TV Guide 2019-12-14
After many months, it's the Strictly Come Dancing final (BBC1, Sat), and the final of Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, Tue-Thu). And with that out of the way, time for ITV's annual The Big Quiz (2) (Thu). We've also the final of The X Factor Colon The Band (ITV, Sun).
Christmas specials are all over the schedules like a spilled selection box: take your fill from Dragons' Den (BBC2, Sun), 8 Out of 10 Cats (E4, Sun), Come Dine with Me (E4, from Mon), Top Class (CBBC, Thu), A League of Their Own (The Satellite Channel, Thu), I'll Get This (BBC2, Thu).
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Schedules are accurate at the time of publication; check against EPG for late changes.
Contents |
Saturday 14 December
- Top Class (BBC2, 6.40am) As seen on CBBC about a month ago.
- Robot Wars (BBC2, 10am).
- Double Dare (Nickelodeon, 10am) Christmas specials.
- Fighting Talk (Radio 5, 11am).
- Flour Power (BBC1, 11.30).
- America's Most Musical Family (Nickelodeon, 11.31).
- Best House in Town (BBC2 Wales 2pm, elsewhere 3pm, not BBC Scotland simulcast) St Albans fills an awkward gap.
- Tipping Point (ITV, 4.25) A classic episode.
Primetime
- Pointless Celebrities (BBC1, 5.30) Sports Review of the Year 2019, with Ama Agbeze, Greg Rusedski, Eddie Izzard, Hannah Cockroft, Rebecca Adlington, Michael O'Neill, Jayne Torvill, Robin Cousins, and Geraint Thomas. The RTE Sports Person of the Year is named later this evening, the BBC equivalent tomorrow.
- Keep Dancing 15 Years of Strictly Magic (C5, 5.45) A repeat from earlier in the year.
- The Hit List (BBC1, 6.20).
- The Chase Celebrity Special (ITV, 6.30) Angellica Bell and friends, from October 2016.
- Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1, 7.05) The grand final week, with a guest appearance by Taylor Swift.
- I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! (ITV and VM1, 9.20) Extra Camp follows on ITV2 and VM3 at 10.25.
Weekend repeats
Saturday
- The Dog Ate My Homework (CBBC, 11.15) From last Sunday.
- Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 12 noon) Two episodes.
- Quote... Unquote (R4, 11pm) From Monday.
Sunday
- Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 2.30) Friday's semi-final.
- Celebrity Juice Mid-Advent Special (ITV2, 10pm).
- A Question of Sport (BBC1, 12.05am; Scotland 1.20am).
Sunday 15 December – Gaudete Sunday
- The Dog Ate My Homework (CBBC, 8.25).
- Spy School (ITV Breakfast Broadcasting and CITV, 8.55am) Operation Gold-Zilla.
- Gloryhunters with Charlie Baker (Talk Sport, 9.30am).
- Top Class (CBBC, 9.30 and 10.05am) It's a semi-final double bill! Chantry play St Joseph's in the first match; after Newsround, St Oswald's await last week's winners.
- Double Dare (Nickelodeon, 10am) Christmas specials.
- Bargain Hunt (BBC1 12.15).
- Tenable (ITV, 2.35); Tipping Point (ITV, 3.35).
- A Question of Sport (BBC1 Wales, 4.05) Seen elsewhere on Friday.
- The Chase Celebrity Special (ITV, 5.15) David Grant and chums from October 2019.
Primetime
- !mpossible (Challenge, 6.30); All-Star Family Fortunes (Challenge; 7.30, 2 episodes).
- Dragons' Den Christmas Special (BBC2, 8pm) Innovative Christmas tree stands; as we've reached Gaudete Sunday, even the grouchiest deign to allow festive decorations.
- The X Factor Colon The Band (ITV and VM1, 8pm) The live final. Is that it? Four episodes and gone?
- 8 Out of 10 Cats Christmas Special (E4, 9pm) Emily Atack, Jamie Laing, Natasia Demetriou, Ola The Comedian.
- QI XL (BBC2, 11pm; not NI) Quests.
Weekday Daytimes
- Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 12.15).
- Eggheads (BBC2, 1pm; Tu 1.10, We BBC Scotland 3.30) Repeats.
- Dickinson's Real Deal (ITV, 2pm).
- Countdown (C4, 2.10) Finals week, with Jon Culshaw (Mo-We), Tim Vine (Th-Fr).
- The Switch (ITV, 3pm).
- World's Strongest Man (5star, 3.35; three episodes) Repeats from 2016 to 2018.
- Squad Goals (RTE2, 3.45) Teams take on physical and group challenges.
- Tipping Point (ITV, 4pm) Repeats.
- Dress to Impress (ITV2, 4.50) New series of the fashion-dating-contest show. Two episodes.
- Cash Trapped (ITV, 5pm).
- Pointless (BBC1, 5.15) Repeats.
