Come on, hands up – who’s ready to put their feet up and enjoy laying low over Easter? The four-day bank holiday weekend is finally upon us, and we can’t be the only ones who feel like it can’t have come soon enough.
If you’re among those planning to use their time to rest up at home, you’re in luck, because there’s a string of films both old and new for pretty much everyone to enjoy.
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To save your channel-hopping, here’s our guide to 22 films being shown on telly over Easter, and when to watch them…
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When’s it on? Good Friday at 10.15am on ITV2
Tell me more: A young rabbit named E.B. announces he doesn’t want to follow in his predecessors’ footsteps by becoming the Easter Bunny, and instead wants to pursue his dream of becoming a drummer.
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Even more random than that plot is the fact the animated bunny is voiced by Russell Brand, with live-action appearances from James Marsden and Chelsea Handler – not to mention some extremely cute chicks.
Recommended for: At this time of year? Everyone! Come on, who doesn’t want to kick off Easter weekend with this sweet story?
Matilda
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When’s it on? Good Friday at 2pm on ITV
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Tell me more: Six-year-old Matilda is unappreciated by her neglectful parents and mistreated by the tyrannical Miss Trunchbull, finding solace in books. She has some fun of her own and schemes to get her own back when she discovers that, in addition to her superior intellect, she also possesses telekinetic powers.
Recommended for: To be honest, we’re struggling to think of a time we wouldn’t recommend the cosy and pure magic of Matilda.
Space Jam
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When’s it on? Good Friday at 2.15pm on ITV2
Tell me more: Get ready for a serious dose of nostalgia. Perhaps the most 90s film to ever exist, Space Jam mixes space travel, basketball and Looney Tunes, with some impressive A-list cameos including Bill Murray and, of course, sports icon Michael Jordan.
Recommended for: Anyone who was disappointed by the 2021 Space Jam sequel and needs to remind themselves of what it was they loved so much about the original film.
King Of Kings
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When’s it on? Good Friday at 2.30pm on BBC Two
Tell me more: It wouldn’t be Good Friday without some class of biblical epic airing on the BBC in the middle of the afternoon, would it?. This year they’re showing King Of Kings, with Jeffrey Hunter and Rip Torn in the lead roles of Jesus and Judas.
Clocking in at just under three hours, it’s a bit of a bum-number, but it pales in comparison to The Greatest Story Ever Told, which goes for four hours and 20 minutes in total.
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Recommended for: If you’re already on a bit of a chocolate-induced sugar high and you need some help settling down for the afternoon.
Ice Age
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When’s it on? Good Friday at 4pm on ITV2
Tell me more: A snow-covered family favourite that started a whole animated franchise, Ice Age introduces us to a sloth, saber-tooth tiger and wooly mammoth who team up to help return a lost human baby to his tribe.
Unlike a lot of animated films, the voice cast were encouraged to improvise during the recording process, which helped provide some of the humour that helped make Ice Age a favourite for all generations when it debuted 20 (!!) years ago.
Recommended for: If the bank holiday weather doesn’t quite work out in your favour and you decide to just lean into the cold.
Tell me more: Often held up as one of the best films of all time, Back To The Future introduces us to high school student Marty McFly, who winds up being catapulted back in time to the 50s thanks to mad scientist Doc Brown and his souped-up DeLorean.
Recommended for: Anyone who has somehow made it this long without watching Back To The Future.
Tell me more: Written by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, this historical drama centres around Queen Victoria in the early years of her reign, shining a light on her turbulent relationship and her romance with the eventual Prince Albert.
Alongside Emily Blunt in the lead role, the cast also boasts appearances from Jim Broadbent, Miranda Richardson and Paul Bettany.
Recommended for: Those who can’t quite hang on for season five of The Crown for a taste of royal drama and scandal.
Tell me more: Speed was a breakthrough moment for Sandra Bullock when it was released in the 90s. She and Keanu Reeves play passengers who find themselves on board a bus that has been rigged by terrorists to explode if it goes beneath 50mph in this fast-paced action thriller.
Recommended for: If you’ve been watching animated family favourites all day, and need something a bit more high-stakes.
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Skyfall
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When’s it on? Good Friday at 8pm on ITV2
Tell me more: Skyfall is the third of Daniel Craig’s five outings as James Bond, and is often considered by fans of the 007 franchise to be the best of the bunch. This instalment sees Bond squaring off against former MI6 agent turned cyberterrorist Raoul Silva, while Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw also make their debut appearances in the franchise in the film.
Recommended for: Anyone whose idea of a good Friday night includes big explosions, chase scenes, shock twists and generally being shaken (but not stirred).
Whiplash
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When’s it on? Good Friday at 9pm on BBC Three
Tell me more: This seriously intense Oscar-winning film centres around an ambitious jazz drummer who is pushed to the extreme by his ruthless (and, at times, abusive) teacher, played by JK Simmons.
Recommended for: Anyone who wasn’t put through the trauma of school band rehearsals and wants a taste of what it was like.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
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When’s it on? Good Friday at 10.40pm on BBC One
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Tell me more: In The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a group of British pensioners decide to ditch the humdrum of retirement in Blighty and embrace the new by moving to a new residence in India, with romance and drama ensuing.
If that doesn’t convince you, the cast includes Dame Judi Dench, Dev Patel, Dame Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy and Celia Imrie.
Recommended for: If you want something gentle to wind down to after a hectic Good Friday.
Joker
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When’s it on? From Good Friday onwards on Netflix
Tell me more: Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for his portrayal of the titular supervillain in this complete rewrite of the Joker’s backstory.
Joker draws heavily on the work of Martin Scorsese, which means there’s considerably more graphic violence and unsettling action than you might expect from a DC Comics adaptation, but despite polarising reviews at the time, the film was hugely successful upon its release in 2019.
