Factual Entertainment, Features and Daytime Highlights, Christmas 2013

27 November 2013

FEATURES

A Great British Christmas with Sarah Beeny

TX: Monday 2nd December, 8pm, Channel 4

Sarah Beeny and her husband, artist Graham Swift, explore the history of Christmas through the ages in their stately home, Rise Hall. After spending ten years restoring the Yorkshire property, the family investigate how festive celebrations in Britain have changed in the past 200 years as they delve into the history of Georgian, Victorian, wartime and present-day conventions.

Sarah, Graham and their four children take on the challenge of harnessing the best bits of Christmas past as they don historical costumes and experience the reality of bygone festive frolics, finding out what the festive season meant both in their house and across the country.

While making Georgian garlands and discovering the first ever Christmas card, the show explores some of the oldest festive traditions and their historical contexts.

Production Company: Red House

 

Superscrimpers: Christmas Cracker

TX: Wednesday 11th December, 8pm, Channel 4

‘Tis the season to be thrifty and in this Christmas Special, Mrs Moneypenny and her team reveal their tips on how to have a merry but frugal Xmas.

Mrs M meets a unique scrimping family, the Hart-Dykes, in their ancestral home at Lullingstone Castle in Kent - they may own a grand mansion but like many of us have no extra cash at Christmas, so have to be imaginative with their festive finances. They share their top tips on economising with Mrs M – from inventive ways to keep the heating bills down, creating home-made gifts and decorating the Christmas dinner table with greenery from their own garden.

There’s also the glamorous Ansaris who consider Christmas an excuse to splash the cash. The family normally host six lavish parties for their friends in the festive season, each with a well-stocked bar, expensive shop-bought canapés and elaborate entertainment. But with the family finances being squeezed, it’s time to stop their outrageous spending spree. We challenge them to hold a glamorous Christmas cocktail party with food and drink for just £50.

Harry Wallop investigates Champagne, once a premium priced product but which is now appearing on supermarket shelves at ever more affordable prices. He puts three bargain champers to the test against the market leader to find out which scores best with the expert and the public. And our Scrimpers Army reveal their fantastic Yuletide tips; from making gorgeous Christmas decorations to imaginative thrifty gifts and even a party game suitable for the whole family.

Production Company: Endemol UK

 

Kirstie's Crafty Christmas

TX: Monday 16th December, 8pm, Channel 4

It's Christmas - Kirstie's favourite time of the year - and in this cracker of a show, she will be sharing her festive fast track guide to ensuring the big day goes with a bang.

Kirstie loves Christmas crafts but like most of us during this busy season, doesn't have time to make everything from scratch, so she will be showing how fabulously fast crafts can beat the clock and still make a big, beautiful impact.

From tantalising treats to divine decorations that can be brought out year after year, Kirstie will craft and create a whole host of wonderful makes that can be gifted or shared with family and friends. 

For inspiration, she will be visiting a magical Christmas fair, indulging in local produce and learning from expert artisans how to make all manner of festive delights including Mince Pie Popcorn with Tree Syrup, a deliciously Rich Red Velvet Christmas Cheese Cake plus a dazzling Neon Star, dramatic Christmas Crowns and traditional gifts tie dyed with a twist. There will be top tips galore!

When the tree is up and the stockings are filled, Kirstie will be adding some extra festive fizz with her own favourite Christmas cocktail ready for her Yuletide party. Joining the festivities will be old friends and new - as Kirstie gets together with those who have helped along the way.

It will be a celebration to be remembered, so join Kirstie for her glittering insider's guide to a show-stopping, craft-filled Christmas.

Production Company: Raise the Roof

 

George Clarke's Amazing Christmas Spaces

TX: Thursday 19th December, 8pm, Channel 4

In this festive special, George gets into the Christmas spirit as he visits an incredible man-made stalactite crystal grotto in Surrey which has been painstakingly restored. He also meets a small spaces enthusiast who has rebuilt and renovated a Victorian flat-pack tin chapel in Shropshire to create a magical holiday home.

Meanwhile it’s Christmas in the tree house in the Kielder Water and Forest Park in Northumberland as George and William look back on the design and build of their ambitious small space which takes advantage of the breath-taking views. They will also gather together a few familiar faces from across the series as Rew at the Landrover cocktail bar helps to kick-start the festive celebrations.  

George also reunites with carpenter Adam who created a double-decker bus holiday home conversion on the Brighton coastline and catches up with Jay and Jonathan at their ambulance-turned-campervan in Norfolk, as well as with designer Barry at his hexagonal ‘Hive Haus’ prototype home in Lancashire. 

