On TV tonight, it's the All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special, London Zoo celebrates Christmas, there's a festive cook-off edition of Celebrity MasterChef, Motherland is back on BBC One, and Alison Hammond heads to the French Riveria. Here's what you shouldn't miss on TV Tonight.
- Our hand-selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include TV shows, a film, live sport and the latest trending need-to-binge-on-now box set
- Keep up to date with the latest soap spoiler storylines on TV tonight with our daily soap synopsis
- For more information about what’s on TV tonight see our TV Guide
What's on TV tonight
Our expert TV journalists have picked the best things on TV tonight...
Best TV shows on TV tonight
All `Creatures Great and Small, 9 pm, Channel 5
Our annual festive visit to Darrowby is always an absolute treat and this year’s soul-stirring offering is no exception, as Christmas 1939 proves to be eventful for TV’s favourite vets. Siegfried is already fearful about the future due to the outbreak of war, but when he has to treat racehorse River again, he faces a moral conundrum that soon leads to a monumental clash with brother Tristan and some deeply poignant scenes. Meanwhile, Mrs Hall is jittery following an announcement from Gerald, but a cute kitten and an adorable evacuee provide some much-needed cheer for James and Helen’s first Christmas as Mr and Mrs Herriot.
★★★★★ CC
London Zoo at Christmas, 8 pm, Channel 4
Cameras go behind the scenes at London’s oldest zoo to look at how the keepers and their teams celebrate Christmas. Apart from winter medical check-ups, the logistics of enclosure moves and welcoming the zoo’s newest arrivals, the staff create a magical winter wonderland – including gifts for the animals – to attract visitors over the holiday season.
★★★ MC
Celebrity MasterChef: Christmas Cook-Off, 8 pm, BBC One
Four famous faces from series past join judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode in the MasterChef Kitchen once again to be crowned Christmas Champion in the first of two festive episodes. Happy Mondays’ dancer Bez, athletics world champion Iwan Thomas, pop star Josh Cuthbert and soprano Lesley Garrett start by making statement canapés using ingredients sourced from a Secret Santa box, before creating a Christmas cocktail. Will years of maraca-shaking mean Bez comes into his own? Last year’s deserved winner Judi Love is along for the ride as a guest judge.
★★★ NT
Motherland, 9.30pm, BBC One
The parenting sitcom is upgraded to BBC One for its latest Christmas outing. And there is so much to enjoy. As family festivities-loving Anne (Philippa Dunne) revels in hosting for 29, the continuously exasperated Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin) has already had enough of the grandparents. She also faces the promise of a Persian feast from Kevin (Paul Ready). Has he not learnt from his half-term pig roast? But the standout gathering is Amanda’s (Lucy Punch), whose mother Felicity (Joanna Lumley in a wonderfully icy return) takes too much pleasure in watching her daughter trying a bit too hard to get along with her ex.
★★★★ NT
Alison Hammond In At The Rich End: The Riviera, 9 pm, ITV1
Alison Hammond is jetting off to the French Riviera to find out if money really does make the world go round. There, she gets to experience the eye-watering opulence enjoyed by the many billionaires who live there. She chills out on a €28million super yacht, lunches at an exclusive beach club and stays in a €130,000-per week villa, complete with a helipad, Michelin-star chef and a sculpture worth €30 million! ‘But does this Brummie girl really need all this glitz?’ she asks herself. Maybe not, but like Alison, most of us would like the chance to find out!
★★★★★ NH
Best box set on TV tonight
Tiffany and Leon are flatmates, but there's nothing conventional about their living arrangements. Despite sharing the same place, they've never actually met with Tiffany having the flat from 8 pm - 8 am, and Leon having it from 8 am - 8 pm. Over time the pair learn more about each other through post-it notes and start to develop an attraction to one another, even though they've never had an in-person conversation.
Jessica Brown Findlay and Anthony Welsh are excellent in the leading roles and with all six episodes now available on Paramount Plus, it's the perfect show for binge-watching. But will Tiffany and Leon actually become an item? You'll have to watch and find out!
★★★★ LB
Best film on TV tonight
Trolls World Tour, 1.45 pm, BBC One
Back with day-glo visuals and eternal peppiness, this Trolls sequel – thanks to Covid – became a smash hit without ever hitting cinemas. The CGI pencil-toppers are off on another adventure to band together the various music tribes in order to stop Rachel Bloom’s Queen Barb taking over the aural spectrum with nothing but hard rock. Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake are once again the heroes Poppy and Branch, meeting the likes of Sam Rockwell and funk god George Clinton along the way to unite in favour of tolerance. It’s good, sugary family fun, with even a few music in-jokes for the adults.
★★★ NP
Soaps
- Emmerdale, 7 pm, ITV
- Coronation Street, 7:30 pm, ITV
- Hollyoaks, 6:30 pm, Channel 4
Live Sport
Scottish Premiership: Ross County v Rangers, 7:30 pm, Sky Sports Football
If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…
Don't miss the always delightful All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special on TV tonight.
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
