Tuesday 13 December - Simon Callow

Part 1: Hellos & Menu

Parts 2 & 3: Deathbed Bids For Organs
First up, something we mentioned yesterday, the push to get medics to ask dying patients and their relatives if they’d consider donating their organs after they pass on. Why? Primarily because the voluntary donor system isn’t working but then how would you feel being asked about your mother’s kidneys when you’re praying she survives the night? Would doctors and nurses feel compromised as lifesavers or organ snatchers?

We’ll take plenty of calls on that before it’s over to Simon for the rest of the day’s headlines.

Part 4: Today’s Papers

Part 5: Who Cares If High Street Dies?
Then: who cares if your high street dies? Queen of shops Mary Portas might want to save town centres but in a free market economy, the sick ones are being killed off by the Internet, out-of town-malls or ridiculous parking restrictions. Well boo hoo, life goes on - or maybe some high streets are worthy of conservation?

Part 6: Fussy Women Ruin Christmas!
After that: Do fussy women ruin Xmas? Yes they do says today’s Daily Mail. If men were in charge everyone would have more fun. Why? Because blokes wouldn’t panic about cooking stuff, sending cards or visiting relatives. But then without the turkey, the cards and the in laws it wouldn’t really be Christmas, would it?

Part 7: People Carriers Vs Sports Cars?
And finally: What’s sexier - a man driving a people carrier or a sports car? A new survey reckons it’s the former. But why? Could it be men in seven seaters look like breeding material? While the bloke in the Porsche is more the love you and leave you type?