CRITICS' CHOICE
GOOD AS NEW The Repair Shop At Christmas, 7pm, BBC2
A DOLL that was a girl’s only Christmas present when she was evacuated in 1939 is among the much-loved items being repaired in this one-off following a team of skilled craftspeople as they breathe new life into old treasures. There’s also an 18th-century painting, a wobbly sleigh and a Victorian jukebox — and as the results prove, ‘make do and mend’ is a philosophy worth revisiting.
STARS ON STAGE The Royal Variety Performance 2017, 7.30pm, ITV
MIRANDA HART smashes that glass ceiling as the first woman to host this star-studded night of entertainment t from the London Palladium. On the bill are Kelsey Grammer and the cast of Big Fish, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe (pictured with Miranda), Cirque du Soleil, the West End casts of Annie and 42nd Street, and many more.
KITCHEN MARVELS MasterChef: The Professionals — The Finals, 8pm, BBC2
IT’S finals week, and just four talented chefs remain from the original 48. Over the next three nights, Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing will be turning up the heat till only one chef is left standing on Thursday night.
REVENGE SERVED COLD Shamed, 9pm, Ch4
AT THE age of 17, Sarah (Faye Marsay) was happy, optimistic and full of ambition. Ten years later, we find her obviously disturbed and holding two men captive in a makeshift prison cell. Though neither Nathan nor Mani recognises her, she knows them. This bleak, deeply unsettling one-off drama tells the story of a long-planned act of revenge.
Free Birds, 10.45am, Ch5
TURKEYS are the stars of this fun animated comedy. Reggie is the lucky bird who is saved from the Thanksgiving table by a Presidential pardon. Joining the First Family for the holiday, Reggie finds a time machine and plans to use it to nip the turkey-eating tradition in the bud.
Five Children And It, 12.30pm, Ch5
ADAPTATION of E. Nesbit’s children’s novel about a quintet of kids (including Poppy Rogers, pictured and Freddie Highmore) who discover a creature called It, a sand fairy who can grant wishes — all of which come with a catch and a lesson learned. Zoe Wanamaker, Tara Fitzgerald and Kenneth Branagh are among the grown-ups.