TV Guide 2016-12-17
Saturday has the final of Strictly Come Dancing and a sports edition of Pointless Celebrities (both BBC1). On Sunday, All-Star Mr and Mrs (ITV) and the end of The Apprentice (BBC1).
Starting on Monday are Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1) and Christmas University Challenge (BBC2). Alan Carr's 12 Stars of Christmas (C4) gives away goodies to the audience. World's Strongest Man kicks off on Tuesday (C5), Virtually Famous begins its new series (E4), and Lip Sync Battle UK (C5) is a battle of Eastenders.
Radio 2 has some star hosts, Bradley Walsh gets an hour on Tuesday night, Nadiya Hussein has two hours on Wednesday. Take That Gary Barlow (R Wales, Thu) remembers the Carol of the Year contest 1986.
A Question of Sport and Insert Name Here have festive specials on Wednesday (BBC2). QI (BBC2) looks at Noel on Thursday. Disconnect the phones, power down the factory; it's the last ever Deal or No Deal on Friday (C4). BBC1 has a tribute to Len Goodman, ahead of his retirement from Strictly.
Last week | TV Guide This Week | Next week
Schedules are accurate at the time of publication; check against EPG for late changes.
Contents |
Saturday 17 December
- Fighting Talk (Radio 5, 11am).
- Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 2.15).
- Dinner Date Evening (ITVBe, 3pm) To 10pm.
- Top Class (CBBC, 3pm); Junior Bake Off (CBBC, 4.30) Another chance to see the recent series.
Primetime
- Pointless Celebrities (BBC1, 5.50) Sports Review of the Year Personalities. Jayne Torvill and Geoff Thomas, Paula Radcliffe and Mary Peters, Robin Cousins and Fatima Whitbread, Maggie Alphonsi and Greg Rusedski.
- Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1, 6.40) The live final, including a performance by Emeli Sande and a goodbye to Len Goodman.
- The Jonathan Ross Show (ITV, 10.05) With Paul Hollywood (Bake Off), Kylie Minogue (BBC The Voice) and David Walliams (Britain's Got Talent).
- QI XL (BBC2, 10.25; not NI).
Sunday 18 December
- Airmageddon (CBBC, 10.05) Fathers take control in "Dad-mageddon A Christmas Special".
- Desert Island Discs Revisited (Radio 4 Extra, 10.15) Terry Wogan, from 2012.
- Bargain Hunt (BBC2, 12.15).
- Top Class (CBBC, 3pm); Junior Bake Off (CBBC, 4.30).
Primetime
- The X Factor Winner's Story (ITV2, 6.05). "I started with nothing; now I have something..."
- All Star Mr and Mrs Christmas Special (ITV, 7pm; TV3, 8pm) Dominic Brunt and his wife Jo Mitchell, Carol Decker and her husband Richard Coates, Lennox Lewis and his wife Violet Lewis.
- An Ril Deal (TG4, 8pm) Celebrities learn to Irish dance.
- Know the Score (RTE1, 8.30).
- The Apprentice (BBC1, 9pm) Last in the series.
Weekday Daytimes
- Robot Wars (BBC2, 10am) Repeated from earlier in the year.
- Tout le Monde Veut Prendre Sa Place (TV5, 10.43).
- Bargain Hunt (BBC1, 12.15).
- Countdown (C4, 2.10) Carol Kirkwood dances through finals week.
- Dickinson's Real Deal (ITV, 3pm).
- Top Class (CBBC, 3pm) This keeps on rolling all week. Don't mess with the Calman.
- Questions Pour un Champion (TV5, 3.28).
- Tipping Point (ITV, 4pm) Repeats.
- Deal or No Deal On Tour (C4, 4pm). Venues: Mon - Blackpool Tower. Tue - Wookey Hole. Wed - On a Private Jet, 37,000 Feet Due Up. Thu - Longleat Safari Park. Fri - Kelvingrove Museum. Wonder if they'll bump into Cheggers and the Swapmobile.
- The Chase (ITV, 5pm).
- Four in a Bed (C4, 5pm)
- Pointless (BBC1, 5.15) Repeats.
- Come Dine with Me (C4, 5.30) Christmas celebrities, repeated.
- The Crystal Maze Childrens' Specials (Challenge, 6pm).
Monday 19 December
- Have I Got a Bit More News for You (BBC1, 12am; Scotland 12.55am).
- Pointless Day (Challenge, 6am) 12 episodes, to 6pm.
- Just a Minute (Radio 4 Extra, 9am and 4pm) Classic episodes from 2010.
- Round Britain Quiz (Radio 4, 3pm) North and South.
- Junior Bake Off (CBBC, 4.30) CBBC's reality show block begins here, followed by Taking The Next Step (5pm) and Got What it Takes? (5.30).
- I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (Radio 4, 6.30) To Bath, with Jeremy Hardy, Jo Brand, but Jack Dee.
- Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm) Paul Rankin (Millennium trilogy), Sonali Shah (human body), Omid Djalili (Chelsea FC), Hacker T Dog (Pet Shop Boys).
- University Challenge (BBC2, 8pm) Two teams of grown-ups: Manchester (Simon Armitage, Sarfraz Manzoor) vs St Anne's Oxford (Mary Archer, Janina Ramirez).
- Would I Lie to You? (BBC1, 8.30) Tom Courtenay, Richard Osman, Chris Kamara, Sara Pascoe.
- Only Connect (BBC2, 8.30) Beekeepers v Policy Wonks.
- Time Commanders (BBC4, 9pm) "Severely unfair to von Blücher and takes Wellington's claims at face value." Can this week's team of archers overturn the result at Waterloo and defeat the massed ranks of ABBA fans?