Recommended for: If you want the complete opposite of something gentle to wind down to after a hectic Good Friday.
Jason And The Argonauts
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When’s it on? Saturday at 9.50am on Channel 4
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Tell me more: A true cult classic from the 60s (Mr Hollywood himself Tom Hanks once named it his favourite film ever), fantasy adventure Jason And The Argonauts reimagines stories from Greek mythology with a mix of live-action and stop-motion animation.
Recommended for: Those who want to kickstart their Saturday morning with some old-school adventure.
Shrek 2
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When’s it on? Saturday at 4.10pm on ITV2
Tell me more: Probably the best offering from the surprisingly-elaborate Shrek universe, this film picks up where the first film left off with Shrek and newly-permanent ogre Fiona adjusting to married life.
We could go on and on about the plot, but realistically you’ve already seen this film 100 times and know full well it’s all about the Fairy Godmother’s musical number.
Recommended for: Literally everyone. Enjoy!
Captain Marvel
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When’s it on? Saturday at 9.25pm on Channel 4
Tell me more: Captain Marvel is the first female-led film in the MCU, and what a best foot forward it was. Oscar winner Brie Larson takes the lead in this action adventure, which also boasts appearances from Samuel L Jackson, Lashana Lynch and Jude Law.
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Recommended for: Marvel fans who still have a few films to check off their ever-growing MCU list.
Hot Fuzz
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When’s it on? Saturday at 10.40pm on ITV
Tell me more: The second (and biggest) film in Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright’s “Cornetto trilogy” the police comedy sees Simon and regular co-star Nick Frost teaming up to play a pair of coppers investigating grisly murders in a West Country village. We promise it’s funnier than it sounds.
Recommended for: Anyone who just needs a good chuckle.
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
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When’s it on? Easter Sunday at 3.25pm on ITV2
Tell me more: One of the most beautiful stories of unlikely friendship ever shown on screen, E.T. became the biggest box office smash of all time when it debuted in the 1980s.
The film introduces us to Elliott, a young boy whose life is turned upside down when he befriends a lost alien who has crash-landed on earth.
Recommended for: Anyone, as long as you’re prepared to cry your eyes out in those final moments.
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The Lion King
When’s it on? Easter Sunday at 5.45pm on BBC One
Tell me more: Undoubtedly one of the most shining jewels in the Disney renaissance crown, this animated classic is a rough retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet as told through animals in the Pride Lands of Africa.
With stunning animation, unforgettable music (by Sir Elton John, no less!) and some of the most iconic characters in Disney history, it’s a film everyone should watch at least once.
Recommended for: The term “fun for all the family” gets thrown around a lot, but The Lion King truly is.
Spectre
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When’s it on? Easter Sunday at 8pm on ITV2
Tell me more: What, did you think the long weekend was only going to have one James Bond film on TV? Don’t be silly.
Skyfall follow-up Spectre introduces Andrew Scott (otherwise known as Fleabag’s Hot Priest) as 007’s new adversary Max Denbigh, with Sam Mendes returning as director.
Recommended for: If Skyfall piqued your interest on Good Friday.
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Shrek
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When’s it on? Easter Monday at 2.05pm on ITV
Tell me more: Pretty much throwing out the fairytale rulebook, Shrek helped put Dreamworks on the map, and made sure they were the go-to for family comedy over Disney in the 2000s.
In the first film of the series, we meet grumpy ogre Shrek, who is furious to find his isolated swamp has been overrun by fairytale creatures, after they’re all banished by Lord Farquaad.
Recommended for: When you enjoyed Shrek 2 so much two days earlier, you want to go back and watch the first film. No, we’ve got no idea why ITV is showing them in this order, either, but let’s not question it.
Beauty And The Beast
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When’s it on? Easter Monday at 2.30pm on BBC One
Tell me more: Remember how many times you watched Disney’s animated Beauty And The Beast when you were growing up? Well, this is the slightly-less-good live-action version, with Emma Watson as Belle. If ever there was proof of the power of great animation, it’s comparing this film’s photo-real Mrs Potts with the version we all knew and loved from the 90s.
Recommended for: Disney devotees, for sure. But if you’ve never seen the original, we’d probably start there.
Spider-Man
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When’s it on? Easter Monday at 6.35pm on ITV2
Tell me more: Long before Tom Holland and even Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire swung into action (literally) as Spidey. This was the film that started it all, introducing us to Peter Parker as he’s bitten by a radioactive spider and slowly discovers his unusual abilities.
Recommended for: Any Marvel fans who want some nostalgia from those pre-MCU days.
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We all remember the likes of Absolutely Fabulous, SM:TV Live, Blind Date, but there’s been a whole host of other shows from back in the 90s that have been consigned to the TV vaults.
As HuffPost continues its celebration of old-school televisual treats in our series Rewind To The 90s, we’re raiding the archives to uncover a host of programmed you’d likely forgotten all about… until now.
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1. Man O Man
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Man O Man turned the concept of a beauty pageant on its head and featured a host of male contestants, with a female audience voting on the winner after they were put through various challenges. It memorably saw losing contestants pushed into a swimming pool behind them.
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Based on the German gameshow of the same name, Man O Man was hosted by Chris Tarrant and aired for two series between 1996 and 1999.
2. Don’t Try This At Home
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After learning her craft as a presenter with roles on MTV and a number of late night shows, Davina arrived on prime time with her own Saturday night series, Don’t Try This At Home, in 1998.
It saw members of the public facing tough and extreme challenges, such as bungee jumping, or facing their fears by being locked in a room full of spiders.
One episode saw Davina have to bungee jump from a helicopter into the Grand Canyon after one contestant pulled out of a challenge at the last minute.
3. Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
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Patrica Routledge is beloved for her role as snobby neighbourhood busybody Hyacinth Bucket in BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances. But after leaving the show in 1995 at the height of its popularity, Patricia said she wanted to pursue other more dramatic roles – the first of which came a year later when she began playing the titular character in detective series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates.
Airing for four series between 1996 and 1998, viewers followed Hetty – a retired woman from the North West of England – solving crimes that were often seen as too trivial for the police.
4. Ground Force
Coming off the success of home renovation series Changing Rooms was its horticultural counterpart Ground Force.
Each week a team of designers, builders and gardeners, headed up by Alan Titchmarsh, Charlie Dimmock and Tommy Jones would transform an unloved garden, sparking a national obsession with decking and pebble bubble fountains.
5. The Thin Blue Line
The 90s was a golden era for British comedy, with shows like Absolutely Fabulous, Keeping Up Appearances, Desmond’s, Dinnerladies, Men Behaving Badly and The Vicar Of Dibley among the most notable.
One that is often less well remembered is The Thin Blue line – a sitcom penned by Ben Elton set in a police station.
Starring Mr Bean himself Rowan Atkinson and Rudolph Walker (aka EastEnders’ Patrick Truman), it focused on the divide between the uniformed squad and CID and their conflicting approaches to policing.
Only 14 episodes were made across two series between 1995 and 1996.
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6. Sunburn
Sunburn was a BBC drama that followed the lives of a group of British holiday reps working in the Algarve, starring Michelle Collins, Sharon Small, Sean Maguire and Paul Nicholas.
The idea for the show, which ran for two series between 1999 and 2000 – came about after writer Mike Bullen (the man behind Cold Feet) watched the docu-soap Holiday Reps.
7. The Grimleys
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This comedy drama followed the trials and tribulations of the everyday Grimley family, based in the Midlands in the 1970s.
Written by Line Of Duty creator Jed Mercurio, it also starred Amanda Holden in one of her early dramatic roles, where she played school teacher, Miss Geraldine Titley.
After a pilot in 1997, it ran for three series between 1999 and 2001.
8. The Cruise
Following the success of the BBC’s fly-on-the-wall documentary series Airport, the broadcaster set its sight on the seas, and launched The Cruise, which followed the staff aboard the luxury liner Galaxy.
It was also the show that launched the TV career of Loose Women legend and cruiser extraordinaire Jane McDonald.
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Jane was working as a singer on board and captured the nation’s hearts with her down to earth sense of humour and blossoming relationship with partner Henrik, who she went on to marry on the show, which aired for 12 episodes in 1998.
One of the key shows in Channel 5’s early years was House Doctor – a home renovation series with a twist.
Each episode would see Californian real-estate stylist Ann Maurice come to the rescue of people struggling to sell their homes, helping them to declutter and redecorate on a budget in order to attract potential buyers.
Having originally aired between 1998 and 2003, there was a brief revival in 2016, where Ann was succeeded by new designer Tracy Metro.
10. Peak Practice
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Peak Practice was an ITV drama that ran from 1993 to 2002 which was set in a fictional GP surgery in the Peak District.
Kevin Whately, Amanda Burton and Sarah Parish were among those who appeared during the course of its 12 series.
The show ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger when it was axed by ITV, with two characters going over the edge of a cliff, with their fate remaining unclear.
11. Talking Telephone Numbers
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This ITV game show gave viewers the chance to win cash based on their telephone number.
During the course of each episode, various variety acts would perform and play a short game that would generate a number. Once five digits were selected, viewers who had them in their phone number could call into one of the show’s 96 telephonists. A phone line would then be picked at random, and that person given the chance to win £25,000.
The show was presented by Phillip Schofield between 1994 and 1997, with Emma Forbes joining him for the first four series, and Claudia Winkleman co-hosting the final run with him.
12. The Frank Skinner Show
Graham Norton and Jonathan Ross make up the majority of hosts on the chat show circuit these days, but back in the 90s, they had company from the likes of Michael Parkinson, Mrs Merton, Des O’Connor and Frank Skinner.
You might have forgotten that Frank hosted an eponymous late-night show for the BBC between 1995 and 1999, before moving to ITV for its final six years.
As well as celebrity chat, the show also used to feature a stand-up routine, sketches and a comedy song.
We’re used to people using shows like The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent to launch themselves into the spotlight – but what you might not realise is that plenty of household names made their TV debuts in a very different way.
Long before shows like Cutting It, Wild At Heart and Britain’s Got Talent came calling, Mandy made her TV debut when Cilla Black tried to find her a match on Blind Date.
During her 1991 appearance on the show, Amanda introduced herself as a drama student who loved singing the blues as well as classics like Knees Up Mother Brown (??), as well as confessing her ultimate celeb crush was Jack Nicholson.
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Sadly, though, it wasn’t to be, with the future BGT star going home without a date… which her potential suitor seemed more than a bit gutted about when he clapped eyes on her for the first time.
But Mandy isn’t the only member of the BGT panel with a surprising game show appearance near the top of her CV.
Simon Cowell’s very first TV appearance was as a contestant on Sale Of The Century, two years before his eventual co-star’s stint on Blind Date.
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He may be best known now for his business decisions, but his time on Sale Of The Century ended in him leaving with 20 quid’s worth of cooking utensils. We wonder when the last time he picked them up was…
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Olly Murs’ optimism came back to bite him somewhat when he was a contestant on Deal Or No Deal, during which he turned down an offer of £26,000 and ended up pocketing just a tenner.
The future chart-topper appeared on the Channel 4 game show two years before shooting to fame on The X Factor, and after becoming a household name, he was invited back to compete in a celebrity special.
