03 > 1:10:06A man is being questioned on suspicion of murdering a woman

1:10:06 > 1:10:09who was stabbed in a supermarket in North Yorkshire yesterday.

1:10:09 > 1:10:11The 30-year-old woman was attacked in an Aldi

1:10:11 > 1:10:12store in Skipton.

1:10:12 > 1:10:14Police said the suspect, who's 44, was detained by shoppers

1:10:14 > 1:10:29and supermarket staff.

1:10:29 > 1:10:34The Environmental Audit Committee is looking for making firms that make

1:10:34 > 1:10:46plastic packaging environmentally responsible. The UK uses around 13

1:10:46 > 1:10:50billion plastic bottles each year. Nearly half are put in landfill,

1:10:50 > 1:10:55incinerated or lectures in it. Many ultimately find their way into the

1:10:55 > 1:10:58sea. The MPs are urging the government to introduce a deposit

1:10:58 > 1:11:03and return scheme for wattles as soon as possible. They want a new

1:11:03 > 1:11:06rule obliging all cafes, pubs and restaurants to provide free tap

1:11:06 > 1:11:11water so people can top up their own refillable bottles. And they want

1:11:11 > 1:11:18many more public water fountains. The MPs also propose a sliding scale

1:11:18 > 1:11:24of charges on plastic packaging so firms using easy to recycle material

1:11:24 > 1:11:32they least in those using conflux materials pay the most. Ministers

1:11:32 > 1:11:36say they are consulting with firms to find the best solutions to what

1:11:36 > 1:11:44they acknowledges a serious problem with plastic waste.

1:11:44 > 1:11:47A policeman in the US State of Florida has been dragged

1:11:47 > 1:11:48by half a mile.

1:11:48 > 1:12:02He was trying to surge as -- search a driver. A police officer in

1:12:02 > 1:12:07Florida pulling on protective gloves. I know

1:12:07 > 1:12:10This car pulled over with two suspects inside.

1:12:10 > 1:12:12The officer has spotted what he believes could be

1:12:12 > 1:12:15heroin and needles in is about to search the vehicle.

1:12:15 > 1:12:16But the driver has other idea.

1:12:16 > 1:12:19It's going to be in front of Cambridge and Mike.

1:12:19 > 1:12:21Clinging to the open door and with one foot

1:12:21 > 1:12:27in the car, he takes off at high speed.

1:12:27 > 1:12:29Despite his shouts, the driver shows no signs of slowing

1:12:29 > 1:12:33down.

1:12:33 > 1:12:35For the officer, this unexpected ride is only and in one

1:12:35 > 1:12:47way.

1:12:47 > 1:12:50Clinging to the open door and with one foot in the car,

1:12:50 > 1:12:52he is hurtled along at high speed.

1:12:52 > 1:12:54Amazingly, the officer gets back on his feet,

1:12:54 > 1:12:57the suspects now long gone, but the video camera

1:12:57 > 1:13:03is still recording.

1:13:03 > 1:13:06You're a hero!

1:13:06 > 1:13:08Awesome.

1:13:08 > 1:13:15The Pembroke Pines police force later posted this

1:13:28 > 1:13:30Now, what do you think a Japanese Christmas tradition

1:13:30 > 1:13:31would look like?

1:13:31 > 1:13:36Something like this.

1:13:41 > 1:13:43A choir of around 10,000 people get together each

1:13:43 > 1:13:56year to perform Beethoven's ninth symphony.

1:13:56 > 1:13:58It's thought the tradition began during the First World War

1:13:58 > 1:14:02when a group of German prisoners of war being held in the country

1:14:02 > 1:14:10sang 'Ode to Joy' at Christmas time.

1:14:10 > 1:14:15as we discuss Brexit, very little is known about how life will change.

1:14:15 > 1:14:21But one tangible consequences been revealed, the British passport.

1:14:21 > 1:14:28Burgundy? This latest announcement just part of a long tradition of

1:14:28 > 1:14:32announcements about the passport which a bolt from a piece of paper

1:14:32 > 1:14:37450 years ago to the document were used to now. Martin Lloyd is the

1:14:37 > 1:14:45author of passport: the most travel document. It became quite an emotive

1:14:45 > 1:14:50debate, didn't it? We will get back our passport. A lot of attention

1:14:50 > 1:14:58because it is a focal point, isn't it?

1:14:58 > 1:15:01Yes, the European burgundy passport was a red rag to

1:15:01 > 1:15:02Yes, the European burgundy passport was a red rag to a bull to some

1:15:02 > 1:15:05people. I wanted to keep their blue passports. In fact, some people,

1:15:05 > 1:15:10when we changed over, they went abroad in order to renew their

1:15:10 > 1:15:12passports at consulates abroad, because the consulates didn't have

1:15:12 > 1:15:18the machine-readable red passports. So some people actually went abroad

1:15:18 > 1:15:21to renew their passports there.And they are still travelling on

1:15:21 > 1:15:26those...? Well, they have now expired. But they got another ten

1:15:26 > 1:15:30years of Edward passport. 1990 was the last time blue passports were

1:15:30 > 1:15:34circulating.So around 2000, they were gone. Why is the colour so

1:15:34 > 1:15:40significant?It is not important, is it? Why we chose blue is probably

1:15:40 > 1:15:43because it was a serviceable colour. It doesn't get dirty, it doesn't

1:15:43 > 1:15:52show the dirt. It is probably a cheap die. -- dye. So we just kept

1:15:52 > 1:15:56with the blue.You have brought in some items. Let's go back in

1:15:56 > 1:16:01chronological order. These ones are the ones which look more familiar,

1:16:01 > 1:16:05to those of us who remember the blue passports.Yes, the one on the left

1:16:05 > 1:16:08is actually the first writ -ish blue passport to be issued as a booklet.

1:16:08 > 1:16:14-- the British.When was that?That was 1921, we had about eight months

1:16:14 > 1:16:19to design that.And fast forwarding, they haven't changed much.Yes, the

1:16:19 > 1:16:25design stayed the same for 70 years. Then we went to the burgundy one.

1:16:25 > 1:16:29And of course we have all the technology as well, now, in the

1:16:29 > 1:16:32burgundy one. Is that going to change in terms of what we will have

1:16:32 > 1:16:36with the next blue passports?The burgundy one, yes... I think

1:16:36 > 1:16:42probably it will be the same.I mean... So it will be the same size?

1:16:42 > 1:16:48The thing is, the passport design is really dictated by the ICAO. That is

1:16:48 > 1:16:51part of the United Nations, the international civil aviation

1:16:51 > 1:16:54Organisation, which decides what passports should look like and what

1:16:54 > 1:16:58information it carries.So we are still being told what to do by

1:16:58 > 1:17:02somebody?Yes, the UN.You have brought some documents in, the

1:17:02 > 1:17:06really early passports?Yes, they were not always issued by the

1:17:06 > 1:17:10Foreign Office in London. Anybody with authority could issue one. That

1:17:10 > 1:17:14is the Harbourmaster in Port Belfast, issuing a passport to a man

1:17:14 > 1:17:21and his son to go to redneck, that is 7099. -- Granik.So that would

1:17:21 > 1:17:27have been specific to one journey? That's right. Going over to Grenech.

1:17:27 > 1:17:32In the 19th century it was reorganised so that passports were

1:17:32 > 1:17:37issued centrally in London by the Foreign Office in London. And the

1:17:37 > 1:17:40passport would have looked like a single sheet of white paper, I will

1:17:40 > 1:17:45take this out...Are you allowed to take that out?This is one of the

1:17:45 > 1:17:49first ones to have a photograph. Now, you can see that photograph.

1:17:49 > 1:17:54Yes, just here.The thing about the photograph is, they were told, go

1:17:54 > 1:17:58get a photograph or your passport. So they did. There were no rules and

1:17:58 > 1:18:02regulations. In this one, you can see the lady has taken a photograph

1:18:02 > 1:18:06from her family album and she has cut off the persons and into the

1:18:06 > 1:18:09side. You can see his left shoulder and his fingers around her waist. I

1:18:09 > 1:18:13don't think you would get away with that today but that was what

1:18:13 > 1:18:16happened.When did we standardise the passport, in terms of what we

1:18:16 > 1:18:22see now?Well, the passport you see there, that lasted for about 70

1:18:22 > 1:18:26years, again. A design which lasted 70 years. It then went to a pink

1:18:26 > 1:18:31foldout, with two blue covers. Then to the booklet passport.Could I

1:18:31 > 1:18:35just ask you, on a technicality, the burgundy passport, which everybody

1:18:35 > 1:18:40has now, people have had those for quite a long time...Ten years.They

1:18:40 > 1:18:45will remain valid.So as you travel around the world, the world will

1:18:45 > 1:18:49know we are no longer part of the EU. On the passport, you will still

1:18:49 > 1:18:54be an EU citizen?You could always take a Magic marker and wipe out the

1:18:54 > 1:18:58black is at the top. Wipe out the European Community, if you want.

