Grab your remote and get comfy – from comedy crackers to hot drama, there’s something for everyone in your guide to the very best on the box this season!
Starts December 9th, 9pm, Dave, Virgin TV 122
The comedy series starring Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont as fictional versions of themselves is mockumentary majesty – and we’re expecting much the same as they serve up some festive fare! Mind, there’s enough arguments at the best of times, so expect plenty of barbs sharp enough to slice a turkey – and plenty of reason to seek refuge at the bar of Jon’s pub down at the end of their garden!
Starts December 10th at 9pm, FOX, Virgin TV 126
We’ve all heard of kids being a bit smart – but that reaches whole new levels here! Mike and Cay (Jason Biggs and Maggie Lawson) are the parents entirely incapable of keeping up with their genius children in this smart family sitcom which flips some traditional tropes upside down. For anyone who’s had to struggle through homeschooling this year, there’s a very good chance you’ll feel their pain!
Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, Virgin Media One, Virgin TV 103
There’s more than Christmas to celebrate in Weatherfield, as the telly institution marks its 60th anniversary on December 9th. As you’d expect, there’s more than candles on a cake to supply fireworks, as three one-hour specials crank the drama up to 11 – with the battle to save the street from Ray Crosby’s dastardly deals taking centre stage! And, if you think everything’s just going to settle down after that...well, you haven’t been paying much attention to the past 59 years, now have you?!
December 23rd, 9pm, Channel 4, Virgin TV 111
Join Jimmy Carr and the rest of the crew for a festive edition of the hilarious game show – though maybe warn your granny it’s not quite like her favourite daytime watch! Some of the funniest minds around, like sure favourite Sean Lock, will do battle in the letters and numbers games – though in reality, it’s a very different war of wit that takes centre stage!
Starts later this December, BBC One, Virgin TV 108
Oh holy fright! Just because you’re snuggled up tight doesn’t mean a few creepy thrills and psychological spills aren’t in order – and this deliciously dark mini-series is sure to deliver them. A remake of the 1940s film, it boasts an incredible cast (including the last performance of the late Dame Diana Riggs) and an engrossing story of a group of nuns in an isolated clifftop. Look out for our own Aisling Franciosi, too; she won IFTA’s Rising Star award for a reason!
Starts January 8th, Sky One, Virgin TV 114
A time-hopping adventure of love and magic, it’s been two years since we got our first taste, but now the wait for Season Two is almost over! Diana and Matthew return, this time in Elizabethan England – where, it turns out, witches, vampires and daemons abound just as much as the present day! Styled to the nines and occasionally a little steamy, it’s fantasy at its fabulous best – and, whisper, it, but Season Three is coming down the tracks at some point too!
December 26th, Virgin Media One, Virgin TV 103
Once you’ve reawakened from your food-induced sleep, get back in the saddle with one of the highlights of the horse racing year! The Christmas Festival at Kempton Park always serves up some magic, and that’s especially true of the main event. Clan Des Obeaux will be going for a third consecutive win, but Paul Nicholls’ charge will have plenty of stiff competition – including those looking to secure a first Irish win in the race for 19 years like Willie Mullins’ charge Kemboy...
Later this December, Sky One, Virgin TV 114
Telling the story of how two icons of children’s books crossed paths, this story is powerful, hopeful, hilarious – and true! Or, at least, somewhat! A veritable who’s who of comedic talent is brought together (Dawn French, Rob Brydon, Jessica Hynes and Bill Bailey to name but four) and the story is one that’s just tailor-made for a cosy evening; whether you’re a fan of Matilda Wormwood, Peter Rabbit, Charlie Bucket, or none of the above, we reckon you’ll still be a fan of this!
December 9th, 9pm, Virgin Media One, Virgin TV 103
We’ve grown accustomed to watching the nation’s favourite couch potatoes running the rule over what’s on the box, but it’s a little different this time – as Irish people living abroad get their turn to weigh in on what’s on! You can bank on both tears and laughter by the lorryload in a show that proves no matter how many miles might separate us, there’s nothing like something good on the telly to bring everyone together!
Sunday December 13th & Saturday December 19th, RTÉ Two, Virgin TV 102
The disruption of the year’s sporting calendar means everything’s a little upside-down, but for two teams it means they’ll be landing the ultimate early Christmas present! The hurling honours will be decided on December 13th, with the football title awarded six days later – and even if the usual packed crowds are absent, all the passion and fire we know and love will still be clear for all to see! Is Liam bound for Munster once again? Can the Dubs make it six-in-a-row? Or, could 2020 save its wildest twist ‘til last – and send Sam to Mayo?!
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