Polestar Petty in Leeds handled the bulk of the 3.3m print run of the 262pp issue, using its eight-unit Lithoman III, a Baker Perkins G14 and its three Baker Perkins G16s.

Polestar also produces three other TV listings magazines across the group, which total 56m 32pp sections for this Christmas issue alone. The titles are IPC Medias Whats On TV and TV Times and TV Quick, published by H Bauer.

It described the production process as the industrys biggest logistical project. Key account director Bruce Wheeler and his operational team have managed the majority of the mammoth task, which involved 21 of Polestars presses and 24 binding lines.

We started planning for this project well in advance which contributed enormously to the successful delivery of the magazines on schedule, said Wheeler.

Polestars firepower and experience of high volume weekly contracts meant it was used to dealing with run lengths and pagination on these scales, added Wheeler.

St Ives is also producing the Radio Times editions for the Midlands and West Wales regions. BBC Magazines spokesman Mike Blakemore said that the Radio Times Christmas issue was always a challenge because of the paginations, run lengths and the time of year, so St Ives was essential to the production. However, the company was unable to do it last year due to having no spare capacity, he added.

Its the biggest magazine of the year in more ways than one. Weve used 1,700 tonnes of paper, which would reach 25,000 miles or once around the world. And if stacked on top of each other, theyd reach 20 miles high, said Blakemore.

Story by Rachel Barnes