1:18:58 > 1:19:02That is probably an offence in itself, defacing a passport.Yes,

1:19:02 > 1:19:06don't do that.We don't recommend that. Very interesting. Thank you

1:19:06 > 1:19:11for bringing these in.

1:19:11 > 1:19:15Here's Carol with a look at this morning's weather.

1:19:15 > 1:19:18Carroll, others spots of snow that you are predicting for Christmas Day

1:19:18 > 1:19:27in Scotland still going to pop down? -- Carol, are those.Yes, but in the

1:19:27 > 1:19:31Scottish mountains. Most of us will not see it. If you are hoping to

1:19:31 > 1:19:33alight Christmas you will be disappointed. Not just today, but

1:19:33 > 1:19:38the next few days it will be cloudy, damp and mild. Not damp everywhere

1:19:38 > 1:19:42but it will become mild even if it isn't yet. A ridge of high pressure

1:19:42 > 1:19:47above us. Breezy in the north-west of the country, clearing in the

1:19:47 > 1:19:50south. The weather front from the south is still producing drizzle.

1:19:50 > 1:19:54Lots of low cloud around this morning. Some patchy fog. The fog

1:19:54 > 1:20:00will be slow to lift. Look at those temperatures. Nines and tens. That

1:20:00 > 1:20:06is good for this time of December. Those would be good for maximum

1:20:06 > 1:20:10temperatures, not mine got in the morning. As we go north into England

1:20:10 > 1:20:14there is patchy fog across the Vale of York, and some patchy fog across

1:20:14 > 1:20:18the central allowance. North of that, under clear skies, it is cold.

1:20:18 > 1:20:24There will be sunshine. Not as cold in the west. More cloud here. Across

1:20:24 > 1:20:29Northern Ireland, a relatively mild start, again, with lots of cloud and

1:20:29 > 1:20:34patchy fog. Patchy fog across Wales. As you can see in the chart, a lot

1:20:34 > 1:20:39of low cloud. Through the day, as the fog lifts, the drizzle pushes

1:20:39 > 1:20:43away and goes through the Channel Islands before doing so. Then the

1:20:43 > 1:20:47best of the brakes are going to be in the shelter of the mountains.

1:20:47 > 1:20:49North-east Scotland, north-east England, these are the best areas.

1:20:49 > 1:20:56Six degrees in Aberdeen, highs of 12 as we push down towards the south.

1:20:56 > 1:21:02Getting through the evening and overnight, again, there will be lots

1:21:02 > 1:21:06of cloud around. A further mist and fog patches forming. The breeze

1:21:06 > 1:21:10picking up in the north-west. Windy overnight. Most of the rain will be

1:21:10 > 1:21:13fairly light but you will see the odd heavy burst. Temperatures

1:21:13 > 1:21:19overnight, 5- ten. Not bad for the end of December. Tomorrow we start

1:21:19 > 1:21:23off with a lot of cloud. Patchy fog slow to lift. The wind is still a

1:21:23 > 1:21:27feature of the weather in the north. Rain coming in courtesy of the

1:21:27 > 1:21:31weather front which is going to be sliding south through the course of

1:21:31 > 1:21:34the day. So we will start to see those amounts across north-west

1:21:34 > 1:21:38Scotland, accumulating. Temperatures in Aberdeen, 12. A six degrees

1:21:38 > 1:21:42higher than had to what we are looking at today. -- hike compare

1:21:42 > 1:21:47to. That weather front is still across the north-west on Christmas

1:21:47 > 1:21:52Eve. Windy, breezy further south. Lots of dry weather but lots of

1:21:52 > 1:21:55murky conditions coming in on the south-westerly winds to western

1:21:55 > 1:22:00facing coasts and hills. Just before I go, a quick look at Christmas Day.

1:22:00 > 1:22:08Rain across the north, moving east. This is the snow that Naga was

1:22:08 > 1:22:11referring to on the mountains in Scotland. It will be drier and

1:22:11 > 1:22:15brighter, but fairly windy in the Irish Sea.Carol, that looks

1:22:15 > 1:22:19fantastic. It is interesting, we were just talking about the

1:22:19 > 1:22:22Christmas dinner and obviously the weather is important because

1:22:22 > 1:22:25everybody is gathering with their families. How much preparation have

1:22:25 > 1:22:28you done to your big piece? Absolutely none, because I'm eating

1:22:28 > 1:22:35out.I knew it!That is too much. You are a wise woman. Carroll, thank

1:22:35 > 1:22:40you.It is one way to avoid the stress. Other people can't avoid it

1:22:40 > 1:22:45because it is part of their job. We will see some of those preparations.

1:22:45 > 1:22:51Now, the NHS workers, they have a heavy workload.

1:22:51 > 1:22:53400,000 servings of Turkey and trimmings to patients

1:22:53 > 1:22:54on Christmas Day.

1:22:54 > 1:22:57We've sent Breakfast's John Maguire to a hospital in Southport to find

1:22:57 > 1:23:06out how preparations are going.

1:23:06 > 1:23:11Organisation is key, isn't it John? Yes, it is a well oiled machine

1:23:11 > 1:23:15here. A Christmas tune is playing in the background. I think it is John

1:23:15 > 1:23:19Lennon, Merry Christmas, war is over. We are on the beef watch. We

1:23:19 > 1:23:23have been keeping an eye on disjoint. It has been in the other

1:23:23 > 1:23:27four now, it smells amazing. Race potatoes as well. A really big day

1:23:27 > 1:23:33on Monday for the NHS. There will be 1 million people working across the

1:23:33 > 1:23:37UK, all source of different walks of life. The NHS in England alone will

1:23:37 > 1:23:43feed 400,000 people. Here in Southport, for Christmas lunch on

1:23:43 > 1:23:47Monday, they will serve up a total of 30 turkeys, three and a half

1:23:47 > 1:23:52thousand sprouts, love them or hate them. They will be feeding 450

1:23:52 > 1:23:59patients and 250 staff. Let me show you how the system works. These days

1:23:59 > 1:24:02in hospital wards, patients have a computer screen with a television

1:24:02 > 1:24:06over their bed. They can order from the menu is one day in advance. It

1:24:06 > 1:24:10comes into the system here in the kitchen. The staff are manning these

1:24:10 > 1:24:15belts. We were here yesterday filming, and it was extremely busy.

1:24:15 > 1:24:19Each patient gets exactly what they want and there order goes onto the

1:24:19 > 1:24:23trade. The food goes on down into the ward in a very large trolley,

1:24:23 > 1:24:28which you can see at the back. We spoke to a couple of patience

1:24:28 > 1:24:31yesterday about what they thought of the food here at Southport and this

1:24:31 > 1:24:36is what they said.It is lovely, something you look forward to at the

1:24:36 > 1:24:41end of the day. To me, as far as I am concerned, it is great.It is

1:24:41 > 1:24:45delicious. It is a surprise, because I had always heard hospital food

1:24:45 > 1:24:54was, you know... Every meal is gorgeous. It really is.Good morning

1:24:54 > 1:24:58to Pat and Eric if they are watching this morning. Thanks for talking to

1:24:58 > 1:25:03us yesterday. This is mellow vision. What are we cooking here? A lovely

1:25:03 > 1:25:09healthy option by our serving chef. It is a lovely vegetable and sleet

1:25:09 > 1:25:16potato curry. Dairy free. Obviously at the hospital, we cater for lots

1:25:16 > 1:25:20of different diets. We have a long-standing menu but the most

1:25:20 > 1:25:25common is high protein. If you are having a long stay you get extra

1:25:25 > 1:25:30options. If you are here for a while to get extra choices on the menu.

