What to watch on TV this week: 17 December to Boxing Day

Ready for another jam-packed week of telly treats? There’ll be stars in your eyes with the finale of Strictly Come Dancing and the glitzy Royal Variety Performance 2025. Plus, don’t miss the best of festive TV in the run-up to Christmas Day including Call The Midwife’s Christmas special, The Great British Bake Off 2025, Stuffed and Finding Father Christmas. Happy viewing!

With all this plus our usual sport and movie picks of the week, there’s something for all tastes across the service. And don’t forget, with Virgin TV Go, you can take your TV with you on the move.

There’s so much good stuff on this week that we’ve compiled a list of the best TV shows to watch. Bookmark this page to keep up to date with the latest changes.

Pick of the day: A Mary Berry Christmas
9pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

Is it even Christmas unless Mary Berry sprinkles some festive magic on our TV screens? This year the beloved baker and chef is sharing her favourite seasonal traditions – including mouth-watering recipes for a pigs in blankets cassoulet and a pear and ginger steamed pudding – with the nation, as well as celebrity guests actor Alison Steadman, Gladiator Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and broadcaster Zoe Ball. Fab-yule-lous!

What else to watch:

• Inside Legoland At Christmas – 8pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• First Dates Beach Club – 9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• The Imposter – 9pm, 5 HD (CH 105)

• Mega Metro – 9pm, U&Yesterday HD (CH 129)

• Britain’s Lost Battlefields With Rob Bell – 9pm, Sky HISTORY HD (CH 131)

Pick of the day: Sir Chris Hoy: Cycle Of Hope
9pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

In 2024, six-time Olympic gold medallist and celebrated cyclist Chris Hoy publicly disclosed that he had terminal prostate cancer at the age of 48. Now, this moving documentary goes behind closed doors as Hoy shares how his approach to life has changed since receiving his diagnosis, as he balances being a husband, father and friend alongside treatment and the charity work he’s so passionate about. There won’t be a dry eye in your living room.

What else to watch:

• BBC Sports Personality Of The Year 2025 – 7pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Christmas With The Greens: A Yorkshire Farm Special – 8pm, 5 HD (CH 105)

• Steve Backshall’s Royal Arctic Challenge – 8.30pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• The Imposter – 9pm, 5 HD (CH 105)

• Never Mind The Xmas Buzzcocks – 9pm, Sky Max HD (CH 111)

Pick of the day: Christmas Treasures Of The National Trust
9pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

The Christmas spirit has swept through the National Trust and you’re cordially invited to come and celebrate at three remarkable houses. First up, we head to Cragside on the Northumberland moors, where the staff are decking the halls for the traditional Servants’ Ball. In the Tamar Valley, the residents of Cornwall’s Cotehele are preparing a 60-foot Christmas garland with flowers from the grounds, while in south Devon’s Coleton Fishacre, the team is celebrating the property’s centenary with a roaring 1920s-themed party. Delightful festive viewing.

What else to watch:

• Chateau DIY At Christmas – 5pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Hunting Britain’s Parcel Thieves – 8pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Christmas At Leeds Castle: A Winter Wonderland – 8pm, 5 HD (CH 105)

• Safe Home – 9pm, More4 HD (CH 147)

• Country Music Christmas 2025 – 10pm, BBC Four HD (CH 108/107)

Pick of the day: Strictly Come Dancing: The Final
7pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

Every year there are a few surefire signs that Christmas is just around the corner. And Strictly’s grand finale shimmying onto our screens is one of them. After 12 weeks of intense competition, the three celebrity finalists – George Clarke, Karen Carney and Amber Davies – will hit the dancefloor one last time with the hopes of impressing the judges and lifting the glitterball trophy. Grab your paddles and don’t miss this sequinned spectacle, as we bid a fond farewell to Strictly icons Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

What else to watch:

• Westlife 25: Live At The Royal Albert Hall – 5.30pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

