On TV tonight, it's the Strictly Come Dancing final, Mo Gilligan's new game show That's My Jam kicks off, Cliff Richard puts on a festive performance, and there's a documentary about the film The Snowman. 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
Strictly Come Dancing, 7.05 pm, BBC One
We’ve waited more than two years for our beloved Strictly to return to its former glory and its first series post-Covid has delivered on every level, giving us an abundance of glamour, glitz… and gyrating hips. We were delighted by the long-awaited return to the Blackpool Tower Ballroom and we especially loved the themed week in honour of 100 years of the BBC (a Line of Duty Viennese waltz, anyone!?).
Now, with the Glitterball Trophy within touching distance, the final four celebrities and their pro-partners are dancing for their lives for the chance to follow in the footsteps of EastEnders’ Rose Ayling-Ellis and become Strictly champion. Who will come top of the class of 2022?
★★★★★ VW
That's My Jam, 9.35 pm, BBC One
Mo Gilligan hosts this celebrity music challenge show based on the hit US series fronted by comedy star Jimmy Fallon. The eight-parter sees famous faces from the world of music – including Alesha Dixon (who features in this opener), Jason Derulo, Tom Grennan, Donny Osmond and Salt-N-Pepa – going head-to-head in dance and trivia-based games such as Wheel of Impossible Karaoke, Launch the Mic, The Vinyl Countdown and Disco Charades, before facing the mighty DoomBox in the epic endgame called Slay It, Don’t Spray It!
All will need to be at the top of their game to succeed showing off their vocal talent and busting some great moves in the studio. It’s going to be fun, fun and more fun!
★★★★★ NC
Cliff at Christmas, 9.35 pm, BBC One
Legendary pop star Sir Cliff Richard puts on a heartwarming seasonal show as he performs his most well-known Christmas songs including Mistletoe & Wine, plus Saviour’s Day as a duet with Andrea Corr. We get to hear other greatest hits including Devil Woman and We Don’t Talk Anymore, and there is chat, too, as Cliff joins Sara Cox to give the low-down on his incredible Cliff-tastic 64-year career.
It’s followed by Sir Cliff Richard at the BBC (10.45pm) and Cliff Richard: Live at the Albert Hall (11.45pm), while earlier today you can see the film Summer Holiday (11.15am), starring Cliff and The Shadows, which celebrates its 60th anniversary next year.
★★★★ NC
The Snowman: The Film that Changed Christmas, 5 pm, Channel 4
To mark 40 years since The Snowman first aired, we meet the team behind the much-loved animation, with contributions from composer Howard Blake, as well as the storyboard artists who brought Raymond Briggs’ book to life. We also hear from Peter Auty, who sang Walking in the Air for the 1982 film when he was 13 years old, while there’s a touching tribute to Briggs, who died in August. The Snowman and its sequel The Snowman and the Snowdog follow at 6pm and 6.30pm.
★★★★ HD
Best box set on TV tonight
Motherland, Netflix or BBC iPlayer
With the Motherland Christmas special heading our way in a couple of weeks, it's the perfect time to re-watch or try the original series. The popular BBC comedy explores the trials and traumas of middle-class motherhood with plenty of hilarious and cringeworthy moments along the way.
What's more, it's got an all-star cast including Anna Maxwell Martin, Lucy Punch, Paul Ready, Philippa Dunne and Diane Morgan, who all brilliantly play a variety of parents trying to balance life, work and kids.
Best film on TV tonight
Meet Me in St Louis, 2:20 pm, BBC Two
One of the very best MGM musicals of the 1940s, this is also a seasonal favourite, with a memorable scene featuring Judy Garland singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – the line ‘Some day soon, we all will be together’ particularly poignant at the time of the film’s release in 1944 during World War Two.
Other standout numbers include the joyous Trolley Song, while director Vincente Minnelli gives the whole movie a beautiful warm glow throughout, possibly influenced by the most personal of reasons – he and Judy Garland fell in love on the set and were married the following year.
★★★★ JP
Live Sport
- FIFA World Cup: Third place play-off (TBD), 2:30 pm (k-o 3 pm), BBC One
- Live Champions Cup Rugby: Exeter Chiefs v Bulls, 12:40 pm (k-o 1 pm), ITV1
If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…
Don't miss Strictly Come Dancing as we prepare to crown the latest winner of the competition.
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
