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TV channels dedicate broadcasting schedules to Prince Philip following his death

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TV channels dedicate broadcasting schedules to Prince Philip following his death

Channels including BBC, ITV and Channel 4 have changed their broadcasting schedule to air tributes to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, after his passing today (Friday, April 9).

Buckingham Palace announced at lunchtime today that HRH Prince Philip died peacefully at Windsor Castle this morning. The news follows a month-long stay in hospital earlier this year, during which the Duke had surgery to his heart.

Here are the changes to the TV schedules:

BBC One and BBC Two, Friday April 9
6pm BBC News
7.30pm A Tribute to HRH Duke of Edinburgh
10pm BBC News and Weather
11pm What the Papers Sat
11.30pm A Tribute to HRH Duke of Edinburgh

Schedules for BBC Four are suspended overnight.

ITV, Friday April 9

5pm Prince Philip: Duke of Edinburgh
6pm ITV News and Weather
6.30pm ITV Evening News
7pm Prince Philip, Fondly Remembered
9pm Prince Philip: A Royal Life
10pm ITV News at Ten
11.15pm Prince Philip: Duke of Edinburgh

Channel 4, Friday April 9

7pm Channel 4 News (extended until 8.30pm, with Food Unwrapped dropped from the schedule)
Regular programming including Four in a Bed, The Simpsons, Hollyoaks, Gogglebox and The Circle will remain as planned.

Channel 5, Friday April 9

4.10pm HRH The Duke of Prince Philip: 1921-2021
5pm 5 News Special (two hour special, replacing Neighbours, Home & Away and 5 News Tonight).

BBC One, Saturday April 10

BBC News broadcasts until 1pm.

ITV, Saturday April 10

10.30am Prince Philip: A Royal Life
11.30am A Royal Salute – Live

Channel 4, Saturday April 10

7pm His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh – Royal Obit
9pm The Royal House of Windsor

BBC One, Sunday April 11

3.15pm Songs of Praise

Channel 4, Sunday April 11

9pm The Real Prince Philip: A Royal Officer

BBC One, Saturday April 17

12.30pm Live coverage of Prince Philip’s funeral

ITV, Saturday April 17

1.15pm Prince Philip – A Royal Funeral

Sky One, Saturday April 17

2.45pm Prince Philip’s Funeral

We’ll keep this page updated as and when there are further TV schedule changes.

Celebrate Easter with Classic Marathon Weekend on Horror Channel

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Celebrate Easter with Classic Marathon Weekend on Horror Channel

The long bank holiday weekend is finally upon us, and we’ll be spending it the way we always do: making the most of the holiday telly.

Lucky for all of us who enjoy binge watching, Horror Channel is dedicating its weekend schedules to Classic Marathon Weekend: two monstrous movie marathons for the brave-hearted.

Fromn Saturday, April 3 at 1pm, tune in to Classic Horror Day: a marathon of some of the horror genre’s most iconic monster movies of all time. Highlights include Ted Browning and Karl Freund’s Dracula, James Whale’s Frankenstein and Karl Freund’s The Mummy.

From Sunday, April 4 at 1pm, Horror Channel presents Classic Sci-Fi Day, including genre-defining classics such as Earth Vs The Flying Saucers and The Incredible Shrinking Man.

For full schedules, keep reading, or check out the trailer below:

Classic Horror Day (Saturday, April 3): The Line-Up

1.00pm Dracula:
Tod Browning’s classic interpretation of the Bram Stoker novel, starring Bela Lugosi as the titular villain in a performance that catapulted the character to icon status.

2.30pm Frankenstein:
James Whale’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s gothic classic, about a mad scientist obsessed with creating a living being from the corpses of others.

3.55pm The Mummy:
Karl Freund directs this pre-Code horror classic, which tells the story of a team of archeologists who unwittingly bring an ancient Egyptian mummy back to life.

