The best festive TV, film and radio
FAMILY DR SEUSS’ THE GRINCH MUSICAL!
The much-loved classic children’s book is brought to life in a heartwarming, hilarious stage musical with Glee star Matthew Morrison under the make-up as the curmudgeonly Grinch. Sunday 20, Sky One, 3.30pm
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK: AFTER EVER AFTER
David Walliams imagines what happened after the end of the fairy tale in this comedy. It seems the giant might not have been killed when the beanstalk was chopped down – he simply lost his memory and now thinks Jack is his friend. Wednesday 23, Sky One, 8pm
ZOG AND THE FLYING DOCTORS
We first met the animated version of Julia Donaldson’s dragon two years ago, and now he’s back in an equally enchanting sequel. Zog the dragon (Hugh Skinner) and his friend Princess Pearl the doctor (Patsy Ferran) care for a variety of creatures. Lenny Henry narrates. Christmas Day, BBC1, 2.35pm
QUENTIN BLAKE’S CLOWN
Sir Quentin’s picture-book about a toy clown comes to life in this animated version narrated by Helena Bonham Carter. Clown tries to find a new home for himself and some other toy friends after they were all thrown away. Christmas Day, Channel 4, 7.40pm
FOOD CELEBRITY MASTERCHEF CHRISTMAS COOK- OFF
Monday sees Vicky Pattison, Dev Griffin, Janet Street-Porter and Christopher Biggins cooking up a Christmas storm. On Wednesday it’s Craig Revel Horwood, Amar Latif, Crissy Rock and Spencer Matthews doing battle in the kitchen. Monday 21 & Wednesday 23, BBC1, 9pm
NIGELLA’S COOK, EAT, REPEAT CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Nigella Lawson’s doing Northern European nosh for Chrimbo, with mouthwatering Nordic fare such as black bread with smoked salmon and Norwegian pork ribs and, for afters, Dutch doughnuts – a Netherlands New Year tradition. Tuesday 22, BBC2, 8pm
MARY BERRY SAVES CHRISTMAS
Doing the Christmas cooking for the first time? Let Mary help you out. She’s teaching three people who have never cooked before how to prepare a variety of dishes with the help of The One Show’s Angela Scanlon,
THE GREAT CHRISTMAS BAKE OFF
After its most successful season since moving from the BBC, the baking competition returns with some of the best bakers from previous years taking part in Christmas challenges. Prue Leith, Paul Hollywood and Matt Lucas are officiating along with Tom Allen, standing in for Noel Fielding (who’s on paternity leave). Christmas Eve, Channel 4, 7.40pm
FILMS MALEFICENT
We all know the story of Sleeping Beauty, with its princess, spinning wheel and evil fairy. This explains why that evil fairy became so wicked and asks whether she really is that evil, after all? Angelina Jolie leads the somewhat scary fairytale fun. Sunday 20, BBC1, 2.45pm
GENEVIEVE
It’s almost 70 years old now, so a little dated, but there’s still nostalgic fun to be had as two old friends become fierce rivals on the annual London to Brighton vintage car rally. Kenneth More, Kay Kendall and Larry Adler’s unforgettable harmonica star. Sunday 20, Talking Pictures, 7.10pm
THE MASK
Some parts Jim Carrey was simply born to play, and that of mild-mannered bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss, who finds a mysterious mask and is transformed into a manic whirlwind of chaos when he puts it on is surely one of them. Smokin’… Monday 21, 5 Star, 7pm
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE
The beginning of the film franchise, itself a reboot of the much loved 1960s TV series. Jim Phelps (Jon Voight) and new point man Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) are dispatched to Prague… This recommendation will self-destruct in five seconds. Monday 21, BBC1, 10.45pm
MISS CONGENIALITY
FBI agent Gracie Hart is devoted to her job: she has no time for femininity. But then she makes an error of judgment, gets sidelined and finds the only way back is to go undercover at the Miss United States pageant and foil a terrorist plot. Sandra Bullock is on top form. Tuesday 22, ITV2, 6.50pm
CASABLANCA
‘Of all the gin joints… in all the world, she walks into mine…’ Humphrey Bogart is the world-weary Rick Blaine, who runs the Casablanca nightclub Rick’s Café Américain, a magnet for wartime refugees. Ingrid Bergman is the beautiful old flame who walks in one night… with her husband. ‘Play it, Sam.’ Wed 23, BBC2, 2.15pm
PHANTOM THREAD
Daniel Day-Lewis is couturier Reynolds Woodcock, who heads the hugely popular House of Woodcock in 1950s London. His personal life is as well ordered as his business… until he meets a headstrong German waitress. The frocks are fabulous, but we’re heading somewhere dark. Wednesday 23, BBC2, 10pm
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
Settle back and enjoy the great James Stewart playing George Bailey, a blameless small-town bank manager suddenly facing ruin on Christmas Eve and contemplating suicide. Until a guardian angel called Clarence memorably intervenes. Christmas Eve, Channel 4, 2.35pm
PADDINGTON 2
This sequel is brilliant, with Hugh Grant superb as the vain actor Phoenix Buchanan. Elsewhere, Paddington – beautifully voiced again by Ben Whishaw – is looking for a 100th birthday present for his Aunt Lucy. Christmas Eve, BBC1, 4.15pm
LA LA LAND
From the moment the cars grind to a halt on an LA freeway and their occupants leap out and launch into Another Day Of Sun, it’s clear this is going to be one of the great film musicals. Ryan Gosling is the jazzloving pianist with dreams, Emma Stone the wannabe actress awaiting her big break. The rest is Oscarscooping history. Christmas Day, BBC2, 10.10pm
DUNKIRK
Christopher Nolan delivers a cleverly pared-down and immaculately executed retelling of the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk. A modern, military epic. Boxing Day, BBC1, 9.05pm
THE GREATEST SHOWMAN
The musical that divided critics from the public. The former mostly hated it, the latter – at least the part that like musicals – loved it, won over by Hugh Jackman’s tuneful turn as the circus impresario, P. T. Barnum. New Year’s Day, Channel 4, 5.30pm