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Christmas TV Listings

(November 2004)

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OH
ohwhatanight Founding member
Yes the Christmas Eve listing was printed in The Daily Mirror upto and including New Year's Eve.

Im quite surprised at how ITV1 are filling their morning schedule with Catchphrase, Youve Been Framed and Wheel Of Fortune! Surely this is gameshow overkill?

Also worthy of note, is that Corrie begins at 20:00 for an hour on Christmas Day Night (!) where as Enders is on for its second episode at 20:25. Do BBC/ITV usually schedule that there is an overlap or has all good will gone out of the window and this is further evidence of the soap battle?

All channels seem to have a very boring, lack lustre line up of Christmas programmes unless they are all hidden under the TBA guise.

I would surely have expected Christmas editions of John Culshaw, Harry Hill, Frank Skinner Show, 2d-TV on ITV1 but there doesn't seem any specials scheduled so far. No other channel has details of any particular Christmas specials either! Lets hope some do appear on ALL channels nearer the date!
WI
Wicko
I got the Daily Mirror this morning. I was flabbergasted to see Harry Potter scheduled on Boxing Day and Bend It like Beckham scheduled at 6.25 on Christmas night. Also the only evening programmes confirmed for Christmas Eve is EastEnders and jonathan Ross. No change there then so I am expecting the Christmas eve Line Up to be something like this:

6.10 Dear Father Christmas
7.00 EastEnders Christmas Party
8.00 EastEnders
8.30 My Dad's the Prime Minister
9.00 Christmas National Lottery Draws
9.15 My Family Christmas Special
9.45 Absolutely Fabulous
10.20 Christmas Eve with Jonathan Ross
11.35 BBC News,weather
11.45 Christmas Eve Service
12.50 FILM: Carry On Camping

That's how I think it will look on Christmas Eve. What do you think. personally the TV Guides are the worst ever this year with the amount of TBA's listed in them, so speculation is going to be rife!
ST
STEVE 03
I think the rough early xmas schedules are looking really promising this year with a good lineup by the looks of things, although with the amount of TBA's in the schedules there are likely to be many more highlights added to the schedule in the coming days.
As a fan of the old films I am particularly pleased to see that BBC2 are showing a selection of vintage gems throughout the xmas schedules. I was expecting White Christmas to be on again this xmas and I was right although it's getting aired on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day this year. It also looks like BBC2 are showing a season of Hitchcock films too over the xmas period which is perfect scheduling for old film fans like myself.
Overall though, in spite of the number of TBA's in the schedules, I'm very impressed so far Smile
HC
Hatton Cross
Steviewizzywick posted:
I got the Daily Mirror this morning. I was flabbergasted to see Harry Potter scheduled on Boxing Day and Bend It like Beckham scheduled at 6.25 on Christmas night.


Anyone spot the false BBC programming move designed to trip ITV1 up..? Laughing
:-(
A former member
Have seen them too. Remember it is early days yet and they say themselves that it is very subject to alteration. Potter will be christmasday, Shrek Boxing day for definite. Cool
NW
nwtv2003
James Vertigan posted:
11:00 Wheel of Fortune
11:30 Catchphrase


I thought these two programmes had been axed!!?! I know Catchphrase gets the odd outing, but Wheel of Fortune? That's not been on for about 2 and a half years now! Must be an error...
FA
fanoftv
nwtv2003 posted:
James Vertigan posted:
11:00 Wheel of Fortune
11:30 Catchphrase


I thought these two programmes had been axed!!?! I know Catchphrase gets the odd outing, but Wheel of Fortune? That's not been on for about 2 and a half years now! Must be an error...


They are no doubt going to be repeats, plus Family Fortunes is airing in the 5pm slot. Whether this will take over when Paul O Grady finishes in a couple of weeks, or whether it's just for Christmas Week.

With Christmas Day being the Saturday, I expected ITV1 to have a normal-ish schedule for the week, as many schools and work places aren't finishing until the middle of the week.

The movies in the morning is a nice change. Though I can't see why they can't keep this morning on until at least thursday, even if they were pre recorded.
With the 1pm being a To Be Announced, I'm expecting Des & Mel to be on as it only started back last week.
They could have sloted the the quizzes in at 2pm, and basically keep the usual schedule until Christmas Eve.

