MUST-SEE SHOWS KIRSTIE’S HANDMADE CHRISTMAS
JOHN AND YOKO: ABOVE US ONLY SKY Tonight, Channel 4, 8.30pm
JOHN LENNON wrote an astounding number of classic songs, but arguably the bestloved – of this solo work at least – is Imagine. This documentary tells the untold story of the track and the album of the same name, drawing on previously unseen footage of Lennon and his wife and collaborator Yoko Ono, as well as interviews with Ono, Lennon’s son Julian, John Dunbar (who famously introduced the couple) and Lennon’s former personal assistant Dan Richter.
DYNASTIES Tomorrow, BBC1, 8pm
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH narrates footage of a lion pride on Kenya’s Masai Mara, the future of which hangs in the balance. The adult males that defended the pride have all deserted the group, leaving two adult females to protect their eight cubs from threats, including rival prides, herds of buffalo and marauding hyenas.
However, the greatest threat of all comes when the lions encounter humans.
BABIES: THEIR WONDERFUL WORLD
Monday, BBC2, 9pm HOW much do the first two years of our lives shape the person we will eventually become? That’s the question at the heart of this three-part series presented by paediatrician Dr Guddi Singh, which brings together babies and scientists from around the world for an ambitious study.
In the first episode, the experts explore whether you can determine a child’s temperament at just six months old and carry out an experiment to see whether it’s possible to increase the speed at which babies learn words.
HOW TO SPEND IT WELL AT CHRISTMAS WITH PHILLIP SCHOFIELD
Tuesday, ITV, 8pm
FESTIVE consumer advice, with the host rating some of the latest must-have toys.
Coronation Street’s Simon Gregson tests new board games with his and other families in Manchester, while football star Chris Kamara tries out electric ride-on toys with a group of young drivers. Phillip also tests Segway’s hi-tech roller skates that power themselves, and Sally Phillips and her kids find out what computer consoles are worth getting without
breaking the bank. DEATH AND NIGHTINGALES
Wednesday, BBC2, 9pm PERIOD drama set in
A close-knit family of lionesses and their growing cubs
1885 where events take place all in one 24-hour period.
Beth Winters is a young Irishwoman from Fermanagh.
Her life has always been dominated by her Protestant stepfather Billy, who seeks to control every aspect of her life.
On her 23rd birthday, and with her mother long dead, Beth decides to assert herself by running away with the charming but mysterious Liam Ward. But as the hour of their departure ticks ever closer, can she go through with her plan?
Ann Skelly, Matthew Rhys and Jamie Dornan play the trio.
Thursday, Channel 4, 8pm
KIRSTIE ALLSOPP returns with her hit show, in which she offers viewers heaps of festive crafting inspiration and ideas.
In this year’s one-off special, she meets natural beauty experts making luxurious presents using ingredients usually found in the kitchen. She also shows how to create pop-up Christmas cards, craft stylish napkins for the table, decorate festive windows, and more.
SIR CLIFF RICHARD: RADIO 2 IN CONCERT Friday, BBC2, regions vary
OF ALL the artists that have signed up for this series, Cliff Richard is arguably the most surprising. Not because he doesn’t deserve a slot – with a career spanning 60 years and over 250 million record sales worldwide, including 21 million singles in the UK alone, he’s undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in Britain. It’s just that many people probably thought that relations between Cliff and the Beeb were a little strained after he won his privacy case earlier this year. So, it’s good to see the two national institutions working together for this gig.
Cliff performs tracks from his new album Rise Up along with classics from his back catalogue.