A definitive guide to the best telly on air next week!
Monday 7th December
C4, 8pm – Luxury Christmas For Less
This Christmas we all need all need a festive pick-me-up. We all want to indulge. But with money being tighter than ever, we want both quality and value. So Sabrina Grant and Helen Skelton reveal how to get a luxury Christmas for less. The consumer duo speak to former supermarket insiders and uncover what the supermarkets know about our tastes and our shopping habits - and reveal how consumers can use that knowledge to get a brilliant Christmas at bargain prices. The programme also reveals why you shouldn't be afraid of doing your special Christmas shop at a discounter - because there is a very good chance that you are buying the same quality product that's sold by the high-end stores, just with different branding. Retail psychologists reveal the covert role of party food in getting us to spend more than we need to, and why we are wasting money on champagne when we could get just as good fizz for half the price. Also, why buying the biggest oversize chocolates and biscuits in the store almost certainly means you aren't getting the best bang for your buck. And Sabrina and Helen reveal the secret to buying a turkey and what separates the luxury mince pies from the rest.
C4, 9pm – Inside Poundland: Secrets From The Shop Floor (1/2)
It's sink or swim on the high street, and while many retailers are closing down stores, chains are going into administration and the UK's streets are full of boarded up premises, Poundland are investing millions on opening new stores, undergoing refits and launching new product ranges. Their mission is to shed their 'bargain basement' reputation and go upmarket in a bid to attract new customers. At a time when retail is in massive decline, can Poundland possibly grow their billion-pound empire and if so, what's their secret? In this episode, we meet managing director Barry, not in the boardroom devising strategy, but shoving pizzas into freezers in the Walsall branch of Poundland. He's there to help with the launch of their new enterprise 'Project Diamond' - a multi-million-pound investment into giving stores a makeover and branching into new product lines like frozen and chilled food. Retail director Austin visits the Glenrothes store, to see for himself why HQ has decided to plough so much money into shop refits. And in Poundland's next attempt to go upmarket and to change the public perception as selling cheap and poor-quality goods, the PR team devise a stunt to drum up publicity around the launch of an aspirational new line in trendy homeware. They invent a fake Swedish homeware brand called Lündon Pad - a cunning anagram of Poundland - and dress a shop window in Mayfair with their cushions and ornaments, hoping that the public will think that the items would set them back hundreds.
Tuesday 8th December
C4, 9pm – The Truth About Amazon: Can You Trust It This Christmas?
The first Covid-19 Christmas is going to look very different. With the high street effectively closed, Amazon is poised to cash in more than ever. If Amazon is the new normal in retail, then this show is an invaluable guide to how to make your cash go further. While many are feeling the pinch about money, we are also desperate for some festive joy, meaning this is essential viewing for tips and tricks on what to buy and what not to buy on Amazon this Christmas. Helen Skelton and Sabrina Grant show how to find hidden discounts on your favourite premium-brand items. They investigate the mysterious Amazon parcels that arrive full of goods you never ordered; and they explain why you should be very wary of buying children's toys on the site.
M4, 11.05pm – John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky
The untold story of John Lennon's album Imagine, released in 1971. The underlying message was one of radical engagement, as relevant today as ever. This film reveals the depth of the creative collaboration between John and Yoko and explores how the art, politics and music of the pair are intrinsically entwined. The album, and its iconic title track, shows the genius behind the music that defined a movement and marked an era. Above Us Only Sky recounts a story of hope, justice, empathy and love. Featuring interviews from Yoko Ono, Julian Lennon, David Bailey (photographer), John Dunbar (gallerist who introduced the couple), Dan Richter (Yoko's neighbour and John's former personal assistant) and Eddie Veale (studio designer), some of whom have never spoken publicly on film before, as well as never-seen-before footage of Lennon and Ono from their private archive. John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky recreates the era's mood and culture, in the process confirming not only how revolutionary John and Yoko's writings, commentaries and art were to their time, but also how relevant their message remains today.
Wednesday 9th December
E4, 7.30pm – Taskmaster (S6E4)
Comedy game show. Alice Levine, Asim Chaudhry, Liza Tarbuck, Russell Howard and Tim Vine continue to fight it out for the right to have Taskmaster Greg Davies' golden skull proudly displayed on their mantelpiece. Tim strips to his waist, Russell gets some macho tattoos and Alice apes Leonardo da Vinci using squirty cream. Alex Horne provides crucial stats and analysis that Greg may or may not pay attention to.
C4, 9pm – Christmas In New York: Inside the Plaza
Christmas in New York comes to life in this exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan: one of the most famous hotels in the world. Steeped in over 100 years of history and having featured in countless movies, the iconic Fifth Avenue institution has played host to a vast array of guests including celebrities, socialites and presidents. The festive period is when the hotel truly comes into its own as a popular destination: the Plaza and its traditions are synonymous with Christmas in the Big Apple. This access-all-areas documentary follows the staff - from butlers and chefs, to reception and housekeeping - at their busiest time of the year when there's not a free room to be found. From arranging a taste of Christmas movie magic with themed £3000 welcome packages to planning the hotel's star attraction, the Grand Christmas Buffet, viewers get priority access to see how much effort goes into ensuring that 400 guests have the happiest holidays. We also meet the guests who are willing to spend up to £30,000 a night for the Christmas holiday of a lifetime - and who expect a five-star service like no other.
