Top TV Picks
Uncle Buck Christmas Eve, ITV2
An unreliable but good-natured slob is called upon to look after his trouble-making nephew and nieces while their parents are away – and what starts as a disaster soon changes for the better as the unlikely babysitter gets to grips with the finer points of being a responsible adult. Family comedy starring John Candy, Macaulay Culkin, Jean Kelly, Gaby Hoffman, Amy Madigan and Laurie Metcalf.
Terry Pratchett's the Abominable Snow Baby
Christmas Day, Channel 4
David Harewood narrates this animated adaptation of the short story about a small town where the Christmas festivities are thrown into upheaval by the appearance of a 14-foot snow monster. The creature is adopted by a kindly grandmother, but not everyone is pleased with her new guest. With the voices of Julie Walters and Hugh Dancy.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Christmas Day, ITV2
Three years after the destruction of Jurassic World, Owen Grady and Claire Dearing are asked to return to the theme park to save its resident dinosaurs from the island’s active volcano. During their mission, they uncover a conspiracy that may affect the entire planet. Action sequel, starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall and Toby Jones.
Royal Institution Christmas Lectures – Going Viral: How Covid Changed Science Forever
Tuesday, BBC4
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam takes a deep dive into the world of viruses. He aims to show how public health measures, combined with ground-breaking science, will have an impact far beyond COVID-19, including breakthroughs that could help fight other infectious diseases, genetic disorders and even cancer.
Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard
Thursday, BBC1
David Attenborough joins a team of archaeologists and palaeontologists excavating a mammoth graveyard discovered by fossil hunters in the prehistoric riverbed of the Thames. The site has also led to the discovery of stone artefacts, providing an insight into the relationship between early humans and mammoths during the Ice Ages. Leading experts in the fields of evolution provide their insight into this unique vision of prehistoric Britain.
Pauline Collins: Britain's Sweetheart
Wednesday, Channel 5
A celebrity-studded tribute celebrating the actor's long career, with a host of famous faces sharing their insights and anecdotes, and selecting their favourite moments from her films. Among those interviewed are Tom Conti, Simon Callow, Willy Russell and Nerys Hughes, and there are clips from several of her well-known, and less known, movies and TV appearances.