Unfortunately, he fared even worse second time around, ending up with just 50p. To make it up to his chosen charity, Olly pledged to donate £5000 of his own money.
We know him best as a member of JLS, who became one of The X Factor’s most successful acts ever in 2007, but Aston has actually been singing on screen for a lot longer than that.
As a teenager, he appeared on Stars In Their Eyes Kids, telling host Matthew Kelly: “Tonight, Matthew, I’m going to be Michael Jackson.”
He performed a cover of The Jackson 5’s Rockin’ Robin, ultimately finishing in second place.
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And speaking of celebs who appeared on TV classics as teenagers, let’s talk about Michael Underwood, who was a contestant on a kids’ special of The Crystal Maze when he was 15.
The presenter was the first of the young contestants to take on a challenge, but failed to win his team any crystals in either of the physical or skill-based tasks he took on.
Michael’s presenting career began almost a decade later, when he began hosting the dream-fulfilment show Whatever You Want.
Minus his trademark beard, Joe Wicks suffered a very stressful blunder when his buzzer appeared to not be working, leaving him rather vexed, as you can see in the video above.
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Just four years before The Office would achieve huge success, Stephen Merchant was a contestant on Blockbusters back in 1997.
Despite getting off to a good start, it wasn’t ultimately a strong showing for the comedy writer and actor, finishing with 15 points to his opponents’ 50.
","type":"video","meta":{"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L28b4c9y2II","type":"video","version":"1.0","title":"Countdown – Tuesday 26th August 2008 – Part 1 Of 3 [HD]","author":"countdowngoofs","author_url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrkzdOoeTcrvSLrRDi80vag","provider_name":"YouTube","description":"Broadcast on Tuesday 26th August 2008 – Part 1 Of 3 – Des O’Connor & Carol Vorderman host the show in which contestants race against the clock to pit their wits against vowels, consonants and numbers. With Susie Dent and dictionary corner guest Arthur Smith – All copyright remains with Yorkshire Television & ITV Productions – PLEASE COMMENT!","thumbnail_url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/L28b4c9y2II/maxresdefault.jpg","thumbnail_width":1280,"thumbnail_height":720,"cache_age":86400,"options":{"_start":{"label":"Start from","value":"","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s"},"_end":{"label":"End on","value":"","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s"},"_cc_load_policy":{"label":"Closed captions","value":false},"click_to_play":{"label":"Hold load & play until clicked","value":false}}},"fullBleed":false,"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"slideshowAd":{"scriptTags":[],"otherHtml":""},"slideshowEndCard":{"scriptTags":[{"attribs":{},"scriptBody":"\r\n (function(){\r\n var c = document.getElementById(‘taboola-endslate-thumbnails’);\r\n c.id += ‘-‘ + Math.round(Math.random()*1e16);\r\n \r\n var taboolaParams = {\r\n loader: \"//cdn.taboola.com/libtrc/aol-huffingtonpost/loader.js\",\r\n mode: \"thumbnails-b\",\r\n container: c.id,\r\n placement: \"Endslate Thumbnails\",\r\n target_type: \"mix\"\r\n };\r\n \r\n if (typeof window.modulousQueue === \"function\") {\r\n \twindow.modulousQueue.add(function(){ doTaboola(taboolaParams); });\r\n } else {\r\n \tdoTaboola(taboolaParams);\r\n }\r\n }());\r\n"}],"otherHtml":"
Another comedy star with a previous game show appearance in their past is Taskmaster favourite Alex Horne.
Alex did a great job on Countdown, winning three consecutive shows in 2008 during Des O’Connor and Carol Vorderman’s tenure, before he was eventually bested.
Having gone on to become a popular comic, Alex has returned to Countdown several times, appearing as a guest in Dictionary Corner as well as a panellist on the show’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats specials.
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Mark “The Beast” Labbett is one of the UK’s most famous quizzing experts, so it’s probably no great surprise that before finding fame on The Chase, he gave a few game shows a go, including Mastermind and Fifteen To One.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? was perhaps his most successful attempt. Having failed to land in the hot seat when he played Fastest Finger First in 2005, Mark – who was then working as a supply teacher – returned a year later, leaving with an impressive £32,000.
Much later, he made an appearance on the rebooted version of the show in 2020, serving as Charlotte Church’s “phone a friend” during a celebrity special.
Her specialist subject was “The Life And Works Of Lorenz Hart”, the lyricist behind standards including Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered, The Lady Is A Tramp and My Funny Valentine. Sadly, no clip exists of Anne in action, but enjoy this snap of her looking ever-so-80s in the Mastermind studio all the same.
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Then in his early 20s, comedian and actor Stephen Fry appeared as a contestant on University Challenge in 1980, representing Queen’s College, Cambridge.
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He’d later achieve huge success as a quiz show host, when he began presenting the hit panel show QI.
Miriam Margolyes – University Challenge
Miriam Margolyes
Another iconic Cambridge alum to compete on University Challenge was the always-outrageous Miriam Margolyes.
We say “always-outrageous” because Miriam has long claimed that this appearance on University Challenge was the first case of anyone saying the f-word on the BBC after struggling to contain her disappointment about a botched answer.
The moment itself was censored, though Miriam has insisted it was very much apparent what she was saying – though sadly a clip of the explicit outburst doesn’t appear to exist.
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Around the celebrations for Sir Captain Tom Moore’s 100th birthday, the BBC dug out this old clip of him competing on Blankety Blank, where he tried to match his answers to celebrity panellists like Freddie Starr, Ruth Madoc and Roy Kinnear.
He went out on the first round during a 1983 Christmas special – but at least he got to keep the iconic Blankety Blank cheque book and pen, eh?
