The Times - UK (2021-12-18)

30 saturday review Saturday December 18 2021 | the times

BBC4

7.00pm Natural World Following

Antarctic penguins as they

struggle for survival

7.50 Swinging Christmas

Michael Parkinson

introduces a concert

by the John Wilson

Orchestra, in a celebration

of festive musical treats

from the golden age of

swing, joined by special

guest Curtis Stigers

9.00 Daniel Barenboim: In His

Own Words The conductor

and pianist speaks candidly

about his music and his life,

from his earliest musical

experiences as a child piano

prodigy in Buenos Aires to

his meteoric rise to fame.

See Viewing Guide

10.15 BBC Proms Classics:

Barenboim Conducts the

West-Eastern Divan

Orchestra at the Proms

11.45-12.45am Sound of Musicals

with Neil Brand (3/3)

ITV3

6.55pm FILM A Christmas Carol

(PG, 1984) Miser Ebenezer

Scrooge is given a

Christmas Eve to remember

when a quartet of ghosts -

his dead business partner

and the spirits of

Christmases past, present

and future – turn up

determined to cure him of

his money-grubbing ways.

Adaptation of Charles

Dickens’ classic starring

George C Scott, Nigel

Davenport, Frank Finlay

and Angela Pleasence

9.00 The Savoy at Christmas

Documentary following life

in the London hotel over the

festive season, as staff

prepare to welcome guests

during the hotel’s most

profitable time of the year.

Last in the series

10.05-12.05am Vera The detective

investigates the murder

of a homeless young man

More 4

5.40pm FILM White Christmas

(U, 1954) Two nightclub

entertainers stage a series

of shows to save an old

friend’s winter resort with

the help of a two singing

sisters. Musical with Bing

Crosby and Danny Kaye

8.00 The Secret Life of the Zoo at

Christmas Bactrian camels

Becky and Mei-Li are given a

seasonal surprise

9.00 999: On the Front Line

Paramedics treat a woman

who has fallen through a

glass door, and a man

complaining of headaches

who has a family history of

brain haemorrhages

10.05 999: What’s Your

Emergency? An injured

police officer needs

assistance at a pub brawl

11.05-12.10am Emergency

Helicopter Medics

A woman suffers a heart

attack on a Norfolk beach

Sky Max

7.00pm Never Mind the

Buzzcocks Christmas

Special With Holly Johnson,

Lauren Laverne and

Asim Chaudhrey (R)

8.00 A League of Their Own:

Christmas Special 2021

A festive edition of the quiz,

with Freddie Flintoff, Jamie

Redknapp and Romesh

Ranganathan joined by

celebrity guests for

Christmas challenges (R)

9.00 Rob & Romesh vs

Christmas 2021 A festive

special in which Rob Beckett

and Romesh Ranganathan

join the circus to train for a

Christmas performance at

Winter Wonderland

10.00 Chucky Allies from Chucky’s

past appear (5/8) (R)

11.00 Chucky Jake sets a trap

for Chucky (6/8) (R)

12.00-1.00am Never Mind the

Buzzcocks Christmas

Special Comedy quiz (R)

Sky Atlantic

6.10pm The Pacific Sledge and his

division are sent to assist

the attack on a fortified

position in Okinawa, where

they are confronted by

horrific evidence of the

war’s impact on Japanese

civilians (9/10) (R)

7.20 The Pacific The Marines

return home following

the Japanese surrender —

but while some plan

for their futures, a

demoralised Sledge

struggles to cope (10/10) (R)

8.30 American Rust Harris’

investigation into the

anonymous eyewitness

continues (7/9)

9.35 American Rust Isaac is

taken in by a kind stranger,

Grace’s union drive is put to

the test and Billy fires his

public defender (8/9)

10.45 Game of Thrones (9/10) (R)

11.50-12.55am Game of Thrones

Fantasy drama (10/10) (R)

Sky Documentaries

Sky Comedy

5.25pm FILM Ferrari: Race to

Immortality (15, 2017)

Formula One documentary

chronicling the early years

of the Scuderia Ferrari

racing team, founded by

the legendary Enzo Ferrari

7.15 I Am Johnny Cash

A celebration of the country

singer-songwriter built

around 12 of his classic

tracks spanning four

decades. Featuring

contributions from Sheryl

Crow, Kris Kristofferson

and Willie Nelson (R)

9.00 Music Box A series of

documentaries exploring

pivotal moments in music.

