SATURDAY
Strictly Come Dancing
BBC1, 7pm
So many questions ahead of tonight’s series decider… Will Craig have finally seen hip action worthy of a 10? Will a rhumba ever not be, well, a bit ridiculous? Can Motsi whisper? Will Claudia have trimmed her fringe? But first, all those hours of hard work in rehearsals have paid off for tonight’s finalists who now have just three dances each – and the votes of viewers at home only – between them and the Glitterball trophy.
SUNDAY
The Royal Variety Performance
ITV1, 8pm
For 111 years The Royal Variety Performance has served up a celebration of old-school light entertainment, and it’s only fitting that as an exponent of traditional showbiz values, Bradley Walsh, has the honour of hosting this year’s extravaganza at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Cher headlines, while other highlights include Lucy, the 14-year-old winner of Channel 4’s The Piano, and Britain’s Got Talent-winning comic, Viggo Venn.
MONDAY
DIY SOS EastEnders Special
BBC1, 8pm
EastEnders stars Natalie Cassidy, Perry Fenwick, Scott Maslen, Gillian Wright and Colin Salmon are among those helping Nick and the DIY SOS team as they set about creating a new building for Butterfly Effect Wellbeing in Essex. Founded by Angela Hannibal, after losing her mum to suicide, it currently operates out of a portable cabin but desperately needs more space to help people with social isolation and self-harm issues.
TUESDAY
Christmas On The Farm
Channel 5, 9pm
While many of us look forward to a day off with the fam on the big day, there’s still work to be done on farms up and down the land, and this 90-minute special looks at what agricultural life is like in the midst of winter, with the help of JB Gill. At Cannon Hall Farm, Yorkshire, David and Robert Nicholson are joined by Helen Skelton and Jules Hudson, and there are plenty of surprises. And Britain’s youngest farmer gets a special present.
WEDNESDAY
The 1970s Supermarket At Christmas
Channel 5, 9pm
For those who remember giant cans of Watneys Party Seven that spurted to the ceiling when you opened them at home, this show is a feast of nostalgia about what we used to buy over the festive period. And for those too young to remember, it should prove eye-opening. TV chef Rustie Lee rustles up some vol-au-vents – a staple of any celebratory gathering – and the short-lived fate of the Terry’s Chocolate Lemon is unwrapped.
THURSDAY
All Creatures Great And Small
Channel 5, 9pm
This fourth All Creatures festive special might be the most heart-warming yet. Although it’s set during the dark days of 1940, with James away from the practice while serving with the RAF, there’s still plenty of humour – not least from the bickering Siegfried and Carmody (Samuel West and James Anthony-Rose). Meanwhile, heavily pregnant Helen is hoping that James will make it home in time for Christmas…
FRIDAY
The Madame Blanc Mysteries
Channel 5, 9pm
What could be more festive than a murder-mystery weekend? Jean, Dom, Gloria, Judith, Jeremy and Caron all head to a swanky hotel for some festive fun, but when a massive storm hits and the lights go out, a shot is fired and someone’s found dead. As the gang are trapped overnight due to road closures, the deadly drama unfolds and it’s up to Jean (Sally Lindsay) to use her sleuthing skills to discover whodunit!