1:25:30 > 1:25:34Not just a standard menu.Does that make it complicated for you?It can

1:25:34 > 1:25:41do. It depends how busy it is and the dietary requirements? We have

1:25:41 > 1:25:45gluten-free, renal, low residue, it can vary from day to day, how many

1:25:45 > 1:25:50there are.Dawn, you are always smiling. Angela is over here. You

1:25:50 > 1:25:54are from the sister hospital, holds the. Freshly made, I was surprised

1:25:54 > 1:25:59by that. Why do you do that? Traditionally cooked, local and

1:25:59 > 1:26:03sustainable source vegetables, meats, they are all locally sourced

1:26:03 > 1:26:07and additionally cooked. We feel as though that is the best way for our

1:26:07 > 1:26:11patients. It can be close to a time when the patients can be eating, one

1:26:11 > 1:26:16hour before, so it is all fresh and heated.Well done. Amazing to see

1:26:16 > 1:26:22that in action. Imagine that, as Angela was saying, all the food

1:26:22 > 1:26:27freshly cooked. Let's come around. A bit of soup. Alan, what is in the

1:26:27 > 1:26:35soup?Well, there is potato and watercress. It is dairy and

1:26:35 > 1:26:42gluten-free.OK.It is made from scratch. We just put a little bit of

1:26:42 > 1:26:51salt and pepper. It looks good, it will be amazing later on.We will be

1:26:51 > 1:26:55back later on. If you are a Southport Hospital and you watered

1:26:55 > 1:26:58your soup, your fresh vegetable soup, that is what is coming up

1:26:58 > 1:27:02later. We will just show you what Christmas lunch will look like on

1:27:02 > 1:27:05Monday to really get the juices flowing.A traditional Christmas

1:27:05 > 1:27:09lunch. This will be served to all the patients, as well as the special

1:27:09 > 1:27:15diets. And our vegetarians, obviously.That is fantastic. You

1:27:15 > 1:27:20will not be needing this, will you, dawn? Right, I will talk to you

1:27:20 > 1:27:24later.I wonder how many turkey gin as he hasn't already.It is going to

1:27:24 > 1:27:28be one of those days. Let's make in each, every time we go to him. He

1:27:28 > 1:27:32can eat another dinner.And we have the Masterchef winner is, later on

1:27:32 > 1:27:37today. We should get them to give us their view on that in, and that was

1:27:37 > 1:27:42on a turkey dinner as well. It is 7:27am. Christmas getaway is our

1:27:42 > 1:27:46lead story this morning, giving you plenty of information about what it

1:27:46 > 1:31:05is like on the roads

1:31:05 > 1:31:08Now, though, it's back to Charlie and Naga.

1:31:08 > 1:31:17Bye for now.

1:31:17 > 1:31:19Hello this is Breakfast with Charlie Stayt and Naga

1:31:19 > 1:31:29Munchetty.

1:31:29 > 1:31:32Hundreds of miles of roadworks have been suspended by Highways England

1:31:32 > 1:31:33as the great Christmas getaway begins.

1:31:33 > 1:31:36Today is predicted to be the busiest travel day

1:31:36 > 1:31:38of the festive period, with millions of extra vehicles

1:31:38 > 1:31:39taking to the roads.

1:31:39 > 1:31:42Many airports are also expecting a pre-Christmas rush.

1:31:42 > 1:31:44There is good news for rail travellers as planned strike action

1:31:44 > 1:31:47on the West Coast mainline has been called off.

1:31:47 > 1:31:50In a few minutes, we will talk to someone at the RAC headquarters

1:31:50 > 1:32:00for all the latest on the roads.

1:32:00 > 1:32:05Kate Maltby, the woman who alleged Damian Green made inappropriate

1:32:05 > 1:32:08advances to her, has told BBC News she spoke to a senior Downing Street

1:32:08 > 1:32:11official about his behaviour - before he was promoted

1:32:11 > 1:32:12to First Secretary of State.

1:32:12 > 1:32:15Number Ten denies Theresa May was aware of the claims.

1:32:15 > 1:32:18Mr Green was sacked on Wednesday for making misleading statements

1:32:18 > 1:32:20about the discovery of pornography on his Commons computer

1:32:20 > 1:32:21nine years ago.

1:32:21 > 1:32:24I wrote about the problem of sexual harassment in Westminster

1:32:24 > 1:32:27because I knew it was a persistent problem but I also knew of similar

1:32:27 > 1:32:30experiences with many other people in Westminster across all parties.

1:32:30 > 1:32:32What I was not seeking was a resignation.

1:32:32 > 1:32:36I've never called for Damien Green's resignation as an MP or minister,

1:32:36 > 1:32:42frankly I was expecting an apology.

1:32:42 > 1:32:45Boris Johnson will warn Russia to stop cyber attacks which threaten

1:32:45 > 1:32:48Britain's national security or face retaliation of a similar kind

1:32:48 > 1:32:51from the UK.

1:32:51 > 1:32:53He's making the first visit to Moscow

1:32:53 > 1:32:55by a British Foreign Secretary for more than five years.

1:32:55 > 1:32:59He'll say he wants the two countries to co-operate on international

1:32:59 > 1:33:01challenges, including the threat posed by North Korea.

1:33:01 > 1:33:03Pro-independence parties in Catalonia have won a majority

1:33:03 > 1:33:06of the seats in an election for the regional parliament.

1:33:06 > 1:33:08The result is a setback for the Spanish government,

1:33:08 > 1:33:10which called the poll after an independence referendum

1:33:10 > 1:33:13held by the region in October was declared unlawful.

1:33:13 > 1:33:18Speaking in Brussels, where he is in self-imposed exile,

1:33:18 > 1:33:21the Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said the "the Spanish state

1:33:21 > 1:33:28had been defeated".

1:33:28 > 1:33:32The dark blue British passport is to make a return after Brexit.

1:33:32 > 1:33:32It will replace the current burgundy design

1:33:33 > 1:33:36from October 2019.

1:33:36 > 1:33:41The Immigration Minister said the change was a tangible symbol

1:33:41 > 1:33:43of the UK taking back control.

1:33:43 > 1:33:46MPs are calling for the introduction of a national deposit scheme

1:33:46 > 1:33:53for plastic bottles, to help protect the seas from pollution.

1:33:53 > 1:33:56The committee also wants free water in public premises.

1:33:56 > 1:33:59It is also considering making firms which use plastic packaging

1:33:59 > 1:34:05financially responsible for the waste they create.

1:34:05 > 1:34:11Gambling giant Ladbrokes has agreed to a takeover by an on line rival.

1:34:11 > 1:34:17The deal, worth up to £4 billion, was announced. Ladbrokes is the UK's

1:34:17 > 1:34:26largest High Street bookmaker. Those are the main stories this morning.

1:34:26 > 1:34:31Right now, Mike is here on the sofa. It looks very warm to those football

1:34:31 > 1:34:36fans travelling the length and breadth of the country. All these

1:34:36 > 1:34:44matches, a festive cracker tonight. Arsenal are looking to take where

1:34:44 > 1:34:52the Champions League place.

1:34:52 > 1:34:54It'll be Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's first game

1:34:54 > 1:34:57against his former club, since leaving Arsenal in the summer,

1:34:57 > 1:34:59and his current manager, still thinks, the England midfielder

1:34:59 > 1:35:08can improve as he adjusts, to his new club's style of play.

1:35:08 > 1:35:13If we watch Arsenal in the past, it is decisive players. There were two

1:35:13 > 1:35:20decisive players there. We put them on -- we put much more on their

1:35:20 > 1:35:23shoulders and if they need to be involved in situations like this,

1:35:23 > 1:35:29I'm fine, at the moment, it's all good but I see improvement as well

1:35:29 > 1:35:37that it is up to dash.

1:35:37 > 1:35:40Milk was thrown and it all turned sour, Guardiola took the points,

1:35:40 > 1:35:41Mourinho got the pint.

1:35:41 > 1:35:44But both Manchester clubs have escaped punishment after the tunnel

1:35:44 > 1:35:46bust up at Old Trafford, folowing City's recent

1:35:46 > 1:35:472-1 derby win.

1:35:47 > 1:35:49Separately, Mourinho has also escaped with a warning

1:35:49 > 1:35:51about his pre-match comments, regarding match officials.

1:35:51 > 1:35:53Now, how about this for a Christmas present?

1:35:53 > 1:35:56Huddersfield Town defender Mathias Yorgensen has offered to buy

1:35:56 > 1:35:59a pint, for every fan who makes the 500 mile round trip

1:35:59 > 1:36:00to Southampton on Saturday.

1:36:00 > 1:36:01to Southampton on Saturday.

1:36:01 > 1:36:03(TX OOV) It's payback for their amazing support,

1:36:08 > 1:36:10-- It's payback for their amazing support,

1:36:10 > 1:36:15he says, but that's a round that could end up costing the defender,

1:36:15 > 1:36:17who's nicknamed "Zanka", over £8,000.