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Deal Or No Deal worked a little differently in America, where contestants had briefcases opened by models, rather than boxes being unveiled by their fellow players.
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One such model was the future Duchess of Sussex, then an aspiring actor by the name of Meghan Markle. She would, of course, later achieve success as part of the cast of Suits, before her humanitarian work led her to meeting (and, indeed, marrying) Prince Harry.
Over the weekend, it emerged the Australian soap could be forced off air after 37 years, following Channel 5′s announcement it is to stop screening the show in the UK this summer.
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Unless another British network picks it up, Neighbours will finish filming in June, as the show is largely funded by its international broadcast partner.
Jackie and Alan – who have played Susan and Karl Kennedy since 1994 – revealed the cast are “very emotional” at the real possibility the soap could end this year, and said a “hero” is needed to save it from the axe.
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Cast and crew were called to a meeting at the show’s studios in Melbourne on Monday to discuss its future, where Jackie said everyone present was in tears.
They’ve been our Neighbours for 37 years, but we could soon be farewelling the residents of Ramsay Street after UK network Channel 5 announced it would no longer broadcast the show. Jackie Woodburne plays Susan Kennedy, and joins us.#TheProjectTVpic.twitter.com/vxihFqDGiZ
Appearing on The Project, she said: “It’s been a rollercoaster, absolutely, the last 24 hours or 36 hours, as you can imagine. Kind of a lot of information to try and process. I still feel a bit in shock, a bit overwhelmed.
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“We had a meeting today where our producers gave us some more information, really nothing more than what’s already been out there, but, look, I have to say, the feeling was one of… it was just, it was quite lovely.
“Everybody is sad. We’re all crying, we’re all very emotional about it all, but we’re all so determined to bring this show home as best we can.”
In a newsletter sent to fans, Alan said that the news had “come as a huge shock to a lot of people”.
“The show still has upwards of 1.5 million viewers in the UK on any given day and it seemed to be going strong,” he said, adding that “it seems that the axing of Neighbours is a financial decision”.
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He continued: “We need a hero and, maybe, one will come along. In the meantime we have at least seven months of fantastic Neighbours episodes to look forward to.”
If production does come to an end, Jackie said that “everyone wants to honour the show” and end it “with love and with pride and dignity”.
“Would you want to be a writer in that room trying to wind up a show after 38 years in a way that’s going to please everybody? I mean, no pressure at all!” she said.
Jackie added that it would be “awesome” if reports claiming Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan will return to the soap to see it off were true.
The pair found international fame as Charlene Mitchell and Scott Robinson in the 1980s, with their on-screen wedding drawing 20 million UK TV viewers in 1988.
Scott and Charlene’s wedding drew 20 million viewers in 1988
Fremantle Media/Shutterstock
Jason, whose daughter Jemma currently appears on the soap as Harlow Robinson, tweeted on Sunday: “Neighbours changed the Australian television landscape. It launched many careers over decades including mine. Engaged and entertained audiences for generations.
“Hoping that it will find a new home with another UK broadcaster and continue to provide opportunity and entertainment.”
@neighbours changed the Australian television landscape. It launched many careers over decades including mine. Engaged and entertained audiences for generations.Hoping that it will find a new home with another U.K. broadcaster and continue to provide opportunity and entertainment
Channel 5 has aired Neighbours in the UK since 2008, after poaching it from BBC One, where it had screened twice daily since 1986.
The network said the decision to drop Neighbours had been motivated by its “current focus is on increasing our investment in original UK drama, which has strong appeal for our viewers”.
Neighbours has long been more popular in the UK than in Australia, where it airs to around 100,000 daily viewers on digital channel 10Peach, with Channel 5 heavily contributing to its production costs.
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The cast of Neighbours were told the show faces an uncertain future
Fremantle/Channel 5
Aussie network Ten said it is its “intention to continue our association with Neighbours if another broadcast partner comes forward”.
An email to staff from Fremantle Media executive producer Jason Herbison, seen by the Sydney Morning Herald, said that “discussions are ongoing, however there is no new broadcaster at the moment”.
He said that “production must end, effectively resting the show”, with filming set to wrap on 10 June, and the show remaining on air until August.
James Buckley has ruled out ever returning to The Inbetweeners as Jay Cartwright, saying: “There’s not enough money in the world.”
The actor played sex-mad fibber Jay in the beloved E4 sitcom about a group of hapless sixth form students between 2008 and 2010, before reprising the role in two subsequent films.
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However, while James described playing Jay as “the best job” in the world, he explained he doesn’t want to spoil a “universally loved” show.
During an interview with Chris Moyles on Radio X, James said: “I don’t want to go near it anymore, not because I don’t think I would have an amazing time doing it, because I know I would.
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“I love the boys, I love the writers. Doing The Inbetweeners was the best job in the world.
“All we did was muck around all day long and they filmed us doing it, and, at the end of the day, we might have had an episode … or a film or something.
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“But it might – you know, as I’m getting older – it’s looking like it might be the only thing that I do professionally that is universally loved.
“There’s not enough money in the world for me to spoil that.”
James Buckley
Eamonn M. McCormack via Getty Images
James also admitted he knows he will probably always be known as Jay from The Inbetweeners.
“As an actor, it’s difficult professionally for me to move away from that character,” said James, who has also starred in the likes of Only Fools And Horses spin-off Rock & Chips and Doctor Who and is currently appearing in West End play 2:22 A Ghost Story.
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“But you can’t have it all, can you? You can’t be in a big hit sitcom and then moan about it after!”
(L-R) Blake Harrison, James Buckley, Simon Bird and Joe Thomas arrive at the premiere of The Inbetweeners 2 in 2014
Brendon Thorne via Getty Images
James and his former co-stars Simon Bird, Joe Thomas and Blake Harrison reunited in 2019 to mark the 10th anniversary of The Inbetweeners with a one-off non-scripted special titled Fwends Reunited.
