TV Guide 2019-12-28
Saturday: A quiet day, best we've got is Take Me Out Emergency Services Special (ITV) and The Hit List Celebrity Special (BBC1). Don't blame you for pulling out a box set.
Sunday: Who is the greatest quiz player of all time in a show hosted this year by Jeremy Vine? Quizmaster (ITV) tries to find out.
Monday: This year's host of Re-Play is Alan Carr (ITV). Mastermind moves to Quizzy Mondays (BBC2), where it's pursued by the first of four Only Connect (2) specials. The Unbelievable Truth starts a new series (Radio 4).
We don't have any new thrills for New Year's Eve, almost as if we're not going to be watching telly tonight.
New Year's Day brings us the Derry Girls on Bake Off (C4), new episodes of Tipping Point and The Chase (ITV), and the final of World's Strongest Man (C5).
Pointless returns on Thursday 2 January, as does Best Home Cook (BBC1). Channel 4 offers The Big Fat Quiz of the Decade. More celebrations for A Question of Sport on Friday (BBC1, not Wales).
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Schedules are accurate at the time of publication; check against EPG for late changes.
Contents |
Saturday 28 December
- Top Class (BBC2, 6.25am) As seen on CBBC about a month ago.
- Double Dare (Nickelodeon, 10am) Christmas specials.
- The Dog Ate My Homework (CBBC, 10.25) From last Sunday.
- Fighting Talk (Radio 5, 11am).
- Flour Power (BBC1, 11.30; not Wales).
- Step Up to the Plate (2) Afternoon (CBBC, 1.45) Eight episodes, to 5.35.
- Tipping Point Best Ever Finals (ITV, 4.45).
Primetime
- Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 5,30) Paul Chuckle, Amanda Henderson, Levi Roots, but Geoff Norcott.
- Take Me Out Emergency Services Special (ITV, 5.30) A firefighter, a doctor, and a paramedic enter the lift...
- The Chase Celebrity Special (ITV, 6.30) Nigel Havers from 2015.
- World's Strongest Man (C5, 7pm).
- The Chase The Bloopers 2018 (ITV, 7.30) Repeat from... oh.
- The Hit List Celebrity Special (BBC1, 7.30) Susan Calman, John Barnes, Chris Kamara, Vick Hope, Tomorrow's Star Melvin Odoom, Scott Mills.
- Pointless Celebrities Christmas Special (BBC1, 8.30) In a change to the billed episode, it's a new Christmas special, postponed from last week.
- Quote... Unquote (R4, 11pm) From Monday.
Sunday 29 December
- The Dog Ate My Homework (CBBC, 8.25).
- Sewing Bee (BBC2, 8.30am) Two episodes from this year's series.
- Gloryhunters with Charlie Baker (Talk Sport, 9.30am).
- Dancing on Ice at Christmas (ITV, 12.30) Repeat from last Sunday.
- Step Up to the Plate (2) Afternoon (CBBC, 1.35) Seven episodes, to 5.15.
- Who Wants to be a Millionaire (ITV, 3.25) Repeat from Christmas Day.
- Tenable 20% Stars (ITV, 4.45) Edwina Currie, John Sergeant, Lembit Öpik, George Galloway, and Ann Widdecombe in an episode called "Bring back The Colour of Money."
Primetime
- Quizmaster (ITV, 6pm) Fifteen of the greatest quiz players do battle on a neutral field. Jeremy Vine hosts.
- World's Strongest Man (C5, 6.30).
- The Chase for Soccer Aid (ITV, 7.35) A classic episode.
- 8 Out of 10 Cats Best Bits (E4, 10pm).
- 8 Out of 10 Cats Christmas Special (C4, 10pm).
- Would I Lie to You (BBC1, 11.35, Wales 12.10am, Scotland 12.50am, not NI) Repeated from Boxing Day.
Monday 30 December
- Have I Got a Bit More 2019 News for You (BBC1, 12.05am; Scotland 1.20am, not Wales) Highlights from last year.
- The Hit List Celebrity Special (BBC1 Wales 12.40, England and NI 12.50am, Scotland 2.05am) Repeated from Saturday.
- Family Fortunes Day (Challenge, 7am) To 6pm.