5.25pm The Wolf Man:
The massively influential werewolf movie from George Waggner, The Wolf Man tells the story of a man who returns to his rural family home and is bitten while intervening in what appears to be a simple wolf attack.

6.50pm The Creature from the Black Lagoon:
Amphibious ancient monsters from beneath the sea are the focus of Jack Arnold’s The Creature from the Black Lagoon, which still holds up today as an entertaining and well-made classic of the genre.

Classic Sci-Fi Day (Sunday, April 4): The Line-Up

1.00pm It Came From Beneath The Sea:
The incredibly suspenseful monster flick, about a giant octopus empowered by nearby nuclear testing and heading to the North American Pacific Coast.

2.30pm This Island Earth:
Still a critical and cultural success to this day, This Island Earth tells the story of human scientists unknowingly recruited in an alien plan to take over Earth.

4.10pm Earth Vs The Flying Saucers:
A second collaboration from It Came From Beneath The Sea filmmakers Ray Harryhausen and Charles H. Schneer, this sci-fi classic became a heavy influence of the future flying saucer sub-genre.

5.50pm The Incredible Shrinking Man:
The story of a man who becomes a national sensation when he starts uncontrollably shrinking was a blockbuster hit in the 1950s and remains both imaginative and terrifying.

7.25pm 20 Million Miles To Earth:
The cinematic classic 20 Million Miles To Earth tells the story of a powerful and angry creature that hatches on Earth from eggs found on Venus during a space mission.

Watch the Classic Movies Marathon on Saturday April 3 and Sunday April 4 on Horror Channel (Sky 317, Virgin 149, Freeview 68 and Freesat 138).

Don’t miss Vampire Week on Horror Channel, starting Saturday March 13

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Don’t miss Vampire Week on Horror Channel, starting Saturday March 13

It’s time to get toothy as Horror Channel presents Vampire Week: a full seven days of horror films featuring our favourite blood-sucking creatures of the night.

Starting on Saturday (March 13), Vampire Week is an eclectic mix of new films, cult hits and classic horror. Highlights include comic book adaptation and new Horror Channel premiere 30 Days of Night, award-winning horror Let Me In and Gary Oldman’s acclaimed performance as the infamous Count in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Here’s what we’re watching this week on Horror Channel:

HorrorChannelUltraViolet

Ultraviolet

March 13 9pm

Milla Jovovich stars in this action-packed thriller, which is set in a dystopian future where some humans are infected with a vampire-like illness that leads to superhuman abilities. A militant government intends to round up and destroy the infected, but one infected woman – Violet – vows to protect her kind and seek revenge on those who created them.

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HorrorChannel30Days

30 Days of Night

March 13 10.45pm

Premiering for the first time on Horror Channel, 30 Days of Night tells the story of a remote Alaskan town that experiences thirty days of darkness each winter – during which it is regularly beset by vampires. Josh Hartnett stars as Sheriff Eben, the leader of a small group of townsfolk who must do all they can to survive the onslaught.

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HorrorChannelLetMeIn

Let Me In

March 14 9pm

The acclaimed re-make of the 2008 Swedish horror, Matt Reeves’ Let Me In revolves around the friendship between a young boy and the strange girl who moves in next door. Mysterious deaths just seem to follow Abby, played by Chloë Grace Moretz, around; but to 12-year-old Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), she’s his best friend.

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HorrorChannelRedwood

Redwood

March 14 11.15pm

Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Nicholas Brendon stars in the mythology-inspired flick Redwood, from director Tom Patton. When a young couple head to a secluded national park for a bit of peace and quiet, ignoring the advice of Park Rangers on the way, they discover far more than the clarity they hoped for.

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HorrorChannelFrightNight

Fright Night

March 15 9pm

Cult classic Fright Night tells the story of a teenage horror fan Charley (William Ragsdale), who becomes convinced his next door neighbour Jerry (Chris Sarandon) is a vampire. When everyone around Charley refuses to believe him, Charley turns to horror film actor Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall) for help. The only problem is that Jerry isn’t keen on his true identity being revealed.

