Christmas and New Year TV planner

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/dec/19/christmas-tv-planner

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SATURDAY 20

Strictly Come Dancing 6.30pm, BBC1

Final of the annual bopfest. There will be sequins.

Rewind The Christmas Hits 8pm, Channel 4

Analysing the (often baffling) appeal of festive chart-toppers, from Boney M to Mr Blobby.

Rik Mayall: Lord Of Misrule 10.05pm, BBC2

Rik’s laughworthy legacy lauded, with contributions from Michael Palin, Alexei Sayle and Simon Pegg.

SUNDAY 21

You’ve Got To Love Christmas 7pm, ITV

… or else! Jane Horrocks narrates this trawl through TV festive funnies.

The Apprentice 9pm, BBC1

Which budding business bod will Sir Alan choose to be his colleague for a bit and then cast aside like an old Amstrad computer?

MONDAY 22

Gadget Man’s Guide To Christmas 8pm, Channel 4

Just in time for your frantic last-minute trolley dash, Richard Ayoade looks at the best technological tat on the market.

The Wrong Mans 9pm, BBC2

The most-wanted wallies attempt to get back to Bracknell for Christmas in a two-part special of the comedy thriller.

Michael Buble’s Christmas 2014 9pm, Channel 5

Canadian chap sings other people’s songs, with help from Miss Piggy and Ariana Grande.

Derek – The Special 10pm, Channel 4

Chuckle at, or cluck your tongue at, Ricky Gervais’s divisive dullard one final time in this series-ending special.

TUESDAY 23

Celebrity Fifteen To One Christmas Special 8pm, Channel 4

Funny folk face off, with Adam Hills asking the Qs.

Masterchef: The Professionals 8pm, BBC2

Final of the cooking comp. Who’ll get their just desserts?

Psychobitches 9.30pm, Sky Arts 1

The Statue Of Liberty and Fanny Cradock take a seat on the therapist’s couch in the last ep of the superbly silly second series.

Man Down Christmas Special 10pm, Channel 4

Greg Davies cranks up the cringe in a festive one-off.

CHRISTMAS EVE

Happy Holidays with Bing and Frank 8pm, BBC4

Croon your way to Christmas Day with Ol’ Blue Eyes and Der Bingle.

The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm 8.30pm, BBC1

Quirky fun with Harry Hill as the hare-brained inventor.

Not Going Out Christmas special 9.30pm, BBC1

Lee Mack and mates with a higher gag rate than Embarrassing Bodies.

Julie Walters: A Life On Screen 9.30pm, BBC2

Julie’s career celebrated by Victoria Wood, Rupert Grint and many more.

Gogglebox 2014 9.30pm, Channel 4

Who watches the watchmen (and women)? Us. We do.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Top Of The Pops Christmas 2pm, BBC1

Fearne and Reggie count down the year’s biggest hits. Can we bring TOTP back for good, please?

Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas 4.20pm, ITV

Stop-motion animation spin-off, starring Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory.

Doctor Who 6.15pm, BBC1

(St) Nick Frost plays Santa in the Time Lord’s customary Chrissy cracker.

Miranda 7.15pm, BBC1

The titular titterer encounters pratfalls and proposals in the first of a series-ending double bill.

Call The Midwife 7.50pm, BBC1

Merry midwifery, and more Miranda Hart, as Poplar prepares for the big school concert.

Coronation street 8pm, ITV

Seasonal soapland screechfest. See also, EastEnders (9pm, BBC1).

Frozen At Christmas 8pm, Channel 4

A look at the success of Disney’s CGI smash-hit. Let It Go already, guys.

Downton Abbey 9pm, ITV

Seasonal shooting soirees. Subjugated servants. Sordid secrets. Downton, as ever, is a right to-do.

Alan Carr: Chatty Man Christmas Special 9pm, Channel 4

Wogan, Millican and more settle down on Alan’s settee. McBusted provide portmanteau pop-punk.

Mrs Brown’s Boys 10.05pm, BBC1

Man dresses up as old lady and swears a lot. People tune in in their millions.

BOXING DAY

Boxing Day Football 12.30pm, Sky Sports 1; 2.30pm, BT Sport 1

Mourinho’s men do battle with Allardyce’s ’ammers, then Manchester United take on Newcastle and Arsenal go up against QPR.

Still Open All Hours 6.25pm, BBC1

Another run of the David Jason-starring sitcom, enlivened significantly by the prospect of Johnny Vegas playing a character called Wet Eric.

That Day We Sang 9pm, BBC2

Victoria Wood’s perfectly pitched 1969-set musical drama, starring Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball.

Wallander: Faceless Killers 9pm, BBC4

Shivery Scandi-noir featuring the original and, for many, best Wallander in Rolf Lassgård.

Agatha Raisin And The Quiche Of Death 8.30pm, Sky1

“Currant” affairs as steely PR-turned-detective Agatha investigates a murder at a Cotswolds quiche-making contest.

Through The Christmas Keyhole 9.30pm, ITV

Keith Lemon innuendos his way through a series of celeb abodes. Jonathan Ross, Louis Walsh and Kym Marsh are the guessers.