- Sewing Bee (BBC2, 8.05am) Two episodes.
- Just a Minute (Radio 4 Extra, 9am and 4pm) Classic episodes from 2012.
- Tenable (ITV, 2.55); Tipping Point Lucky Stars (ITV, 4pm); The Chase Celebrity Special (ITV, 5pm) Something close to normal service.
- Quote... Unquote (Radio 4, 3pm) Tim Rice, Robin Stevens, Shazia Mirza.
- Pointless (BBC1, 5.45).
Primetime
- In for a Penny (ITV, 6pm) Stephen is in Bournemouth.
- The Unbelievable Truth (Radio 4, 6.30) Holly Walsh, Henning Wehn, Tony Hawks, Sally Phillips kick off the new series.
- World's Strongest Man (C5, 7pm).
- Mastermind (BBC2, 7.30) Quizzy Monday expands with civilian Mastermind. Tonight's subjects are particle physics, Douglas Adams, California, Carry On films.
- Only Connect Special (BBC2, 8pm) Globetrotters and Eurovisionaries play a travel match.
- Christmas University Challenge (BBC2, 8.30) Trinity Hall Cambridge (Sophie Winkleman, Lucy Mangan) play St Peter's Oxford (Gordon Corera, Afua Hirsch).
- Would I Lie to You at Christmas (BBC1 England, 8.30; Scotland 7pm Tue) A repeat.
- Alan Carr's Celebrity Re-play 2019 (ITV, 9pm) A version of Richard Osman's Re-Play 2018, with co-host Angellica Bell.
Tuesday 31 December - New Year's Eve
- Bruce's Price is Right Morning (Challenge, 7am) To 12 noon.
- Sewing Bee (BBC2, 7.55am) Two episodes.
- The Chase Afternoon (Challenge, 12 noon) To 10pm.
- Tenable (ITV, 2.45); Tipping Point Lucky Stars (ITV, 3.50); The Chase Celebrity Special (ITV, 4.55).
- Jest a Minute (Radio 4 Extra, 4pm) Repeated from 2006.
- Y Gemau Gwyllt (S4C, 5.35) Highlights.
- Pointless (BBC1, 5.45).
Primetime
- In for a Penny (ITV, 6pm) Newcastle.
- Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm; Scotland 9pm) Dylan Llewellyn, Claire McCollum, Caspar Lee, Rickie Haywood-Williams answer questions on Quentin Tarantino films, 1980s television, Youtube, Game of Thrones.
- World's Strongest Man (C5, 7pm).
- University Challenge (BBC2, 7.30) The final heat! Warwick (Tom Goodman-Hill, Ritula Shah) play Imperial (Brendan Walker, Kenan Malik).
- Mock the Week (BBC2, 10.45); Alan Carr's Celebrity Re-Play 2019 (ITV, 11pm; STV 12.20am); The Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2019 (C4, 11.05) Look back like this, this, and this. If you'd prefer Susan Calman, she's on BBC Scotland.
Wednesday 1 January 2020 - New Year's Day
- The Chase Day (Challenge, 7am) To 7pm.
- Sewing Bee (BBC2, 8.15am) Two episodes, concluding the series.
- Antiques Road Trip Day (Really, 9am).
- Got What It Takes? (CBBC, 10.55) The first six episodes from the autumn 2018 series.
- Rhannu (S4C, 1.35) Another chance to see Friday's final.
- Do You Remember 2019 (RTE1, 3pm) No, it's not the latest in "I Remember Last Thursday", but a panel quiz about the year just ended.
- Tipping Point (ITV, 4pm) Happy new year, Ben! Happy new year, Machine! Happy new episodes!
- The Chase (ITV, 5pm) Now three decades dominating the teatime quiz hour. New episodes start... now.
Primetime
- Top Class Young Celebrities (CBBC, 5.30) Eight CBBC stars take on the challenge.
- Stephen Mulhern's Catchphrase (ITV, 6pm) Civilians play.
- Masterchef The Professionals Rematch (BBC2, 7pm) Repeated from last week.
- World's Strongest Man (C5, 7.30) The final.
