TV Guide 2015-12-12

One Direction say their goodbyes on The X Factor (ITV, Sat and Sun); they're also naming a winner, like anyone cares. We've also The Dog Ate My Homework (CBBC, Wed), The Great British Bake Off Christmas Masterclass (BBC2, Thu), and all sorts of larks on Text Santa day (Fri), including special editions of all ITV daytime favourites. And if you're missing Benchmark (C4), set your alarm for early Wednesday morning.

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Schedules are accurate at the time of publication; check against EPG for late changes.

Contents

Saturday 12 December

  • Strictly Russian (Radio 4, 10.30am) Why are Russian dancers winning Strictly? Bridget Kendall leaves the diplomatic post to investigate.
  • Fighting Talk (Radio 5, 11am) Josh Widdicombe.
  • Masterchef Australia (Watch, 11.25) The week's five episodes.
  • The X Factor (TV3, 12 noon).
  • Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 2pm).
  • Dinner Date (ITVBe, 2pm) Six episodes.
  • Come Dine with Me (C4, 4pm) Christmas in south-east London.
  • Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 5.20) Andy Bell from Erasure.

PRIMETIME

  • Catchphrase (ITV, 5.45) David Haye, Andrea McLean, Louis Walsh in this celebrity special.
  • Pointless Celebrities (BBC1, 6pm) Family, with Louis Theroux and Nancy Strang, Michael Underwood and Angellica Bell, Calum Best and Angie Best, Gary Lineker and Harry Lineker.
  • The Great Pottery Throw Down (BBC2, 6.30) Another chance to see the final.
  • Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1, 6.50) Semi-final week.
  • The Chase With Celebrities (ITV and UTV Ireland, 7pm) Nadia Sawalha, Gemma Atkinson, James Cosmo, Jimi Mistry.
  • The X Factor (ITV and TV3, 8pm) The live final, live from the live Empire Pool, Wembley, where it's live. Xtra Factor follows on ITV2 and TV3 at 10.
  • Survivor San Juan del Sur (TG4, 8.15).
  • Winning Streak (RTE1, 8.30).
  • QI XL (BBC2, 9pm; Scot 10pm, not NI) Middle Muddle.
  • The Apprentice (BBC1, 11.40).

Sunday 13 December

  • Knightmare (Challenge, 10am) Two episodes from series three.
  • Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 12.15).
  • Four in a Bed (More4, 2.45) Five episodes.
  • The X Factor (ITV, 3pm; TV3, 1.30) Last night's performance show again.
  • Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Challenge, 3pm) Five episodes.
  • Come Dine with Me (More 4, 5.25) Christmas celebs.

PRIMETIME

  • The Chase With Celebrities (ITV4, 7pm).
  • A Game of Two Halves (RTE Radio 1, 7pm).
  • Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1, 7.20) Kylie Minogue, who's also on Desert Island Discs on Radio 4 this morning.
  • The X Factor (ITV and TV3, 8pm) Live from the Empire Paddling Pool in Wembley, with special guests One Direction. Xtra Factor follows on ITV2 at 10 and TV3 at 11.
  • The Chase Us (Challenge, 8pm) We'd rather watch The Beast being beastly.
  • An Jig Gig (TG4, 8.30).
  • The Great Irish Bake Off (TV3, 10pm) The grand final.
  • The Chase (ITV, 11.15) Let it be The Beast.

Weekday Daytimes

  • Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 12.15; Tue 12 noon).
  • Come Dine With Me (C4, 1.05).
  • Pressure Pad (BBC2, 1.45).
  • Deal or No Deal (C4, 2.10).
  • The Great British Bake Off (BBC2, 2.30; not Thu) Classic cooking.
  • 1000 Heartbeats (ITV, 3pm; series 1 on TV3 at 10am).
  • Fifteen-to-One (Challenge, 3pm) Repeats from the late 1990s. Final is on Wednesday.
  • Countdown (C4, 3.10) David Baddiel (Mo-We), Tim Rice (Th-Fr). Finals Week begins on Tuesday.
  • Tipping Point (ITV, 4pm).
  • The Chase (ITV, 5pm).
  • Couples Come Dine with Me (C4, 5pm).
  • Pointless (BBC1, 5.15) Repeats.
  • Bargain Hunt (BBC2, 5.15).
  • Eggheads (BBC2, 6pm; not Fr) Repeats.
  • Dinner Date (ITVBe, 6pm).
  • Robot Wars Extreme (Challenge, 6pm) Series 1.
  • Strictly Come Dancing It Takes Two (BBC2, 6.30; Fr 6pm).
  • Masterchef Australia (Watch, 8pm, Fr 7pm).

