The week in audio: The Wombles; A Single Act; ’Twas the Nighy Before Christmas; Hanif Kureishi Guest Edits Today; Dom Joly – review

A fun and furry flashback with the original ecowarriors; a double helping of Bill Nighy; gripping revelations from Hanif Kureishi; and Dom Joly on his best behaviour

The Wombles (Radio 4) | BBC Sounds
A Single Act (Radio 4) | BBC Sounds
’Twas the Nighy Before Christmas (6 Music) | BBC Sounds
Hanif Kureishi Guest Edits Today (Radio 4) | BBC Sounds
Dom Joly LBC

I didn’t have an easy time explaining to my tweenage children who (what?) the Wombles were. “They are kind of the British version of the Moomins,” I started. The younger one replied: “Are they real?” I hesitated: as a child, in the early 1980s, I made my parents traipse around Wimbledon Common in search of them. “They live in Wimbledon,” I replied, a bit stumped. Blank faces: “Like the tennis players?” the older one asked. We really weren’t getting anywhere.