The Times - UK (2021-12-18)

505 saturday review Saturday December 18 2021 | the times

BBC4

7.00pm Top of the Pops:

Christmas 2002 Atomic

Kitten, Gareth Gates, Ronan

Keating and Girls Aloud

8.00 Top of the Pops: Christmas

Hits Chart-toppers from

festive episodes

9.00 Tom Jones & Beverley

Knight’s Gospel Christmas

Tom Jones and Beverley

Knight host a festive concert

from Cardiff featuring

a blend of traditional

gospel, carols and songs

of spiritual intent by

Prince and Bob Dylan

10.00 Country Christmas 2021

Music with hosts Gabby

Barrett and Carly Pearce.

10.40 Country at the BBC

11.00 The Turn of the Screw

Chilling period drama

starring Michelle Dockery

and Sue Johnston

12.30-1.15amWhistle and I’ll Come

to You Eerie tale based on

the MR James ghost story

FV 9/24, FS 173, SKY 116, VIRGIN 107

ITV3

7.00pm Heartbeat An accidental

shooting at Ashfordly Hall

prompts Bellamy to

investigate reports of the

acting estate manager

exploiting youngsters,

while Peggy discovers a

new source of revenue

8.00 Doc Martin Joan tries to

deter egg thieves by

keeping quiet about a rare

bird on her land, but a

tactless Martin prompts an

influx of birdwatchers.

Feature-length Christmas

special from 2006 (9/9)

10.00 Grantchester Christmas

Special Sidney and Geordie

are drawn into a case with

echoes of an unsolved

murder from nine years ago

11.30-1.30am Lewis Following the

murder of a psychologist

who was moonlighting as

a psychic, Lewis struggles

to unravel the victim’s

baffling double life (1/3)

FV 10, FS 115, SKY 119, VIRGIN 117

More 4

6.55pm Escape to the Château at

Christmas Dick and Angel

prepare for Christmas (8/8)

7.55 Matt Baker: Our Christmas

in the Dales Special

Christmas edition, which

sees the family preparing

for winter storms

9.00 Father Ted Christmas

Special Fathers Ted and

Dougal endure their worst

Christmas ever when

they get lost in a lingerie

department, leaving them

in a highly embarrassing

predicament. Festive

edition from 1996

10.15 Father Ted The priests

organise a raffle (2/10)

10.50 Father Ted Craggy Island’s

most famous religious relic

is upgraded (3/10)

11.20 Father Ted Dougal is

led astray (4/10)

11.55-12.30am Father Ted Dougal

and Ted write a song for

entry in a competition (5/10)

FV 18, FS 124, SKY 136, VIRGIN 147

Sky Max

7.00pm The Amazing Mr Blunden

Teens Lucy and Jamie begin

an adventure when their

mother takes over as

caretaker of a mansion

rumoured to be haunted.

See Viewing Guide

9.00 A League of Their Own:

Christmas Special 2021,

With Freddie Flintoff, Jamie

Redknapp and Romesh

Ranganathan joined by

celebrity guests for more

holiday hi-jinks and sporting

Christmas challenges (R)

10.00 FILM The Sweeney (15,

2012) An insubordinate

detective and his loyal

partner must crack

a robbery case while

under investigation from

their superiors. Crime

thriller starring Ray

Winstone and Ben Drew

12.00-1.00am Never Mind the

Buzzcocks Christmas

Special Comedy quiz (R)

SKY 113, VIRGIN 122

Sky Atlantic

6.50pm The White Lotus Rachel

shares some harsh truths

with Shane and confides

in Belinda. Armond goes

on an all-out bender and

exacts the ultimate revenge

on his nemesis (6/6) (R)

8.00 Game of Thrones Jon

enlists the help of an

unexpected ally, Daenerys

makes a difficult decision in

Mereen, Brienne searches

for Sansa and Theon

remains under Ramsay’s

control (5/10) (R)

9.05 Game of Thrones Arya

continues her training at the

House of Black and White,

Jorah and Tyrion run into

slavers and the Sand Snakes

mount an attack (6/10) (R)

10.10 Game of Thrones Jon

prepares for conflict

and Sansa attempts to

talk to Theon (7/10) (R)

11.15-12.20am Game of Thrones

Fantasy drama (8/10) (R)

SKY 108

Sky Documentaries

Sky Comedy

6.50pm FILM Tina (15, 2021) Born

Anna Mae Bullock in 1939,

Tina Turner has sold in

excess of 100 million

records and earned

numerous plaudits

including Grammy awards

and induction into the Rock

And Roll Hall Of Fame with

her first husband, Ike Turner.

