All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special, Strictly Come Dancing final and Royal Variety: TV highlights this week

Strictly Come Dancing: The Final (Saturday 16/12/23, BBC1, 7pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

Back in September, 15 celebrities took to the Strictly dancefloor for the first time, and many viewers were struck by how high the standard was.

Admittedly, Les Dennis struggled a bit, but he was also the first to be voted out.

Meanwhile, the likes of Ellie Leach, Layton Williams and Nigel Harman quickly emerged as frontrunners, while much of the social media chatter focused on 78-year-old Angela Rippon (she turned 79 during the run), who proved that she was still impressively flexible with a leg-raising cha cha.

Even further down the table, the celebs made an impression – many viewers would probably admit they didn’t have high hopes for newsreader Krishnan Guru-Murthy, but he defied expectations and made it all the way to a very respectable week eight.

Some people who made strong starts later faltered – comedian Eddie Kadi became the first celebrity to score a 10 for his movie week couples’ choice, but it seemed the judges felt he was less strong in dances where there were rules about footwork, and he was eliminated in week five.

Former soap star Adam Thomas also bowed out earlier than some people would have expected, while Amanda Abbington picked up high scores in the first four weeks, but then withdrew from the competition, meaning we didn’t get to find out how far she could go.

Angela Rippon bowed out at Blackpool, and Angela Scanlon went the week after, despite having picked up 10s in the previous show for a sultry Argentine Tango.

Annabel Croft proved to have more staying power than many people were expecting – although she’d been elegant in the ballroom dances, not many viewers had her down as a Latin girl until she surprised us with a samba – and after seemingly plateauing at midtable, EastEnders star Bobby Brazier moved the judges to tears with an emotional couple’s choice.

Then the show was thrown a curveball when Nigel suffered an injury ahead of his Musicals Week Charleston and had to withdraw. It meant that the dance-off was cancelled and the remaining celebs got to carry their marks through to the semi-final.

But as we reach the final, will we be in for any other surprises?

What we do know is that Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are on presenting duties as the remaining couples perform their own favourite routine, a dance chosen for them by judges and their no-holds-barred showdance.

Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke will be scoring their efforts, but their marks are only for guidance – it’s the viewers who decide who will follow in the footsteps of 2022 champions Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal.

The class of 2023 are set to return for a group routine (or at least the ones who aren’t injured), and if previous years are anything to go by, we should probably also expect some talking head VTs from members of the public about their favourite moments from the series.

And of course, an epic show deserves an epic guest – and the show’s bosses have delivered with a true legend, Cher.

The Royal Variety Performance 2023 (Sunday 17/12/23, ITV1, 8pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

The nights are getting longer, the days are colder and Christmas is just around the corner.

All those events, when added up, can only mean one thing – it’s time for the Royal Variety Performance, that cheerful annual jamboree that, in a way, takes us back in time to an era when variety shows were the height of showbiz sophistication.

So, if you’re a fan of this cosily old fashioned form of entertainment, then this should be the highlight of your televisual year.

King George V and Queen Mary were the royal attendees for the first show back on July 1, 1912. The King must have enjoyed it a lot because he said from then on he would attend an annual variety show provided the profits went to the Variety Artistes Benevolent Fund.

It was later renamed the Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund, and is now known simply as the Royal Variety Charity. But one thing that hasn’t altered over the years is the fact it enjoys royal patronage. Unfortunately, the event didn’t take place for 16 years due to the World Wars and various periods of royal mourning, but for the past few decades, it’s been a mainstay in our calendars.

This year’s shindig took place at London’s magnificent Royal Albert Hall on November 30, with the Prince and Princess of Wales in attendance, alongside the Crown Princess of Sweden and her husband Prince Daniel, Duke of Vastergotland. Now we’re getting a chance to see how the participants, including Britain’s Got Talent Winner, Norwegian comedian Viggo Venn, got on – if he was wearing his trademark hi-vis costume, we should certainly be able to spot him: “I wear so many high-vis because it’s really cold in Norway,” he told the audience during the BGT final.

It’s pretty chilly over here at this time of year, although we’re promised several heartwarming performances, as host Bradley Walsh was quick to note: “I am so excited to be presenting this year’s show. It’s been 30 years since I first performed at The Royal Variety Performance, so what an absolute honour to be hosting. The line-up is incredible and I can’t wait for you all to see what I have in store.”

Cher headlines the evening, performing a track from her new Christmas album, and there’s also a 100th anniversary celebration of Disney to enjoy featuring the casts of West End hits The Lion King, Frozen, Aladdin, Hercules and Beauty & the Beast. Be prepared for an emotional tribute to theatre impresario Bill Kenwright too, who passed away in October. It will be performed by his fellow Liverpudlian Melanie C and stage star Ben Forster.