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HorrorChannelJohnCarpenter

John Carpenter’s Vampires

March 16 9pm

Indie horror John Carpenter’s Vampires sees a team of Vatican-sponsored vampire hunters take on vicious 600-year-old vampire Jan Valek (Thomas Ian Griffith) as both groups clash in the desire to find the Berziers Cross: an item that will give all vampires the ability to withstand daylight.

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HorrorChannelPriest

Priest

March 17 9pm

Set in an alternate universe where humans and vampires have warred for centuries, Paul Bettany stars as an elite warrior priest whose niece is kidnapped by vampires. Teaming up with a local sheriff and a priestess, he must track down those responsible before it is too late.

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HorrorChannelEatLocals

Eat Locals

March 18 9pm

For those wanting a lighter take on vampires, the fabulously funny British spoof comedy Eat Locals won’t disappoint. In the quaint British countryside, a group of vampire overlords reunite for their semi-centennial meeting. Little do they know, they’re about to be interrupted by a detachment of Vatican-sponsored vampire killers.

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HorrorChannelBramStokers

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

March 19 9pm

We finish Vampire Week with a cracker – the Academy Award-winning gothic horror Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Gary Oldman heads a star-studded cast as Count Dracula, the infamous centuries-old vampire, who imprisons a London solicitor (Keanu Reeves) when he discovers that man’s fiancee (Wynona Ryder) looks uncannily like his long-dead wife.

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Don’t miss Vampire Week on Horror Channel (Sky 317, Virgin 149, Freeview 68 and Freesat 138) from Saturday, March 13 to Friday, March 19.

REVIEW: New Netflix sports doc Pelé lovingly examines a footballing legend and the world that created him

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REVIEW: New Netflix sports doc Pelé lovingly examines a footballing legend and the world that created him

The year is 1970. The FIFA World Cup, now in its ninth outing, is set for thrilling finale in Mexico. Brazil, battered by a decade of rule by military dictatorship, have made the final again. And at the forefront of it all is Pelé, the 29-year-old Brazilian talisman, who is supposedly so important to Brazilian morale he is undroppable. The rest, they say, is history.

The new Netflix documentary on one of football’s brightest stars, Pelé, has it all. It contains intimate conversation with the man himself, examining his humble upbringing, goal-laden professional career and his mixed track record on the international stage. It examines the setting in which Pelé was to become a star, one where Brazil, having failed to win the World Cup that they themselves hosted in 1950, was not seen as the footballing great that it is today. It explores the international Pelémania that ensued after Pelé’s World Cup-winning 1958 performance. Perhaps most importantly, Pelé also paints a portrait of modern political history: Pelé’s career began in economic prosperity and continued through some of Brazil’s darkest hours. For a nation struggling against the horrifying actions of its own government, football was an escape – and their hero Pelé a source of national confidence and pride.

PeleOtherImage

For both sports and non-sports fans alike, Pelé is a fascinating portrait of both a footballing star and the environment that created his legendary status. The story of Pelé is also the story of the rise of Brazil as a footballing nation, who to this day are rarely considered an outsider for World Cup success. It is also a story of politics. When Brazil needed a hero, Pelé was that hero. It wasn’t always entirely Pelé’s decision: the man himself admits that the political pressure for him to play in the 1970 World Cup, amidst declining support for the Brazilian government, was not insignificant.

Most of us know Pelé’s story. Born to a modest family, he competed in the 1958 World Cup as a teenager, where his complete lack of fear and sensational skills made him the talk of the world. His star only shined brighter the following years, collecting records as his club Santos FC established themselves as one of the best teams in the world. Pelé’s next two World Cups were less fruitful after he became injured early in both tournaments. His star on the wane, and not helped by rumours about his deteriorating physical condition, Pelé competed in his final World Cup in 1970 – becoming the only man to have ever won three World Cups.

