TV Guide 2017-12-23
The highlights before Christmas: Pointless Celebrities and Partners in Rhyme (BBC1, Sat). The Chase is a day later (ITV, Sun). Christmas University Challenge begins (BBC2, Sun), and we have Blind Date (C5, Sat).
Christmas Day: lots of repeats on CBBC in the morning, and on some of the digital channels later in the day. The big hitters are Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1, 6.30) and Bake Off (C4, 7.40).
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year takes its usual spot on Boxing Day evening (C4). Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1) and World's Strongest Man (C5) both kick off on Wednesday. There's a celebrity edition of Celwydd Noeth (S4C, Thu), and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (C4, Fri).
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Schedules are accurate at the time of publication; check against EPG for late changes.
Contents |
Saturday 23 December
- Bruce Forsyth Day (Challenge, 6am) Play Your Cards Right to 1.30, Price is Right to 7pm.
- The Big Family Cooking Showdown (BBC2, 8.30am) The not-very-successful show is repeated as breakfast fare.
- Fighting Talk (Radio 5, 11am).
- Tipping Point (ITV, 12.35).
- World's Strongest Man 2013 (My5, 1pm) To 7pm.
Primetime
- Partners in Rhyme Christmas Special (BBC1, 5.30) Kimberley Walsh, Ainsley Harriott, Michelle Collins, Tyger Drew-Honey.
- Pointless Celebrities (BBC1, 6.15) Christmas, with Justin and Dan Hawkins, Gareth Malone and Samantha Stevenson, Jimmy Osmond and Ben Haenow, Mike Batt and Jona Lewie.
- Codebreaker (Discovery Science, 7pm) Science and mathematics puzzles.
- Saturday Night Takeaway: The Missing Crown Jewels (ITV, 7.30) A compilation of the whodunnit.
- Blind Date Christmas Special (C5, 8pm) Pantomime costumes.
- Qui Sera le Prochain Grant Pâtissier? (TV5, 8.02) A festive special of the baking competition.
Sunday 24 December - Christmas Eve
- Merry Chasemas (Challenge, 6am) The Challenge channel is nothing but re-runs of The Chase until Wednesday. At least it's different from endless Millionaire.
- Bake Off Day (Really, 8am) Series 5, from 2014, with the final at 5pm.
- The Big Family Cooking Showdown (BBC2, 9.15am).
- Christmas Runaround (Talking Pictures, 11.30am) Mike Reid's show from back in the day.
- Catchphrase (ITV, 11.50) An old Christmas special, with Warwick Davis, Katie Price, and Christopher Biggins.
- World's Strongest Man 2014 (My5, 1.05) To 7pm.
- Cannonball Christmas Special (ITV, 4pm; 3e, 8pm) Who will put the Cannonball Cup on their tree?
Primetime
- A Christmas Chase Celebrity Special (ITV, 5.50; TV3, 8pm) Patti Clare (from Coronation Street), Matt Richardson (comedian), Kirsty Wark (more on that story later), Jimmy Osmond (singer).
- Fighting Talk (Radio 5, 7pm) The best bits of the year.
- Codebreaker (Discovery Science, 7pm).
- Christmas University Challenge (BBC2 Scotland 5.45, elsewhere 8pm) Durham v Keble Oxford, with Rod Clements and Katy Brand.
Monday 25 December - Christmas Day
- The Crystal Maze (C4, 2.55am) If you can't sleep...
- Swashbuckle (Cbeebies, 8.35am) Christmas rules! Repeated from earlier this month.
- The Big Family Cooking Showdown (BBC2, 9am).
- Copycats (CBBC, 9.50am) Repeated from last year.
- Tout Le Monde Veut Prendre Sa Place (TV5, 10.43am) There's no avoiding the francophone dailies.
- The Dog Ate My Homework (CBBC, 10.45) From 2014.
- NBC's Got Talent (TruTV, 12 noon) Seven hours of highlights from this summers' series; the final begins at 5pm.
- Bother's Bar Does Top of the Pops (BBC1, 12.20) The year's biggest hits with Fearne Cotton, Clara Amfo, and a bunch of people who were meant to be seeing 5 Gold Rings but got billetted here when Schofe was delayed by snow.
