TV HIGHLIGHTS
MONDAY
Jamie’s Ultimate Christmas, Channel 4, 8pm
Christmas dinner is based upon three things... turkey, gravy and roast potatoes and Jamie shares his culinary wisdom to help viewers get them just right. We either love or hate ‘em but Brussels sprouts are also a mainstay of the meal. He serves them up with chorizo and chestnuts. Jamie also shares other dishes including horseradish and vodka marinade, gooey chocolate pots and a classic beef Wellington. Yummy.
Would I Lie To You? at Christmas, BBC1, 8.30pm
Rob Brydon is back in the hot seat for a festive edition of the award-winning panel show. As ever, David Mitchell and Lee Mack are team captains. Over the course of the show, a stream of celebrity guests reveal amazing stories about themselves, some of which are true and some of which are blatant falsehoods. Tom Courtenay, Richard Osman, Chris Kamara and Sara Pascoe will be sharing their stories but will viewers be fooled?
Last Tango in Halifax, BBC1, 9pm
The festive special of the hit drama series sees Caroline’s new headship involve the whole family moving to a farmhouse in Huddersfield, just in time for Christmas. Meanwhile, Alan has a difficult conversation with Gillian about where he’d like to be buried while Gillian is consumed with thoughts of the afterlife, convinced she is being haunted by Eddie. Part two is tomorrow.
TUESDAY Digging for Britain, BBC4, 9pm
New revelations from the
3000-year old village near Cambridgeshire — known as ‘Britain’s Pompeii’ — include how the Bronze Age population designed their homes. Plus, evidence points to the location of the Battle of the Barnet — the famous War of the Roses site where Edward IV defeated Warwick the King Maker in a blood-soaked battle which ushered in the Tudor dynasty.
Darcey Bussell: Looking for Margot, BBC1, 10.45pm
The Strictly Come Dancing judge delves into the life, both beautiful and bleak, of ballerina Margot Fonteyn, whose late-inlife pairing with Rudolf Nureyev created the most dazzling dance duos in history. Sadly, Margot’s life was marked by tragedy and disappointment. She was dominated by her fiercely ambitious mother, had no relationship with her father and never had children. When she finally married for love, her husband turned out to be very different to what she expected.
Parents Do the Funniest Things, Channel 4. 12.05am
This programme looks at modern family life from the kids’ point of view. In Salford, the Rigby family have decided that their youngest son Max should share a bedroom with their daughter Gracey. Unfortunately for Max, he is outnumbered by his three sisters and this latest revelation is the last straw. How will he get his way? In Wallington, the Clubbs have sold their large family to live on a houseboat meaning that their three boys are now crammed in, a condition exacerbated by the addition of their 13 boisterous dogs.
WEDNESDAY Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas, Channel 4, 8pm
The homemaker hits the bright lights of London where she heads to the famous Columbia Road Christmas night market in Hoxton. There, she indulges in mulled wine and peruses handmade gifts and goodies, including floral arrangements and to-die-for Christmas decorations. She also shares alternative festive dish ideas.
Six Wives with Lucy Worsley, BBC1, 9pm
Lucy Worsley ends her immersion into the dramatic lives of the wives of Henry VIII. It’s fair to say that the king’s first date with Anne of Cleves didn’t go well. While she didn’t recognise him (he was dressed as Robin Hood), he claimed to courtiers that she was not what he expected. Henry annulled the wedding due to nonconsummation but this did not stop Anne outliving her former husband and becoming the wealthiest woman in England. A middle-aged Henry married teenage Catherine Howard, but after rumours surfaced about her relationships with several men, Henry disposed of his new wife via the chopping block. His last wife, Katherine Parr was a good stepmum but her religious views differed greatly from her husbands. Her book Prayers or
Meditations caused controversy and she narrowly avoided being arrested for treason.
Strange Occurrences in a Small Irish Village, RTE1, 9.35pm
An intriguing exploration of steadfast Irish faith in a small town in the West of Ireland. In 1879, witnesses claimed there was an apparition of the Virgin Mary on the church gable in Knock village. Now, the shrine attracts up to a million visitors a year. Meeting residents and pilgrims, the programme explores the question of faith.
