TV Guide 2023-12-16

Current revision as of 17:25, 22 December 2023

Saturday is finals day for Strictly Come Dancing, and literally millions will see the winner crowned. It's followed by Survivor, and literally some people will see the winner crowned. A special edition of Deal or No Deal (ITV, Sun) sees Michael Owen tackle The Banker: it's an away fixture so lots of boxes and no grassy fields.

QI returns on Monday (BBC2), and there's Scotland's Home of the Year Christmas Special (BBC1 Scotland). Christmas House of Games (3) and Christmas University Challenge begin (BBC2, from Mon), followed by Only Connect (2) Non-Specific Winter Festival Specials (from Tue). Tuesday's also got a Never Mind the Buzzcocks Christmas special (The Satellite Channel).

Other festive favourites are in place - Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1) and World's Strongest Man (C5) both begin on Wednesday, and there's a Celebrity Masterchef special (BBC1). Thursday brings us Sewing Bee (BBC1) and Catsdown (C4); Friday brings us Would I Lie to You? (BBC1) and I Literally Just Told You (C4), plus the Countdown final.

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

Saturday 16 December

• Fighting Talk (Radio 5, 11am).
• Masterchef 2020 (RTÉ1, 12.20) New to RTÉ.
• Four in a Bed (C4, 12.35) Five episodes.
• Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 1.15).
• Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream Behind the Scenes (ITV, 4pm) Highlights from the series, and some unseen performances.

Primetime

• Survivor (BBC1, 6pm) A tricky immunity challenge tests puzzle skills. Continues after the dancing.
• Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1, 7pm) The grand final, with a guest appearance from Cher. Audio described on BBC Red Button and Super Ceefax. Signed repeat on BBC2 early Friday morning.
• The Voice of Holland of ITV (ITV, 8pm) The semi-final show that absolutely nobody is going to watch.
• Survivor (BBC1, 9pm) Who makes the final three. Who wins; you don't decide. Tonight's episodes just after midnight on Wednesday and Thursday.
• The 1% Club (ITV, 10pm) Repeated from earlier this year.

Sunday 17 December - Gaudete Sunday

Christmas decorations go up in churches, and Christmas specials begin today

• Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 12 noon).
• Tipping Point Lucky Stars (ITV, 3.25) A classic episode with Gaby Roslin, JJ Chalmers, and Sean Fletcher.
• The Big Bake (ITVB, 7pm) "Wreck the malls", a new episode.
• Deal or No Deal Christmas Special (ITV, 7pm) Michael Owen tries to tackle a few quid from The Banker. Stephen Mulhern controls (!) the game.
• Sorry, I Didn't Know (ITV, 10.55) Charlene White, Shazia Mirza, Jessica Fostekew, Stephen K Amos.

Weekday Daytimes

• The Big Bake (ITV Be, 12 noon) Six episodes a day? We'll be caked out by midweek!
• Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 12.15).
• Dickinson's Biggest and Best Deals (ITV, 2pm) Repeats of this compilation series.
• Countdown (C4, 2.10) For Finals Week, they've got Christopher Biggins in the corner. Oh yes they have. Repeated about 6am one-and-a-half working days later.
• Lingo (ITV, 3pm; not Mon) Repeats.
• Tipping Point (ITV, 4pm) Repeats.
• Celebrity Bridge of Lies (BBC1, 4.30) Repeats.
• The Chase (ITV, 5pm) Repeats.
• Pointless Celebrities (BBC1, 5.15) Repeats.
• Four in a Bed (C4, 6pm) Repeats.
• Love Island Down Under (ITVBe, 10pm).