This celebration of the

artist’s life and career

features contributions from

the artist, as well as Angela

Bassett and Oprah Winfrey

9.00 FILM The Bee Gees: How

Can You Mend a Broken

Heart (12, 2020)

Documentary exploring the

history of the group,

featuring contributions from

surviving member Barry

Gibb as well as archive

interviews with his brothers

Robin and Maurice

11.10-1.10am Music Box Pivotal

moments in music (R)

7.00pm The Office (US)

7.30 The Office (US)

8.00 The Office (US)

8.30 The Office (US)

9.00 Ricky Gervais Live: Animals

The comedian’s first stand-up tour

10.25 Ricky Gervais: Politics

Stand-up comedian and actor

Ricky Gervais performs his second

live show, filmed at the Palace

Theatre in London in 2004

11.45-1.00am Russell Howard Live:

Dingledodies A performance

from the Brighton Dome

SKY 121, VIRGIN 278

SKY 114, VIRGIN 135

ITV2

8.00pm FILM The Holiday (12,

2006) Two single women from

opposite sides of the Atlantic find

love after they swap houses over

Christmas. Romantic comedy

starring Cameron Diaz, Kate

Winslet, Jack Black and Jude Law

10.45 Family Guy Peter is asked

to fill in for a mall Santa

11.15 Family Guy Quagmire

discovers the dating app Tinder

11.40-12.10am Family Guy

Brian enlists Stewie to help him

get his driving licence back

FV 6, FS 113, SKY 118, VIRGIN 115

ITV4

6.55pm FILM Twins (PG, 1988)

Comedy starring Arnold

Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito,

Kelly Preston and Chloe Webb

9.00 FILM Rocky V (PG, 1990)

The heavyweight champion is

forced into retirement and trains a

young hopeful, only to see his

protege turn against him. Drama

sequel starring Sylvester Stallone

and Tommy Morrison

11.10-1.10am All Elite Wrestling:

Dynamite Hard-hitting action from

the world of All Elite Wrestling

FV 25, FS 117, SKY 120, VIRGIN 118

E4

5.50pm The Great New Year Bake

Off Former contestants join

the hosts and judges for a seasonal

edition of the baking contest

7.10 FILM Peter Rabbit (PG, 2018)

A mischievous rabbit takes on a

farmer in a battle of wits. Family

comedy with the voices of James

Corden and Margot Robbie

9.00 Gogglebox Festive Special

Reactions to television shows

aired across Christmas in 2019

10.30 Celebrity Gogglebox

11.35-12.35am Gogglebox

FV 13, FS 122, SKY 135, VIRGIN 106

Dave

7.00pm QI XL Festive edition

8.00 Travel Man: 48 Hours in

Florence Rebel Wilson joins

Richard Ayoade on a rapid-fire

tour of the famous Italian city

9.00 QI XL: Quizmas

10.00 Meet The Richardsons at

Christmas The families attempt

to create the perfect Christmas

for daughter Elsie

10.40 Meet The Richardsons

at Christmas More celebs turn up

11.15-12.40am Gavin & Stacey

Christmas Special Comedy

FV 19, FS 157, SKY 111, VIRGIN 127

Drama

6.20pm Call the Midwife

Two new nuns join Nonnatus

House, as the midwives deal

with a shocking emergency

7.20 Last of the Summer Wine

Compo buys Sid’s wetsuit and,

under Foggy’s supervision, tries

scuba diving and waterskiing

8.00 Jonathan Creek A widow’s

nightmares start to come true

9.05 New Tricks A retired detective

(Denis Lawson) helps the team

10.30 Les Miserables

11.50-1.10am Les Miserables

FV 20, FS 158, SKY 143, VIRGIN 130

Yesterday

7.00pm Secrets of Britain A look

at the shadowy world of MI6 (4/6)