Monday 14 December

  • The Write Stuff (Radio 4 Extra, 9am and 4pm) From 2008.
  • Round Britain Quiz (Radio 4, 3pm) South v Northern Ireland.
  • Pyramid (S4C, 5pm).
  • I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (Radio 4, 6.30) From York. With Dame Sandi Toksvig, but guest host Jack Dee.
  • Only Connect (BBC2, 7.30) Yorkers v Operational Researchers in the second quarter-final.
  • Simply Nigella (BBC2, 8pm) What have you done with University Challenge? Did it fit onto a spoon?
  • The Quizeum (BBC4, 8.30) Horniman Museum of anthropology, with Janina Ramirez, Lars Tharp, Benedict Allen, Miranda Krestovnikoff.
  • Rupaul's Drag Race (TruTV, 10pm) Snatch Game, Oh No She Betta Don't. Two episodes.
  • Have I Got a Bit More News for You (BBC1, 10.45; NI 11.15, not Wales) David Mitchell, Kirsty Wark, Andy Hamilton.

Tuesday 15 December

  • Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 8pm) The semi-finals begin here.
  • The Chase With Celebrities (ITV4, 8pm).
  • Mock the Week (BBC2, 10pm; NI 11.45 Thu) A repeat from earlier in the year.
  • Freeze Out (ITV, 11.45; UTV 12.40am, not STV).

Wednesday 16 December

  • Benchmark (C4, 3.15am) The great Paddy McGuinness revival begins here!
  • Counterpoint 1999 (Radio 4 Extra, 9am and 4pm).
  • Fifteen-to-One The Grand Final (Challenge, 2.40)
  • The Dog Ate My Homework Christmas Special (CBBC, 5pm) Oscar and Sade are joined by Hacker T Dog, Ashleigh and Pudsey, Alex Riley, and Pippa Evans. Followed by the Danger Mouse festive special.
  • Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 8pm) More semi-final action.
  • You Saw Them Here First (ITV, 8pm; UTV 10.40) Early action from famous people, including Rita Ora modelling.
  • When Do You Get Off (ITVBe, 8pm).
  • The Apprentice (BBC1, 9pm) Interviews. The Apprentice You're Fired follows on BBC2 at 10, and Why I Fired Them is on BBC1 at 10.35 (Scotland 11.35).
  • Tipping Point (ITV, 11.40; UTV 12.15am Fri) Late-night lateral movement on the top shelf.

Thursday 17 December

  • Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 8pm) The semi-finals conclude.
  • Rhestr (S4C, 8.25).
  • The Great British Bake Off Christmas Masterclass (BBC2, 9pm) Mary and Paul explain how to do everything.
  • Celebrity Juice (ITV2, 10pm) Best of the year, which somehow manages to split into two episodes.

Friday 18 December

  • The 99p Challenge (Radio 4 Extra, 9am and 4pm).
  • Breaking the News (Radio Scotland, 1.30).
  • 1000 Heartbeats for Text Santa (ITV, 3pm) Tess Daly and Keith Lemon wear very bad jumpers.
  • Tipping Point for Text Santa (ITV, 4pm) Mark Foster, Bobby George, Chris Kamara, and Tanni Grey-Thompson wear very bad jumpers.
  • The Chase for Text Santa (ITV, 5pm) Judge Rinder, Andrea McLean, Brian McFadden, Denise Robertson take on a Chaser and very bad jumpers.
  • Cwis Pop C2 (Radio Cymru, 6.15).
  • Ultimate Strongman Masters World Championship (C5, 7pm).
  • A Question of Sport (BBC1, 7.30; not Scotland, Wales) Repeated from 16 September.
  • Mastermind (BBC2, 8pm) The West Wing, Jesse Owens, Manfred von Richthofen, Billy Bragg.
  • Text Santa (ITV, 8pm) A host of surprises, including celebrities trying Ninja Warrior.
  • Have I Got News for You (BBC1, 9pm) Highlights of 2015.
  • The Bachelor (ITVBe, 9pm) Thailand.

Sign language interpretation

  • Fort Boyard Ultimate Challenge (ITV, 6am Sat and Sun).
  • Show Me the Telly (STV, 2am Sun).
  • The Apprentice (BBC2, 12.15am Tue; Scotland 12.45am).
  • The Great Pottery Throw Down (BBC2, 2am Tue; Scotland 1.45am).
  • Ejector Seat (ITV 3am Thu, not STV).
  • Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 8.15am Thu).
  • Great British Menu (BBC2, 8.45am Fri).
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