THURSDAY Who Do You Think You Are? BBC1, 8pm
Actor and activist Ricky Tomlinson is well known for playing loud-mouthed Scousers and in real life, his Liverpool roots run deep. He discovers that he comes from generations of carters, who transported goods on Liverpool’s docks when the city was the British Empire’s busiest port. Rick is shaken when it’s revealed how dangerous conditions were for his ancestors, echoing his own fight for workers’ rights in the 1970’s.
Masterchef: The Professionals, BBC2, 8pm
Over the last seven weeks, 48 chefs have put their reputations on the line to battle for the coveted title. Only three remain and tonight they cook for the last time. Just three courses stand between them and the life-changing prize. In three hours, they must bring together a stunning starter, a magnificent main and a delicious dessert. The chefs must employ everything they have learned to impress the discernible taste buds of the critics. The pressure is huge and the stakes are high but who will walk away as king of the kitchen?
Close to the Enemy,
The 1940’s drama ends as Kathy confronts Bergit about her activities, leaving her pondering her limited options. Harold makes a decision as he struggles with his feelings of inadequacy, feeling sure he is caught in a marital game. Victor remains haunted by the effects of war and learns that some will escape justice because of their powerful positions. Plus, preparations for Dieter’s wedding are underway.
FRIDAY Channel 4, 8pm BBC2, 9pm Food Unwrapped Does Christmas,
In this special edition, Jimmy Doherty, Kate Quilton and Matt Tebbutt explore how the food industry brings Christmas to our dining tables. In a bid to help viewers server up a delicious, succulent turkey, Matt carries out a number of experiments such as cooking upside down and even strapping ice packs to the bird, but will any of them deliver? Kate gets to test out pink Champagne while Jimmy explores the best way of roasting chestnuts.
Citizen Khan, BBC1, 8.30pm
In a special festive episode, hero of the hour Mr Khan pays homage to Frank Capra’s sentimental classic, It’s a
Wonderful Life. He sees himself a lot like the film’s George Bailey and faces up to the fact that his life hasn’t quite turned out the way he planned it. However, an encounter with a celestial passer-by convinces him that, despite all of life’s frustrations, his has been a ‘Khanderful Life’. Certainly one to instil you with the Christmas spirit.
The Graham Norton Show, BBC1, 10.35pm
On the festive sofa tonight are Hollywood star Will Smith, Oscar-winning Dame Helen Mirren and Naomie Harris, who are appearing together in ensemble drama, Collateral
Beauty. Martin Freeman will be on hand to chat about the new series of detective drama Sherlock and songbird Katie Melua performs The Swallow.
SATURDAY Midnight Mass from St Chad’s Catholic Cathedral, BBC1, 11.45pm
A traditional Christmas Eve midnight mass is led by The Archbishop of Birmingham, The Most Reverend Bernard Longley, featuring popular carols including Away in a Manger, In
the Bleak Midwinter sung by the renowned St Chad’s Cathedral Choir. It’s certainly one to make your hairs stand on end in the best possible way.
Alan Bennett’s Diaries, BBC2, 8pm
In this special, playwright, actor and author Alan Bennett reflects on his modest beginnings and his enduring gratitude to Britain’s Welfare State that paid for his education. Viewers also join him as he travels to New York, the scene of his first triumph in Beyond the Fringe and back to his community library in London’s Primrose Hill, which he despairs will be turned into a Pizza Hut.
Top of the Pops: Christmas Hits, BBC4, 9pm
This is perfect Christmas fodder to get you in the mood, if you haven’t already been elbowed by over-eager shoppers or been brainwashed by the incessant flow of jingle-bells emanating from the television. Starting in December 1967 and ending in 2010, popular songs include 2000
Light Years From Home by the Rolling Stones and Christmas
Lights by Coldplay. Other acts that released festive numbers include The Human League and Pet Shop Boys, not forgetting the stunning and spine-tingling The
Power of Love by Frankie Goes to Hollywood.