- The Great Derry Bake Off (C4, 7.40) With Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Nichol Coughlan, Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, Dylan Llewellyn, Siobhan McSweeney from Derry Girls and The Crystal Maze. The London Gospel Community Choir sing us out, like it's Going Live from 1987.
- Only Connect (BBC2, 8pm) Happy Hour: Alesmen play Cosmopolitans.
- University Challenge (BBC2, 8.30) First semi-final of the celebrity series.
- The Challenge War of the Worlds (MTV, 9pm) Doesn't even stop for New Year.
Thursday 2 January - Back to Work Day
That's except for viewers in Scotland, who get an extra day's holiday.
- Wheel of Fortune Morning (Challenge, 7am) To 12 noon.
- It's Your Round (Radio 4 Extra, 9am and 4pm) From 2011.
- Got What It Takes? (CBBC, 10.50) The conclusion from the autumn 2018 series.
- The Customer Is Always Right (BBC1, 11.45) The Game Show Panel has adjudicated that this is, in fact, a game. Lucy Alexander presents.
- Pointless Afternoon (Challenge, 12 noon) To 6pm.
- Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 12.15).
- Stephen Mulhern's Celebrity Catchphrase (ITV, 2pm) Repeat.
- Countdown (C4, 2.10) Luke Johnson-Davies continues his octochamp run: the mark of 1000 points in the heats may not be beyond him.
- Tenable (ITV, 3pm) Repeat.
- Tipping Point (ITV, 4pm).
- The Chase (ITV, 5pm).
- Couples Come Dine with Me (C4, 5pm) Repeat.
- Pointless (BBC1, 5.15) New episodes start here.
Primetime
- Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm) Carl Frampton, Victoria Fritz, Wayne Sleep, Rav Wilding on The Office, Chelsea Flower Show, Lilian Baylis, The Inbetweeners.
- Best Home Cook (BBC1, 8pm) Mary Berry and Claudia Winkleman return, with Chris Bavin and newbie Angela Hartnett.
- Only Connect (BBC2, 8pm) Education: Clareites play Beaks.
- University Challenge (BBC2, 8.30) Semi-final 2.
- The Big Fat Quiz of the Decade (C4, 9pm) Claudia Winkleman, Nish Kumar, Joe Lycett, Alan Carr, Stacey Solomon, and Jonathan Ross try to remember the memes of the Decade With No Name.
Friday 3 January
- Family Fortunes Day (Challenge, 7am) To 6pm.
- The Food Quiz (Radio 4 Extra, 9am and 4pm) Christmas 2004.
- The Customer is Always Right (BBC1, 11.45).
- Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 12.15).
- Stephen Mulhern's Celebrity Catchphrase (ITV, 2pm) Repeat.
- Countdown (C4, 2.10).
- Tenable (ITV, 3pm) Repeat.
- Tipping Point (ITV, 4pm).
- The Chase (ITV, 5pm).
- Couples Come Dine with Me (C4, 5pm) Repeat.
- Pointless (BBC1, 5.15).
Primetime
- The News Quiz (Radio 4, 6.30) Highlights from the old year.
- Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm) Ranj Singh, Jessica Wright, Alan Johnson, Katy Brand, on Rupaul's Drag Race, Monica Geller, The Beatles, Dirty Dancing.
- A Question of Sport 50 Not Out (BBC1, 7.30; Wales 3.30 Sat) A regular-ish edition, with Laura Davies, Martin Offiah, Beth Tweddle, and former captain Ally McCoist.
- Only Connect (BBC2, 8pm; Wales 9pm) Championship of champions: Verbivores (winners in 2017) and Escapologists (2018).
- University Challenge (BBC2, 8.30; Wales 9.30) The final.
- QI (BBC2, 10pm) Quite, with Sara Pascoe, Jimmy Carr, but Andrew Maxwell.
- Groundhog Date (ITVBe, 11pm) Another chance to see Becky go bowling with Arnie, Colin, and Kamal.
Sign language interpretation
- Swashbuckle (Cbeebies, 3.50pm Sat and Sun).
- Bang on the Money (STV, 12.35am Tue).
- Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 5.55am Tue, 8am Thu, Fri).
- Who's Doing the Dishes? (ITV, 3am Sat).