Also appearing are McFly as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations, the mighty Hannah Waddingham, Rick Astley, Paloma Faith, Beverley Knight, Tom Allen, Rosie Jones and Ellie Taylor.

Plus, pianist Lang Lang appears alongside Lucy, the remarkable 14-year-old winner of Channel 4’s The Piano.

We’re sure everything went well, but even if the odd moment misfires, the acts and routines come thick and fast – so there’s always something else to look forward to.

Vanishing Act (Monday 18/12/23, ITV1, 9pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

November 2020 was an odd time in our lives. Covid was still wreaking havoc around the world, including in Australia, with travellers subject to a period in mandatory quarantine.

As a result, moving around wasn’t easy and was probably frowned upon. You would also, one would imagine, be quite noticeable if you popped up somewhere you shouldn’t be. Nevertheless, Melissa Caddick managed to vanish right from under the authorities’ noses – apart from the grisly discovery of a dismembered foot still in its trainer, she hasn’t been seen since and was eventually declared dead.

The 49-year-old disappeared a day after agents from the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) and police officers raided her property in the affluent area of Dover Heights in Sydney.

They suspected she had been carrying out financial services without a licence and may have misappropriated millions from investors, including friends and family, as part of a Ponzi scheme.

The case has been turned into a three-part drama starring former Wentworth actor Kate Atkinson. It was premiered in the UK via the streaming service ITVX during the summer, and now it – and its accompanying documentary, The Real Vanishing Act: Missing Millionairess – are heading onto ITV1.

The latter features interviews with Caddick’s second husband (the pair were still married at the time of her disappearance), hairdresser Anthony Koletti, who claims he feels a sense of injustice over how he was treated by the police after initially being a suspect in her death.

“There’s definitely injustice there,” he says. “But the police very quickly corrected their opinion of me because they had the truth. I can’t feel any resentment towards the police whatsoever.”

As for his wife, he has very clear memories of what life was like around the time the police began closing in: “I could tell that she was under a lot of pressure and stress. I just sort of tried to calm her down and managed to do it. And yeah, that was really it. I think anyone in that circumstance will be overwhelmed. Even for me it was a lot having to manage that and her son (from a previous relationship).

“I was the most in-the-dark person out of everyone. I’m a very straight and narrow person. I just make people feel good about themselves by fixing their hair up! I’m a pretty simple creature. So I didn’t, especially at that point, understand the financial industry whatsoever.”

Koletti has lost his home and many of his possessions during the past three years as creditors attempted to claw back some of the money taken from them. And yet, he appears to feel no bitterness, although he has learned some valuable lessons along the way.

“Nothing hurts worse than the loss of a loved one, especially someone that you love 100 per cent, so anything else that changes is no comparison, really. I think the rest of it is just sort of dealing with it.

“Love is more powerful than money. And you learn that when you go through my situation. You can’t replace a human being but you can certainly replace money. I’m a living example of that.”

BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2023 (Tuesday 19/12/23, BBC One, 7pm)

Words by Richard Jones

In the 69 years since Christopher Chataway beat follow runner Roger Bannister and show jumper Pat Smythe to be named the first ever BBC Sportsview’s Personality of the Year, the annual awards ceremony has been full of magical moments.

“One of my favourite early SPOTYs was 1981, the year Ian Botham won the main prize,” says Gary Lineker who is a presenter once again this year.

“That year’s Ashes which England won became known as ‘Botham’s Ashes’. He was sublime throughout.”

Lineker’s colleague Gabby Logan, adds: “My earliest SPOTY memory is 1984 Torvill and Dean, I am sure I voted for them in the back of the Radio Times. I was fairly obsessed by them.”

Meanwhile, Clare Balding has a family connection to the occasion, she says: “My father trained a horse called Mill Reef, and on the show in 1972 they did a live link up with him in the stable where he was recovering from surgery to mend a broken leg. Harry Carpenter did an interview with Dad.”

Finally, Alex Scott, who completes the hosting line-up at MediaCityUK in Salford tonight, also has special personal memories.

“In 2007 – I think that was the first time I actually attended as an England player – I was blown away that I was even in the room with so many sporting icons.”

From the Lionesses making it to the FIFA Women’s World Cup final, to Europe taking home the Ryder Cup, there is plenty for Gary, Gabby, Clare and Alex to look back on.

Team GB celebrated success at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, while the men’s and women’s Ashes and UCI Cycling World Championships took place on UK soil.

