KAY PENCE Eldridge

Brigitte Bardot, who died aged 91 in Saint-Tropez, was a legendary star of French cinema. A compelling erotic presence and a global celebrity of the post-war era, she was adulated by her fans and pursued by paparazzi, but was also, in equal measure, the object of violent hostility. Such polarised reactions reflect the social and cultural impact of her transgressive persona.

As much a Christmas tradition as Carols from King’s, A Christmas Carol and the Royal Christmas message, the BBC’s Ghost Story for Christmas has been a fixture of Yuletide TV for more than half a century. With their dread-filled atmosphere, their rich period details and gothic vistas, the many dramas made for the slot are a regular counterbalance to the lighter fare that often dominates December’s television schedules.

As an annual tradition throughout the 1930s, 40s and 50s, Ealing Studios’ advertising director S. John Woods designed a special Christmas card. The results were typical of the studio’s graphic design and visual invention. 23 December 2025 S. John Woods Christmas cardEstate of S. John Woods/Image source: BFI National Archive Sydney John Woods was a graphic designer, painter, art curator and critic.