See Viewing Guide

11.00-1.20am FILM Cobain:

Montage of Heck (15, 2015)

Exploring the Nirvana

frontman’s childhood,

career and tragic death,

using material from the

Cobains’ personal archives

7.00pm The Fresh Prince of

Bel-Air The Banks family spends

Christmas at a ski lodge

7.30 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Will makes an extravagant promise

8.00 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Hilary is thrilled to see her chat

show broadcast on national TV

8.30 Wellington Paranormal (7/7)

9.00 Saturday Night Live

American sketch show

10.15 Micky Flanagan: An’ Another

Fing Live Stand-up show

12.00-12.30am Mr Mayor

ITV2

7.00pm FILM Uncle Buck (12,

1989) A good-natured slob gets a

taste of responsibility when he is

called upon to look after his

trouble-making nephew and

nieces. Comedy with John Candy

9.00 Gordon, Gino and Fred’s

Great Christmas Roast Gordon

Ramsay and Gino D’Acampo host a

meal for the emergency services

10.30 Family Guy

11.00 Family Guy

11.30 Family Guy

12.00-12.30am Family Guy

ITV4

6.45pm Snooker: World Grand

Prix Jill Douglas presents coverage

of the evening session on day

seven from Coventry Building

Society Arena, featuring the

conclusion of the final

10.00 FILM Blue Streak (12, 1999)

A thief fresh out of prison finds a

police station has been built

where he hid his loot, forcing him

to pose as a cop to get it back.

Comedy starring Martin Lawrence,

Luke Wilson and Peter Greene

11.50-12.50am The Professionals

E4

6.45pm The Great Festive Bake

Off Part two of two. Benjamina,

Rob, Rav and Sandy return

8.00 Alex Rider New series.

Thriller starring Otto Farrant (1/8)

9.00 Alex Rider Alex is kidnapped

and interrogated (2/8)

10.00 Alex Rider Alex is thrown

into the unfamiliar world of the

ultra-rich (3/8)

11.00 Alex Rider The Department

seems to be closing in on

the double-agent (4/8)

12.00-1.00am Alex Rider (5/8)

Dave

7.00pm Cops on the Rock

Featuring a pre-dawn arrest

8.00 Expedition with Steve

Backshall Steve heads to

the Moukalaba Doudou

National Park in Gabon

9.00 Have I Got a Bit More News

for You David Dimbleby hosts, with

Stacey Dooley and Henning Wehn

10.05 Comedians Giving Lectures

With Geoff Norcott and Tez Ilyas

10.50-1.30am FILM White House

Down (12, 2013) Action thriller with

Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx

Drama

6.00pm Call the Midwife

7.20 Last of the Summer Wine The

trio seek out two old school pals

8.00 Jonathan Creek Jonathan

seizes the opportunity to get his

own back on a reviewer who

criticised his show by refusing

to reveal how his priceless

painting vanished without a trace

9.05 Jonathan Creek

Part one of two. Adam Klaus’s

sister Kitty witnesses a murder

10.10-12.10am Judge John Deed A

boy refuses a life-saving operation

Yesterday

7.00pm Bangers and Cash A panel

van and a Capri tempt auctioneer

Derek out of Yorkshire (1/10)

8.00 Bangers and Cash Dave finds

a very rare 70s Sunbeam Lotus

that has been rotting away in a

farmyard for 29 years (4/10)

9.00 One Foot in the Grave

Christmas special from 1994. A face

from the past haunts the Meldrews

9.55 One Foot in the Grave

10.35 One Foot in the Grave

11.10-12.10am Great British

Landmark Fixers (4/6)

PBS America

6.10pm Elizabeth I’s Secret Agents

Examining the spy network that

protected the queen (1/3)

7.20 Elizabeth I’s Secret Agents

The Earl of Essex tries to take over

Robert Cecil’s spy network (2/3)