Pelé is clearly a labour of love from filmmakers David Tryhorn and Ben Nicholas, as captivating as its subject himself. The music, composed by Antônio Pinto, with Gabriel Ferreira and Felipe Kim, deserves a lot of credit here, beautifully encapsulating Brazil’s mood throughout the piece. It is a documentary that paints Pelé mostly as the hero he is remembered to be, skirting past discussion of his personal life and marital affairs, and not really taking sides as to whether Pelé was right or wrong to claim political neutrality in a heavily divided 1960s Brazil. Nor is there too much discussion of his advertising career, or his life after football. Instead, Pelé starts where it ends – the 1970 World Cup – exploring the expectations laid on the shoulders of a 29-year-old Brazilian as all those years of footballing magnificence reach an almighty crescendo.

Pelé premieres globally on Netflix on Tuesday, February 23.

Learn what drives couples to murder in brand new Snapped: Killer Couples on CBS Reality

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Learn what drives couples to murder in brand new Snapped: Killer Couples on CBS Reality

There’s no better way to kick off Valentines week than by examining the couples who worked together to commit brutal murders.

Snapped: Killer Couples returns for a whopping twelfth season on CBS Reality tonight (Monday, February 8) at 10pm. Originally a spin-off from true crime series Snapped, Killer Couples explores the couples whose passion drove them to murder.

Tonight’s explosive season twelve premiere explores the murder of Clauddine ‘Dee Dee’ Blanchard by her daughter Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Gypsy’s boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn. In 2015, Dee Dee was found murdered in her bed, her daughter Gypsy missing.

What seemed to be a tragedy later unfolded into something completely expected: Gypsy was far from who any of her neighbours thought she was. In fact, neither was Dee Dee.

Snapped: Killer Couples takes us on a journey to uncover the true motives behind the murder, exploring first hand accounts and crime scene reconstructions.

Season 12 of Snapped: Killer Couples starts on CBS Reality tonight (Monday, February 8) at 10pm.

Sky announces more than 125 new Sky Originals for 2021 and beyond

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Sky announces more than 125 new Sky Originals for 2021 and beyond

Sky has announced their biggest ever line up of original new content for 2021.

The exclusive programming includes 30 new original films and 30 new documentaries, as well as their continuing commitment to new original drama, comedy, entertainment and arts series. The new slate features some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, such as Judi Dench, Michael Caine, Patrick Stewart, Maggie Smith, Jonathan Pryce, Morgan Freeman, and Laverne Cox.

Upcoming dramas include This Sceptred Isle, in which multi-award winning actor Kenneth Brannagh portrays UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. There’s also new drama Wolfe, from acclaimed Shameless writer Paul Abbott; an adaptation of John Wyndham’s science fiction classic The Midwich Cuckoos; and Extinction, an action-packed time travel thriller starring Paapa Essiedu.

New documentaries include Liverpool Narcos, which tells the story of Liverpool’s rise at the centre of a drugs boom that changed Britain forever. Emmy Award-winner James Jones will present new evidence, interviews and footage in Chernobyl ’86.

For those who prefer lighter content, comedian Russell Howard will travel Australia and New Zealand for new series Russell Howard’s Back To The Future Stand Up Show. BAFTA-winning comedian Greg Davies will also write and star in new comedy Safe Space.

On top of that, it’s big names aplenty in Sky’s new film announcements. Film fans can look forward to new festive film A Boy Called Christmas, starring Jim Broadbent, Maggie Smith, Kristen Wiig, Sally Hawkins and Toby Jones; World War II thriller Six Minutes to Midnight, starring Eddie Izzard and Judie Dench; and psychological thriller Kindred starring Fiona Shaw.

All of the above and more will premiere on Sky’s TV and on demand services from 2021.