1:36:17 > 1:36:20It easy to say yes, this is football, they get a lot

1:36:20 > 1:36:22of money, drive flashy cars but we are all

1:36:22 > 1:36:26people, we all just normal people that enjoyed the life that we have

1:36:26 > 1:36:29been given and sometimes, you get at the show that.

1:36:29 > 1:36:31Having thought about how much this is going cost you.

1:36:31 > 1:36:44It's Christmas anyway.

1:36:44 > 1:36:48If you're a Huddersfield band, go and get a pint of whatever you like

1:36:48 > 1:36:56and the cost will be covered by Zanka he was named after a character

1:36:56 > 1:37:04from cool runnings, the movie. And asking about wages,...It will cost

1:37:04 > 1:37:11around £8,000. They are earning so much...The low-end of the wage

1:37:11 > 1:37:17structure, maybe 15,000, 20,000. A few months ago, Huddersfield had a

1:37:17 > 1:37:32on their wages.At the lower end. Quite nice if we had a pie option.

1:37:32 > 1:37:34Quite nice if we had a pie option.

1:37:34 > 1:37:37England will be without, wing Elliot Daly, and back row

1:37:37 > 1:37:39Nathan Hughes for at least, half of the six nations.

1:37:39 > 1:37:43Daly has an ankle injury and could miss up to 12 weeks,

1:37:43 > 1:37:44The cashcard to rid

1:37:44 > 1:37:44The cashcard

1:37:44 > 1:37:47while Hughes is suffering from a knee problem,

1:37:47 > 1:37:49and is expected to be out for 10.

1:37:49 > 1:37:52Missing both players, will be a blow for Eddie Jones'

1:37:52 > 1:37:55side, who are looking to win a third 6 nations title,

1:37:55 > 1:37:58on the bounce.

1:37:58 > 1:38:06They start their title defence on the 4 February against Italy.

1:38:06 > 1:38:09Dylan Hartley may have enjoyed an unbeaten Autumn while captaining

1:38:09 > 1:38:12England but on the club front things have not been so smooth.

1:38:12 > 1:38:15Hartley says Northampton Saints have been in shock this week

1:38:15 > 1:38:17following the departure of director of rugby Jim Mallinder

1:38:17 > 1:38:19following five defeats in a row.

1:38:19 > 1:38:23The team - he says - have come in for unfair criticism.

1:38:23 > 1:38:28he's the youngest man to be involved in a corner so that's a good

1:38:28 > 1:38:34element. He is on it. I speak to him every day. He is in the gym twice a

1:38:34 > 1:38:41day, is on a good diet. Is looking at opponents now. Expect an

1:38:41 > 1:38:46announcement as soon as he teams up with a promoter.It's that time of

1:38:46 > 1:38:51year. Plenty of characters. There is one person who goes the extra mile

1:38:51 > 1:38:57for his walk onto big stage. It's the man from Africa. The only player

1:38:57 > 1:39:02from Africa in this year's crore. This is his latest offering.

1:39:02 > 1:39:10Congregated dance. A bit of gang style. We think this might be in

1:39:10 > 1:39:21EMU, C says.I thought maybe it was an EMU?Why would you think that was

1:39:21 > 1:39:32anaemia? You think of that particular movement? It does look a

1:39:32 > 1:39:42little bit like an emu.What do you do to come the ground?But he lost.

1:39:42 > 1:39:50What is it prove? Maybe you just plates straight.What was your dumps

1:39:50 > 1:40:03name? C play it straight? -- what was your dumps name? -- Charles

1:40:03 > 1:40:10"Plate straight"? It's that time of year when you see people sometimes

1:40:10 > 1:40:13practically doing a last-minute Christmas shopping. The pollies are

1:40:13 > 1:40:20piled high. Perhaps stocking up, taking a little bit literally. Of

1:40:20 > 1:40:26course, the problem is this year, business leaders on Sunday. There is

1:40:26 > 1:40:34loads of time left. What time is it now? There are people in the

1:40:34 > 1:40:40supermarkets stocking up already. I'm causing chaos, and a traffic

1:40:40 > 1:40:45jam. You are right, the doors at Morrisons opened at six o'clock here

1:40:45 > 1:40:50in Stratford. There was a queue outside. People are where they have

1:40:50 > 1:40:54got two days to get this Christmas shopping in. We expected to part

1:40:54 > 1:40:59with quite a bit of cash over the next 48 hours as we stock up the

1:40:59 > 1:41:04Christmas. But particularly food and drink. We are going to spend about

1:41:04 > 1:41:12£1.5 billion of the next two days. Let me introduce you to Jennifer.

1:41:12 > 1:41:15Good morning. Talk me through how you do this. It's pretty calm this

1:41:15 > 1:41:21morning that people get stressed. It's the busiest time of year. At

1:41:21 > 1:41:26Morrisons, we are working as hard as we can to make it as stressfree as

1:41:26 > 1:41:30possible. We need to make sure we have everything available on

1:41:30 > 1:41:34shelves. We got a new on line ordering system to gather stock in

1:41:34 > 1:41:37the right places. It's important we help customers find what they're

1:41:37 > 1:41:42looking for. Because there are things you might the gats. Helping

1:41:42 > 1:41:45customers point in the right direction. And getting to the

1:41:45 > 1:41:50checkout is important. We are working hard to get customers

1:41:50 > 1:42:04through efficiently. But help is at the checkouts.Good luck, and it's

1:42:04 > 1:42:23interesting. Good morning, Natalie. A really busy time. What are we

1:42:23 > 1:42:33going to spend it on. We are focusing on craft beer, craft

1:42:33 > 1:42:39ginned. Gin has seen a huge explosion. 1.3 2 billion gin and

1:42:39 > 1:42:45tonic drinks were sold last year. But also craft beer as well. All the

1:42:45 > 1:42:49tastes and flavours that people have been experiencing. A fantastic

1:42:49 > 1:42:55packaging. A quarter of craft beer is now are sold in cans. People are

1:42:55 > 1:43:00getting their heads around things. A lot of premium premixed gin and

1:43:00 > 1:43:07tonic as well. Prices are actually higher. For a typical Christmas

1:43:07 > 1:43:13shop, it will cost more this year. But people are spending more.A

1:43:13 > 1:43:20typical shop will cost about 15% more. Food price inflation has been

1:43:20 > 1:43:23a real headache for the supermarkets. It is currently

1:43:23 > 1:43:28standing at around 3- 4%, the highest it's been in a few years.

1:43:28 > 1:43:37The good news is, early next year, it is expected to subside.We are so

1:43:37 > 1:43:40used to talking about price wars between the big supermarkets. We've

1:43:40 > 1:43:46not heard much about that because prices are going up. Why?Even

1:43:46 > 1:43:53though prices are going up, previous years, prior to Brexit, 2015, 2016,

1:43:53 > 1:43:58we had a good couple of years of food price deflation as supermarkets

1:43:58 > 1:44:04tried to cut prices to compete with the German giants. But inflation has

1:44:04 > 1:44:07hit the shop price. Supermarkets do everything to keep from passing that

1:44:07 > 1:44:11cost onto the consumer but unfortunately, it is hitting shop

1:44:11 > 1:44:18price.Thank you so much. We will talk a bit later. People are keen to

1:44:18 > 1:44:24make sure they get what they need. Holding no prisoners. Send me your

1:44:24 > 1:44:28list because I know you have a couple of things that you would like

1:44:28 > 1:44:32me to pick up. Send it through and I will bring it back to the studio

1:44:32 > 1:44:36later. But now, from a busy supermarket, shall we say, it is

1:44:36 > 1:44:43back to you.I don't wish that he meant that.What is the one thing

1:44:43 > 1:44:50you would ask him for?I am very fussy about the things I need. I'm a

1:44:50 > 1:44:58bit of a control freak like that. The offer is there.Pickled eggs.

1:44:58 > 1:45:06For Christmas?Pickled eggs, the Christmas?You are on your own they

1:45:06 > 1:45:13are. I would rather have a pickled gherkin. Yes, very good. Nice

1:45:13 > 1:45:21talking to you, Carol.I will take Mike Kew. A cloudy start of the day.

1:45:21 > 1:45:28It is also down. Some drizzle across South Wales. It will leave quite a

1:45:28 > 1:45:35lot of cloud in its wake. Except across parts of Scotland. We'll some

1:45:35 > 1:45:45sunshine. However for the rest of us, is going to be grey and cloudy.