8.35 Elizabeth I’s Secret Agents

Robert Cecil finds out about

a Catholic conspiracy to

blow-up Parliament (3/3)

9.50 First Britons Documentary

reassessing the culture and origins

of Britain’s very first natives

11.00-12.15am The Silk Road (1/3)

Smithsonian

7.00pm Searching for Secrets

Singapore’s most remarkable

locations and surprising stories

8.00 Inside the Christmas Factory:

Mince Pies How traditional

Christmas items are made

9.00 Inside the Christmas Factory

10.00 An American Aristocrat’s

Guide to Great Estates

11.00 An American Aristocrat’s

Guide to Great Estates Julie

Montagu visits Newby Hall

12.00-1.00am An American

Aristocrat’s Guide to Great Estates

Sky Arts

7.00pm Pink Floyd: The Story of

Wish You Were Here The making

of the band’s classic album

8.15 The Directors The life and

work of David Lynch (6/10)

9.15 FILM Wild at Heart (18, 1990)

An ex-con and his lover set off

on a nightmarish journey across

America. David Lynch’s road movie,

starring Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern,

Diane Ladd and Willem Dafoe

11.40-2.10am The Hollies:

Look Through Any Window

Profile of the popular 1960s band

Sky Witness

7.00pm Caught on Dashcam

Outrageous road disasters

captured via dashboard cameras

8.00 The Resident Billie throws

Nic a baby shower (13/14)

9.00 Blue Bloods (2/2) A member

of the Reagan family is shot

10.00 Law & Order: Special

Victims Unit A high-profile

lawyer is charged with rape

11.00 Law & Order: Special Victims

Unit A homeless man is arrested

12.00-1.00am Law & Order:

Special Victims Unit

Sky History

7.00pm National Park Mysteries

7.30 National Park Mysteries

Unexplained phenomena

occurring across North

America’s National Parks

8.00 National Park Mysteries

8.30 National Park Mysteries

9.00 Machines That Built the

World Aeroplane pioneers

10.00 101 Weapons That Changed

the World Mankind’s most

groundbreaking weapons

12.00-12.30am National Park

Mysteries Documentary (1/8)

Alibi

6.20pm Death in Paradise

Richard investigates the

murder of a bride (2/8)

7.40 Death in Paradise Richard

investigates the murder of a

voodoo priestess (3/8)

9.00 Death in Paradise (1/8)

10.20 Death in Paradise (2/8)

11.20-12.20am Ragdoll (3/6)

Discovery

7.00pm Building Off the Grid

8.00 Alaskan Bush People

9.00 Homestead Rescue: Raney

Ranch Marty attempts a

dangerous river crossing to get

expensive gear to the homestead

10.00 Paranormal Declassified

11.00 Moonshiners

12.00-1.00am Deadliest Catch

Nat Geographic Comedy Central

7.00pm Friends

9.00 FILM Beverly Hills Cop III (PG,

1994) Maverick cop Axel Foley’s

investigation of a murder leads

him to a counterfeiting ring.

Comedy adventure sequel with

Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold

11.05-12.35am Lee Evans Live in

Scotland Comedy performance

Gold

6.50pm The Vicar of Dibley

8.00 Dad’s Army

9.00 Mrs Brown’s Boys

9.40 Harry Enfield and Chums

10.35 Bottom The pals look

forward to celebrating Christmas

11.15 Not Going Out Lee’s

estranged father turns up

11.55-12.35am Mrs Brown’s Boys

W

7.00pm Inside the Ambulance at

Christmas Documentary

8.00 Emma and AJ Get to Work

9.00 My Family Christmas Special

2004 Susan tries to display her

culinary “talents’ at Christmas

10.05 Louis Theroux’s LA Stories

11.05-12.05am Killer Women

with Piers Morgan Documentary

7.00pm Lost Treasures of Egypt

8.00 Unknown Waters with

Jeremy Wade Searching for the

elusive Amazon bull shark

9.00 The Hot Zone: Anthrax (5/6)

10.00 The Hot Zone: Anthrax (6/6)

11.00 Alaska: The Next Generation

12.00-1.00am Alaska:

The Next Generation

FV 9/24, FS 173, SKY 116, VIRGIN 107 FV 10, FS 115, SKY 119, VIRGIN 117 FV 18, FS 124, SKY 136, VIRGIN 147 SKY 113, VIRGIN 122 SKY 108 SKY 121, VIRGIN 278

SKY 114, VIRGIN 135

FV 6, FS 113, SKY 118, VIRGIN 115 FV 25, FS 117, SKY 120, VIRGIN 118 FV 13, FS 122, SKY 135, VIRGIN 106 FV 20, FS 158, SKY 143, VIRGIN 130 FV 26, FS 159, SKY 155, VIRGIN 129

SKY 132, VIRGIN 126 SKY 125, VIRGIN 250, BT 322 SKY 129, VIRGIN 266, BT 317 SKY 112, VIRGIN 181, BT 307 SKY 110, BT 310 SKY 109, BT 311

FV 19, FS 157, SKY 111, VIRGIN 127

FV 84, FS 155, SKY 174, VIRGIN 273 FV 56, FS 175, SKY 171, VIRGIN 276 FV 11, FS 147, SKY 130, VIRGIN 165 SKY 107, VIRGIN 112 SKY 123, VIRGIN 270

Sky Main Event

8.00am Live Big Bash League

11.00 Live Renault Super Sunday

2.00pm Live Renault Super

Sunday: Newcastle United v

Manchester City (Kick-off 2.15).

Coverage of this afternoon’s

Premier League match

4.15 Live Renault Super Sunday

7.30 Live World Darts

Championship Coverage of

session two on day five

11.00 Live NFL

12.30am Live NBC’s FNIA

1.10-4.30 Live NFL

Sky Premier League

11.00am Live Renault Super

Sunday: Everton v Leicester City

2.00pm Live Renault Super

Sunday: Newcastle United v

Manchester City (Kick-off 2.15)

4.15 Live Renault Super Sunday:

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool

(Kick-off 4.30). Coverage of

the Premier League match

7.30 Live WSL: Arsenal v Brighton

and Hove Albion (Kick-off 6.45)

9.15 PL 100 Club

9.45 Matchday Plus

10.00-5.00am Premier League

Sky Cricket

7.30am-3.30pm Live Test Cricket:

South Africa v India Coverage of

day three of the First Test in the

three-match series, at Wanderers

Stadium in Johannesburg

6.00 Test Cricket South Africa v

India. Action from day three

of the First Test in the three-match

series, at Wanderers Stadium

in Johannesburg

7.00 Big Bash League

11.00 Test Cricket

12.00-1.00am One-Day

International Cricket

BT Sport 1

5.00pm Live: Serie A — Sampdoria

v Venezia (Kick-off 5.00)

7.00 Live: Golazzo James

Richardson looks ahead

7.45 Live: Serie A — AC Milan v

Napoli (Kick-off 7. 4 5). Coverage

of the Italian top-flight clash

10.00 UFC

1.00am Tenerife Blue Trail

1.30 CGI UK Challenge

2.00 The Ashes

3.30-12.00noon The Ashes Live:

Australia v England The fifth and

final day of the second Test

BT Sport 2

7.45am-9.45 Live: A-League:

Sydney FC v Wellington Phoenix

12.30pm Live Champions Cup

3.00 Live Champions Cup

5.15 Live Champions Cup

7.45 Live: Champions Cup

Highlights From round two of

the Heineken Champions Cup

8.45 BT Sport Reload

9.00 WWE NXT UK

10.00 WWE SmackDown

Highlights Wrestling action

11.00 WWE NXT

12.45am-2.15 30 for 30: Nature Boy

SKY 401, VIRGIN 511, BT 467 SKY 402, VIRGIN 512 SKY 404, VIRGIN 514 SKY 413, BT 459 SKY 414, BT 460

FV Freeview FS Freesat

Sunday 19 | Primetime digital guide

Wild at Hear t

Nicolas Cage and Laura

Dern star in David Lynch’s

nightmarish road movie

Sky Arts, 9.15pm

Liverpool’s Mo Salah is set to

feature against Tottenham

Hotspur (Sky Main Event, 4.15pm)