- House of Games (BBC2, 6pm; not We, two episodes on Th) A repeat, with Lolly Adefope, Dan Walker, Sarah Greene, Miles Jupp.
- Christmas University Challenge (BBC4, 7pm) Repeated from last year.
- Celebrity Christmas Come Dine with Me (E4, 7.30; Fri 8pm) Courtney Act, Debbie McGee, Charlotte Dawson, Dick and Dom, Stevo The Madman.
Monday 16 December
- Just a Minute (Radio 4 Extra, 9am and 4pm) Classic episodes from 2012.
- Quote... Unquote (Radio 4, 3pm) Esther Rantzen, Steve Pemberton, Konnie Huq.
- I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (Radio 4, 6.30).
- Only Connect (BBC2, 6.30) A challenge match: Motorheads and Time Ladies, repeated from last year.
- World's Strongest Man 2019 (C5, 7pm) The qualifying rounds.
- Only Connect (BBC2, 8pm) Endeavours v 007s in the third second round match.
- I'm a Celebrity Legends of the Jungle (ITV2, 8pm) Highlights from the recent series.
- University Challenge (BBC2, 8.30) Second round, match 5.
- Have I Got a Bit More News for You (BBC1, 11.05; Scotland 11.35, Wales 12.05).
Tuesday 17 December
- The Unbelievable Truth (Radio 4 Extra, 4pm).
- Only Connect (BBC2, 6.30) A challenge match: Footballers and Korfballers, repeated from last year.
- World's Strongest Man 2019 (C5, 7pm).
- Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 8pm) Finals week, for an audience of chefs.
- Celebrity Portrait Artist of the Year (Artsworld, 8pm) James Fleet, Anneka Rice, Mark Gatiss, Fenella Woolgar, and Jenny Eclair take part.
Wednesday 18 December
- Many a Slip (Radio 4 Extra, 9am and 4pm) From 1978.
- World's Strongest Man 2019 (C5, 7pm).
- Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 8pm) Make something good.
- The Crystal Maze Celebrity Christmas Special (E4, 8pm) Another chance to see last year's effort, and we mean that in the loosest sense.
- The Challenge War of the Worlds (MTV, 10pm) Ditch your own worst team-mate?
Thursday 19 December
- It's Your Round (Radio 4 Extra, 9am and 4pm) From 2011.
- Top Class Christmas Special (CBBC, 5pm) Two teams of CBBC celebrities take part.
- World's Strongest Man 2019 (C5, 7pm) The qualifying rounds conclude.
- Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 8pm) The contest final.
- Buy It Now for Christmas (C4, 8pm).
- The Big Quiz (2) (ITV and TV3, 9pm) Coronation Street (Jack P Shepherd, Sue Nicholls, Alan Halsall, Alexandra Mardell) take on Emmerdale Farm (Mark Charnock, Lisa Riley, Isabel Hodgins, Nick Miles).
- A League of Their Own Christmas Holiday (The Satellite Channel, 9pm) James Corden sends Andrew Flintoff, Jamie Redknapp, and Romesh Ranganathan into the Tyrol. No reason, he just wants shot of the lot of 'em.
- I'll Get This Christmas Dinner (BBC2, 10pm) Shirley Ballas, Joel Dommett, Maura Higgins, Gregg Wallace, Les Dennis.
- Celebrity Juice Trapped and Alone (ITV2, 10pm) A clip show.
Friday 20 December
- The Food Quiz (Radio 4 Extra, 9am and 4pm) Christmas 2004.
- Breaking the News (BBC Radio Scotland, 1.30; BBC Scotland tv 10pm) Athena Kugblenu, Ashley Storrie, Hugo Rifkind, Jim Smith.
- A Question of Sport (BBC1, 7.30; Scotland 11.25, Wales 3.25 Sat) Keri-Anne Payne, Nicolas Colsaerts, Anyika Onuora, John Hartson.
- Test Drive (BBC1 Scotland, 7.30) Glasgow.
- Masterchef The Professionals Rematch (BBC2, 8pm) A repeat from 2018.
- Have I Got News for You (BBC1, 9.30) Charlie Brooker hosts, with Emma Barnett and Phil Wang.
- Would I Lie to You? (BBC1, 9.30) Jay Blades, Sue Johnston, Alice Levine, Bob Mortimer. Postponed from 22 November.
- Mock the Week (BBC2, 10pm) Review of the year.
Sign language interpretation
- I've Got Your Back (RTE2, 12.05 Sat, 10.20am Sun).
- Swashbuckle (Cbeebies, 3.50pm Sat and Sun).
- Bang on the Money (ITV, 3am Sun) Last in the series.
- Best House in Town (BBC2, 2.10am Mon).
- Flour Power (BBC Scotland, 12pm Mon).
- Who's Doing the Dishes? (ITV, 3am Wed).
- Home is Where the Art Is (BBC2, 1.20am Fri).
- Meet the Parents (ITV, 3am Sat).