1:45:45 > 1:45:53Across parts of Wales. Also, Northern Ireland. It is patchy. As

1:45:53 > 1:46:00we go through the afternoon. That temperatures are no great shakes. A

1:46:00 > 1:46:07lot of low cloud hung the shoreline. North-east England seeing something

1:46:07 > 1:46:14brighter. Then from the Midlands into East Anglia, a lot of cloud.

1:46:14 > 1:46:21The drizzle pushing away from the south. Temperatures wires, 12

1:46:21 > 1:46:29Celsius. That is good to the 22nd of December. For Wales, a day can.

1:46:29 > 1:46:38Patchy fog slowly lifting. Barely cloudy. 11 degrees in Belfast is

1:46:38 > 1:46:44healthy for December. That evening in overnight. Another cloudy picture

1:46:44 > 1:46:51developing. We also have some patchy mist and fog. Accompanied by a

1:46:51 > 1:47:01breezy conditions. Lower than these are the cloud breaks. We will have

1:47:01 > 1:47:08this rain in Scotland. It is also going to be windy. When the across

1:47:08 > 1:47:14northern England. Breezy across the south of the country. Still a lot of

1:47:14 > 1:47:22cloud. Remember, I told you, Aberdeen. . We are doubling the

1:47:22 > 1:47:27temperature. Still the weather front draped across Northern Ireland.

1:47:27 > 1:47:31Getting into northern England. With the south-westerly, along western

1:47:31 > 1:47:35facing coasts and hills. A bit more moisture in cloud coming in. A

1:47:35 > 1:47:41noticeable breeze. The Christmas Day, we've got this rain across the

1:47:41 > 1:47:46north of the country. Some snow on the mountains of Scotland. The

1:47:46 > 1:47:50timing of this rain moving east. It's going to be a windy day,

1:47:50 > 1:47:54particularly across the Irish Sea. But not quite as great as it's going

1:47:54 > 1:48:01to be in the next few days.

1:48:01 > 1:48:03This week we've been hearing all about the benefits of singing.

1:48:03 > 1:48:07So the producers set us the challenge to have a go

1:48:07 > 1:48:07ourselves.

1:48:07 > 1:48:10They gave us just a few hours to learn a Christmas classic,

1:48:10 > 1:48:15and then perform it to a crowd of more than a thousand people.

1:48:15 > 1:48:17What could possibly go wrong?

1:48:26 > 1:48:29I think you are going to see the Breakfast team

1:48:29 > 1:48:31a little bit naked.

1:48:31 > 1:48:33People have come to hear nice singing.

1:48:33 > 1:48:36That's us.

1:48:36 > 1:48:40What could possibly go wrong?

1:48:40 > 1:48:42Six presenters and the ultimate Christmas challenge.

1:48:42 > 1:48:43Here we are.

1:48:43 > 1:48:45I hope you're ready for this.

1:48:45 > 1:48:48We've all got a bit of a voice in us.

1:48:48 > 1:48:53But actually, we sound terrible.

1:48:53 > 1:48:56They have just a few hours to learn a song and sing it,

1:48:56 > 1:48:58in front of a live audience.

1:48:58 > 1:48:591400 people.

1:48:59 > 1:49:01That is daunting, isn't it?

1:49:01 > 1:49:03I am terrified.

1:49:03 > 1:49:05Our presenters will be singing with the gospel choir

1:49:05 > 1:49:07Manchester Inspirational Voices, led by Wayne Ellington.

1:49:07 > 1:49:08We are going to nail it.

1:49:08 > 1:49:14I know for sure that I can't, Naga.

1:49:21 > 1:49:23Our presenters will be singing with the gospel choir

1:49:23 > 1:49:27Manchester Inspirational Voices, led by Wayne Ellington.

1:49:27 > 1:49:34We are going to nail it.

1:49:34 > 1:49:43I know for sure that I can't, Naga.

1:49:43 > 1:49:46When we walked out earlier I suddenly thought, I'm not sure

1:49:46 > 1:49:51I can do this.

1:50:02 > 1:50:03APPLAUSE.

1:50:03 > 1:50:04No pressure, then.

1:50:04 > 1:50:08To make things a bit more fun, they don't yet know which song

1:50:08 > 1:50:12they have to learn.

1:50:12 > 1:50:16Good morning.

1:50:16 > 1:50:18Good morning!

1:50:18 > 1:50:20Welcome to the beautiful Bridgewater Hall.

1:50:20 > 1:50:23The song, you have been waiting to find out what this song

1:50:23 > 1:50:24is going to be.

1:50:24 > 1:50:25And the song is...

1:50:25 > 1:50:26The Christmas Song.

1:50:26 > 1:50:27How does that go?

1:50:27 > 1:50:30You might know it as Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire.

1:50:30 > 1:50:33# Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

1:50:33 > 1:50:36# Jack Frost nipping at your nose...

1:50:36 > 1:50:40Is there a soul singer, a crooner, a budding Nat King Cole lurking

1:50:40 > 1:50:44in this group?

1:50:44 > 1:50:53Let's find out.

1:50:58 > 1:51:06BRAYING.

1:51:06 > 1:51:10The team have just over an hour with Wayne to learn the song.

1:51:10 > 1:51:14It starts fairly well.

1:51:14 > 1:51:24# Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

1:51:24 > 1:51:25I have the opening line.

1:51:25 > 1:51:30# Jack Frost nipping at your nose...

1:51:30 > 1:51:31Nose!

1:51:31 > 1:51:35And I'm pleased, because in my head, number one, I know the line.

1:51:35 > 1:51:36I've heard the line before.

1:51:36 > 1:51:37I'm fairly comfortable with it.

1:51:37 > 1:51:48But also, I've got it out of the way.

1:51:48 > 1:51:50That's good.

1:51:50 > 1:51:53It's not the sort of singing that I'm used to.

1:51:53 > 1:51:54I'm struggling with it.

1:51:54 > 1:51:54# And folks...

1:51:54 > 1:52:00It's like around the corner a bit, I'm a straight down the middle man.

1:52:00 > 1:52:05If Dan is struggling, Naga is flying.

1:52:05 > 1:52:13# Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe...

1:52:13 > 1:52:14I feel joyful.

1:52:14 > 1:52:15I really do.

1:52:15 > 1:52:22The song is bringing us joy, so I feel good.

1:52:22 > 1:52:23# Out to make the season bright.

1:52:23 > 1:52:28Sing loud, sing proud.

1:52:28 > 1:52:30Will it?

1:52:30 > 1:52:33I presumed we would be singing together in a choir,

1:52:33 > 1:52:37I did not think for one second, one millisecond, that at any point

1:52:37 > 1:52:38I would be singing on my own.

1:52:38 > 1:52:40# Will find it hard to sleep tonight...

1:52:40 > 1:52:46I literally don't even know how it should be.

1:52:46 > 1:52:50OK, it sounds...

1:52:50 > 1:52:52The babies will be crying if I sing this.

1:52:52 > 1:52:59I look at the words and literally, the tune goes out of my head.

1:52:59 > 1:53:01# They know that Santa's on his way...

1:53:01 > 1:53:08I've got to rein myself in.

1:53:08 > 1:53:11# He's bringing all sorts of goodies and toys...

1:53:11 > 1:53:12Who knows what can happen?

1:53:12 > 1:53:16In rehearsal I learned the lines off by heart but suddenly couldn't think

1:53:16 > 1:53:16of the word...

1:53:16 > 1:53:18I've forgotten it again.

1:53:18 > 1:53:22Presents?

1:53:22 > 1:53:29No, goodies.

1:53:29 > 1:53:33# He's bringing lots of toys and goodies on his way...

1:53:33 > 1:53:36I was thinking of chicken giblets for some reason.

1:53:36 > 1:53:39It's not just remembering the notes, it's remembering to make short

1:53:39 > 1:53:41lines, which has so far proved difficult.

1:53:41 > 1:53:44You can either sing or you can't, that's how I see it.

1:53:44 > 1:53:46And I'm definitely one of the people who can't.

1:53:46 > 1:53:50# To see if reindeer really know how to fly...

1:53:50 > 1:53:54You'll be absolutely fine.

1:53:54 > 1:53:59It is very hard.

1:53:59 > 1:54:03With just a few hours ago you could say there is quite a bit

1:54:03 > 1:54:07of work to do, and we haven't even shown you the harmonies.

1:54:07 > 1:54:15# And every mother's child is going to smile...

1:54:15 > 1:54:17When I'm harmonising, I'm just hearing other stuff

1:54:17 > 1:54:18the whole time.