• Blankety Blank Christmas Special – 6.20pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Sandi Toksvig’s Great Riviera Rail Trip – 8.10pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Madness: Radio 2 In Concert – 9.10pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

• Strange Journey: The Rocky Horror Picture Show – 11.10pm, Sky Arts HD (CH 123)

Pick of the day: The Royal Variety Performance 2025
7.05pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

Jason Manford hosts a sensational evening of world-class entertainment at this year’s Royal Variety Performance. Taking to the stage is a starry line-up including Tom Fletcher and British icon Paddington Bear, Katherine Jenkins, Jessie J, Laufey and Stephen Fry, as well a jaw-dropping performance from a 400-strong ensemble cast who sing a phenomenal Les Misérables medley to celebrate the show’s 40th anniversary. Plus, keep your eyes peeled for VIP guests the Prince and Princess of Wales.

What else to watch:

• Celebrity Escape To The Country – 6.05pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Wild Horses, The Rockies And Me – 7pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

• Game Of Wool: Britain’s Best Knitter: The Final – 8pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• The War Between The Land And The Sea – 8.05pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Beyond Paradise Christmas Special 2025 – 9pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

Pick of the day: Classic Bergerac
4.05pm, U&Drama HD (CH 116)

It may be Christmastime in Jersey but there’s no rest for Jim Bergerac (John Nettles). The 1986 festive special takes a supernatural turn when the dysfunctional detective investigates the strange goings on between alleged medium Raoul Barnaby (Barrie Ingham, The Day Of The Jackal) and the concerning influence he has over the elderly Mrs Jardine (Margaretta Scott, All Creatures Great And Small). More Bergerac Christmas classics, including the 1987 and 1988 Yuletide episodes, air on Tuesday and Christmas Eve.

What else to watch:

• Amanda And Alan’s Spanish Christmas – 9pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Taskmaster: Champion Of Champions – 9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Christmas On The Farm – 9pm, 5 HD (CH 105)

• Tea With Judi Dench – 9pm, Sky Arts HD (CH 123)

• The Mandy Who Knew Too Much – 10.25pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

Pick of the day: Stuffed
9pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

After a year’s hard work, everyone dreams of receiving something more than a pat on the back and a slice of pizza from their employer. And it turns out that dreams really do come true for Arslan Farooqi (Guz Khan, Man Like Mobeen) when he’s given an £8,000 bonus for a job well done. When he uses the money to whisk his family away on an adventure to Lapland, though, their dream holiday quickly turns into a nightmare when Arslan is asked to repay his bonus. Expect festive fun for all the family to enjoy.

What else to watch:

• Inside The Christmas Factory With Paddy And Cherry – 8pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Only Connect Pub Quiz Special – 8pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

• The Madame Blanc Mysteries Christmas Special – 8pm, 5 HD (CH 105)

• Innes Lloyd: The Producer – 8.25pm, BBC Four HD (CH 108/107)

• First Dates At Christmas – 9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

Pick of the day: Finding Father Christmas
7.30pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

Ever since Lenny Rush’s breakout performance in Am I Being Unreasonable? we can’t get enough of the BAFTA winner on our screens, and we’re eager to see his latest role in this heartwarming festive tale. Rush plays 16-year-old Chris (Rush), who still believes in Father Christmas, and when his concerned father (James Buckley, The Inbetweeners) finally decides to tell him “the truth”, this inspires Chris to embark on his own Yuletide quest to find scientific proof that Jolly Old Saint Nick is real and restore his father’s faith. Stephen Fry, Greg Davies, Asim Chaudry, Hannah Fry, Jason Fox and Maggie Aderin-Pocock also star.

