Best on the Box Christmas and New Year Specials
John Daly
The Toy Shop (RTE 2, Wednesday 20th, 8pm)
Documentary about the role of toys in people's lives, visiting 16 stores that spark the imagination of their youngest customers and the memories of their eldest as the call to mind the Christmas morning pressies that had the biggest impact.
Face Down: The Disappearance of Thomas Niedermayer (RTE 1, Wednesday 20th, 9.35)
Fifty years ago – in December 1973 – German businessman Thomas Niedermayer was kidnapped from his home in West Belfast. He was never seen alive again by his friends or family, and became one of Northern Ireland’s “disappeared” – when no-one knew what had happened to him. His wife, Ingeborg, and his daughters Renate and Gabriele, spent the next seven years not knowing if he was alive or dead.
Dickens: Phantoms and Fictions (Sky Arts, Thursday 21st, 9pm)
Actor and writer David Harewood explores the haunting world of Charles Dickens' supernatural tales, delving into his eerie and atmospheric worlds through actor readings and archive footage, and exploring the popularity of ghost stories during the Victorian era.
Made Up In Belfast (BBC 1, Thursday 21st, 10.40pm)
In this one-off festive programme, Alex is working overtime to get the gift boxes ready but always has time for the craic, while Brendan is planning a surprise party to say thank you to all his staff, but can he manage to keep it a secret? Emma is going to Australia for the holiday season, but doesn't want to miss out on the traditional turkey and sprouts before she heads off.
The Winter King (ITVX, Thursday 21st)
The Arthurian legend re-imagined as a bold and revisionist take follows Arthur Pendragon as he evolves from outcast to legendary warrior and leader. The Winter King is set in the 5th century “in a land of warring factions and tribes when the World was brutal and lives were often fleeting.”
The Way We Were At Christmas (RTE 1, Thursday 21st, 10.10pm)
A documentary casting a warm nostalgic eye over Irish Christmases from the past and how differently we were in terms of traditions, food, presents and family gatherings. A trip down memory lane for the more mature members of the household.
Traitors (Sky History, Friday 22nd, 10pm)
Unravels the intricate stories of people who committed espionage against the countries or companies they were meant to protect. Each episode tells a different tale of betrayal, analyses the secretive methods utilised by the traitors to accomplish their missions, and how intelligence agencies like the CIA, FBI and MI5 outsmarted the culprits and brought them to justice deep inside this game of cat and mouse.
Mica Paris: A Gospel Christmas (Sky Arts, Saturday 23rd, 8pm)
A heart-warming and soul-stirring gospel concert set in St Alfege Church in Greenwich, the concert features the extraordinary talent of musical artist Mica Paris, accompanied by a powerful choir.
The Unofficial Science of Die Hard (Sky Max, Saturday 23rd, 9pm)
Chris Ramsey and Paul Chowdhry scientifically assess stunts from much-loved action film, Die Hard. From rooftop escapes to walking over shattered glass, they put the stunts to the test to discover how to tackle them in real life. Also, the pair set out to answer the biggest question of all: Is Die Hard a Christmas film?
Mrs Brown’s Boys: Shining Mammy (RTE 1, Saturday 23rd, 9.55pm)
Cathy's creepy boyfriend is initiated into the family and Agnes gets a festive fright when looking after his spooky twins. Meanwhile Bono rethinks his eco-kick after a lesson from Agnes.
All Creatures Great & Small: Merry Bloody Christmas (RTE 1, Sunday 24th, 6.20pm)
As Christmastime is overshadowed by war, the Farnons have taken in a refugee child. Elsewhere, Siegfried must choose between the well being of a racehorse and safeguarding Tristan's future. Mrs Hall also grapples with upsetting news.
The Heist Before Christmas (Sky Max, Christmas Eve, 8pm)
Twelve-year-old Mikey Collins is a Belfast kid who hates Christmas. One December evening, he finds two guys dressed like Santa lying unconscious in the woods. One Santa has just robbed a bank and is on the run with a bulging sack full of cash - the other Santa claims to have fallen out of his sleigh.
Killing Sherlock: Lucy Worsley on The Case Of Conan Doyle (BBC 2, Christmas Eve, 9pm)
Lucy finds that the darkness of the later stories mirrored the reality of Arthur Conan Doyle’s life. After the loss of his eldest son he became an evangelist for spiritualism, while his star declined after a public spat with the magician Houdini. Sherlock Holmes, in contrast, found a life beyond his author, on stage and screen.
A Ghost Story For Christmas: Lot 249 (BBC 2, Christmas Eve, 10pm)
1881. Old College, Oxford plays host to three very different young academics: Abercrombie Smith, a model of Victorian manhood; Monkhouse Lee, a delicate and unworldly student from Siam; and the strange Edward Bellingham, whose research into Ancient Egypt is giving life to the horrifying bag of bones tagged Lot No 249.