Monday 18 December

• A League of Their Own (Sky Max, 2am) Highlights from the recent series. Repeated on The Satellite Channel and Sky Max at 11pm.
• Elephant in the Room (Radio 4 Extra, 9am, 2pm, 7pm).
• !mpossible Celebrities (BBC2, 1pm) One last repeat, because six shows don't work across a five-day week.
• Counterpoint (Radio 4, 3pm) Repeated next Saturday at 11pm.
• I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (Radio 4, 6.30) From Dorking Halls, with Fred Macaulay, Milton Jones, Jo Brand, and Omid Djalili. The guest host is Jack Dee. Repeated next Sunday at 12.04pm.
• Festive House of Games (3) (BBC2, 7pm) New Christmas episodes, with Richie Anderson, Simon Gregson, Jessica Knappett, Debbie McGee.
• Mastermind (BBC2, 7.30) Specialist subjects: Meat Loaf, Grinling Gibbons, England women's cricket since 2000, Gerard Manley Hopkins.
• Scotland's Christmas Home of the Year 2023 (BBC1 Scotland, 8pm) Anna and Banjo are joined by Campbell, Danny; they go to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Greenock, Perthshire, and East Renfrewshire. Repeated on BBC Scotland at 8pm Tuesday and 8pm Sunday.
• Only Connect (BBC2, 8pm) Quarter-final 3: Also Rans vs Video Nasties.
• University Challenge (BBC2, 8.30) Celebrity edition 1: King's London vs UCL, with Ayshah Tull and Joe Crowley.
• QI XL (BBC2, 9pm) All I Want for Christmas is U. Series 22 (!) starts here, with Eshaan Akbar, Jo Brand, and Jimmy Carr joining host Sandi Toksvig and irregular Alan Davies.
• Have I Got a Bit More News for You (BBC1, 11.55) Extended version from last Friday.

Tuesday 19 December

• Never Mind the Buzzcocks (Sky Max, 2am) Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Harry Hill, Ricky Wilson. Repeated on The Satellite Channel and Sky Max at 9pm.
• The Motion Show (Radio 4 Extra, 9am, 2pm, 7pm).
• Christmas House of Games (BBC2, 7.30) More interesting than Sports Parade Sporting Review of the Year.
• Only Connect (BBC2, 8pm) Relatives vs Muppets, in a battle of family teams.
• University Challenge (BBC2, 8.30) Celebrity edition 2: UEA vs Royal Holloway London, with Bendor Grosvenor and Tahmina Anam.

Wednesday 20 December

• Counterpoint (Radio 4 Extra, 9am, 2pm, 7pm) Semi-finals from the repeated 2012 series.
• Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm) Jane Hill (ABBA), Mica Ven (Eddie Murphy), Dr Amir Khan (TLC), Jamie MacDonald (Adrian Mole books).
• World's Strongest Man (Channel 5, 7pm) The contest begins with Giants Live in the Royal Albert Hall.
• Christmas House of Games (BBC2, 7.30)
• Only Connect (BBC2, 8pm) A fashionable contest between the Dandies and Peacocks.
• Dinner Date (ITVB, 8pm) Jake from London.
• University Challenge (BBC2, 8.30) Celebrity edition 3: Dundee vs Bangor, with Susan Philipsz and Juno Dawson.
• Celebrity Masterchef (BBC1, 9pm) A Christmas special with Mel Blatt, Richard Blackwood, Duncan James, and Faye Winter.

Bonus feature

• Celebrity Escape to the Country (BBC1, 3pm) Jenny "The Vixen" Ryan seeks a new earth, or sett, or whatever it is foxes live in.

Thursday 21 December

• Guess What? (Radio 4 Extra, 9am, 2pm, 7pm) Twenty Questions revived, from 1998.
• Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm) Andrew Roachford (Stevie Wonder), Sara Barron (Guys & Dolls), Jo Coffey (J R Ewing), Jason Mohammad (Al Pacino).
• World's Strongest Man (Channel 5, 7pm) Giants Live part 2.
• Christmas House of Games (BBC2, 7.30)
• Only Connect (BBC2, 8pm) Globetrotters vs Eurovisionaries.
• University Challenge (BBC2, 8.30) Celebrity edition 4: Corpus Christi Oxford vs Edinburgh, with Alex Bellos and Ruth Davidson.
• Sewing Bee (BBC1, 9pm) Kiell Smith-Bynoe hosts, with contestants Toyah Willcox, Jessica Knappett, Kerry Godliman, and Hammed Animashaun.
• 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (C4, 9pm) The 2023 Christmas special, Danny Dyer and Joe Lycett play Jon Richardson and Roisin Conaty. The guest is Mr. Swallow.
• Taskmaster's New Year Treat (C4, 11.05) The 2023 edition, repeated.