SATURDAY 27

Lewis Hamilton: Duel of the Silver Arrows 2014 1pm, BBC1

Hamilton’s championship season cherished.

Darcy Oake: Edge Of Reality 9.50pm, ITV

BGT-boosted magician flummoxes a Blackpool Opera House crowd.

Bruce’s Hall Of Fame 8.30pm, BBC1

Forsyth hosts a flagrant Stars In Their Eyes rip-off in which celebs impersonate their idols at the Palladium.

Top Gear Patagonia Special 8.30pm, BBC2

Bootcut jean-wearing berks Clarkson, Hammond and May try to piss off an entire country. And succeed.

SUNDAY 28

Homeland 9pm, Channel 4

The spy drama’s fourth series, its best in years, bows out. Time for one final twist?

House Of Fools Christmas Special 10pm, BBC2

Seasonal surrealism as Vic, Bob and madcap mates go to Phil Collins’s house in their quest for an elusive bobble hat.

MONDAY 29

RI Lectures: Sparks Will Fly – How To Hack Your Home 8pm, BBC4

Reassuringly clever telly, as Professor Danielle George hacks household gadgets.

Darcey Bussell’s Looking For Audrey 10.30pm, BBC1

The Strictly judge hunts for Hepburn. She’s got one hell of a job on her hands.

Snow Wolf Family and Me 9pm, BBC2

Gordon Buchanan encounters and befriends a family of elusive wild wolves in north Canada.

Al Murray’s Great Spy Movies 9pm, BBC4

From pub landlord to Politburo as comic Murray explores espionage films from cold war to today.

Mapp And Lucia 9.05pm, BBC1

Miranda Richardson and Anna Chancellor play small-town social rivals in Steve Pemberton’s adaptation of EF Benson’s comedy of social mores.

TUESDAY 30

Come Dine With Me Christmas Special 7.05pm, Channel 4

Everyone’s dream dinner party lineup – Helen Flanagan, Kirsten O’Brien, Mark Dolan and Shaun Ryder – entertain.

Charlie Brooker’s 2014 Wipe 10pm, BBC2

Brooker casts his world-weary eye over the year in bad news with help from Philomena Cunk, Barry Shitpeas et al.

NEW YEAR’S EVE

Tigers About The House – What Happened Next 7pm, BBC2

Catch up with zookeeper Giles Clark and the big cats that roam his home (somehow, they still haven’t eaten him yet).

Britain’s Favourite Sitcoms 9pm, Channel 5

Mel Giedroyc rattles through the 50 most beloved UK comedies. And then at the end Fawlty Towers will probably win.

The Graham Norton Show 10.15pm, BBC1

Nort squeezes another gaggle of celebs on to his peculiarly shaped sofa for an amiable New Year’s Eve mingle.

Queen + Adam Lambert Rock Big Ben Live 11.15pm, BBC1

Reconstituted rock legends and their American Idol acolyte bash out the classics.

Jools’ Annual Hootenanny 11.20pm, BBC2

Holland curates New Year festivities – which for some reason involve Joss Stone.

NEW YEAR’S DAY

New Year’s Day Football 12.30pm, Sky Sports 1, 2.30pm, BT Sport 1

The first action of 2015 sees Stoke City take on Man Utd, Man City host Sunderland and Spurs face London rivals Chelsea.

Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot 6.30pm, BBC1

Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman lend their chops to this adaptation of Dahl’s backwards tortoise tale.

David Attenborough’s Conquest Of The Skies 7pm, Sky1

St David looks skyward to the insects that populate the ether in his new series.

Birds Of A Feather 8.30pm, ITV

More tentatively topical escapades for the house-sharing sisters and their neighbour from hell.

The Clash: New Year’s Day ’77 10.45pm, BBC4

Julien Temple’s footage of Strummer and the gang heralding in the year of punk’s peak.

Celebrity Big Brother: The Good, The Bad And The Unforgettable 10.35pm, Channel 5

Emma Willis relives the highs and lows of the show. Trigger warning: contains footage of George Galloway dressed as a cat.

FRIDAY 2

Jamie And Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast 8pm, Channel 4

Hollywood’s Kate Hudson cooks Jamie Oliver a curry at a cafe in Southend for some reason.

The Musketeers 9pm, BBC1

In 17th-century Paris, the musket-wielding troops return for more heroics. Moustaches obligatory.

The Big Allotment Challenge 9pm, BBC2

Another turf war in the offing as green-fingered amateurs seek rave reviews for their radishes.

Benidorm 9pm, ITV

The permatanned Spain-set sitcom returns.

The Big Fat Anniversary Quiz 9pm, Channel 4

Jimmy Carr grills Brand, Fielding, Whitehall and co to celebrate 10 years of the celeb-studded pub quiz.

Top Of The Pops: The Story Of 1980 9pm, BBC4

Adam Ant, Kevin Rowland and more look back at the year when pop went suave.

The Last Leg Of The Year 11.05pm, Channel 4

Director and supremely awkward interviewee Richard Ayoade joins Alex Brooker, Adam Hills and Josh Widdicombe for a look at the past 12 months.