The Jonathan Ross Christmas Show (ITV, Christmas Eve, 10.15pm)
Good old ‘Wossy’ is still trying to give Graham Norton a run for his money, and invites actors Ariana DeBose and Willem Dafoe, singers Boy George and Katherine Jenkins, and comedians Romesh Ranganathan and Kevin Bridges for a chinwag about all things Christmas.
Angela’s Christmas Wish (RTE 2, Christmas Day, 6.05pm)
Written by Frank McCourt, this sequel to the much loved Angela's Christmas is a heart-warming tale of a determined little girl who sets out to reunite her family in time for Christmas.
Inside Classical: The Hound of the Baskervilles (BBC 4, Christmas Day, 8.30pm)
Prepare to be transported to the vast and dangerous moors where lies the Baskerville Hall estate and its dark secrets - the story of “a foul thing, a great, black beast, shaped like a hound, yet larger than any hound that ever mortal eye has rested upon”.
Barry Humphries: The Last Laugh (ITV, Christmas Day, 10pm)
Relives classic moments from his signature characters, Dame Edna and Sir Les Patterson, as well as uncovering gems from his many interviews. Friends and fans including Sharon Osbourne, Jonathan Ross, Nick Cave, Jason Donovan, Dara Ó Briain and Jeffrey Archer pay tribute.
Caroline Ahern: Comedy Queen (BBC 2, Christmas Day, 10.25pm)
Aherne’s pioneering work on The Royle Family won her three Baftas and changed comedy writing forever, while her alter-ego Mrs Merton’s question to stage performer Debbie McGee - “So what first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?” - is considered one of the greatest comic one-liners in TV history.
URC Live Munster v Leinster (RTE 2, St Stephen’s Day, 7pm)
The turkey and ham will be an afterthought when these two great sides battle it out for glory. It will be as close as it always is - and a thriller. Clare MacNamara presents live coverage from Thomond Park.
Vera (ITV, St Stephen’s Day, 8pm)
A feature-length Christmas episode based on the tenth novel by author Ann Cleeves takes DCI Vera Stanhope on a chilling investigation as she finds herself drawn to the enchanting tidal island of Lindisfarne, where one in a group of lifelong friends turns up dead.
Mad About The Boy: The Noel Coward Story (BBC 2, St Stephen’s Day, 9pm)
Born in a shabby London suburb, Noel Coward would become one of the most celebrated actors, playwrights and songwriters of his generation. By age 30 he was the highest-paid writer in the world and a star on the Broadway stage, writing, directing and acting in some of the finest plays and movies of all time, including Private Lives, Blithe Spirit and Brief Encounter.
Sports Funniest 2023 with Greg James (Sky Max, Wednesday 27th, 9pm)
As 2023 draws to a close, which athletes put their names into the record books and became legends in their fields? Greg James joined by sport loving comedian side-kicks Maisie Adam and Guz Khan as they look back at the funniest, and most ridiculous stories from the world of sport in 2023.
Imagine French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter (BBC 1, Wednesday 27th, 10.30pm)
Explores a brand of comedy based on satire, silliness and above all friendship - of the UK’s most successful double act of the last 40 years. A relationship started when they were college flatmates - they’re still sparking off each other to create comedy.
Seamus Begley: The Bold Kerryman (RTE 1, Friday 29th, 6.30pm)
In a moving tribute to the late Séamus Begley, the documentary unfolds the extraordinary journey of an unexpected musical virtuoso, whose profound influence transformed the landscape of Irish music. From humble beginnings to international acclaim, his life leaves an indelible legacy to a global community of musicians who held him in high esteem.
Callan Kicks The Year 2023 (RTE 1, Friday 29th, 9.30pm)
2023 was the year Ireland flipped out over RTÉ scandals and flopped out of a Rugby World Cup. The rise of Ken, the fall of a Toy Man, a whole Renault full of Montrose mayhem. Callan dips through the Dublin riots, the surprise return of Bertie and The Wolfe Tones, in his look back on 2023’s most bizarre moments.
The Late Late NYE Show (RTE 1, Sunday 31st, 10.15pm)
Your New Year’s Eve starts right here! Patrick Kielty kicks New Year’s celebrations off with a bang in a star-studded studio with plenty of surprises and familiar faces for what promises to be a truly magical night. Patrick will then hand over to Anna Geary at Dublin Castle for the Countdown Concert featuring ‘Picture This’.
Jeopardy! (ITV, New Year’s Day, 5.45pm)
Brain a bit foggy after the countdown last night? Perhaps a brain workout is what you need. Based on the hit US show, Stephen Fry hosts the quiz in which players are presented with clues in the form of answers and must phrase their responses in the form of a question.
Mr Bates vs. the Post Office (ITV, New Year’s Day, 9pm)
Toby Jones leads a huge all-star cast in this story about one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British legal history, where hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly accused and prosecuted for theft, fraud, and false accounting due to a defective IT system.