The best additions to Netflix in January 2021

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The best additions to Netflix in January 2021

It’s a new year, with new hopes, resolutions and Netflix specials.

The start of 2021 brings with it some returning favourites such as Cobra Kai (January 1) and Riverdale (January 21), star-studded new drama including The Dig starring Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes (January 29), as well as the Nicolas Cage documentary series we didn’t know we wanted: History of Swear Words (January 5).

What can we say apart from the year is off to a good start?

Here are our top Netflix picks for January 2021:

1. Cobra Kai (Season 3)

Available on January 1

2. History of Swear Words (Season 1)

Available on January 5

3. Pieces of a Woman

Available on January 7

4. Lupin: Part 1

Available on January 8

5. Crack: Cocaine, Corruption and Conspiracy

Available on January 11

6. Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer

Available on January 13

7. Outside the Wire

Available on January 15

8. Riverdale (Season 5)

Available on January 21

9. White Tiger

Available on January 22

10. The Dig

Available on January 29

7 days of new TV premieres on CBS Reality in January

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7 days of new TV premieres on CBS Reality in January

While elsewhere last year’s pandemic has left the January schedules a little emptier than they used to be, CBS Reality has a whopper of a week in store from January 4, including seven days of new TV premieres.

CBS Reality brings authentic real life stories straight to the viewer at home, with its unparalleled collection of award-winning factual programming.

Check out what’s new this week on CBS Reality:


Forensics (Season 2)

Solving crime can be an intricate jigsaw, utilising all of the skills of forensic experts, police and scene-of-crime officers. Forensics offers viewers a chance to really understand the nitty gritty behind these investigations, using case files plucked straight from New Zealand’s dedicated crime experts.

Season two premieres Monday with the story of Emma Louise Agnew, who disappeared at 9am on a Monday morning after failing to make it into work.

2Forensics

Premieres Monday, January 4 at 10pm

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Murder by the Sea (Season 5)

While the British seaside is usually a scene of joy for many, it has a hidden side: some of the country’s most disturbing murders have taken place there. The newest series of Murder by the Sea continues to document the phenomena of murder on the British coastlines from Tuesday.

MurderByTheSea

Continues Tuesday, January 5 at 10pm

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Evidence of Evil (Season 3)

Exploring some of the most notorious crimes of the last two decades with witness testimony, interviews, archive footage and police reconstructions, original true crime series Evidence of Evil focuses on the criminal cases where technology made all the difference.

2EvidenceofEvil

Continues Wednesday, January 6 at 10pm

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Fatal Vows (Season 7)

Fatal Vows explores the relationships that ended with the absolute worst: murder. Each episode examines a marriage pushed to the brink, deteriorating into irreversible tragedy.

Season seven begins Thursday with the story of Rebecca and Lee, whose free-spirited travels together take a turn for the worst when they decide to explore polyamory.

2FatalVows

Premieres Thursday, January 7 at 10pm

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Homicide’s Elite (Season 3)

Atlanta Police Department veterans David Quinn and Vince Velazquez have seen it all in their combined 50 years in the force. In a thrilling third series of Homicide’s Elite, Quinn and Velazquez revisit some of the most devastating cases they’ve worked on: from the moment the 999 call comes in to the conviction of a culprit.

The first episode of season three begins Friday with the shooting of 19-year-old Ladeddrick Love in a gas station while his pregnant girlfriend and toddler waited in the car.

2HomicidesElite

Premieres Friday, January 8 at 10pm

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World’s Most Unexplained (Season 1)

New series World’s Most Unexplained explores some of the world’s most bizarre phenomena, asking whether these mysteries can ever really be solved. For example, how can some people have bodily marks that correspond with those of the crucified Jesus Christ? Why do people report sightings of the apparently dead Elvis Presley every year? Could Mozart have been poisoned by arch rival Antonio Salieri? World’s Most Unexplained tries to explain what science can’t.