Plus, England came nail-bitingly close in the semi-final of the men’s Rugby World Cup, and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City secured the treble – the only team to do so since Manchester United’s class of ’99.

England and Arsenal forward Beth Mead was voted Sports Personality of the Year in 2022 after being crowned player of the tournament and top scorer during the Lionesses’ Euros triumph.

And the overwhelming favourite this year, is one of her teammates, Mary Earps.

The 30-year-old Manchester United goalkeeper was influential in helping England reach the World Cup final in Sydney and earned the prestigious Golden Glove award.

Earps also drew plaudits when getting Nike to reverse their decision not to manufacture a replica jersey with her name on it.

Behind her in the betting is retired England cricketer Stuart Broad, who ended his glittering career when bowling England to a dramatic victory in the fifth Ashes Test against Australia.

Other contenders are jockey Frankie Dettori, who has recently reversed his decision to retire, and Katarina Johnson-Thompson who claimed a stunning heptathlon gold at the World Championships in Budapest.

It is sure to be a memorable night in Salford as awards are handed out in eight categories – BBC Sports Personality of the Year; World Sport Star of the Year; Helen Rollason award; Young Sports Personality of the Year; Unsung Hero; Coach of the Year; Team of the Year; and the Lifetime Achievement award.

Despite now running for seven decades, Lineker, for one, believes that the awards have lost none of their prestige.

“Sport is so important,” the MOTD host says. “It allows for escapism, it gets our juices flowing. So, recognising greatness is naturally important too.”

Celebrity MasterChef: Christmas Cook Off 2023 (Wednesday 20/12/23, BBC1, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

Cooking Christmas dinner can be stressful enough when it’s just for your nearest and supposedly dearest. So, imagine how much worse it would be if you were doing it in front of the cameras, and then John Torode and Gregg Wallace were going to judge your efforts.

Luckily, the famous faces taking part in Celebrity MasterChef: Christmas Cook-Off 2023 can’t claim that they didn’t know what they were letting themselves in for as they are all contestants from previous series.

All Saint’s Mel Blatt was a finalist last year, and her appearance in this festive edition caps of a busy 2023 – she also competed in the recent Celebrity Race Across the World, so going back into the MasterChef kitchen may seem like a breeze in comparison.

She’ll be taking on her fellow pop star Ducan James of Blue, who last wore the apron back in 2021.

Like Mel, actor and comedian Richard Blackwood competed in the 2022 series, as did Love Island veteran Faye Winter.

None of them lifted the trophy in their series (the 2021 champion was Kadeena Cox, while Lisa Snowdown claimed victory in 2022), but now they are hoping to claim the bragging rights that come with being Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Champion. If they are successful, they’ll also take home the ultimate Christmas present – the much-coveted Golden Whisk trophy.

Before that though, they need to wow with two challenges. The first is guaranteed to bring some sunshine into their lives, as they create a dish reflective of Australia during the festive season, where it’s summer.

Using a set of ingredients which are found in their Secret Santa Mystery Box, they’ll whip up something that will hopefully impress not just Gregg Wallace and Melbourne-born John Torode, but also Aussie legend, Peter Andre.

Then for their second challenge, they will whip up their ultimate Christmas dinner using well-known seasonal ingredients. They are free put their own twist on any seasonal favourites, but the two courses must have passion, personality and be packed with yule flavours.

After that, the judges will reveal the identity of the winner, but that isn’t the end of the festive MasterChef fun.

There’s another special due this Christmas in the form of MasterChef: Battle of the Critics 2023. It sees Leyla Kazim, William Sitwell, Jay Rayner, Jimi Famurewa and Grace Dent (who also did a recent stint in I’m a Celebrity) having the tables turned on them as they cook for the judges and returning champions Ping Coombes (MasterChef 2014), Kenny Tutt (MasterChef 2018) and Nikita Pathakji (MasterChef: The Professionals 2022).

The critics know good food when they taste it, but can they make it themselves? How will they take being the ones under scrutiny? And will any of the returning contestants feel like they have a score to settle?

We’ll find out as they go head to head to compete for the coveted Golden Cutlery trophy

All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special 2023 (Thursday 21/12/23, Channel 5, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

Channel 5’s drama based on the books by James Herriot has become a huge favourite with viewers all over the world, to the point that the Yorkshire town of Grassington, which stands in for the fictional town of Darrowby, has become a tourist destination for All Creatures Great and Small fans.

Nicholas Ralph, who plays James, reveals he encountered quite a few of them while filming the most recent series. He says: “We met families from America that were over, just off the back of the show, not expecting to see anything, and they were bumping into us at Grassington.

“It’s really cool to see how the show is having that effect as well, in these other countries, to the point where people want to come over and visit.”

He adds: “There was one lady… she’s been at Grassington every year now trying to meet us, because she named her sons Tristan and James. So she was like: ‘This is like the fourth time I’ve been up, it’s so nice to meet you’, and I was like: ‘I’m really happy to meet you, like, I’m so glad I met you! Your sons are called James and Tristan, brilliant!’”

If you want further proof that the drama is a hit, then look no further than this evening’s Channel 5 schedule. Not only are we being treated to a Christmas episode, but it’s preceded by the crossover documentary All Creatures Great and Small: Yorkshire Vet Special.

It finds Peter Wright and Shona Searson from The Yorkshire Vet getting a sneak peek of this year’s festive edition when they visit the set. They will be whisked back to the 1940s, and Peter is given the opportunity to appear in the series himself.

Then it’s the turn of actors Anna Madeley (Mrs Hall) and Samuel West (Siegfried Farnon) to sample the real life of a contemporary Yorkshire vet. They’re also keen to learn more about the life of James Heriot, and Peter is the perfect man to ask – not only did he work with the author, whose real name was Alf Wight, but he also knew Donald Sinclair, the inspiration for Siegfried.

Then at 9pm, we get the festive special itself as Christmas approaches and James finds himself miles away from Darrowby at the RAF training base.

An emotional phone call from a heavily pregnant Helen makes him determined to make it home, but his wife may not be the only one who needs him – it turns out that RAF mascot Georgie also requires his help. Can James find a way to do his duty as a vet, a serviceman and a father-to-be, and still be back to spend the big day with his wife?

Back in Darrowby, Mrs Hall is keeping the home fires burning as she prepares a community celebration. Siegfried and Carmody argue over who is going to Father Christmas – you’ll have to tune in to see if they both want the job, or if one of them is trying to get out of it.

The Madame Blanc Mysteries Christmas Special (Friday 22/12/23, Channel 5, 9pm)

Words by Richard Jones

With its ingenious murders, sun-kissed location, regular cast of eccentric characters, and a mix of romance and bickering between the sleuth and her sidekick, The Madame Blanc Mysteries certainly ticks all the boxes when it comes to light-hearted TV detective dramas.

But with that particular genre a crowded field, what makes the beloved Channel 5 series stand out?

“It’s the antidote to horrible days,” creator and star Sally Lindsay told the Metro. “That’s what we wanted – clever mysteries and something to keep your mind entertained.

“Just a lovely set of characters who you want to go and have a drink with, where there’s loads of sunshine.

“That’s what I want in a TV programme myself, which is sort of why I made it up. It’s like Lovejoy on Sea, or Bergerac.

“At the time, Escape To The Chateau was massive and I thought it would be great to set something in France based on a lovely antiques dealer called Jan. She’s a pundit on Dickinson’s Real Deal and I met her on holiday about six years ago.”

Despite being set in France in the fictional village of Sainte Victoire (dubbed ‘the Cabot Cove of France’), The Madame Blanc Mysteries isn’t filmed there at all, but in a different part of the Med – Malta.

Sally explains: “That was a pandemic thing because France was more ‘shut’ than we were. We wanted to film it in 2021 and the only place that was remotely open was Gozo, which is a tiny island north of Malta.”

And what about the lead character – does Sally think the lead character is anything like her? “Well, Jean is definitely me,” she insists.

“I created her because I love the character. Our production company does like to create strong female roles for other actors as well. That’s my ambition. You always like to create work for yourself but I’m really interested in creating roles for other women.”

In this second Christmas special, ahead of a full third series in 2024, Judith (Sue Holderness) and Jeremy (Robin Askwith) have arranged for their friends to attend a murder mystery night at a hotel with a spooky history.

So Jean, Dom (Steve Edge), Caron (Alex Gaumond) and Gloria (Sue Vincent) join them as they embark on a mini road trip to the Hotel Sanguinet approximately an hour away from Sainte Victoire.

Checking into the hotel they are met by Jeremy’s friends and hotel owners Martin and Lydia.

The couple are being financially crippled running of the hotel and are looking for new investors.

Their only staff member is Johnson, the Butler, inherited from the previous owner, who has worked at the hotel for many years.

When a terrible storm arrives and heavy rain pounds the hotel, it comes as no surprise to Jeremy who had predicted it by getting a feeling in his big toe.

As the murder mystery night progresses, events take a deadly turn when an actual death takes place.

While everyone else is asleep, Jean, still haunted by spooking goings on, decides to look around the hotel for clues with Dom.

Will they discover who the killer is and explain the ghostly goings on that have haunted Hotel Sanguinet for so long?