HOW 2018 CHANGED MY LIFE RACHEL ATHERTON ON HER WORLD TITLE
There is a plethora of very different offerings to enjoy over the Christmas period. Alan Tyers gives his picks
Most painful attempt at promotion
Surprisingly lavish fly-on-the-wall series Sunderland ’Til I Die, tracking the fortunes of the North-East club as they attempt to bounce back from 2016-2017 relegation… but don’t. Similar to the recent Manchester City series, but more rough around the edges and hence miles more watchable as players, manager and club brass try to deal with pressure, fan fury, and regular thrashings. Sunderland ’Til I Die (on Netflix now)
Best radio show
Tailenders, the excellent Greg James, Jimmy Anderson and Felix White show, takes an alternative (and musical) journey through cricket in a festive special.
Tailenders (Christmas Eve, Radio 5 , 6pm)
Best show for swishing about to after a third Baileys
ITV drama Torvill & Dean is classier than you might think, written by
Made in Dagenham’s William Ivory. Like Jane and Chris, the creator is Nottinghamshire born and bred, and this biopic captures the pair’s journey from East Midlands kids to Winter Olympic greats and all-around national treasures. Will Tudor, best known for a racy role in Game Of Thrones, and Poppy Lee Friar from Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge star. Contains Bolero. Torvill & Dean (Christmas Day, 9.15pm, ITV)
Most carrying of Ford Cortinas up a ramp
Former winner, man mountain and very nice chap Eddie Hall is among the presenters for this year’s edition of World’s Strongest Man, which comes from Manila, weirdly enough. Well, they had a thrilla, now they have huge men lifting things.
The indispensable festive viewing is on daily until the final on New Year’s Day.
World’s Strongest Man (Dec 27, 7pm, C5 and Final, New Year’s Day, 5.50pm)
Most banter
Jamie Redknapp, Freddie (nee Andrew) Flintoff and James Corden jest uproariously in A League Of Their
Own Christmas Party. It includes a cricket match wherein the shocking sight of Telegraph columnist James Anderson c Flintoff b Corden, playing a shot that would have Geoffrey Boycott with his head in his hands. A League Of Their Own Christmas Party (Christmas Day, 9.15pm, Sky One)
Best underdog tale
TV premiere of the funny, affectionate 2016 biopic Eddie the Eagle starring the brilliantly cast Taron Egerton as everybody’s favourite ski-jump no-hoper. Contains a bravura take on lots of knowing sports movie tropes, including Hugh Jackman chewing the scenery as Eddie’s boozehound coulda-been-a-contender mentor, but the film also has plenty of heart.
Eddie The Eagle (Dec 28, 8pm, C4)
Cheesiest drama
Indian sports films are a whole delightful sub-genre in themselves. Obviously they are mostly about cricket, although somebody should definitely do a comedy about John Gregory at Chennaiyin FC. Selection
Day is a series about young lads dreaming of being the next Sachin and is good harmless fun. Selection Day ( from Dec 28, Netflix)
Greatest story ever told about reaching the semi-finals
ITV has already rolled out its recap of what it called the Summer of Love, but it always feels like these big national stories need the Auntie and Gary Lineker treatment. You will feel like you are back in Croydon Boxpark chucking beer over strangers as the BBC relives Gareth Southgate and the team’s adventures in Russia. ITV’s version is repeated later that evening.
MOTD: The 2018 World Cup Story (New Year’s Eve, 2.10pm, BBC1) World Cup Summer Of Love (New Year’s Eve, 10.45pm, ITV)
Best impression
It is a good year for ice-dancing stories. Hard to picture the lovely Torvill and Dean going after a rival with an iron bar, isn’t it, mmm? – as Ron Manager might have said. Margot Robbie is very convincing as the disgraced American skater in
I Tonya, but it is Oscar-winner Allison Janney as her mother LaVona Golden who steals this.
I, Tonya ( from Dec 29, Amazon Prime)
Most real-life villains
Who Killed Freddie Mills? is a gripping true-crime yarn about the slaying 53 years go of the world lightheavyweight champion, who had, it is fair to say, fallen in with the wrong crowd.
Murder In Soho: Who Killed Freddie Mills? (Jan 2, 10.30pm, BBC4)