1:54:18 > 1:54:18That is...

1:54:18 > 1:54:24I really am struggling with that.

1:54:24 > 1:54:29# To see if reindeer really know how to fly...

1:54:29 > 1:54:32HUMMING.

1:54:32 > 1:54:34In quiet corners of Manchester's Bridgewater Hall,

1:54:34 > 1:54:43there is determined, slightly panicky humming.

1:54:43 > 1:54:52We know they get up early.

1:54:52 > 1:54:55# We know...

1:54:55 > 1:54:56They know...

1:54:56 > 1:54:58They can even read an autocue.

1:54:58 > 1:54:59# Santa's on his sleigh...

1:54:59 > 1:55:05On his way, not on his sleigh.

1:55:05 > 1:55:08But as showtime approaches...

1:55:08 > 1:55:11# Every mother's child is going to try...

1:55:11 > 1:55:12There is genuine fear.

1:55:12 > 1:55:14My hands are sweating.

1:55:14 > 1:55:15My heart is going.

1:55:15 > 1:55:27I'm going to lock myself in a room and hopefully nobody can find me.

1:55:27 > 1:55:29Next time, Charlie loses his trousers.

1:55:29 > 1:55:36Apparently Mike took my trousers.

1:55:36 > 1:55:37The audience arrives.

1:55:37 > 1:55:39Today will be a doddle.

1:55:39 > 1:55:39Enjoy yourselves!

1:55:39 > 1:55:40And it's showtime.

1:55:40 > 1:55:41I think we're on.

1:55:41 > 1:55:56Will the Breakfast presenters rise to the Christmas challenge?

1:55:56 > 1:55:59Welcome back, Mike. Apologies if

1:55:59 > 1:56:01Welcome back, Mike. Apologies if any of your animals or pets were

1:56:01 > 1:56:05disturbed by the noise as you heard a moment ago.Yeah. There must have

1:56:05 > 1:56:10been some dogs howling outside. And the howler of the trousers, we will

1:56:10 > 1:56:16reveal that next week, but I shimmy don't normally swap clothes?No, but

1:56:16 > 1:56:19we were sharing a dressing room and things can happen. Rings can go

1:56:19 > 1:56:25wrong.Yes, things did. I must say, you sang with your usual style and

1:56:25 > 1:56:30gusto.I know, the bands that I used to be in, now I can tell why they

1:56:30 > 1:56:33didn't get anywhere. I must apologise my former band members.

1:56:33 > 1:56:37No! As long as you throw yourself into it, it doesn't matter.Well,

1:56:37 > 1:56:42that was painful.You will see more, if you want to see more, on Rectus

1:56:42 > 1:56:46on Christmas Day. That is when you will see the actual performance for

1:56:46 > 1:56:50the first time, exclusively on Breakfast.Lucky you. Let's have a

1:56:50 > 1:56:52moment of calm, and watch some polar bears.

1:56:52 > 1:56:56They're finding their feet in their frozen world.

1:56:56 > 1:57:00We'll hear the story of two polar bear cubs as they travel 400 miles

1:57:00 > 2:00:26in search of food.

2:00:26 > 2:00:30Definitely knows no there. -- no snow.

2:00:33 > 2:00:35Hello, this is Breakfast with Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty.

2:00:35 > 2:00:37An early Christmas present for motorists, as hundred

2:00:37 > 2:00:38of roadworks are temporarily lifted.

2:00:38 > 2:00:41But there's a warning that there'll still be severe delays as millions

2:00:41 > 2:00:44of drivers take to the roads on one of the busiest days of the year.

2:00:49 > 2:00:54And I'm at the RAC National control centre. They are expecting a busier

2:00:54 > 2:00:57than usual Christmas getaway.

2:01:06 > 2:01:08Good morning, it's Friday, 22nd December.

2:01:08 > 2:01:09Also this morning...

2:01:09 > 2:01:11The woman who accused Damian Green of inappropriate

2:01:11 > 2:01:18behaviour talks to the BBC.

2:01:18 > 2:01:23I was aware that he was the Deputy Prime Minister, and I was aware that

2:01:23 > 2:01:25number ten new about it.

2:01:25 > 2:01:27Kate Maltby says a Downing Street official knew of claims against

2:01:27 > 2:01:31the former Deputy Prime Minister before he was promoted.

2:01:31 > 2:01:32Back to blue.

2:01:32 > 2:01:35The colour of the British passport will change when we leave

2:01:35 > 2:01:41the European Union.

2:01:41 > 2:01:47Good morning. We're going to spend £1.5 billion on food and drink in

2:01:47 > 2:01:52the run-up to Christmas. So, just how are the supermarkets preparing

2:01:52 > 2:01:58for the Rush? I'm in east London this morning to find out.Good

2:01:58 > 2:02:03morning. The NHS is getting ready to cook Britain's biggest Christmas

2:02:03 > 2:02:07lunch on Monday. We are live in the kitchens of Southport Hospital to

2:02:07 > 2:02:10bring you the site and the smells and find out how they are getting

2:02:10 > 2:02:12ready for Christmas dinner.

2:02:12 > 2:02:14In sport, the festive football kicks off.

2:02:14 > 2:02:22And in this season of giving, Arsenal are hoping to take away

2:02:22 > 2:02:25the last Champions League place from their Chirstmas

2:02:25 > 2:02:26guests, Liverpool.

2:02:26 > 2:02:28And, six Breakfast presenters and 1,000-strong audience.

2:02:28 > 2:02:30What could possibly go wrong?

2:02:30 > 2:02:33Find out how we prepared for our big singing debut.

2:02:33 > 2:02:40And Carol has the weather.

2:02:40 > 2:02:45Voices of Angels! Good morning. Today, once again, it's going to be

2:02:45 > 2:02:49an unseasonably mild day. There will be lots of cloud around, patchy fog

2:02:49 > 2:02:54will be slow to left. The brightest skies in the north of Scotland and

2:02:54 > 2:02:57North East England. I'll have more in 15 minutes.

2:02:57 > 2:02:58Good morning.

2:02:58 > 2:02:59First, our main story.

2:02:59 > 2:03:01Hundreds of miles of roadworks have been suspended

2:03:01 > 2:03:03by Highways England as the great Christmas getaway begins.

2:03:03 > 2:03:06Today is predicted to be the busiest travel day of the festive period,

2:03:06 > 2:03:09with millions of extra vehicles taking to the roads.

2:03:09 > 2:03:11There's good news for rail travellers, as planned strike action

2:03:11 > 2:03:13on the West Coast Mainline has been called off.

2:03:13 > 2:03:15Our reporter Kathryn Stanczyszyn is at the RAC's

2:03:15 > 2:03:18headquarters in Walsall.

2:03:18 > 2:03:26Good morning.Good morning. The RAC is expecting to be extra busy today

2:03:26 > 2:03:31as well. That's because we're expecting to see 1 million extra

2:03:31 > 2:03:36journeys on the roads. 3 million cars on the roads in all. So, it is

2:03:36 > 2:03:38going to be a particularly busy Christmas getaway because of course

2:03:38 > 2:03:43it's the end of the working week as well as the time when people heard

2:03:43 > 2:03:47out to spend Christmas with their families and friends. Hotspots

2:03:47 > 2:03:57looking like the M6, the 8303, and the M25. That will be later today,

2:03:57 > 2:04:00particularly not looking too bad at the moment. But we know that those

2:04:00 > 2:04:03areas are going to be particularly busy. We will be keeping an eye on

2:04:03 > 2:04:07that, the busiest time between 4pm and 8pm. The advice is not to travel

2:04:07 > 2:04:12on if you don't have too. The trains are welcome reprieve. Virgin Trains

2:04:12 > 2:04:16were going to have a strike today on the West Coast Main Line, that is

2:04:16 > 2:04:19going to be called off, but they recommend you still check your

2:04:19 > 2:04:22journeys because there are going to be engineering projects going on.

2:04:22 > 2:04:27Airports will be busy as well. 4.5 million people expected to head

2:04:27 > 2:04:32abroad this Christmas. The advice is, just leave some extra time for

2:04:32 > 2:04:34your journeys.Thank you.

2:04:34 > 2:04:36The woman who alleged Damian Green made inappropriate advances

2:04:36 > 2:04:39to her has told BBC News she spoke to a senior Downing Street

2:04:39 > 2:04:41official about his behaviour before he was promoted

2:04:41 > 2:04:43to First Secretary of State.

2:04:43 > 2:04:45Number Ten denies Theresa May was aware of the claims.

