Zadie, Jarvis and cardinal to guest-edit BBC's Today

NOVELIST Zadie Smith, singer Jarvis Cocker and head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, were today confirmed as guest editors of Radio 4's Today programme.

Citigroup chairman Sir Win Bischoff and architect Zaha Hadid are also on the list. They will take over the programme during Christmas, the BBC said.

Smith will report from Liberia and investigate whether British comedy is still all about class and Cocker will ask whether we get bland politicians because we are too censorious about their private lives.

Sir Win will examine what business can learn from the success of British Olympians. The cardinal will play with a concert pianist to find out what makes certain music spiritual, and Hadid will ask whether the Eiffel Towers of today are being built in the Gulf.