Friday 22 December

• Breaking the News (Radio Scotland, 1.30) Best of Unbroadcast.
• Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm) Troy Deeney (Sam Raimi's Spider-Man), Jasmine Harman (Prince), OJ Borg (Wayne's World), Dana Domestic (UK hit singles 1969-76).
• World's Strongest Man (Channel 5, 7pm) Giants Live part 3.
• Only Connect (BBC2, 7.30; not NI) A repeat from last year: Polyhymnians vs Channel Islanders.
• Would I Lie to You? (BBC1, 8pm; NI 8.30) Christmas 2023, with Victoria Coren Mitchell, Naga Munchetty, Alex Brooker, Melvyn Hayes.
• University Challenge (BBC2, 8pm; NI 5.40 Sat) Celebrity edition 5: Imperial London vs Liverpool, with Anjana Ahuja and Ian Ritchie.
• Carol yr Wyl 2023 (S4C, 8pm) Coverage of a carol competition for primary schools.
• Christmas House of Games (BBC2, 8.30; NI 6.10 Sat)
• Have I Got News for You (BBC1, 9pm; NI 11.40) 2023's best bits, followed by 28 minutes of filler.
• Canada's Drag Race (BBC3, 9pm) Lip-sync play-offs, with Winnie Harlow.
• I Literally Just Told You (C4, 10pm) AJ Odudu, Ben Shephard, Bill Bailey, and Sarah Millican appear in the improvised quiz show.

Bonus feature

• Michelle McManus: Talent Show Winners (BBC Scotland, 10.30pm) The 2003 Pop Idol champion meets other Scottish talent show winners and memorable contestants.

Sign language interpretation

• Deal or No Deal (ITV, 3am Sat)
• Dickinson's Real Deal (ITV, 5.05am Sat, Sun)
• Lego Masters (E4, 9.05am Sat).
• Am Dro! (S4C, 1pm Sat).
• Gigglequiz (Cbeebies, 3.40pm Sat, Sun).
• Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow (sic) (ITV, 5.05am Mon) The Price is Right Christmas 2021.
• Loggerheads (BBC Scotland, 2.30pm Mon).
• Takeaway Titans (RTÉ2, 1.35am Wed).
• Tenable (ITV, 5.05am Wed).
• Strictly Come Dancing (BBC2, 2.10am Fri).

Challenge

Saturday

7am The Chase 9am Through the Keyhole 10am Supermarket Sweep 11am Famous Family Fortunes 1pm Cash Trapped 2pm Tenable 6pm The Chase 11pm Bullseye 4am The Chase

Sunday

7am Scrapheap Challenge 10am Bullseye 12 noon Family Fortunes 1pm Dickinson's Real Deal 2pm Catchphrase 3pm Cash Trapped 5pm Tenable 7pm The Chase

Monday

7am The Chase 10am Cash in the Attic 11am Bargain Hunt 12 noon Strike it Lucky 2.50 Cash in the Attic 4pm Bargain Hunt 5pm Bullseye 6pm Who Wants to be a Millionaire? 7pm The Weakest Link 8pm The Chase 10pm Who Wants to be a Millionaire 11pm Bullseye 12 midnight The Weakest Link 1am Cash Trapped 2am The Chase 4am Who Wants to be a Millionaire 5am The Crystal Maze

Tuesday

As Monday, except

12 noon Catchphrase 3pm Cash in the Attic

Wednesday

As Monday, except

12 noon Family Fortunes 2pm Famous Family Fortunes 3pm Cash in the Attic

Thursday

As Monday, except

12 noon Play Your Cards Right 3pm Cash in the Attic

Friday

As Monday, except

12 noon Wheel of Fortune 3.30 Sign 2 Win 4pm Bullseye