Today is basically Christmas Day for TV nerds (as opposed to actual Xmas Day, which is just a Wednesday) as it’s the day they finalise the schedules for Xmas and New Year. So with thanks to Martin Lewis (and Daniel Hurst who suggested it) let’s take a look at some of the highlights that have come out of the news today, shall we? I don’t actually have the listings to hand to am going by various PR outlets, so this might get amended in the near future.
Sunday 22nd December:
4:55pm: The Chase Celeb Special
6pm: Bullseye (ITV)
7pm: You Bet! (ITV)
Feels interestingly early for a big show like Bullseye although I suppose it’s not far off where it used to go out back in the day and I suppose the early berthing didn’t hurt Gladiators, even if most people watch Glads later the same evening than on live.. It has been pointed out there’s actual darts on later that night so they won’t want to clash. It’s also repeated on Xmas Day at 5:25pm. You Bet is repeated on Xmas Eve at 5:05pm.
Monday 23rd December:
5:30pm: Pictionary (ITV)
7pm: Festive House of Games (BBC2)
7pm Would I Lie to You At Christmas (BBC1)
7pm: Junior Taskmaster – The Final (C4)
8pm: Only Connect Royal Special (BBC2)
9pm: The Big Quiz: Coronation Street vs Emmerdale (ITV1)
Pictionary the show that no-one asked for but I suppose sticking it on at Christmas is culturally relevant – haven’t worked out what the schedule for it is but it seems to be on Boxing Day as well. Unusual in that it’s a 30 minute format. Junior Taskmaster moving from traditional Friday here. I’ve never felt the need to watch the big soap quiz but the big news is Sally Lindsay’s hosting after regular host Stephen Mulhern was taken ill recently. Festive House of Games this week has got the best Gladiator i.e. Legend on it.
Tuesday 24th December (Xmas Eve)
7:15pm: Festive House of Games (BBC2)
7:45pm: The Great British Festive Bake Off (C4)
8:15pm: Only Connect Christmas Special (BBC2)
Wednesday 25th December (Xmas Day)
3:10pm: The Weakest Link (BBC1)
3:55pm: Strictly Xmas Special (BBC1)
5:10pm: The Piano at Christmas (C4)
8pm: The Chase Celeb Special (ITV)
Let’s be honest, BBC1 is absolutely stacked on Xmas Day with general entertainment content, it’s no wonder ITV have given up even more than usual, although perhaps Downton Abbey: A New Era will take your fancy. Edit: it looks like the Xmas Day edition of The Chase is now a new one, not a repeat as originally suggested.
Thursday 26th December (Boxing Day)
5:40pm: Pictionary (ITV)
7pm: Festive House of Games (BBC2)
7:30pm: The Masked Singer (ITV)
8pm: Only Connect Books Special
9pm: Blankety Blank Xmas Special (BBC1)
9pm: The 1% Club Xmas Special (ITV)
9pm: The Festive Pottery Throwdown (C4)
Squid Game Series 2 (Netflix)
Cor that’s a stacked 9pm and no mistake, I had a cheeky tenner on The 1% Club being surprise Xmas Day winner last year, such as the weakness of the Xmas Day schedule. Didn’t come in, alas, but I think it’s quite wise they’ve moved it this year. I think I fancy it over Blankety Blank, especially as that has an EastEnders lead-in, but that ought to be a good battle. It will be extremely interesting to see if Squid Game 2 captures the audience in the same way SG1 did. Seeing as Squid Game: The Challenge did extremely well as a spin-off, you’d have to back it. Xmas 1% Club is getting a repeat on Sunday 29th at 7pm.
Incidentally, Boxing Day is ACTUAL Boxing Day for TV Nerds, because the Xmas Day ratings come in.
Friday 27th December
7pm: Festive House of Games (BBC2)
8pm: Only Connect BBC Special (BBC2)
9pm: The Big Fat Quiz of the Year (C4)
Evening: Gladiators (TF1)
Finally we get the answer to the big question, did anyone correctly guess who the mystery Big Fat Quiz person is going to be this year? Also French Glads should be an interesting watch if you are able, I wonder what the reaction to it will be.
Saturday 28th December
6pm: Deal or No Deal Celebrity Special (ITV)
7pm: Wheel of Fortune Christmas Special (ITV)
New series starts proper the following week. Can’t remember if they recorded this with the first lot or as part of the second series, hopefully they’ve learnt how to make it a bit more exciting as it goes on.
Sunday 29th December
7pm: Festive House of Games (BBC2)
8pm: Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Celeb Special (ITV)
8pm: Only Connect Christmas Special (series 19 repeat) (BBC2)
9pm: Taskmaster New Year’s Treat (C4)
Ooh. Ooh? Oh. Doesn’t feel right that but I’m sure it will be fine.
Monday 30th December
7pm: Festive House of Games (BBC2)
8pm: Only Connect Transatlantic Special (BBC2)
Second week of House of Games, doesn’t feature the best Gladiator i.e. Legend.
Tuesday 31st December (New Year’s Eve)
7pm: Festive House of Games (BBC2)
8pm: Only Connect Single Special (BBC2)
12pm: Fireworks (you’ll be watching BBC1)
Also inevitably some poetry but what can you do.
Wednesday 1st January 2025 (New Year’s Day)
Morning: The Annual “Should Do a Series” Gag when the Fireworks numbers come out
6:00pm: Celeb Gladiators (BBC1)
7pm: Festive House of Games (BBC2)
8pm: The Traitors (BBC1)
8pm: Only Connect Sound Special (BBC2)
Couldn’t resist. And neither should they! This literally just came out just before I “went to press”, 7pm is going to be a Gavin and Stacey doc. Glads into Traitors would have been perfect, but it looked like EastEnders was going to be the filling but thankfully it’s a Gavin and Stacey doc instead. However! ITV have scheduled the final ever episodes of Vera against the first two episodes of The Traitors – thems fighting words! I think I’d expect The Traitors to do better on the night but Vera to ultimately win in +7. Last year The Traitors opened to 3m overnight and I thought that was a bit disappointing for the build up. New Year’s Day is a massive live watching night and ought to do well. It continues 8pm on Thursday before going back to it’s traditional 9pm slot on Friday, and presumably they’ll put the first eps on iPlayer as usual. Anyway this is Judith Keppel vs the final One Foot In The Grave for the 2020s.
Thursday 2nd January 2025:
7pm: Festive House of Games (BBC2)
8pm: Only Connect Champion of Champions Special (BBC2)
Friday 3rd January 2025
7pm: Festive House of Games (BBC2)
8pm: Only Connect Champion of Champions Special (series 18 repeat) (BBC2)
9pm: Have I Got Sport For You (BBC1)
We used to joke in the 90s referring to panel shows as Have I Got X For You, and thirty years later they’ve done it for real. Bring back They Think It’s All Over, you wimps!
Phew!