Thursday 10th December
C4, 8pm – Snackmasters: Quavers (S2E1)
The show where Fred Sirieix sets a challenge for top chefs to create some of our best-loved snacks returns. For the start of the new series, Fred sets two leading chefs the extraordinary challenge of creating a perfect replica of a lunchbox legend - a packet of Quavers. These curly, cheesy snacks are easy to take for granted, but recreating them proves to be a near-impossible task for Anna Haugh and Aktar Islam. Anna, from upmarket Chelsea restaurant Myrtle, learned her trade from the likes of Gordon Ramsay. Aktar Islam is renowned as a highly technical chef and holds a Michelin star at high-class Opheem in his home city, Birmingham. Both chefs need to draw on their decades of fine dining experience - not to mention some ingenious repurposing of household gadgets - as they attempt to replicate the finer details of Quavers' delicate texture and cheesy taste. After seven days and seven sleepless nights, the chefs cook their replicas head to head for a panel of Quavers big cheeses, who will pick a winner. As the chefs cook, Jayde Adams heads deep into the Quavers factory to find out what our chefs have got right and where they're going wrong.
M4, 10pm – Impossible Builds: House In A Valley
Charlie Luxton meets ambitious families who are building innovative bespoke homes in some of the UK's most remote and challenging locations. This episode follows a fearless single mum pioneering a brand-new, beehive-inspired 'kit' home on her seriously steep plot in the picture-perfect Tamar Valley. Fiona Oliver has lived in the idyllic village of Calstock in Cornwall for almost her whole life. After her marriage broke down, she had to move into rented accommodation. She's now struggling to keep up with all the bills and dreams of a place to call her own. There are no houses she can afford on the market, but she has managed to buy a one and a half-acre field on the edge of the village. The plot is seriously steep and access is severely limited, making traditional house-building almost impossible. To add to these challenges, Fiona has a budget of just £90,000 to spend on the build. She has to think outside the box and agrees to pioneer an extraordinary new concept inspired by beehives. An experimental kit home company prefabricate individual hexagonal modules at their workshop in Wigan and then assemble them by hand on site. But innovation is a risky business. As teething problems arise and the team try and squeeze the whole house on one lorry, the schedule and budget begin to spiral out of control.
Friday 11th December
E4, 7pm – Hollyoaks Friday Favourites
A look back at a classic episode of the soap from 1998. Mandy goes missing, and her boyfriend Sol is questioned by the police. Elsewhere, Lucy feels pushed out of the family business when Kurt seems to be getting all the golden opportunities. And Jude hopes to make a quick buck by selling illegal booze behind the bar.
C4, 8pm – Jo Brand’s How To Stay Sane In A Mad World
Jo Brand embarks on an alphabetic romp as she reveals the most fun, creative and Covid-friendly ways to stay sane during the pandemic. From health to horticulture, QR codes to UV rays, and hibernation to isolation, this A-Z guide is brimming with expert advice to keep you fighting fit and mentally strong. Along with a host of famous faces, Jo has tips, quips and tonnes of takeout to make surviving the pandemic as easy as ABC.
Saturday 12th December
C4, 12.30pm – Live Heineken Champions Cup Rugby: Bristol v Clermont
Lee McKenzie presents live coverage of the opening game of the 26th season of the Heineken Champions Cup. European Challenge Cup winners Bristol Bears host French giants Clermont Auvergne at Ashton Gate in what should be an exciting end-to-end game of rugby. Ed Jackson reports, with Miles Harrison providing commentary. The coverage is also preceded by The Big Tackle, on Channel 4 at 7:30am on the same day.
C4, 6pm – Scotland: My Life In The Wild
Lee McKenzie presents live coverage of the opening game of the 26th season of the Heineken Champions Cup. European Challenge Cup winners Bristol Bears host French giants Clermont Auvergne at Ashton Gate in what should be an exciting end-to-end game of rugby. Ed Jackson reports, with Miles Harrison providing commentary. The coverage is also preceded by The Big Tackle, on Channel 4 at 7:30am on the same day.
Sunday 13th December
C4, 5.30pm – Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Highlights
Steve Jones, David Coulthard and Mark Webber present highlights from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. After an exciting six months, the F1 season draws to a close at the stunning Yas Marina circuit. While the championship is already decided, this day to night race still promises to be an exciting end of season contest to decide the final all-important positions.
C4, 10.55pm – The Red Shadows: Walter Presents
Walter Presents - which showcases the best foreign language drama series from around the world - continues with this absorbing French crime drama. For 25 years, Aurore Garnier, a police officer on the Cote d'Azur, has been obsessed with the abduction of her four-year-old sister Clara, an action that also led to the death of their mother. When the body of a petty criminal is found, Aurore and her partner Antoine go to his last known address but wind up in a shootout. While escaping, their adversary drops a packet of photos of a woman who Aurore instantly believes is her lost sister. Antoine traces the woman, Clara Ivaldi, to a town over the border in Italy, but when they meet, Clara denies that she is Aurore's sister. Does she know more than she is saying? Meanwhile, Aurore's grandparents are about to sell the family estate: a decision that will produce needed money but also conflict as not all members of the family will benefit. In French with English subtitles. The full series is available from December 11, free to view or download, on All4.