- Bake Off Day (Good Food, 1pm) The 2016 Sport Relief series, followed by the 2010 civilian series from 5pm. To 2am, and then they do it all again from 6am to 4pm tomorrow.
- World's Strongest Man 2015 (My5, 1.05) To 7pm.
- Puttin' On the Glitz The Strictly Story (Radio 5, 2pm).
- Questions Pour un Champion (TV5, 3.30).
- Christmas Dinner Date Evening (ITVBe, 5pm) To 10pm.
Primetime
- Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1, 6.30) With Robbie Savage, Katie Derham, Jeremy Vine, Kimberley Walsh, Judy Murray, and Colin Jackson.
- Just a Minute 50 Years in 28 Minutes (R4, 6.30) What do you do when you can't mark 50 years with complete archive episodes? Mashups, extracts and bits from the past.
- The Grate Festive Burn-Out (C4, 7.40) Val, Selasi, Paul, and Beca come back to sort through the ashes.
- Have I Got a Bit More 2017 News for You (BBC1, 11.45).
Tuesday 26 December - Boxing Day
- The Big Family Cooking Showdown (BBC2, 8.55am).
- Tout Le Monde Veut Prendre Sa Place (TV5, 10.45am) Regular as clockwork, unlike some people we could mention.
- Celebrity Dinner Date Day (ITVBe, 12 noon) To 9pm.
- World's Strongest Man 2016 (My5, 1.05) To 7pm. Can you guess what starts tomorrow?
- The Grate Festive Burn-Out (C4, 3.05) Last night's sweepings.
- Questions Pour un Champion (TV5, 3.30).
- The Food Quiz (Radio 4 Extra, 4pm) From 2004: Jay Rayner, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Clarissa Dickson-Wright, Pat Chapman, Jancis Robinson.
Primetime
- Bradley's Funniest Moments (Challenge, 6pm) Episodes of The Chase where Bradley Walsh does something wrong. Could just be eight episodes at random...
- Christmas University Challenge (BBC2, 7.30) Selwyn Cambridge play St Andrews, with Robin French and Brian Taylor.
- Got What it Takes? (CBBC, 8.20) Resuming the singing contest, repeated from early in the year.
- Dragons' Den (BBC2, 9pm) Festive products.
- Big Fat Quiz of the Year (C4, 9pm) With snowman Richard Ayoade, Noel Fielding, celebrity husband David Mitchell, Big Narstie, Katherine Ryan, and Roisin Conaty.
- QI (BBC2, 10pm) O Christmas, with Jason Manford, Romesh Ranganathan, and Holly Walsh.
- Music By Numbers: The X Factor (Radio 1, 10pm) Clara Amfo traces the history of ITV's singing show, from Steve Brookstein to this year's winner, whoever they were.
Wednesday 27 December
- Pointless Day (Challenge, 6am) To 8pm.
- The Big Family Cooking Showdown (BBC2, 9.10am).
- Tout Le Monde Veut Prendre Sa Place (TV5, 10.45am)
- World's Strongest Man 2016 (My5, 1.05) To 7pm. Just in case you missed it yesterday.
- Taking The Next Step (CBBC, 2pm) Another chance to see this year's contest.
- Tenable (ITV, 3pm) A classic episode.
- Four Rooms With Sarah Beeny (C4, 3.10) A new episode, with some vintage antiques.
- Questions Pour un Champion (TV5, 3.30).
- Top Class (CBBC, 3.50) The autumn series repeats from here.
- Tipping Point (ITV, 4pm) Best of the best.
- The Chase (ITV, 5pm) Another fine show.
- Uchafbwyntiau Pigo Dy Drwyn (S4C, 5.30) And now we know the Welsh for "highlights". Followed by some classic Superted.
- Pointless (BBC1, 5.45) Whatever repeat's next in the can.
Primetime
- Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm) Jack Ashton, Rich Hall, Guy Mowbray, Pam Ayres.
- Christmas University Challenge (BBC2 Scotland 6.30, elsewhere 7.30) York play Southampton, with Kevin Maguire and Tom Service.