2:04:45 > 2:04:48Mr Green was sacked on Wednesday for making misleading statements

2:04:48 > 2:04:52about the discovery of pornography on his Commons computer

2:04:52 > 2:04:53nine years ago. Our Political Correspondent,

2:04:53 > 2:04:57Leila Nathoo, is in Westminster.

2:04:57 > 2:05:01Leila, how damaging are these new claims?

2:05:01 > 2:05:07I imagine the Prime Minister was hoping a line would be drawn under

2:05:07 > 2:05:11this yesterday, but that doesn't seem to be the case.The suggestion

2:05:11 > 2:05:15now from Kate Maltby that number ten was aware of her claims against

2:05:15 > 2:05:19Damian Green last year, before he was promoted to first Secretary of

2:05:19 > 2:05:23State, the effective Deputy Prime Minister role, they are serious,

2:05:23 > 2:05:25although Downing Street is very clear that the Prime Minister did

2:05:25 > 2:05:28not know. They are denying that the Prime Minister had any knowledge of

2:05:28 > 2:05:33the claims. This was what triggered the investigation into Damian Green

2:05:33 > 2:05:37that ultimately led to him having to step down, although he didn't step

2:05:37 > 2:05:45down over the claims made by Kate Maltby. She had said that he had

2:05:45 > 2:05:49made a fleeting... Touched her knee fleetingly, sent her a suggestive

2:05:49 > 2:05:53text, and now is coming forward with these claims that number ten was in

2:05:53 > 2:05:56the know. But she said to want to come forward in the first place

2:05:56 > 2:06:00because she wanted the culture in Westminster to change.There seemed

2:06:00 > 2:06:10to be an improper mixing of mentor ship and sexual advance within the

2:06:10 > 2:06:16Conservative Party. In his case, I was aware that he was the Deputy

2:06:16 > 2:06:23Prime Minister, and I was aware that number ten new about it.Now, the

2:06:23 > 2:06:27inquiry into Damian Green had found Kate Maltby's account of what

2:06:27 > 2:06:31happened to be plausible, but was ultimately inconclusive. Damian

2:06:31 > 2:06:34Green has apologised for making her feel uncomfortable but he has always

2:06:34 > 2:06:39maintained that he does not recognise her version of events. But

2:06:39 > 2:06:42I think this whole matter goes to the heart of what we've been talking

2:06:42 > 2:06:47here in Westminster about for a long time, which is how seriously claims

2:06:47 > 2:06:52were taken about sexual misconduct, harassment, before the recent flurry

2:06:52 > 2:06:55of people coming forward. And I think there is a hope now that this

2:06:55 > 2:07:00is a real turning point, that new procedures, grievance procedures,

2:07:00 > 2:07:04complaints processes will be put in place within Parliament in the

2:07:04 > 2:07:06parties themselves to encourage people to come forward and make sure

2:07:06 > 2:07:12that they are taken seriously. Indeed, Lalor, thanks very much.

2:07:12 > 2:07:14Boris Johnson will warn Russia to stop cyber attacks which threaten

2:07:14 > 2:07:16Britain's national security or face retaliation of a similar

2:07:16 > 2:07:19kind from the UK. He's making the first visit

2:07:19 > 2:07:21to Moscow by a British Foreign Secretary for more than five years.

2:07:21 > 2:07:24He'll say he wants the two countries to co-operate

2:07:24 > 2:07:25on international challenges, including the threat

2:07:25 > 2:07:33posed by North Korea.

2:07:33 > 2:07:36The dark blue British passport is to make a return after Brexit.

2:07:36 > 2:07:39The Government said what it described as the "classic" colour

2:07:39 > 2:07:40would be reintroduced from October 2019.

2:07:40 > 2:07:43Here's our Home Affairs Correspondent, Tom Symonds.

2:07:43 > 2:07:51What does Brexit mean?

2:07:51 > 2:07:53Well, it turns out Brexit means no more European burgundy.

2:07:53 > 2:07:57Brexit means British blue.

2:07:57 > 2:08:07And on the new passport, the E word is nowhere to be seen.

2:08:09 > 2:08:11Some like Newsnight reporter back in the early days will rejoice.

2:08:11 > 2:08:15It is the reality of what we are, where we feel we belong.

2:08:15 > 2:08:20And for some people, pocket-sized burgundy

2:08:20 > 2:08:25simply isn't British.

2:08:25 > 2:08:27The passport is something so many people still have fond memories of.

2:08:27 > 2:08:31The British blue passport was with you for many years.

2:08:31 > 2:08:34I'm pleased to let people know we are going back to the classic

2:08:34 > 2:08:35blue and gold design.

2:08:35 > 2:08:38Not quite.

2:08:38 > 2:08:40The classic 1980s-era passport was bigger and hard-backed.

2:08:40 > 2:08:50The EU one, definitely easier to slip into a shirt pocket.

2:08:52 > 2:08:54The new British passport will be broadly the same design.

2:08:54 > 2:08:57The Government says the new colour will not cost any more.

2:08:57 > 2:08:59Passports are redesigned regularly to make them harder to forge.

2:08:59 > 2:09:02The blue one will start appearing in 2019 as passports are renewed.

2:09:02 > 2:09:03Tom Symonds, BBC News.

2:09:03 > 2:09:06Parties supporting independence from Spain have won a majority

2:09:06 > 2:09:08in regional elections in Catalonia. The government called the poll

2:09:08 > 2:09:10after an independence referendum held by the region

2:09:10 > 2:09:11was ruled unlawful.

2:09:11 > 2:09:20Let's speak to our Europe Reporter, Gavin Lee, who's in Barcelona.

2:09:20 > 2:09:25Gavin, we see another lovely pale sunshine on the streets of Barcelona

2:09:25 > 2:09:29this morning. Paint a picture of what politics is going to look like

2:09:29 > 2:09:32from now on, given how stressful and emotional it's been four people

2:09:32 > 2:09:38there and the rest of Spain.Yes, there has been a real fragmentation

2:09:38 > 2:09:42of the vote. Therein mind, this was called by the Spanish government,

2:09:42 > 2:09:47Mariano Rajoy, the popular party dissolving parliament because of the

2:09:47 > 2:09:50attempt to break away by the separatist coalition government.

2:09:50 > 2:09:55They went in either too self-imposed exile with Carles Puigdemont, the

2:09:55 > 2:10:00then president, or they were sent to prison facing charges of rebellion

2:10:00 > 2:10:04against the state. As a result of the elections, they were hoping the

2:10:04 > 2:10:09popular party to have prounion forces in power. That is part of the

2:10:09 > 2:10:13story. This is the headline of the local newspaper. The pro union

2:10:13 > 2:10:18party, the citizens party, a 36-year-old lawyer says last night

2:10:18 > 2:10:22that she should be the leader. They have the highest number of seats.

2:10:22 > 2:10:27Seven seats in the parliament. I asked her, though, can you get a

2:10:27 > 2:10:30coalition? It wasn't enough for a majority. She said it's difficult

2:10:30 > 2:10:34because none of the pro-Unity parties can make the magic number of

2:10:34 > 2:10:3968 that they need to form a government. Guess who can? It is

2:10:39 > 2:10:45Carles Puigdemont, in Belgium, looking very surprised at the result

2:10:45 > 2:10:48in El Pais yesterday. The separatists can get a collective

2:10:48 > 2:10:52majority. It appears the Spanish government's majority has backfired.

2:10:52 > 2:10:56The popular party has the weakest position, only three seats in

2:10:56 > 2:10:59parliament. There will be weeks of haggling between the parties to try

2:10:59 > 2:11:04and build a coalition. We could now see separatist parties potentially

2:11:04 > 2:11:07back in power here. Carles Puigdemont is already talking about

2:11:07 > 2:11:12potentially coming back, if other ministers who are in prison are

2:11:12 > 2:11:15released first. We have lots of questions, including what happens

2:11:15 > 2:11:20here on the streets. It looks nice, but emergency powers aren't played,

2:11:20 > 2:11:24and the Madrid government is still technically in control. When, if at

2:11:24 > 2:11:31all, does that go away?

2:11:31 > 2:11:35Ladbrokes Corel has agreed the terms of a takeover from an online rival.

2:11:35 > 2:11:42The owners of Foxy bingo have announced the deal, Ladbrokes Corel

2:11:42 > 2:11:47is the largest High Street bookmaker with 3.5 thousand shops. -- 3500

2:11:47 > 2:11:52jobs. -- shops.

