FESTIVE MUST-SEE TELEVISION!
As broadcasters stage their annual battle for audience ratings, this year's Christmas and New Year TV schedule brings some must-see viewing to the small screen. Here are just some of this season's festive highlights featuring UAs clients:
CHRISTMAS EVE at 8pm sees ITV pitting drama favourite MIDSOMER MURDERS (with Paul Blair, Elizabeth Berrington, James Murray and special guest-star Les Dennis) - against HOLBY CITY on BBC1which stars Camilla Arfwedson. Then at 9pm fans of the BAFTA winning LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX can tune-in for the series finale, starring Rachel Leskovac, while those in the mood for entertaining facts can switch to BBC2 for a festive QI:XL with panellist Alan Davies. In the same 9pm slot, Channel 4 brings us THE IT CROWD SPECIAL: THE INTERNET IS COMING, starring the brilliant Katherine Parkinson, while Sky1 viewers are treated to a special episode of comedy drama TROLLIED, which stars Joel Fry, Jason Watkins, Jane Horrocks and a hilarious cameo from former Spice-Girl Geri Halliwell, followed at 10pm by panel-show A LEAUGE OF THEIR OWN: CHRISTMAS SPECIAL hosted by the multi-talented James Corden.
On CHRISTMAS DAY after turkey, The Queen's Speech and a mountain of washing up, BBC1 begins the evening schedule with a Christmas Special of CALL THE MIDWIFE at 6:15pm (starring Raymond Coulthard, Nancy Caroll. Ben Caplan and Sam Swainsbury), followed by an appointment-to-view episode of DOCTOR WHO where fans can finally see the new Doctor played by Peter Capaldi, make his debut. Then at 8:30pm, ITV's Christmas Day special of DOWNTON ABBEY will transmit, featuring Tom Cullen and Kevin Doyle (with costumes designed by Caroline McCall) in the long-awaited conclusion to Series 4.
BOXING DAY on BBC1 kicks off its family viewing with the comedy special GANGSTA GRANNY at 6:05pm, edited by Joe Randall-Cutler and featuring the on-screen talents of Rob Brydon and Jocelyn Jee Esien. At 8:15pm BBC1 premieres DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY - returning to the setting and characters of Jane Austen's PRIDE & PREJUDICE, brought to life by production designer Grant Stewart Montgomery and starring Matthew Rhys opposite Anna Maxwell Martin as Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in a dark new tale of murder and emotional mayhem.
NEW YEAR’S EVE schedule features a raft of comedy round-ups of the year, with ITV1's A FUNNY OLD YEAR at 10:15pm hosted by Jason Manford and written by Stewart Williams. Channel 4 reflects on 2013 with ALAN CARR NEW YEAR SPECSTACULAR at 9pm, also written by Stewart Williams, and featuring James Corden as a guest on the gold sofa, followed at 11.05pm by 50 FUNNIEST MOMENTS 2013 voiced by Matt Berry and written this time by Stewart Williams with Tim Allsop to ring in the New Year!
NEW YEAR’S DAY on BBC1 brings the eagerly awaited return of SHERLOCK at 9pm, featuring Louise Brealey, and Rupert Graves, then at 10:15pm, BBC Three viewers can enjoy the last in the series of BACKCHAT, the Jack Whitehall talk-show.
So get your Radio Times and TV remote at the ready, pour a large glass of something warming, snuggle into your Christmas jumper, and enjoy the holidays!