- A Question of Sport (BBC1, 7.30; Wales 10.30) Premier League special, with Dion Dublin, Graeme le Saux, Darren Bent, Alex Scott.
- World's Strongest Man (C5, 8pm).
- Blind Date Night (My5, 8pm) The Christmas episode, followed by three episodes from the summer.
- Your Face or Mine (Comedy Central, 8pm) Another chance to see Joe Swash and Stacey Solomon.
- Got What it Takes? (CBBC, 8.20).
- 8 Out of 10 Cats (E4, 9.40) More best bits.
Thursday 28 December
- Winter Wipeout morning (Challenge, 6am) To 1pm.
- Counterpoint (Radio 4 Extra, 9am and 4pm) The 2007 final.
- The Big Family Cooking Showdown (BBC2, 9.15am).
- Tout Le Monde Veut Prendre Sa Place (TV5, 10.45am)
- Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 11.45am).
- The Celebrity Chase afternoon (Challenge, 1pm) To 8pm.
- World's Strongest Man 2017 (My5, 1.05) Repeats of the Giants Live shows.
- Taking The Next Step (CBBC, 2pm).
- Tenable (ITV, 3pm).
- Four Rooms With Sarah Beeny (C4, 3pm) A new episode, with some vintage antiques.
- Questions Pour un Champion (TV5, 3.30).
- Top Class (CBBC, 3.50).
- Tipping Point (ITV, 4pm).
- The Chase (ITV, 5pm).
- Pointless (BBC1, 5.45).
Primetime
- Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm) Olivia Wayne, Philip Serrell, Richard McCourt, Lemn Sissay.
- Christmas University Challenge (BBC2 8pm) Leicester against UCL, Pete Lawrence plays Jeremy Bowen.
- World's Strongest Man (C5, 8pm).
- Takeshi's Castle (Comedy Central, 8pm).
- Got What it Takes? (CBBC, 8.20).
- Celwydd Noeth (S4C, 8.25) Celebrities find the fibs: Lisa Angharad and her mother Linda Griffiths, Gwion Tegid and Ceri Lloyd, Julian Lewis Jones and Ryland Teifi.
Friday 29 December
- Catchphrase morning (Challenge, 6am) To 12 noon.
- The Big Family Cooking Showdown (BBC2, 8.55am).
- Tout Le Monde Veut Prendre Sa Place (TV5, 10.45am)
- Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 12.15am).
- The Cube specials (Challenge, 12 noon) To 7pm.
- World's Strongest Man Finals (My5, 1.05) The finals from 2011 to 2016; the last is shown three times in four days.
- Taking The Next Step (CBBC, 2pm).
- Tenable (ITV, 3pm).
- Questions Pour un Champion (TV5, 3.30).
- Four Rooms With Sarah Beeny (C4, 3.40).
- Top Class (CBBC, 3.50).
- Tipping Point (ITV, 4pm).
- The Chase (ITV, 5pm).
- Pointless (BBC1, 5.45).
Primetime
- Christmas University Challenge (BBC2, 6.30) St John's Cambridge vs St Edmund's Hall Oxford; Laura Bates against Emma Kenneda.
- Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm) John Bradley, Crista Cullen, Nick Bright, Anna Passey.
- World's Strongest Man (C5, 8pm).
- Got What it Takes? (CBBC, 8.20).
- Would I Lie to You? (BBC1, 8.30) Steve Davis, Craig Parkinson, Sara Pascoe, Claudia Winkleman.
- 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (C4, 9pm) Jon Richardson and Catherine Tate, Sean Lock and Joe Wilkinson, and Joe Lycett.
- QI (BBC2, 10.30; not NI) Noel, a repeat of last year's Christmas special.
Sign language interpretation
- Freeze Out (STV, 5.10am Sun).
- Tenable (STV, 5.10am Tue and next Sat; rest of ITV 3am Wed and Fri).
- Celebrity Antiques Road Trip (BBC2, 6.15am Tue).
- May the Best House Win (ITV 3am Thu, STV 3.45am Thu).
- Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 6.45am Thu, 6.35am Fri)
