FIVE OF THE BEST SHOWS THIS WEEK 1 2 3
The Serpent, BBC One, New Year’s Day, 9pm
Tahar Rahim, Jenna Coleman, Billy Howle and Ellie Bamber star in The Serpent, a new eight-part drama inspired by true events. Bangkok, 1975. Dutch diplomat Herman Knippenberg investigates the disappearance of a young couple who were last seen alive at the apartment of gem dealer.
Resolutions: Lee Mack returns with a festive special of his sitcom about a dysfunctional family and the scrapes they get into. With 40 minutes to go until midnight, a New Year’s Eve party at Lee and Lucy’s house turns sour when family members start making their resolutions.
Some of the most memorable chefs from past series return to compete in two festive-themed specials. Returning to cook for judges Monica Galetti, Marcus Wareing and Gregg Wallace are 2014 finalist Danny Parker, 2017 finalist Louisa Ellis, 2009 finalist Marianne Lumb and 2018 semi-finalist William Chilila.
Greg Davies welcomes five new faces from the worlds of TV, film, radio, dance and journalism to set them a series of ludicrous challenges with his little assistant Alex Horne. With John Hannah, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Nicola Coughlan, Rylan Clark-Neal and Shirley Ballas.
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The Graham Norton Show, New Year’s Eve, BBC One, 10.25pm
Joining Graham for his traditional Hogmanay chat: the one and only Tom Hanks, promoting new western News of the World; Hollywood stars Emily Blunt and Jamie Dornan, talking about romantic Irish drama Wild Mountain Thyme and food writer Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall.