Who will be crowned this year's Strictly champion?
This week's best telly includes this year's spectacular Royal Variety Performance, the return of Steven Frayne (previously known as Dynamo) and we finally get to crown this year's Strictly champions!
Plus, The Good Ship Murder returns to Channel 5 with a Christmas Special and Strike returns to BBC One with a new four-part series.
Here are 5 TV shows you can't miss this week...
1
GRAND FINAL
STRICTLY COME DANCING
Saturday 14th December at 6pm on BBC One
After months of dancing and many hours of training, it all comes down to this as this year's Strictly finalists will each perform three times, including a spectacular showdance, in a bid to be your 2024 Strictly Come Dancing champions.
But as Tess and Claudia welcome us to the biggest night in the ballroom, who will be the ones to lift that Glitterball Trophy at the end? Remember, the judges' scores are purely for guidance in the final, so the decision as to who wins lies entirely with you at home. So make sure you vote for your favourite couple!
Will it be Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell? Could Vito Coppola make it two wins in a row with Sarah Hadland? Despite facing the dreaded dance off twice, could Tasha Ghorri and Aljaž Škorjanec claim victory? Or will JB Gill and his second partner, Lauren Oakley, be crowed champions?
And to top it all off, Strictly's incredible professional dancers will be joining RAYE who returns to the ballroom for another incredible performance, and the cast of 2024 return to the dance floor for one last routine.
STREAM ON BBC IPLAYER
2
RETURNING ENTERTAINMENT
THE ROYAL VARIETY PERFORMANCE 2024
Sunday 15th December at 8pm on ITV1
This year, The Royal Variety Performance will be hosted by Amanda Holden and her TV hubby Alan Carr as the show returns to the magnificent Royal Albert Hall in London for what promises to be a spectacular evening, in the presence of King Charles III.
The show will feature an award winning performance from singer Sydnie Christmas, the winner of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, who will be accompanied by Dave Arch and The Royal Variety orchestra and there’ll be plenty more stellar performances from the worlds of music, theatre, comedy and variety. There'll also be music from this year’s Eurovision winner Nemo as well as James Bay and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
Elton John and David Furnish will introduce an eye-catching number from their brand new musical The Devil Wears Prada with star Vanessa Williams and cast. and there'll be an exclusive medley from Cameron Mackintosh’s eagerly awaited production of the much loved musical Oliver! as well as a jaw-dropping performance from the company of Andrew Lloyd Webber's smash hit musical Starlight Express.
The team behind The Play That Goes Wrong will be debuting a sneak preview from their new West End show The Comedy About Spies and Marisha Wallace will perform a show stopping number and also lead this year’s National Anthem accompanied by the Fanfare Trumpeters of the Band of the Welsh Guards.
Elsewhere, on the eve of their 50th anniversary, Penn and Teller will be flying in especially for the show and as they celebrate their 40th anniversary, Cirque Du Soleil will be performing a world exclusive from their Vegas show Ovo, plus the English National Ballet will perform Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from their eagerly awaited Christmas production of Nutcracker.
Stand up comedy this year will be provided by Ellie Taylor and Matt Forde who will give a review of the year, as well as Scott Bennett and Larry Dean.
And finally, Lorraine Kelly is set to make a very special appearance with her Change and Check Choir led by Marti Pellow as they perform Love Is All Around along with a special choir made up of women from across the UK who detected their breast cancer through Lorraine's trail-blazing campaign.
STREAM ON ITVX
3
RETURNING DRAMA
STRIKE: THE INK BLACK HEART
Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th December at 9pm on BBC One
This week sees the return of Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger as Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott in Strike: The Ink Black Heart, the latest adaptation of Robert Galbraith's best-selling crime novels.
This time, private detective Cormoran Strike is visiting his family in Cornwall when he’s approached by a woman asking for help finding her mother, Margot Bamborough, who went missing under mysterious circumstances in 1974.
Strike’s never tackled a cold case, before let alone one 40 years old, but despite the slim chance of success he’s intrigued and takes it on, adding to the long list of cases that he and his partner in the agency Robin Ellacott are currently working on. And Robin herself is also juggling a messy divorce and unwanted male attention, as well as battling her own feelings about Strike.
As Strike and Robin investigate Margot’s disappearance, they come up against a fiendishly complex case with leads that include tarot cards, a psychopathic serial killer and witnesses who cannot all be trusted. And they learn even cases 40 years old can prove to be deadly.
4 EPISODES CONTINUES NIGHTLY
STREAM ON BBC IPLAYER ALL EPISODES AVAILABLE
4
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
THE GOOD SHIP MURDER
Wednesday 18th December at 9pm on Channel 5
Ahead of a brand new series of The Good Ship Murder in January, Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley return with a brand new Christmas Special and the holiday season is off to a rocky start when the ship’s resident Santa falls ill, threatening to disappoint the passengers.
Bev puts Jack in charge of finding a replacement Santa, and his search leads him to Buddy, a veteran comedian in Dubrovnik who seems like the perfect fit. However, unexpected events complicate Jack’s plan, leaving everyone scrambling to save Christmas on board…
Meanwhile, Jamil sees the Santa situation as his big chance. Inspired by Jack and dreaming of a life on stage, he volunteers to play an elf, diving into the role with enthusiasm and giving it his all.
Jack sets himself a personal mission: to rekindle Kate’s Christmas spirit and show her the magic of the festive season. As they spend more time together, their connection deepens, leaving everyone wondering if this Christmas will bring them closer together.
In the midst of the holiday excitement, there’s a bit of tension between Kate and Piers as they navigate working together after their breakup. Piers faces a new career opportunity, prompting him to consider a big decision about his future.
Adding to the ship’s changing dynamic, the new Head of Security, Frankie, steps into her role and quickly makes her presence known. Bev, too, is faced with an exciting new opportunity that could lead her to embark on a fresh chapter
STREAM ON MY5
6
BRAND NEW SPECIAL
MIRACLES
Thursday 19th December at 9pm on Sky Max
Steven Frayne, the magician formerly known as Dynamo, is back this Christmas with Miracles, an epic new show which sees him return to his roots, and wow people like never before by taking his magic back to the streets, stunning huge crowds as he goes.
After his dramatic rebirth in the epic conclusion of Dynamo Is Dead last year, Britain’s greatest magician is setting out on a journey around the country, unearthing everyday heroes and delivering mind-blowing magic.
Throughout the show, magic builds to an astonishing climax in which Steven will take the ultimate risk, pushing himself to the limit for a death-defying finale: the miracle to end all miracles. Get ready for a show filled with inspiration, wonder, and pure magic, as Steven Frayne once again defies belief.
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