New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Sirius XM Holdings) SiriusXM today announced that legendary entertainer Regis Philbin , host of FOX Sports' "Crowd Goes Wild," will return as the host of SiriusXM's "Bing Crosby Christmas Radio," a limited-run 24/7 holiday channel devoted to the American entertainment icon synonymous with classic holiday entertainment.
The channel will feature vintage
Bing Crosby holiday radio programs from 1942-1962 and two new specials: "SiriusXM's Crosby Christmas Town Hall," an intimate Q & A hosted by Philbin with Bing Crosby's wife Kathryn, son Harry and a select group of listeners, and a music show on which Kathryn Crosby will share memories and the stories behind her favorite Bing Christmas songs with Philbin and listeners nationwide. "Bing Crosby Christmas Radio" also features personal anecdotes and memories from Bing's daughter Mary and son
Nathaniel Crosby .
"Bing Crosby Christmas Radio" will launch on December 20 at 12:00 pm ET with the premiere of "SiriusXM's Crosby Christmas Town Hall," and air 24/7 through December 26 at 12:00 pm ET on SiriusXM channel 111.
On "SiriusXM's Crosby Christmas Town Hall," fans will have the opportunity in the intimate setting of the SiriusXM studios to ask Kathryn, Harry and Regis questions about Bing's life, music, holiday specials and stellar career as a multi-talented star and to reflect on what Bing means to them and to fans from multiple generations. Following its premiere on December 20 at 12:00 pm , encore presentations of "SiriusXM's Crosby Christmas Town Hall" will air December 20 at 9:00 pm , December 21 at 8:00 am and 6:00 pm , December 22 at 2:00 pm and 11:00 pm , December 23 at 10:00 am and 8:00 pm , December 24 at 4:00 am and 4:00 pm , December 25 at 10:00 pm and December 26 at 11:00 am (all times ET).
Kathryn Crosby will share her favorite Bing Christmas songs, the stories behind them and memories of Bing with Regis and listeners nationwide on a special music show premiering on "Bing Crosby Christmas Radio" on December 20 at 5:00 pm ET . Encore presentations will air on December 21 at 1:00 pm and midnight, December 22 at 7:00 pm , December 23 at 3:00 pm , December 24 at 9:00 am , December 25 at 6:00 pm and December 26 at 7:00 am (all times ET).
"We are delighted to celebrate Bing's life, music, classic radio programs and love of the holidays with Regis and millions of fans and listeners across the country on SiriusXM's "Bing Crosby Christmas Radio,'" said Kathryn Crosby .
"Bing Crosby has been my idol and greatest inspiration from the first time I heard him on the radio when I was a young child to the thrilling moment I met and sang for him on 'The Joey Bishop Show,'" said Regis Philbin . "I love sharing my memories and his incredible body of work on SiriusXM's 'Bing Crosby Christmas Radio,' and am thrilled that Kathryn and Harry will be with me in studio to share their family memories and the stories behind the music we love with SiriusXM listeners and Bing's millions of fans across the country."
"SiriusXM's 'Bing Crosby Christmas Radio' is a holiday treat and tradition that we look forward to offering our subscribers every year," said Scott Greenstein , President and Chief Content Officer, SiriusXM. "We are honored to work with Regis and the Crosby family, whose deeply personal memories, perspective and reflections on Bing and his incredible body of work offer our listeners a one-of-a-kind channel that truly captures his spirit, many talents and timeless legacy."
Vintage shows and specials spanning twenty years of Crosby's legendary radio career on "Bing Crosby Christmas Radio" include "White Christmas," his most popular recording ever, variety shows featuring Bing singing, storytelling, performing skits and celebrating the holidays with the biggest stars of the time: Rosemary Clooney ,
Frank Sinatra ,
Judy Garland , Bob Hope ,
Orson Welles ,
Ella Fitzgerald ,
Peggy Lee , The Andrews Sisters, Johnny Mercer , Ethel Barrymore and Edgar Bergen with his daughter, a young Candice Bergen . "Bing Crosby Christmas Radio" also features Crosby's Christmas Day 1950 guest spot on "The Bob Hope
Radio Show," Bing's holiday specials "Christmas Sing with Bing," "The
Bing Crosby Show," "Philco
Radio Time," "Kraft
Music Hall" and "Bing's Basement," a two-part Christmas collection of recently discovered Christmas-related outtakes, rarities and obscurities from Crosby's personal vault.
"SiriusXM's Crosby Christmas Town Hall," Kathryn Crosby's music special and other parts of "Bing Crosby Christmas Radio" will be available on SiriusXM On Demand for subscribers listening via the SiriusXM
Internet Radio App for smartphones and other mobile devices or online at siriusxm.com .
Veteran broadcaster Philbin, host of "Crowd Goes Wild" on FOX Sports 1, is the proud recipient of five Emmy® Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, a Broadcasting & Cable Lifetime Achievement Award, the Walter Camp Distinguished American Award at Yale University , and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2006, he was inducted into both the
National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Television Academy's Hall of Fame.
"SiriusXM's Crosby Christmas Town Hall" is part of the SiriusXM series featuring iconic entertainers and figures sitting down with studio audiences of SiriusXM listeners.
Previous SiriusXM "Town Hall" specials have featured Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Eminem, Katy Perry, Willie Nelson, Alicia Keys, KISS, Tony Bennett, Coldplay, Cher, Ringo Starr, Taylor Swift, Usher,
Pearl Jam,
Roger Waters and the surviving members of Nirvana.
Visit www.siriusxm.com and www.bingcrosby.com for more information.