PICK OF THE WEEK

British negotiations in Europe as “rather like sending your opening batsmen to the crease, only to find... their bats have been broken before the game by the team captain”. This programme replays the speech in the House of Commons that encouraged Michael Heseltine to challenge Thatcher’s leadership. Within weeks she had left No.10.

The Year that Changed Love (C4, 10pm)

Covid has changed a lot of things this year, including many people’s love lives. It’s kept some couples apart, forced others a little too close together and inspired many singletons to check out the world of socially distanced dating. This documentary follows different people who have managed to make the experience work for them, including 50-year-old divorcee Louise from Salisbury, who started exploring dating sites with the help of an online love guru. In Llanelli, Ffion and Ben can’t see each other – and when they finally are united, they can’t touch. Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, Claire gets over her commitment phobia by going into lockdown with Jade after just one date, and in Bradford, separated couple Dean and Emma rekindle their spark while in isolation.

WEDNESDAY,

Vicky McClure’s Dementia Choir at Christmas (BBC1, 7.30pm)

The 37-year-old actress, whose grandmother “Nona” Iris passed away in 2015 after suffering from dementia, previously brought together singers with the condition for documentary series Our Dementia Choir. A follow-up, Vicky McClure’s Dementia Revolution, in which the Wollaton-born star will explore some of the ways dementia is being treated, is due to be broadcast on the BBC soon. But, before that, this heart-warming festive special sees Vicky meet new recruits for the choir, discuss how they were diagnosed with the disease and how they have coped during lockdown. The programme also sees her reunited with her Line of Duty co-star Arian Dunbar who helps choir member Mick Bosner – who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s in 2018 at age 51 – ahead of a very special Christmas performance at the London Coliseum.

Paul O’Grady’s Great British Escape (STV, 8pm)

During the 18th century, smuggling was rife around the Kent coast. And, in the final episode of his staycation series, Paul heads to Botany Bay to discover more about the gangs and the notorious battle of spring 1769. He meets locals Pete and George, who explain how the white cliffs around Dover were perfect for smugglers to drill tunnels where they could hide their treasures. Later, Paul scales the great tower at the iconic Dover Castle, before making his way to Port Lympne Reserve, one of the UK’s leading wildlife conservation centres.

Portrait Artist of the Year 2020 (Sky Arts, 8pm & 9pm)

The seventh series of the painting competition

Highclere Castle, the ancestral seat of the Carnarvon family, has hosted kings, queens and world leaders. And, thanks to smash-hit TV series and film Downtown Abbey, the

prestigious hotels coped during a pandemic. And now we get to see how the staff manage during its busiest time of year. Head butler Sean is preparing his newest recruit, Michael, for his first ever Christmas at the hotel. Michael has an important role – he is responsible for looking after the Sprenger family, who spend every Christmas at The Savoy. While restaurant director Anne is busily preparing the hotel’s four restaurants and her 160 staff, The Savoy Grill’s director Thierry and executive head chef Ben are also preparing for a very busy period. With a seven-course Christmas lunch to prepare and three sittings, they will be serving up a total of 4,500 dishes on the big day. Thierry says: “Of course, I’d rather be at home. But let’s enjoy it.”

Taskmaster (C4, 9pm)

It’s the grand final of what has been another brilliantly bonkers run of the comedy panel show. Tonight, Daisy May Cooper, Johnny Vegas, Katherine Parkinson, Mawaan Rizwan and Richard Herring make one final bid to win Greg Davies much-coveted golden noggin. But, with at least four-fifths of the comical quintet still in with a genuine shout of triumphing at the climax of the episode, who will eventually prevail is anyone’s guess. “Little” Alex Horne, the allseeing Taskmaster’s personal assistant, watches on as Katherine searches for a spider and Daisy destroys a mannequin. Meanwhile, after all these weeks, Johnny’s pocket watch finally comes in handy – but will the device help the St Helen’s comic take home the prize?