He also shared the discomfort he experienced during filming it, he explained: “It became a thing that wasn’t a celebration of this good thing I did in my life, it was me being taken the piss out of for hours on end.
“I didn’t have the personality or the intelligence to cope with it, especially when you’re up against someone like Jimmy Carr, who’s super quick and super funny. So I come across as a complete moron through the whole thing.”
The Chris Moyles Show airs weekdays 6.30am to 10am and Saturday 8am to 11am on Radio X.
Harry Potter fans across the globe have eagerly been tuning in to the 20th anniversary reunion over the weekend, but they also noticed there was something not quite right in the TV special.
Some eagle-eyed Potterheads have noticed that there was a huge error involving a supposed photo of Emma Watson as a child.
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As Emma – who played Hermione Grainger in the film franchise – reunited with co-stars including Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint to reminisce about their time in the Wizarding World, a picture of very young ‘Emma’ wearing Minnie Mouse ears was shown.
However, the photo was in fact of Emma Roberts – best known for her roles in the likes of We’re The Millers, Scream Queens and American Horror Story.
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Emma Roberts
Amy Sussman via Getty Images
Some fans even found that Emma Roberts even posted the snap on her Instagram page back in February 2012.
However, that wasn’t the only error in the reunion, as George Weasley actor Oliver Phelps also posted on Twitter that bosses had got him and his brother James mixed up and were given the wrong on-screen credits.
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Posting a screengrab on Instagram, he wrote: “I guess after all those pranks over the years somebody decided to get their revenge.
“It was fantastic to be part of the HP reunion. Hope you all enjoyed it #ReturnToHogwarts.”
A spokesperson for the Return To Hogwarts special told Metro the mistakes would be rectified.
“Well spotted Harry Potter fans!” they said. “You brought an editing mistake of a mislabeled photograph to our attention. New version up shortly.”
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During the reunion, Emma discussed how she contemplated quitting the Harry Potter series.
“I think I was scared,” she said. “I don’t know if you ever felt like it got to a tipping point when you were like… ‘This is kind of forever now’.”
Emma went on: “The fame thing had finally hit home – in a big way. No one had to convince me to see it through. The fans genuinely wanted me to succeed and they all genuinely have each other’s backs. How great is that?”
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The actor has admitted he was “an absolute dick” on set during filming of the scene in Deathly Hallows: Part 2 where Emma’s Hermione and Rupert’s Ron locked lips.
Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson attend the New York premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Jim Spellman via Getty Images
“It was meant to be this dramatic make out, but [Rupert] and I just kept corpsing and just kept laughing,” Emma explains.
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“I was really scared we were never going to get it because we just couldn’t take it seriously.”
Daniel interjects, adding: “I did not make this better because I’ve been told significantly that I was just being an absolute dick about this and was like, ‘I’m gonna come on set and watch [Rupert and Emma] kiss’.”
Emma adds: “Everyone wanted to be on set for it because everyone was like, ‘This is gonna be good guys’.
“I knew I was going to have to be the one to make this happen. I needed momentum into the kiss in order to do it… It just felt wrong, so wrong on every level because Dan, Rupert and I are so much siblings. All three of us felt so matched in how much it meant to us.”
“I think I blacked out,” Rupert says. “I just remember your face just coming closer and closer.”
Helena played Voldemort’s evil lieutenant Bellatrix Lestrange and is 23 years older than Daniel.
Sharing a note he sent to his British co-star after the two stars completed work on the ten-year franchise in 2011, Daniel says: “Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee.
“I do love you and I wish I’d just been born ten years earlier so I might’ve been in with a chance.”
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is available to watch on Sky and streaming service NOW (with an Entertainment membership) from New Year’s Day.
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We only have a few days left to wait until the Harry Potter cast are reunited for their one-off TV special, and we’re already being teased with what we can expect from the 20th anniversary celebration – including plenty of cast secrets.
One of those is Daniel Radcliffe’s revelation that he had a major crush on one of the film franchise’s older stars.
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Daniel, now 32, admits he had a soft spot for Helena Bonham Carter, who played Voldemort’s evil lieutenant Bellatrix Lestrange, and is 23 years older than the Harry Potter actor.
Reading his message aloud for the first time, he said: “Dear HBC, it was a pleasure being your co-star and coaster in the fact I always ended up holding your coffee.
“I do love you and I wish I’d just been born ten years earlier so I might’ve been in with a chance.”
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Helena Bonham Carter and Daniel Radcliffe backstage at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
via Associated Press
And Daniel wasn’t the only Harry Potter star who had an on-set crush.
Emma Watson recalled the exact moment she “fell in love” with her former co-star Tom Felton during a tutoring session between filming.
Emma – who played Hermione Granger – reminisced about her crush on Tom, who played villainous Draco Malfoy.
“I walked into the room where we were having tutoring,” Emma recalled. “The assignment that had been given was to draw what you thought God looked like, and Tom had drawn a girl with a backward cap on a skateboard.
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“And I just don’t know how to say it – I just fell in love with him. I used to come in every day and look for his number on the call sheet, it was number seven, and if his name was on the call sheet, it was an extra exciting day.
“He was three years above me and so for him he was like: ‘you’re like my little sister’.”
(L-R) Tom Felton, Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Matthew Lewis attend the New York premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center on July 11, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
Stephen Lovekin via Getty Images
Nothing ever happened between the two young stars, but Tom did admit that he knew that Emma had a crush on him.
Tom said: “I think I was in the hair and make-up chair and someone said something along the lines of, ‘Yeah, she had a crush on you.’