8.00 Secrets of the London

Underground Tim Dunn and

Siddy Holloway explore the

hidden parts of Euston (4/6)

9.00 Hornby: A Model World

Designer Paramjit Sembhi

attempts to build a new version

of the iconic Spitfire (5/10)

10.00 Bangers and Cash (9/10)

11.00 Bangers and Cash (10/10)

12.00-1.00am Abandoned

Engineering Documentary

FV 26, FS 159, SKY 155, VIRGIN 129

PBS America

6.25pm The First World War The

final months of the conflict (10/10)

7.30 American Oz Part one of two.

The story of writer L Frank Baum

8.40 American Oz Part two of two.

The story of writer L Frank Baum

9.50 Excalibur: Behind the Movie

Mark Wright’s documentary

reflecting on the making of John

Boorman’s 1981 fantasy adventure,

featuring interviews with Liam

Neeson, Gabriel Byrne, Helen

Mirren and Patrick Stewart

11.00-12.15am American Oz

FV 84, FS 155, SKY 174, VIRGIN 273

Smithsonian

7.00pm Inside the Christmas

Factory How the Royal Mail

produces Christmas stamps

8.00 Private Lives of the Windsors

A look at Louis Mountbatten’s

mentorship of Prince Charles

9.00 Private Lives of the Windsors

10.00 Private Lives of the

Windsors Documentary

11.00 Henry VIII and the King’s

Men How Henry VIII entrusted

power to the men around him

12.00-1.00am Henry VIII and the

King’s Men Documentary

FV 56, FS 175, SKY 171, VIRGIN 276

Sky Arts

5.30pm Michael Flatley’s Lord of

the Dance: Dangerous Games

A staging of the traditional dance

show based on Irish folklore

7.30 Les Miserables: The Concert

A stage recording of the musical

based on Victor Hugo’s novel

10.15 ELO Live at Wembley 1978

The band perform a selection of

their greatest hits, including Mr

Blue Sky and Sweet Talkin’ Woman

11.45-2.15am Jeff Lynne’s ELO:

Wembley or Bust A 2017 concert

from Wembley Stadium

FV 11, FS 147, SKY 130, VIRGIN 165

Sky Witness

7.00pm Nothing to Declare UK

The work of customs officers in

the south of England (7/12)

7.30 Nothing to Declare UK (8/12)

8.00 Caught on Dashcam

Road disasters and highway

crimes, captured via in-vehicle

dash-board cameras (1/5)

9.00 The Resident Conrad and Nic

welcome their new baby (14/14)

10.00 Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the

Bone Collector (4/10)

11.00 The Rookie (13/14)

12.00-1.00am The Rookie (14/14)

SKY 107, VIRGIN 112

Sky History

7.00pm The Christmas Truce

A seasonal ceasefire

8.00 Forged in Fire Four

bladesmiths hope to forge their

way to a $10,000 Christmas bonus

9.00 Forged in Fire

A bid to recreate George

Washington’s sword

10.00 Last Days of the Nazis

The story of the Nazi

concentration camps (5/6)

11.00 Last Days of the Nazis

The Warsaw Uprising (6/6)

12.00-1.00am American Pickers

SKY 123, VIRGIN 270

Alibi

6.40pm Death in Paradise (1/8)

8.00 Murdoch Mysteries: A Merry

Murdoch Christmas Festive special

starring Yannick Bisson

10.00 Ragdoll Baxter and

Edmunds are faced with a

difficult decision (6/6)

11.00 The Good Wife

12.00-1.00am Death in Paradise

SKY 132, VIRGIN 126

Discovery

7.00pm Railroad Alaska

Dan decides to sell his cabin

8.00 Gold Rush The gold miners of

the Yukon put everything on the

line in the hopes of striking it rich

9.00 The Alaska Triangle

10.00 Expedition X

11.00 Supertruckers

12.00-1.00am The Alaska Triangle

SKY 125, VIRGIN 250, BT 322

Nat Geographic

SKY 129, VIRGIN 266, BT 317

Comedy Central

6.55pm Friends

7.25 Friends

8.00 Michael McIntyre’s

Big Christmas Show

10.00 Lee Evans: Roadrunner

11.00 Kevin Bridges: The Brand

New Tour Stand-up performance

12.00-1.00am Joe Lycett: That’s

the Way, A-Ha, A-Ha, Joe Lycett

SKY 112, VIRGIN 181, BT 307

Gold

8.05pm Upstart Crow:

A Crow Christmas Carol

9.00 Live at the Apollo: Christmas

Special With Seann Walsh

10.00 Not Going Out

10.35 Knowing Me, Knowing Yule:

With Alan Partridge

11.35-12.50am The Royle Family:

Joe’s Crackers 2010 special

SKY 110, VIRGIN 124, BT 310

W

7.00pm FILM Sleepless in Seattle

(PG, 1993) Romantic comedy with

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan

9.20 FILM Louis Theroux: My

Scientology Movie (15, 2015)

The reporter investigates the

controversial religion

11.20-12.30am My Family

Christmas Special 2006

SKY 109, VIRGIN 125, BT 311

7.00pm Buried Secrets of the Bible

Part two of two. A look at the

story behind the destruction

of Sodom and Gomorrah

8.00 The Jesus Mysteries

9.00 Riddles Of The Bible

10.00 Thames Treasure Hunters

11.00 Two Million Year Old Boy

12.00-1.00am Lost on Everest

Sky Main Event

6.00am Live Big Bash League:

Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne

Stars Coverage of the T20

match at Blundstone Arena

8.30 Good Morning Sports Fans

10.00 The Football Show

12.00 Live: Good Morning Football

Discussion of the latest news

3.00pm Sky Sports News

11.00 Live: NFL Fantasy Featuring

NFL fantasy experts and analysts

12.00 Live: Total Access

Inside access to all 32 teams

1.00am-6.00 Sky Sports News

Sky Premier League

7.00pm Premier League Preview

A look ahead to the weekend’s

matches, with analysis of all the

key talking points and news

7.30 Premier League Matchpack

A preview of the weekend’s fixtures

8.00 Inside the WSL

8.30 Gary Neville’s Soccerbox

9.00 Premier League Preview

9.30 Premier League Matchpack

10.00 Class of 92 Following

the fortunes of Salford City

11.00 Inside the WSL

11.30-1.30am PL Retro

Sky Cricket

6.00am-8.30 Live Big Bash

League: Hobart Hurricanes v

Melbourne Stars Coverage of the

T20 match at Blundstone Arena

6.00 Big Bash League

Hobart Hurricanes v Melbourne

Stars Action from the T20

match at Blundstone Arena

10.00 You Guys Are History

11.00 The World Cup Through

Their Eyes Look back at England’s

victorious Cricket World Cup

through the eyes of the players

1.00am-3.00 The Fletcher Years

BT Sport 1

7.00pm Extreme E: Electric

Odyssey Bringing racing to

some of the most remote corners

of the planet to highlight climate

change, whilst showcasing the

performance of all-electric SUVs

7.30 MotoGP

10.00 WWE NXT UK All the

action as the next generation of

Superstars showcase their talents

11.00 WWE NXT Highlights

12.00-1.00am WWE SmackDown

Highlights All the best highlights

from the latest episode

BT Sport 2

4.45pm Premier League Reload

A catch-up from the weekend’s

Premier League matches

5.00 Serie A

Udinese v Salernitana

6.00 Serie A Genoa v Atalanta

7.00 Serie A Juventus v Cagliari

8.00 Serie A Sassuolo v Bologna

9.00 Serie A Venezia v Lazio

10.00 Serie A

Hellas Verona v Fiorentina

11.00 Serie A Inter Milan v Torino

12.00-1.00am Serie A

AS Roma v Sampdoria

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

Christmas Eve | Digital guide

Peter Rabbit

James Corden is the voice

of the mischievous bunny in

the 2018 film adaptation

E4, 7.10pm

FV Freeview FS Freesat

Glenn Maxwell’s Melbourne

Stars will face Hobart Hurricanes

(Sky Main Event, 6am)