2:11:52 > 2:11:55The introduction of a deposit scheme for plastic bottles to help protect

2:11:55 > 2:11:58the seas from pollution is being called for by MPs.

2:11:58 > 2:12:00The Environmental Audit Committee is also considering making firms

2:12:00 > 2:12:01which use plastic packaging financially responsible

2:12:01 > 2:12:06for the waste that they create.

2:12:06 > 2:12:08Now, what do you think a Japanese Christmas

2:12:08 > 2:12:10tradition would look like?

2:12:10 > 2:12:13Here is an example.

2:12:21 > 2:12:24Certainly rousing this time in the morning.

2:12:24 > 2:12:27A choir of around 10,000 people get together each year to perform

2:12:27 > 2:12:28Beethoven's ninth symphony.

2:12:28 > 2:12:30It's thought the tradition began during the First World War

2:12:30 > 2:12:33when a group of German prisoners of war being held in the country

2:12:33 > 2:12:37sang Ode To Joy at Christmas time.

2:12:42 > 2:12:46H 12am is the time. We are hearing this morning that the Christmas

2:12:46 > 2:12:54getaway has begun. 3 million drivers estimated to take to the roads.

2:12:54 > 2:12:56Airports and railway stations are also gearing up

2:12:56 > 2:13:00for their busiest day of the year.

2:13:00 > 2:13:06Kathryn Stancheshun is that the RAC headquarters in Walsall. While much

2:13:06 > 2:13:09is around the somewhere, but the elves are keeping busy as well

2:13:09 > 2:13:14making sure the traffic stays clear! They are gearing up for a very busy

2:13:14 > 2:13:18day at the National RAC control centre, but there is opportunity for

2:13:18 > 2:13:22festive spirit, although some of these people will be working right

2:13:22 > 2:13:26across Christmas. It is going to be busy. We know it is extra busy

2:13:26 > 2:13:31because of the end of the working week, of course, as well as the

2:13:31 > 2:13:43Christmas getaway. 3 million journeys expected to be carried out.

2:13:45 > 2:13:47The busy time is between 4pm and 8pm. I'm with Matt Galloway, the

2:13:47 > 2:13:50director of roadside operations for the RAC. It's going to be busy today

2:13:50 > 2:13:52stop yes, you've got commercial traffic and commuter traffic

2:13:52 > 2:13:54competing for space this Christmas period, we are expecting to be busy.

2:13:54 > 2:13:57More traffic means more breakdowns. It's the last thing anyone wants, as

2:13:57 > 2:14:00you're trying to get away from Christmas.Of course it is, we've

2:14:00 > 2:14:03got great teams to help our members but we would ask people to think

2:14:03 > 2:14:07about their journeys, plan them properly, think about the roots and

2:14:07 > 2:14:11spent a bit of time getting the car ready for winter, it can be really

2:14:11 > 2:14:16help. Yellow what's keeping the team going here throughout this busy rush

2:14:16 > 2:14:20later? Apart from sweets and chocolate, we've got great

2:14:20 > 2:14:23management team and the guys are really good festive spirit, as you

2:14:23 > 2:14:28can see, we are looking after them well.Thanks, Matt. We know around

2:14:28 > 2:14:32400 miles of roadworks will be suspended today until the 2nd of

2:14:32 > 2:14:36January, that will hopefully help motorists a little bit as the

2:14:36 > 2:14:41Christmas getaway continues. Here is Simon Calder, our travel Guru, I

2:14:41 > 2:14:44like to describe you, Travel Editor of the Independent. It's not just

2:14:44 > 2:14:55the roads that people are concerned about, it's the trained as well.

2:14:55 > 2:14:58While it certainly is. Virgin Trains called off their strike late

2:14:58 > 2:15:00yesterday, and they are hoping to run a normal service today but they

2:15:00 > 2:15:03may not be able to. They say, forget what it says onyour ticket, it go

2:15:03 > 2:15:06as early in the day as you can. Merseyrail are striking up until

2:15:06 > 2:15:11about 7pm this evening, elsewhere it is looking all right. Problems

2:15:11 > 2:15:14between Crewe and Warrington on the West Coast Main Line, and

2:15:14 > 2:15:19cross-country run strike tomorrow and on Sunday.And it is an

2:15:19 > 2:15:22exceptionally busy day for people leaving the country as well, isn't

2:15:22 > 2:15:27it?It is the busiest day of the winter at Heathrow, Gatwick,

2:15:27 > 2:15:31Manchester, Stansted's is actually tomorrow. So far the problems are

2:15:31 > 2:15:34all on the other side of the North Sea. Lots of people have been in

2:15:34 > 2:15:37touch because the flights to Amsterdam have been cancelled.

2:15:37 > 2:15:41That's because of big problems they had the last night. Also they have

2:15:41 > 2:15:49fog there today. The airline has to rebook you by some other means to

2:15:49 > 2:15:52get you to your destination. If you are going through an airport today,

2:15:52 > 2:15:56please be sensible. I've got a few props here. Don't take anything like

2:15:56 > 2:16:00that through security. Not even a little Santa Snow Dome, that's going

2:16:00 > 2:16:04to be a problem. Don't drop your presence, and don't even think about

2:16:04 > 2:16:08taking party poppers. And don't forget your passport, whether it is

2:16:08 > 2:16:12the new one or the old one.I thought Simon has just died at the

2:16:12 > 2:16:17party early the! Simon Calder, thank you. So I thought that Simon had

2:16:17 > 2:16:23just started the party earlier. Advice is, maybe packed an extra

2:16:23 > 2:16:27pack biscuits and have a singalong, not if you are on the train, the!

2:16:27 > 2:16:34And dress up!

2:16:34 > 2:16:38And if you can dress up as an elf whilst doing the all-important

2:16:38 > 2:16:49travel across the UK!That is very fetching.He is saying, I can't

2:16:49 > 2:16:53believe you made me with these.

2:16:57 > 2:17:03Today it is going to be cloudy, mild and damp. We have got drizzle in

2:17:03 > 2:17:07southern England and South Wales and it will push away into the near

2:17:07 > 2:17:12continent. It is also breezy in the north of the country. And we have

2:17:12 > 2:17:17got some patchy fog across south-west England, Wales, the Vale

2:17:17 > 2:17:21of York, the Central lowlands and also Northern Ireland. That will

2:17:21 > 2:17:25slowly lift as we go through the course of the evening. We will see

2:17:25 > 2:17:30some breaks developed primarily in eastern Scotland and the North East

2:17:30 > 2:17:33of England. Towards the west there will be more cloud, said the

2:17:33 > 2:17:37temperatures will be that bit higher. In north-west England there

2:17:37 > 2:17:44is a lot of low cloud around, murky conditions in North East England.

2:17:44 > 2:17:48When we come all the way south into the Midlands, East Anglia and the

2:17:48 > 2:17:52Southern counties we are looking at a fairly cloudy picture and it is

2:17:52 > 2:17:58low cloud. With the south-westerly wind, a bit more coming in across

2:17:58 > 2:18:03the coasts and the hills. The temperature in Aberystwyth is pretty

2:18:03 > 2:18:10good for this time of the year, as it is in Belfast at 11. The fog will

2:18:10 > 2:18:15slowly lift and a lot of it will just lift into cloud. Tonight it

2:18:15 > 2:18:20will be a cloudy night with patchy mist. A weather front is coming in

2:18:20 > 2:18:25across the North introducing more rain and also it will be cold where

2:18:25 > 2:18:30we have got breaks in the cloud. 5 degrees is the overnight low in

2:18:30 > 2:18:35Aberdeen. Further south it is nine and ten. Tomorrow we start off with

2:18:35 > 2:18:40that weather front in the north. Some of that rain will be heavy. It

2:18:40 > 2:18:46will be windy in the North with some gusts up to gale force. But in

2:18:46 > 2:18:50southern Scotland, Northern Ireland, the North of England and Wales it is

2:18:50 > 2:18:57another cloudy and mild day. Westerly facing coasts and hills

2:18:57 > 2:19:01having more murky conditions. On Christmas eve this weather front is

2:19:01 > 2:19:07still with us. The wane full totals will be building up in northern

2:19:07 > 2:19:13Scotland. This pushes eventually into north-west Wales. Quite the

2:19:13 > 2:19:23breezy day. For Christmas Day we have rain heading towards the south

2:19:23 > 2:19:29and east. The timing and placement of this could change. If you are

2:19:29 > 2:19:32hoping for a white Christmas, you will have to head up into the

2:19:32 > 2:19:37mountains in Scotland. Cooler air feeds in here temporarily, but ahead