“I became very protective over her. Yeah, I’ve always had a soft spot for her and that continues to this day. There’s always been something that’s like, I don’t know, a kinship.”
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is available to watch on Sky and streaming service NOW (with an Entertainment membership) from New Year’s Day.
While every year there are moans and groans about the Christmas TV schedules being packed with repeats, there’s one show that we definitely don’t mind watching again and again – the original Gavin & Stacey Christmas special.
The BBC sitcom had been running for two seasons by the time we got the first festive episode in 2008, and what a Christmas special it was.
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While we’d seen plenty of interactions between the entire Shipman and West clan in the years previous, there was a real moment of joy seeing them all prepare for their first Christmas together following Gavin and Stacey’s wedding.
Not only did the hour-long episode deliver on comedy and plot, but it also highlighted all those little Christmas foibles that go on in households up and down the country come 25 December.
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And while it was a burst of nostalgia having the gang back together in 2019 for the much-anticipated reunion episode, there’s something magical about the original that made it such a festive masterpiece.
Here’s why it’s a show that’s worthy of repeat viewing every December…
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1. Pam’s stance on Christmas cards
Pam had strong views on when to send Christmas cards
Prior to 2008, we were always baffled as to why some people would send their Christmas cards before December had even rolled around, but Pam Shipman imparted some serious wisdom on us that made us completely reverse our stance.
“What is the point of sending cards that arrive on Christmas Eve? They’ll get taken down in a few days. That’s why I send all mine on the first of November. Gives people seven weeks to enjoy them,” she said.
You have to admit, she has a point, right?
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2. John who?
Step-brother John!
Speaking of Christmas cards, Pam and Mick also tapped into something we’ve all heard our parents say when they receive a festive greeting from someone they cannot quite place.
“Oh, look at that, ‘From John’… It could be mechanic John… It won’t be John from Ann and John.”
3. Doris being “absolutely twatted” before lunchtime on Christmas Eve
Oh how we miss Doris
A relatable queen.
4. Nessa in the grotto
“Oh! Oh! Oh! Merry Christmas” was an inspired piece of writing from Ruth Jones and James Corden.
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It’s the scene that inspired James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke, and despite the fact he’s had the likes of Adele, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga join him in his car to sing along to their biggest hits, it’s still Smithy’s duet down the phone on Do They Know It’s Christmas? that remains the original and the best.
We’ve also never been able to say Midge Ure’s name the same way since.
The scene where Gwen and Bryn share their first ever mint Baileys before boarding the coach to Essex wasn’t big or flashy, but it had a quiet comfort and poignancy about it, which Gavin & Stacey always nails so perfectly.
7. Mick’s turkey saga
The turkey scene in Gavin and Stacey
Are you basting it? Are you soaking it overnight? Are you doing it the Nigella way? Or are you sticking to Jamie Oliver, because you “know where you are with him”?
Through the characters of Mick and Pete, the Christmas special managed to perfectly encapsulate the bizarre obsession and competitiveness dads have with other men about their turkeys each year.
8. The fight
Pam wasn’t exactly thrilled with Gavin’s news
Pam’s eruption after finding out her “little prince” was planning on relocating to Barry set off a chain of events that made this scene one of the most memorable in Gavin & Stacey history.
Not only did Alison Steadman absolutely commit to the moment, but we also saw Gwen finally stand up to Pam, Nessa threaten to “see her outside” (and Pam stupidly believe she could take her on), before Pete went toe-to-toe with Dave Coaches to defend Dawn’s honour.
Admittedly, there’s some language that we’d hope wouldn’t make it into the script in 2021 and we were very pleased when they all put the row behind them. But it has to be said, this scene shook up the dynamic between all the characters and also sent up those fights that happen in every family each festive season.
9. Pam and Mick’s royal romp
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Mick in his comedy Prince Charles ears
We learned that Pam’s obsession with the Duchess of Cornwall translated into the bedroom as she prepared to be “knighted” with Mick’s “special sword” while he was wearing a comedy pair of Prince Charles ears.
10. Pam’s vegetarianism comes unstuck
As “Three Steaks Pam” faced the prospect of a turkey-less Christmas after her long-standing lies about being a vegetarian, it transpired she hadn’t fooled anyone with her stance on meat – except for Gwen that is, who had bought her a vegetarian cookbook for Christmas.
11. The opening of the “presents”
Nessa and Dave gifted everyone a single chocolate from a box of Celebrations
Never before had we been so eager to see which Celebration someone was eating, and we definitely still relate to Smithy wrapping all his presents in tin foil for ease.
Doris gifting Gwen talcum powder, despite her still having a stack of it unused at home from previous years, was also a foible we’ve seen play out during present openings over the years.
12. The Nessa and Smithy sexual tension
Smithy didn’t want Nessa to marry Dave
Years before we got the 2019 Christmas proposal, there was a special moment between Nessa and Smithy that gave fans hope that the characters would finally end up together as Smithy urged her not to marry Dave Coaches.
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All episodes of Gavin & Stacey are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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If you’re anything like us, you’ll currently be poring over the Christmas TV listings, picking out all the unmissable shows you need to see this year.
And while the BBC, ITV, Netflix and co have put on a veritable buffet of televisual treats for us over the festive period, we’ve been feeling all nostalgic about the telly of Christmases past.
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So join us as we head back in time to 2001, to see what we were all sitting down to watch (and perhaps fall asleep to) 20 years ago…
CHRISTMAS EVE
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Dale’s National Lottery Christmas Cracker
7.15pm on BBC One
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Dale Winton
Shutterstock
The late Dale Winton hosted a special edition of his National Lottery show, which saw him joined by Will Smith and Vinnie Jones, while Westlife, S Club 7, the Corrs and Cher were on hand to provide the music.