New Elizabethans with Andrew Marr (BBC2, 9pm)

When the Queen ascended the throne in 1952, Britain could still be defined by its manufacturing bases: Sheffield steel, Cornish tin, Welsh coal, Clyde-built ships. But over the next 40 years all that would change. In the concluding episode, Andrew looks at how the decline in Britain’s heavy industries has shaped the nation we have become. We will see how inventors like James Dyson have built billion-pound empires, and how British culture and creativity have become perhaps our most valuable assets, from advertising and architectural design, to music and monarchy.

Inside Lidl at Christmas (C5, 9pm)

Does Lidl offer the cheapest turkey and trimmings? How does it compare on quality? And who will win in the annual Christmas pudding taste test? We join the Wynne family as they put the German discount retailer through its paces and discover if its random gifts are worth wrapping up. From serving up luxury foods to award-winning wines, this programme reveals just how Lidl prepares for the seasonal rush, how it keeps prices down, and asks if its festive advert is good enough to convince shoppers to step inside their stores.

FRIDAY

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces: Winter World Tour (C4, 8pm)

Last year, for their Amazing Spaces Winter Wonderland special, architect George Clarke and master craftsman Will Hardie embarked on a road trip to explore the ingenious smallspace wonders hidden away among the snowy peaks of the Swiss, French and Italian

Alps. Now, in this special episode, George and Will travel to three more picturesque wintry destinations – Norway, Finland and Canada – to check out more amazing designs, from ice hotels to stunning modern homes. Along the way, they build an igloo, race toboggans, feed reindeer and dodge a bear.

Waterhole: Africa’s Animal Oasis (BBC2, 8pm)

The rains finally fall at the waterhole, and for the first time in half a year, grass begins to grow, changing the fortunes for the wild residents. The area is transformed into a grazing pasture and a pair of Egyptian geese take up residence on the waterhole’s edge. This time of year can be harder for predators as prey can migrate further, and using the remote cameras, Chris Packham and the team reveal how the “waterhole hyena clan” copes with these new circumstances. Ella Al-Sharmah uncovers the shift in the waterhole timetable and new competition flooding into the area: wildebeest.

Jane McDonald: Christmas Cruising (C5, 9pm)

The singer travels up the Rhine, creating her very own festive season in her cabin aboard the SS Antoinette. The ship has been described as “a floating version of the Palace of Versailles”, the decadent chateau that was home to the French nobility from the 1680s to the 1780s. During her trip, Jane visits some of the most dazzling festive markets that Europe has to offer, sampling traditional food and drink, as well as unique seasonal customs. Back on board, the fun continues as Jane joins her fellow shipmates to make decorations and create her signature Christmas dish. A rousing musical performance by carol singers entertains passengers as the ship makes its way to Switzerland – the final stop on this magical festive cruise.

Celebrity Gogglebox: The Best of 2020 (C4, 9pm)

A chance to catch up with some of the best moments from this year’s series which featured more of the nation’s favourite stars settling down to watch TV. The line-up of famous faces critiquing the biggest and best shows includes Denise van Outen and her partner Eddie, Rylan-Clark-Neal and his mum Linda, Roman Kemp and dad Martin, Gyles Brandreth and Maureen Lipman, Jamie Theakston and Ashley Roberts, Mo Gilligan and Babatunde Aleshe, KSI and S-X, and, of course, Happy Mondays bandmates Shaun Ryder and Bez.

Eric Clapton: The Story of the Songs (5SELECT, 11pm)

Tonight’s episode explores the three classic tracks that showcase the musical genius and troubled soul that is Eric Clapton. First up is the 1977 hit Cocaine, which not only confronted Clapton’s own addiction head on, but provided a stark warning against the horrors of dependency. The 1990s saw Clapton dealing with unimaginable tragedy after a horrific accident resulted in the loss of his four-year-old son Conor. Seeking healing through the power of music, he penned tender tribute Tears In Heaven. Finally, My Father’s Eyes reveals the sad truth behind Eric’s relationship with his father and his troubled childhood.