BEST OF THE REST
PADDINGTON: THE MAN BEHIND THE BEAR BBC2, 9pm
ON Christmas Eve in 1956, Michael Bond bought a little bear in Selfridges because he “felt sorry for him” having been left on the shelf on its own.
The name, which “sounded important” was given because the Bonds lived near the London station. And there are plenty more anecdotes in this story of the unassuming man behind one of the nation’s best loved characters.
Hugh Bonneville, who stars in the Paddington movies, narrates the profile of the author, who drew on his wartime memories of evacuee children to shape the personality of the little bear from Peru.
Featuring interviews with Michael’s family, friends and famous fans, this is a fascinating and emotional portrait.
BIG FAT QUIZ OF THE YEAR 2019 Channel 4, 9pm
IT’S fair to say plenty has been going on over the last year – some of it you may wish to remember, some of it you’d probably rather forget. Nonetheless, all bets are off here as question master Jimmy Carr hosts this annual test.
Expect to hear questions such as, what meal did Donald Trump serve a visiting football team at the White House? Who is Andy King and what is he now known as?
Celebrity quizzers Dara Ó Briain, Maya Jama, Asim Chaudhry, Roisin Conaty, Richard Ayoade and Noel Fielding compete to see who can remember the most about the biggest events of the last 12 months. And there’s help from Jon Snow, Mitchell Brook Primary School and a host of celebrity question-setters.