Des O’Connor Tonight At Christmas
8.30pm on ITV
Des O’Connor and Will Smith
There was a double dose of Will Smith on 24 December, as he was also one of the guests on a special festive edition of Des O’Connor’s chat show.
It was a chat show extravaganza on Christmas Eve back in 2001, as no sooner had Des finished up his ITV show than Parky was welcoming a host of famous faces onto his iconic interview series.
Dame Edna Everage swung by for a chat, while Robbie Williams teamed up with Lenny Henry to perform some big band numbers in support of his Swing When You’re Winning album, while Charlotte Church was on hand to sing a special Christmas Carol.
But the absolute highlight was Geri Horner (then Halliwell) performing an acoustic medley of Spice Girls songs, mixed in with her own hits and some Christmas classics (complete with beatboxer), for reasons we’re not entirely sure about.
While Christmas editions of daytime favourites like This Morning and Lorraine have become more commonplace in recent years, Channel 4’s defunct (and much missed) breakfast show was serving up a televisual treat to open your stocking to 20 years ago.
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Back in 2001, Top Of The Pops was still a weekly part of the TV schedule, compared to the annual festive one-off it is now following its axe in 2006, but it still pulled in the biggest chart names for its Christmas Day episode.
In what is truly a marker of the time, the list of performers included Shaggy, S Club 7, Wheatus, Westlife, Atomic Kitten, Hear’Say, Kylie Minogue and Afroman, as well as a rendition of that year’s Christmas number one by Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman with Something Stupid.
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The EastEnders Christmas special was still split into two 30-minute parts back in 2001.
That year saw Phil Mitchell discover he was Louise’s real father, with Lisa Shaw and Mark Fowler having made the Square believe the baby was his.
Elsewhere, the domestic abuse storyline between Trevor Morgan and Little Mo reached grim new levels as he pushed his wife’s face into her Christmas dinner and made her eat the remains off the carpet.
There was some cheer to be had, however, as Jim Branning proposed to Dot Cotton, but not before a mix-up with Sonia Fowler, who believed Jamie Mitchell was about to pop the question to her after finding the ring.
This was BBC One’s big Christmas drama in 2001, with the two-parter spread over Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Based on Arthur Conan-Doyle ’s novel, it followed a maverick professor who led a party from London to South America in search of plateau where dinosaurs are rumoured to roam.
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Christmas Day 2001 heralded one of Corrie’s most iconic – and unexpected – storylines ever, as it marked the beginning of Deirdre Barlow’s affair with Dev Alahan.
It wasn’t a peaceful Christmas at the Barlows, as a drunken Peter accused his stepmother of being responsible for the death of his sister Susan.
After slapping him and storming out to leave the family to make their own Christmas dinner, she ended up at her boss Dev Alahan’s where they wallowed in how disastrous their respective days have been. But as the wine started flowing, it wasn’t long before they ended up in bed together…
Elsewhere on the Street, the law caught up with Terry Duckworth as he was arrested while trying to take dad Jack to hospital with chest pains.
Impressionist of the moment Alistair McGowan landed a prime-time slot on Christmas Day, as him and Ronnie Ancona took off celebrities including Davina McCall, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Des Lynham, Pete Waterman, the cast of EastEnders and Helen and Paul from Big Brother 2.
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The Only Fools And Horses Christmas special was a long-held tradition, with the 2001 catching up with the Trotters five years after they were last seen on TV.
It saw Del and Rodney return to Peckham after losing the riches they’d made in the 1996 special after making a bad financial investment that saw them declared bankrupt. But they were given a chance to win their fortune back when Del Boy appeared on a gameshow, but things didn’t exactly go to plan.
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The show went up against Only Fools And Horses in the Christmas Day ratings war, and more members of the public walk through those famous doors to emerge as their pop icons – although this time performing festive classics.
Among them were Shakin’ Stevens’ Merry Christmas Everyone, Karen Carpenter and Merry Christmas Darling, and, errrm, Gloria Gaynor & Aretha Franklin doing It’s Raining Men – quite how that fitted into the festive theme, we can’t tell you because it’s not on YouTube.
Snow Graham Norton
11pm on Channel 4
Snow Graham Norton
To finish off Christmas Day, Channel 4 showed a late night repeat of the festive edition of Graham Norton’s pre-BBC chat show, which saw the comedian joined by Kate Beckinsale, Martine McCutcheon, Alison Moyet and S Club 7.
BOXING DAY
Cilla’s Surprise Surprise
5.15pm on ITV
Cilla went to Disneyland for the 2001 Surprise Surprise Christmas special
Ken McKay/Shutterstock
Cilla Black was on hand to bring some festive surprises to a host of unsuspecting members of the public with a special edition of Surprise Surprise, which saw her travel to Disneyland Paris.
Ultimately, it would prove to be Cilla’s last episode hosting the long-running show, which had been on air since 1984.
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A 20th anniversary episode that was made for transmission in late 2003 never made it to air after Cilla sensationally quit ITV live on an episode of Blind Date earlier that year. However, the lost episode did eventually air during the Christmas period some 12 years later.
There was even more Graham to be had over the Christmas of 2001, with the chat show legend journeying to Dollywood, Tennessee, at the invitation of the great lady herself – Dolly Parton.
It is also one of the few shows on this list that is still available to watch in full, with the episode on All4.
Jonathan Creek
9.05pm on BBC One
Jonathan Creek
Bill Bailey and Steven Berkoff joined Alan Davies for a new adventure for Jonathan Creek as part of BBC One’s Boxing Day schedule.
The latest supernatural mystery saw him join forces with the police to solve the murder of an actress on a film set, baffled by how the window she was shot through had managed to remain in tact.