It's strange of them not bringing back the Christmas Show. Even though it's nothing in comparison to Paul O Grady, it was festive and fun and surely better than a repeat of Family Fortunes!

I'm also shocked that ITV seem to have NO Christmas Special editions of programmes, so far. It's all made up of Old Films and old documentaries about the old films, one off dramas and soaps!
There aren't any of the comedies, even though they've tried all year to build up their comedy commitments, not even a light entertainment programme (bar the quiz and an audience with repeats), they can't even manage a pre recorded Takeaway for the Big Day.

BBC One looks like the best line up especially if all of the comedy specials of Ab Fab and My Family, etc go into the Christmas Eve spot, which with it being a Friday is the right place.
The films on BBC One look most appealing as well, though I supposee that they can keep all of their good films until Christmas, where as ITV neeed the revenue leading up to it.
Surely advertisers will want to use the week leading up to Christmas, that's why I don't understand why there's not much effort!

The only thing, as has been said is that surely they will change Harry Potter and Bend It Like Beckham around, or move Harry Potter to the current Shrek Christmas Day slot.

In the front of the Mirror Christmas Guide, it lists ITV's attempt to fight back at Shrek with the Grinch, but wasn't this a movie premiere last year?
AN
Andrew Founding member
My favourite is BBC1 Christmas Day....

6.00 Breakfast
10.00 To Be Announced
3.00 The Queen

Can't wait!

The BBC1 New Year's Eve programme is interesting as well!!

Those talking about EastEnders and Corrie clashing, I doubt either will go out at the times billed, all the films will be on different days. In fact, make sure you save today's pullouts and compare them with the Radio Times come 7th December, should be a good laugh!
AD
Adam
nwtv2003 posted:
James Vertigan posted:
11:00 Wheel of Fortune
11:30 Catchphrase


I thought these two programmes had been axed!!?! I know Catchphrase gets the odd outing, but Wheel of Fortune? That's not been on for about 2 and a half years now! Must be an error...


I hope not, I love gameshows. Bring back Bruce's Price is Right I say... Wink
WI
Wicko
Looks like CBBC will start on BBC2 at 6.00am with CBeebies and continuing at 9.00am after Breakfast on BBC1. Obviously a success last year otherwise they wouldn't repeat the practice. There also seems to be the revival of older, more classic movies being shown with Von Ryan's Express being shown on December 19th and BBC2 showing older movies such as gems like High Society and a few Hitchcock as previously stated.

A return to Christmas past perhaps? About time too!!!
ST
STEVE 03
It's so great to see that the new controller of BBC2 Roly Keating making such a great effort this Christmas in terms of showing the old movie classics. The last two Christmas's have been awfull for old films on BBC2 in my view with endless repeats of Sherlock Holmes films and Columbo, Perry Mason films from the 'Watching the Detectives' season.
Indeed it looks like being the best xmas schedule of recent times and it can only get better as more programme details become confirmed in the coming days.
Notice also on the BBC Press Office website that all of the feature films for weeks 49 and 50 have been announced. For old film lovers BBC2 are showing a 'Marlon Brandon Day' on Saturday 11th December with three of Brando's best loved films showing. That will do me nicely Smile
WI
Wicko
STEVE 03 posted:
It's so great to see that the new controller of BBC2 Roly Keating making such a great effort this Christmas in terms of showing the old movie classics. The last two Christmas's have been awfull for old films on BBC2 in my view with endless repeats of Sherlock Holmes films and Columbo, Perry Mason films from the 'Watching the Detectives' season.
Indeed it looks like being the best xmas schedule of recent times and it can only get better as more programme details become confirmed in the coming days.
Notice also on the BBC Press Office website that all of the feature films for weeks 49 and 50 have been announced. For old film lovers BBC2 are showing a 'Marlon Brandon Day' on Saturday 11th December with three of Brando's best loved films showing. That will do me nicely Smile


I agree with you. While lots of people like to see only new blockbusters, I think there is still a place on TV for some old classics. I like old classics and Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without them. I just think that if, according to yesterday's Newspapers Listings Harry Potter is on Boxing Day and not Christmas Day, that would be a mistake.

But we will have to wait and see though as it's just over a week until the Christmas Double Issue of the Radio Times comes out. Does anyone know what will be on the cover of the RT this year? Another drawing or a real picture of a TV show?

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