2WorldsMostUnexplained

Premieres Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10 at 8pm

New Year’s TV 2020: What to watch this week (December 28 – January 3)

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New Year’s TV 2020: What to watch this week (December 28 – January 3)

Christmas may be over, but we still have a lot of treats left to enjoy – and that includes on the telly!

Here’s what’s coming up this week:

1. Stephen Fry’s 21st Century Firsts

StephenFrys21stCenturyfirsts

Stephen Fry explores the social and technological changes of the last two decades, with contributions from both experts and celebrities.

December 30 on ITV at 8.30pm

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2. Vikings: Season 6, Part 2

The final part of the historical saga, which sees the Saxons and the Danes go head to head in an epic battle.

December 30 on Amazon Prime Video

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3. The Big New Year’s In

Paddy McGuinness hosts a new one off extravaganza of fun, music and games to bring in the new year (and hopefully, the start of better times).

New Year’s Eve on BBC One at 9pm

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4. The Last Leg of the Year

A bumper episode of the comedy series, starring Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker, as they say goodbye to 2020.

New Year’s Eve on Channel 4 at 9pm

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5. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Part 4

The Netflix re-imagining of teenage witch Sabrina ends with this epic final series, in which the Eldritch Terrors descend upon Greendale.

New Year’s Eve on Netflix

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6. Doctor Who

Jodie Whittaker returns as the Doctor in this New Year’s Day special, which sees the doctor isolated and alone in a high security prison while her companions try to move on without her.

New Year’s Day on BBC One at 6.45pm

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7. Chitty Flies Again with David Walliams

ChittyChittyDavidWalliams

David Walliams celebrates the 50th anniversary of the iconic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, delving into the history of the classic tale of a flying car.

New Year’s Day on Channel 4 at 7.30pm

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8. The Serpent

A new drama retelling the story of French fraudster and killer, Charles Sobhraj, and the unlikely chain of events that led to his capture.

New Year’s Day on BBC One at 9pm

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9. Mrs Brown’s Boys

Agnes is back for the second special of the festive period, in which Buster and Dermot hunt a thief while Cathy is far from excited about her upcoming birthday.

New Year’s Day on BBC One at 10pm

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10. Frankie Boyle’s 2020 New World Order

Who else but Frankie Boyle to take us through the endless chain of catastrophic events that was 2020? Miles Jupp and Sophie Duker also star.

New Year’s Day on BBC Two at 10pm

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Christmas TV 2020: What to watch this week (21st-27th December)

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Christmas TV 2020: What to watch this week (21st-27th December)

The biggest week of the TV calendar, where we traditionally sit at home watching the box while eating as many mince pies as we can fit in our bodies, is finally here.

The rest of 2020 might have stolen Christmas’s thunder in terms of sitting at home doing nothing, but at least this time around we’ve got plenty of festive telly.

Here’s what’s coming up this week:

1. 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown


The comedy word game gets a festive makeover for 2020, with regulars Jimmy Carr, Susie Dent and Rachel Riley. Jon Richardson and Sarah Millican face off against Sean Lock and David Mitchell, while David O’Doherty joins Susie.

Monday December 21 on Channel 4 at 9pm

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2. Upstart Crow


The great bard finds himself in lockdown as the plague ravishes London, in this tongue-in-cheek tribute to Shakespeare and 2020. David Mitchell and Gemma Whelan star.

Monday December 21 on BBC Two at 9pm

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3. The Big Quiz


Stephen Mulhern hosts this battle of the brains between the cast of ITV’s beloved soaps. Jack P Shepherd captains a Coronation Street team comprising Simon Gregson and Sair Khan, while Emmerdale‘s Mark Charnock takes the leads a team including Karen Blick and Jay Kontzle.

Monday December 21 on ITV at 9pm

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4. All Creatures Great and Small


In the festive edition of the drama based on the works of veterinarian James Heriot, as James and Helen get trapped in the foggy Dales on the night of her wedding. Nicholas Ralph and Rachel Shenton star.

