There’s a lot of comedy, 1970s retrospectives and music this year…
Only Fools and Horses: Greatest Christmas Moments.
This special programme is a 90 cushty treat celebrating all the festive editions of the evergreen sitcom. In a new and exclusive interview with acting royalty Sir David Jason, the great Del Boy himself, the actor shares his secrets from the Christmas sets.
The programme learns about the special that ran into overtime and cost the Beeb big bucks because Sir David kept corpsing. The programme hears how a shower cap inspired one of the show’s most iconic moments, how one Christmas special contained the most expensive joke in the BBC’s history and learn, for the first time, which of all the Christmas episodes is Sir David’s favourite.
Ronnie Corbett: My 30 Funniest Moments
This special 90-minute documentary celebrates the life of one of Britain’s most talented and loved comedians and comedy actors, Ronnie Corbett. The programme examines 30 moments from his incredible career spanning six decades which saw him go from early film roles and West End cabaret to starring in ground-breaking satirical sketches in the 60s to becoming one half of a beloved double act that dominated Saturday nights through the 70s and 80s.
In the 1980s he was starring in his own sitcom as the mollycoddled Timothy Lumsden in Sorry; and continuing through the 90s and 00s hosting and guesting in panel shows, sketch shows and a multitude of TV and film roles, including a stand-out cameo in Extras.
Britain’s Favourite Karaoke Songs
This Christmas, Channel 5 is giving you the chance to have your very own karaoke party in your own home with all the family, as they count down the 30 biggest and best karaoke tunes of all time! The special has amazing songs and lyrics on-screen, so all you have to do is grab a hairbrush (or other suitable pretend microphone) and get ready to sing your heart out!
Maybe it’s time to bring back Night Fever with Suggs and we can all pretend it’s 1997 again.
Britain’s Favourite 70s Sitcoms
A 60-minute special celebrating the funniest sitcoms of the 1970s – from hostile hoteliers to comedy convicts- with inside stories, hilarious moments and secrets from the shows.
With a host of celebrity guests, the documentary tells us about how Michael Crawford performed all his own slapstick stunts in Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, how the cast of The Good Life bonded over pea pod burgundy, how Fawlty Towers became a huge hit, and how a real-life affair inspired Carla Lane to write suburban sitcom Butterflies.
The 1970s Dinner Party
The makers of breakout nostalgia hit The 1970s Supermarket take another colourful trip back in time to the golden age of the dinner party. The show is bringing back the lost art of entertaining 70s style – for one night only – and resurrecting the show-off dinner party classics that have been lost to the sands of time.
In a suitably retro suburban house, Channel 5 is throwing a 1970s-style dinner party for four of the decade’s most famous faces. With Debbie McGee as host, TV chef Rustie Lee rustles up retro recipes for the guests; TV presenter Johnny Ball, pop star Cheryl Baker, actor Vicki Michelle and musician Leee John.
The guests tuck into a crazy take on fondue and crepes suzette, which provides the perfect 70s meal experience.
When 70s TV Goes Horribly Wrong
The ’70s – the decade when TV had flare and so did we. Its stars were gods and we used to dig them. But was it as groovy as we remember?
This compilation countdown has the less-than-perfect moments from the 70s’ biggest shows, including Fawlty Towers, Jukebox Jury and the very first episode of Question Time where an audience member stole the show for all the wrong reasons. Crossroads, Corrie and Carry On’s Sherrie Hewson, Doctor in the House star George Layton and Magpie host Jenny Hanley relive the moments they’d rather forget in this two-hour special narrated by icon Dame Penelope Keith.
Highlights include an appearance by the legendary Bill Oddie, who relives a rare outtake from The Goodies where the comedy called for him to smash a Gramophone record, but he ended up making a record of his own – for the most takes! Sheila Ferguson speaks when she was guest starring on Supersonic with her group The Three Degrees but was forced to call cut after swallowing some glitter falling from the lighting gantry. Plus, they’ve tracked down Blue Peter presenter Lesley Judd who takes us back to a time before Health and Safety was a thing.
Other highlights include the time a young Sue Lawley was underwhelmed by a guest on Nationwide who claimed he could jump on eggs without cracking them. Bob Hope has difficulty with a prop, causing steam to pour from his ears literally and metaphorically. And bad boys of rock The Who have a bizarre encounter with an unimpressed Russell Harty. Other interviewees include Tiswas star Sally James, Bless This House regular Sally Geeson and singer-songwriter Jona Lewie.
Britain’s Favourite Christmas Songs
Anton du Beke is the host with the most as he counts down 20 of the biggest and best Christmas songs of all time, including festive favourites from Wham!, Mariah Carey, Shakin’ Stevens and many more. Shall we Cliff Richard, maybe Womble or even Bing Crosby around the Christmas tree with Brenda Lee? We’ll have to wait and see who fills all the festive slots.
