The Christmas schedules are out!

Over the past ten years or so I’ve won quite a bit of money predicting Xmas Day Number One, mainly stopping a few years ago after quite a large bet didn’t come in (gambling’s a mug’s game, kids). When the fun stops, stop.

What I’ve always done though is bet for value – no interest (or indeed fun) in odds-ons, the fun is backing the shows others aren’t considering. The betting markets for this aren’t open yet but look out for it being offered in the weeks to come.

I suspect Call the Midwife will *probably* top the day (although increasingly suspect its value is going to be in +7). But. But but but. Look at what odds you can get on Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel – if you can get good odds, 8-1 or more (and this is entirely possible if people pile into Strictly/Midwife/Mrs Brown), I reckon that’s worth a cheeky fiver or fifty – great slot (6:25, after Strictly), popular show, good “don’t have to put much thought in” entertainment and numbers are down all over the shop.

Three things you need to consider when betting Xmas Day Number One:

• The Queen counts separately on BBC and ITV and other channels, it is usually not combined for the purposes of the market. As she gets increasingly elderly I think there’s an increasing chance The Queen on BBC1 will top the day, but I don’t think we’re there *yet*.
• Markets tend to be settled on overnight figures but do check the Ts and Cs – needless to say a market settled on +7 is likely to have to a very different outcome.
• Remember you do any betting at your own risk! I like to put my money where my mouth is, you are not obliged.

Edit: As has been pointed out in the comments, Blankety Blank is a great shout as well. If you’re lucky perhaps they’ll both be at long odds then you can cover both of them!

Well, at least it’s not clashing with I’m A Celeb. If I’m A Celeb was going to be on. I’ve just discovered that the ITV2 showing of Killer Camp series two over the next fortnight has been given the much-sought after 10:45pm slot on Monday, and 11pm the rest of the week.

The first series was a combination of really fun and ideas I would politely describe as “bullshit”.

This was one of those very frustrating shows where you can see the potential, and occasionally it shines through (agreed that Bobby Mair was great in this, and I did think the ending was quite something), but they made so many poor decisions in some areas I just want to find out what made them do the things they do…

I’d be really happy for it to get a (simpler, better thought out) second series, but if it doesn’t happen then I’ll live.

Me in 2019

This has quite an interesting history, the first series repeated well on The CW in the US to the point that this probably-more-US-centric second series got commissioned (which is kind of how Penn and Teller: Fool Us became a regular hit over there), but this second one flopped massively, pulled after two episodes.

Turns out there are likely to be two murderers this time round as well – US and UK schedulers.

From 7:15pm (UK) / 8:15pm (Europe)
On the Bother’s Bar Discord

That’s right! We’re no longer bothering to stream them to Youtube because a) only about three people watched and b) we can sort out some “naughty” streaming solution on the Discord, so why not join us for many hours of casual watchalong fun this evening as two celebs battle it out for Elton’s €100,000 briefcase across fifteen mystery events that we’ll try and work out as the evening progresses.

There’s usually some extra-curricular quizzing and gossip throughout the night as well, feel free to put yourself on mute if you just want our background chatter. This episode it’s razor wit AND high glamour as Katja Burkard takes on drag artist Olivia Jones. Let’s hope the games don’t, heh, drag on eh?

We’ll be on likely until around midnight, so do come and join us.

Cut and Thrust, purveyors of excellent TV theme tune mixes on Youtube, have just knocked it out of the park with their latest.

First! It’s Schlag den Star on Saturday! Come join us for fun, games and shenanigans in the Bother’s Bar Discord from 7:15pm UK.

Next apropos of nothing, it’s the full theme from Connections! Connections with Sue Robbie is of course the best afternoon quiz of the 80s, don’t bother at-ting me Blockbusters and Going for Gold fans. Banger alert!

Nexter! It’s only episode two of TV Show and Tell, with special guest Tom Blakeson and exciting plumbing!

Nextest! Some Christmas details have been released, top of the shop is The Weakest Link where eight celebs with connections to Christmas will battle it out to win up to £50k for charity and try not to get eliminated before Gemma Collins. Nice casualwear Romesh!

The Wall vs Celebrities, the show that everyone is just going to call Celebrity The Wall, is introducing The Superdrop! They’ve done this for a while in the US, basically it’s a drop with seven green balls, then a drop with seven red ones, for apparently no real reason other than to add more randomness tension.

Finally, The Sun is reporting that the BBC want to revive Friends Like These with Vernon Kay and Queen Alison Hammond, although why Hammond couldn’t host on her own I don’t know.