Pope's Christmas Eve address a scoop for the BBC's Today programme
Radio 4 show secures Pope Benedict XVI for its famous Thought for the Day slot
The BBC hailed a historic coup in securing Pope Benedict XVI to deliver the Christmas Eve message on Radio 4's Thought for the Day.
The pontiff recorded his first scripted radio or television address in Rome today, for the Today programme's religious slot.
The BBC's director general, Mark Thompson, a Roman Catholic, is understood to have been involved in securing the pope for the show. He has met the pope and attended a service in London during the papal visit to Britain.
The unprecedented move comes at the end of a turbulent year for the Roman Catholic church in Britain, with the £10m papal visit in September marked by protests against child abuse as well as the pope's stance on other issues, including homosexuality.
Although details of his Thought for the Day are being kept under wraps before it airs on 24 December, BBC sources said it would be a "warm Christmas message for the British people".
The National Secular Society said the BBC was "obsessed with religion". Its president, Terry Sanderson, said: "We're not happy about it. We spent most of the year chasing the pope about the allegations of child abuse within the church, particularly when he came to Britain in September.
"Nobody in the BBC was prepared to ask the difficult questions and here we are again with the BBC giving him an uninterrupted platform.
"Why isn't John Humphrys being asked to insist that the pope gives an explanation for the teachings that hurt so many people – women, gay people, those suffering with Aids because condoms are banned – and future generations through overpopulation?"
The BBC was criticised in some quarters after it gave the visit blanket coverage with more than 10 hours of live broadcasting on BBC1 and BBC2.
The pope will join the ranks of Thought for the Day contributors such as the archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, the head of the Roman Catholic church in England and Wales, archbishop Vincent Nichols, and one of the most popular and regular speakers, Rabbi Lionel Blue.
Thought for the Day was launched in 1970. Guest speakers from various faiths have two minutes and 45 seconds to reflect on topical issues.
Last year the BBC Trust rejected calls for humanists and other non-religious commentators to be allowed on the programme.
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