Tune in over Christmas to National Prison Radio

Award-winning actress Julie Hesmondhalgh will be appearing on National Prison Radio over Christmas to share her experiences of performing in Punch, a West-End play about Restorative Justice. 

Julie plays Joan, the mother of James Hodgkinson, a teenager who was killed on a night out after 19-year-old Jacob Dunne fatally punched him in an unprovoked attack. 

Jacob, who has previously appeared on Life After Prison, served a sentence for manslaughter, and on leaving prison found himself homeless, unemployed and struggling to get his life back on track. 

But everything changed when he was contacted by his probation officer, who asked if he would be willing to speak to his victim’s parents: Joan and David. 

Punch tells the true story of how Restorative Justice changed the course of Jacob’s life after prison and allowed his victim’s parents, Joan and David, to find a way forward. 

Julie says Punch “shows the power of restorative justice and the healing power of forgiveness”. 

Julie has long been a supporter of National Prison Radio and during Covid, she even sent a message of support that was played out on NPR. This is what Julie wrote: 

When you know the sun is shining, even though inside it’s grey 

When lockdown isn’t a novelty, but your existence day to day 

When you’re lonely in isolation, with no visitors to break up the week 

When you’re vulnerable to the virus, but your fear of it’s pretty unique 

When your world outside feels distant, and you’re feeling lost and blue 

Take solace in the radio

And know…

That we’re thinking of you.  

Julie will also be joining the NPR team to take part in some festive fun. 

NPR will be asking Julie to share some Coronation Street gossip, to talk about her favourite Christmas traditions and of course we’ll ask her to take part in a very special version of the NPR Talk game: Say More! 

Also on NPR over the Christmas period, you can hear: 

• News just in: UK garage crew, The Heartless Crew, have just confirmed to NPR that they’ve cleared a slot in their diary to come in and record a special Christmas show. This will be broadcast on Christmas Day.

• Christmas Dinner with Kurupt: in this special show, NPR treats MC Grindah and DJ Steves from the hit TV show People Just Do Nothing to a special prison-style Christmas dinner. Over a starter, a main course and a dessert, they share funny stories and reminisce about their experiences running local radio station Kurupt FM. 

• National Prison Radio presenters will count down the most requested songs on NPR in 2025. You can hear this countdown on The Request Show from Monday 29 December through to New Year’s Eve, when we’ll also be bringing you the countdown of the prisons that contacted NPR most.

• And of course, you can hear all your usual favourite NPR shows throughout the Christmas period. 

NPR Talk is on Monday to Friday at midday and 6pm.

National Prison Radio is the world’s first national radio station for people in prison. It is available on in-cell TVs and Launchpad laptops in prisons across England and Wales. 

You can get involved with NPR by calling 0808 123 1234 and leaving a message. You can request a track, ask a question or share an inspirational story. We listen to every single message we receive. 

If NPR is not available in your prison, call us on 0808 123 1234 and leave a message telling us the prison you are in and how long it has been down for.

*Over the Christmas period, normal show times may change according to schedule requirements. Stay tuned to NPR to hear about any updates.