Production Company: Plum Pictures

 

Jamie's Festive Feast

Delicious and effortless dishes from Jamie, perfect for feasts on the lazy winter days between Christmas and New Year plus some real showstoppers for the end of year celebration. Jamie’s Festive Feast is about cooking relaxed dishes that are ideal for sharing with your nearest and dearest, without being a slave to the kitchen. From simple one-pot wonders to perfect party food, as well as some unexpected tastes for this time of year.

Production Company: Fresh One

 

Oh No He Didn't! Gok in Panto

This Christmas, Gok Wan will be treading the boards for the first time in pantomime, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Channel 4 will be capturing the antics through Oh No He Didn’t! Gok in Panto (w/t). As rehearsals at the legendary Birmingham Hippodrome begin , this sparkly 1x60 Christmas special will follow Gok as he enters a fantasy world of song and dance through his role as the ‘Man in the Mirror’.

With only three weeks to prepare for opening night, the pressure is on Gok as he attempts to fulfil a lifelong dream of becoming a star of the stage. Alongside fellow cast members – stars of stage and screen including John Partridge, Stephanie Beecham, and Gary Wilmot – Gok attempts to learn his lines and master the art of flying through the theatre on a wire under the watchful eye of legendary panto director, Michael Harrison.

The programme will offer an insight into the enchanting world of panto as Gok reveals the behind-the-scenes action. From building the set to creating the costumes, the magic of this Christmas tradition will be revealed. But will the pressure of delivering a solo show-stopping tune and a succession of against-the-clock costume changes prove too much for the fashion expert?

Production Company: Maverick Television

 

FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT:

My Big Fat Gypsy Christmas: Carols and Caravans

TX: Friday 20th December, 9pm, Channel 4

In this brand new special episode, we celebrate Christmas with members of the Travelling community, catching up with old friends and celebrating with new ones. Christmas is an important event in the travelling community, a time to put their troubles aside and rejoice. But for a people with travel in the blood, it’s also an excuse to escape the harsh winter to adventure! From Travellers soaking up the sun in Tenerife, a festive 18th birthday and a truly spectacular winter wedding, a Gypsy Christmas is never without its drama.

Production Company: Firecracker Films

 

Gordon Ramsay's Festive Home Cooking

TX: Friday 20th December, 8pm, Channel 4

When you’re cooking over the festive holidays it pays to have someone like Gordon Ramsay on your side. In a festive special to kick-start this new three-part series, Gordon shows off the two distinct sides to his cooking. In his restaurants, he’s known for serving stunningly intricate dishes, but at home his food is just as delicious - but simpler, faster and easier to make.

Across the hour, Gordon teaches us his favourite recipes for cracking the festive holidays including perfect Eggs Benedict for a brilliant brunch with friends, mouth-wateringly delicious beef fillet with salsa verde for a special dinner and, for when you're throwing a relaxed and laidback party, smoky pulled pork with chipotle mayonnaise. So if you want stress-free, easy and absolutely incredible food over the Christmas holidays, Gordon is on hand to help.

Production Company: Optomen Television

 

Rude Tube Christmas Cracker 2013

Production Company: October Films

Rude Tube New Year

Production Company: October Films

 

DAYTIME:

Deal or No Deal: Ideal Christmas

Deal or No Deal welcomes you to Little Dealington for an Ideal Christmas taking place during a week of festive specials hosted by Vicar Noel Edmonds.

This Christmas, there will be a twist to the game as contestants still in play at five box will have the opportunity to take on a present stacking challenge in order to win a holiday – as well as have the game play advantage of proceeding one box at a time. However, if the contestants fail, Little Dealington’s very own Grinch, The Banker, can have a look inside their box.

So grab yourself a mince pie and settle in for a Deal or No Deal: Ideal Christmas on Channel 4.

Production Company: Endemol UK

 

Come Dine with Me Christmas – Daytime and Peak

DAYTIME TX: Starts Monday 16th December, Weekdays at 5.30pm, Channel 4

For the festive season, Come Dine with Me will be serving up a full menu of celebrities across both daytime and peak episodes. It’s the spirit of goodwill, but the competition will be tough as the well-known faces serve up their favourite Christmas food in an attempt to bag the £1000 prize for their chosen charity.

In daytime, the competitors serving up a merry three course meal across the week include action-man Rav Wilding, who will be hoping his cooking skills impress both Rebecca Adlington – an Olympian who is no stranger to winning - and actress, Jennifer Ellison. Ex-Hollyoaks star, Alex Carter, will also be stepping up to the stove as will Mrs Moneypenny – renowned for her super-scrimping skills – but who will walk away with the cash?

Meanwhile for the peak episode, Louie Spence will be hoping to be as nimble in the kitchen as he is on the dance floor. Whilst, singer Sinitta, will be hoping her food hits the right note in this 1x60 Christmas cracker. But who will win in the battle of the festive food as actress Daniella Westbrook and Chelsea resident Hugo Taylor also serve up their best dishes?

Production Company: ITV Studios