- Alan Carr's 12 Stars of Christmas (C4, 10pm) Celebs compete to win presents for the studio audience. Tonight: Alesha Dixon, Rob Beckett, Alexander Armstrong.
Tuesday 20 December
- The Chase Day (Challenge, 6am) 12 episodes, to 6pm.
- Paul Sinha's Quiz Culture (Radio 4 Extra, 6.30am, 1.30, 8.30) How did trivia become cool? The UK's 22nd best quizzer investigated in 2011.
- Junior Bake Off (CBBC, 4.30).
- Taking The Next Step (CBBC, 5pm).
- Got What it Takes? (CBBC, 5.30).
- Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm) Shappi Khorsandi (Charlie Chaplin), Chris Stark (Scott Mills), Piers Taylor (Bob Dylan), Lee Pearson (British birds).
- World's Strongest Man 2016 (C5, 7pm) Swedish open.
- University Challenge (BBC2, 7.30) Kent (Paul Ross, Shulie Ghosh) play Sussex (Dermot Murnaghan, Hattie Hayridge).
- Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 8pm) The final four.
- Alan Carr's 12 Stars of Christmas (C4, 10pm) Davina McCall, Nick Grimshaw, Romesh Ranganathan.
- Virtually Famous Christmas Special (E4, 10pm) The best "viral" "content" with "tinsel" and "fairy lights".
- Bradley Walsh (Radio 2, 10pm) An hour with the actor, The Chase host, and crooner.
- Lip Sync Battle UK (Channel 5, 10.35) Shane Richie versus Jessie Wallace.
Wednesday 21 December
- Winter Wipeout Day (Challenge, 6am) 9 episodes, to 6pm.
- Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm) Lauren Layfield (Jurassic Park), David Aaronovitch (The Archers), Tim Muffett (Danny Boyle), Kadeena Cox (Arsenal FC).
- World's Strongest Man 2016 (C5, 7pm) Doncaster.
- A Question of Sport (BBC1, 7.30; Scotland 11.10, Wales 10.40 Thu) Sue Barker hosts the review of the year.
- University Challenge (BBC2, 7.30) City (Samira Ahmed, Brendan Barber) play Newcastle (Wilko Johnson, Charlie Webster).
- Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 8pm).
- Nadiya's Festive Family Feast (Radio 2, 8pm) Two hours with the quondam Bake Off winner.
- Insert Name Here Christmas Special (BBC2, 10pm, NI 11.15) Danny Baker, Sara Pascoe, Deborah Meaden, Kate Williams.
- Alan Carr's 12 Stars of Christmas (C4, 10pm) Gabby Logan, Stephen Mangan, Johnny Vegas.
Thursday 22 December
- Pointless Day (Challenge, 6am) 12 episodes, to 6pm.
- Masterchef Junior Day (W, 12.35) Seven episodes of the NBC series, to 7.20.
- Junior Bake Off (CBBC, 4.30).
- Got What it Takes? (CBBC, 5.30).
- Take That Gary Barlow (Radio Wales, 6.30) In 1986, Gary Barlow lost A Song For Christmas to Carolyn Hitt. Today, she remembers that great victory for music.
- Celebrity Mastermind (BBC1, 7pm) Mitch Benn (Peter Cook), Reeta Chakrabarti (John Keats), Mark Rhodes (World Wrestling Federation), Alistair Brownlee (Yorkshire Dales).
- World's Strongest Man 2016 (C5, 7pm) Martinsville, Indiana.
- University Challenge (BBC2, 7.30) SOAS (Dom Joly, Gus Casely-Hayford) play Leeds (Kamal Ahmed, Steve Bell).
- Masterchef (RTE2, 7.50).
- Masterchef The Professionals (BBC2, 8pm) The grand final.
- QI (BBC2, 10pm) Noel, with Josh Widdicombe, Susan Calman, Matt Lucas.
- Alan Carr's 12 Stars of Christmas (C4, 10pm) Michelle Keegan, Louis Walsh, and the double-jobbing Josh Widdicombe.
- Celebrity Juice (ITV2, 10pm) Gogglyboxers, a review of the recent series.
- Mock the Week (BBC2, 10.30; NI 11.30) Christmas special.
Friday 23 December
- The Crystal Maze Day (Challenge, 6am) 12 episodes, to 6pm.
- Countdown (C4, 2.10) The series final.
- Deal or No Deal On Tour (C4, 4pm) Last in the series. Close all the boxes.
- Junior Bake Off (CBBC, 4.30).
- Taking The Next Step (CBBC, 5pm).
- CBBC Official Chart Show (CBBC, 5.30) Can Matt from The X Factor be Christmas number one? Cel Spellman tells us the inevitable news.
- Y Cwis Pop (Radio Cymru, 6pm) The grand final.
- Strictly Len Goodman (BBC1, 7pm) The best bits from Len's time on Strictly.
- University Challenge (BBC2, 7pm) Edinburgh (Rachael Stirling, Steve Jones (geneticist)) play St Catharine's Cambridge (Matthew Price, Joanne Harris).
- World's Strongest Man 2016 (C5, 7pm) Deadlifting championships from Leeds.
- Have I Got 2016 For You (BBC1, 9pm).
- Mock the Week (BBC2, 10.30; not Wales) Christmas special, repeated from yesterday.
- Alan Carr's 12 Stars of Christmas (C4, 11.05) Melanie C, Richard Osman, Joe Lycett.
- 8 Out of 10 Cats (C4, 12.10am).
Sign language interpretation
- Swashbuckle (Cbeebies, 4pm Sat, Sun).
- May the Best House Win (ITV3, 3.15 Mon) Two episodes.
- The Choir (BBC2, 1.15am Tue; Scot 1.45am).
- Great British Menu (BBC2, 8.30am Wed).