What else to watch:

• The Great British Sewing Bee Celebrity Christmas Special – 7.25pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Royal Carols: Together At Christmas – 7.25pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

• Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing – 9pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

• All Creatures Great And Small Christmas Special – 9pm, 5 HD (CH 105)

• A Ghost Story For Christmas: The Room In The Tower – 10pm, BBC Two HD (CH 102)

Pick of the day: The Great British Bake Off 2025
8pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

To paraphrase Jo in Little Women, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a Bake Off special. Which means that Paul, Prue, Noel and Alison are back in telly’s most famous tent with some celebrity guests who are whipping up delicious festive bakes and cakes. This year they’re joined by the stars of Peep Show who are reuniting for the first time since the legendary sitcom wrapped in 2015, as David Mitchell, Olivia Colman, Isy Suttie, Matt King and Sophie Winkleman compete for the coveted title of Festive Star Baker. Quite possibly the most brilliant piece of Christmas telly ever.

What else to watch:

• Only Fools & Horses: Heroes & Villains – 11.40am, U&GOLD HD (CH 124)

• Gladiators: Celebrity Special – 3.35pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special – 5.30pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Call The Midwife Christmas Special – 8.15pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• Amandaland Christmas Special – 9.15pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

Pick of the day: Call The Midwife Christmas Special
8.30pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

It’s the most wonderful time of the year at Nonnatus House. But this year’s two-part festive episode finds some of its residents far away from home. When disaster strikes at the Branch House in Kowloon, Sisters Julienne (Jenny Agutter) and Veronica (Rebecca Gethings) make a mercy dash to the premises where they face unthinkable dangers from the Hong Kong cartel. Back in Poplar, the younger midwives are left to their own devices without supervision from their seniors and decide to throw a wild party. Can we come?

What else to watch:

• Would I Lie To You? Christmas Special – 7pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• The Repair Shop Christmas Special – 7.30pm, BBC One HD (CH 101)

• The Masked Singer Christmas Special – 7.30pm, ITV1 HD (CH 103)

• The Festive Pottery Throw Down – 7.45pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

• Big Fat Quiz Of The Year – 9pm, Channel 4 HD (CH 104)

Football: Premier League – Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur
Saturday 20 December, 5pm, Sky Sports Premier League/HD (CH 512/502)

Liverpool and Spurs supporters are the easiest ones to spot at the moment – they’re the ones looking shocked and baffled, possibly with their heads in their hands. Both teams are having mind-bogglingly weird seasons: Tottenham Hotspur veer wildly between solid performances, especially away from home, and inept losses; Liverpool began with five straight wins and then slumped to a dreadful run that’s pulled them down towards mid-table, and that was before their superstar forward caused a storm with an ill-advised interview.

So this clash at Anfield is a crucial one as the two teams attempt to calm the waters ahead of the usual busy Christmas programme. Spurs, who have picked up 14 of their 22 points away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, will look to prey on Liverpool’s vulnerable defence – the pace and skill of Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons have had an impact recently. For Liverpool, the indifferent form of record signing Alexander Isak remains an issue, but in Hugo Ekitike they have a player on a hot streak.

The home side won’t be looking to Mo Salah for goals – he has departed to captain Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Spurs’ Pape Matar Sarr has joined up with Sénégal. The game could be attritional but it’s definitely going to be gripping, and if one team can grab a win, their festivities will be a little more joyous.

What else to watch:

Looking for more sport this week? We can help with that.

• All the best live sport you can watch on TV this week

• Got a Sky Sports subscription? Check out our monthly guide

• If you’ve got TNT Sports, your monthly guide is here

Goodbye June
Stream it in Apps > Netflix from Christmas Eve

Screen darling Kate Winslet (The Holiday) makes her directorial debut as well as starring in this soon-to-be classic Christmas drama with an incredible cast. When matriarch June (Helen Mirren, The Thursday Murder Club) falls ill over the festive season, her four adult children must come together and try to mend their fractured relationships under trying circumstances. Toni Collette (Wayward), Timothy Spall (The King’s Speech), Stephen Merchant (The Outlaws), Andrea Riseborough (Alice & Jack), Johnny Flynn (Emma) and Fisayo Akinade (Heartstopper) round off the ensemble.

• Our monthly Sky Cinema guide featuring the best movies this month

• Looking for something on Netflix? Try our monthly guide to new releases

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