Tuesday December 22 on Channel 5 at 9pm

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5. QI


Sandi Toksvig and Alun Davies return for a festive edition of the quiz show, joined by
Chris McCausland, Justin Moorhouse and Holly Walsh. Festive-themed questions include how to get a reindeer into a submarine, plus the show aims to set two Christmas-themed world records.

Tuesday December 22 on BBC Two at 9.30pm

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6. Jack & the Beanstalk: After Ever After


David Walliams’ comedy exploration of what happened after Jack felled the beanstalk and defeated the giant, starring Sheridan Smith, Blake Harrison, and Walliams himself.

Wednesday December 23 on Sky One at 8pm

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7. The Midnight Sky


George Clooney stars in this science fiction premiere, which sees the superstar actor take on the role of the last scientist on Earth following a devastating global catastrophe.

Wednesday December 23 on Netflix

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8. Cinderella: A Comic Relief Pantomime for Christmas

CINDERELLACHRISTMAS
A star-studded TV pantomime for Comic Relief, starring Olivia Colman as the Fairy Godmother and Helena Bonham Carter as the evil stepmother Lady Devilia.

Christmas Eve on BBC Two at 8.15pm

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9. Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse


Dawn French stars in a new comedy drama about a six-year-old Roald Dahl’s adventure to meet beloved author Beatrix Potter. Based on a true story.

Christmas Eve on Sky One at 8.15pm

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10. Birds of a Feather

birdschristmas
The comedy returns for a very special festive outing, in which Dorien now rules the roost as a Chigwell homeowner while Sharon is stuck on a cruise ship in Costa Rica. Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph star.

Christmas Eve on ITV at 9.15pm

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11. Call the Midwife BBC One 7.40pm


It’s Christmas 1965 at Nonnatus House but the festivities don’t seem to be quite going to plan! Sister Monica Joan is rushed to hospital, Trixie’s dress allowance has been replaced with a marriage bureau consultation, and the circus is in town.

Christmas Day on BBC One at 7.40pm

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12. Britain’s Got Talent ITV 8pm

BGTCHRISTMAS
A new Christmas special bringing together some of the talent show’s most beloved acts from the past fourteen years to collaborate together. Ant and Dec host, while Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, David Walliams and Ashley Banjo are our judges.

Christmas Day on ITV at 8pm

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13. Mrs Brown’s Boys

mrsbrownschristmas
It’s not Christmas without a disaster at the Brown matriarch’s house, is it? In 2020, Buster and Dermot have new jobs raising awareness of the dangers of coronavirus, while Winnie and Agnes are more interested in winning a chance to perform an alternate Queen’s speech.

Christmas Day on BBC One at 10pm

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14. Bridgerton


A scandalous new Regency-London set drama produced by American TV great Shonda Rhimes. Based on the bestselling novels of Julia Quinn, the series stars Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page, withs Julie Andrews as narrator.

Christmas Day on Netflix

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15. The Masked Singer


The singing contest that championed mask-wearing ahead of its time returns for a new series on Boxing Day, in which audiences must guess the famous faces performing in disguise. Rita Ora, Jonathan Ross and Davina McCall all return, joined by newcomer Mo Gilligan.

Boxing Day on ITV at 7pm

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16. Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2020


The celebrity quiz show returns with its 2020 edition to try to make light of the year’s events. Jimmy Carr is the question master, joined by James Acaster, Stacey Solomon, David Mitchell, Maya Jama, Richard Ayoade and Joe Lycett.

Boxing Day on Channel 4 at 9.05pm

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17. Black Narcissus


Gemma Arterton stars in this new adaptation of Rumer Godden’s novel, which tells the story of a group of Anglo-Catholic nuns who travel to the Himalayas on a mission to rebuild the Palace of Mopu and open a school.

Sunday December 27 on BBC One at 9pm

Bitnami