15 DECEMBER, 2023 - SHANK, BY MATT HOOPER: THE CHRISTMAS SEASON IS HERE, AND WHETHER YOU ARE SPENDING IT WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, OR ALONE LIKE MYSELF THIS YEAR, THE TELEVISION, TABLET, LAPTOP OR RADIO WILL NO DOUBT BE A SOURCE OF GREAT ENTERTAINMENT TO HELP YOU ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES. THERE HAVE NEVER BEEN SO MANY DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO ENTERTAIN YOURSELF, FROM THE TRADITIONAL FREE TO AIR NETWORKS OF BBC, ITV, CHANNEL 4 AND CHANNEL 5, TO THE MAJOR SUBSCRIPTION PLATFORMS OF SKY, DISCOVERY+, AMAZON PRIME VIDEO AND NETFLIX, TO THE FREE AD SUPPORTED PLATFORMS OF FREEVEE AND PLUTO TV. MY TELEVISION, WHICH HAS THE ADDITION OF AN AMAZON FIRE TV STICK, GIVES ME THE OPTION OF MORE THAN 200 DIFFERENT TV AND RADIO CHANNELS, HELPING TO KEEP ME ENTERTAINED OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, IN ADDITION TO MY PARENT'S SKY SUBSCRIPTION VIA MY MAC, THERE IS REALLY SO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM.
THE CHRISTMAS TV, STREAMING FEAST OF ENTERTAINMENT BEGINS AND ENDS WITH THE PADDYPOWER WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP, LIVE ON SKY SPORTS FROM 15 DECEMBER UNTIL 3 JANUARY. THE PDC WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP HAS BEEN A HIGHLIGHT OF THE CHRISTMAS SPORTS TV SCHEDULE FOR 30 YEARS, WITH THE FIRST PDC WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP KICKING OFF ON BOXING DAY 1994. THIS CHRISTMAS THE BBC AND CHANNEL 4 HAVE A SPECTACULAR COLLECTION OF ICONIC MOVIES INCLUDING THE GODFATHER TRILOGY (CHANNEL 4), MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (CHANNEL 4), THE SOUND OF MUSIC (BBC), BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (BBC), CHARIOTS OF FIRE (BBC), CINDERELLA (BBC), THE LION KING (BBC) AND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (CHANNEL 4) AMONG MANY OTHERS.
SO HERE ARE MY TV AND STREAMING PICKS FOR THE FESTIVE PERIOD, FROM FRIDAY DECEMBER 15, THROUGH TO WEDNESDAY JANUARY 3.
SUBSCRIPTION STREAMING PLATFORMS
The Crown, Netflix
The Christmas Chronicles, Netflix
The Christmas Chronicles 2, Netflix
Beckham, Netflix
Arnold, Netflix
All Quiet on the Western Front, Netflix
Great Events of WWII in Colour, Netflix
Full Swing, Netflix
Break Point, Netflix
White Christmas, Prime Video
Holiday Inn, Prime Video
Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything, Prime Video
Something from Tiffany’s, Prime Video
We Must Go, Prime Video
Fight Story, Prime Video
Christmas with a Crown, Prime Video
Santa Claus The Movie, Prime Video
The Match, Prime Video
West Side Story, Disney+
OJ: Made in America, Disney+
Brawn: Impossible Dream, Disney+
Fantasia, Disney+
Fantasia 2000, Disney+
Welcome to Wrexham, Disney+
Sleeping Beauty, Disney+
101 Dalmatians, Disney+
The Kings, Discovery+
Lucky, Discovery+
A Voyage of Discovery: The Ocean Race, Discovery+
Antarctica: Look South, Discovery+
Lion on the Loose, Discovery+
Hello World, Discovery+
Alaskan Killer Bigfoot, Discovery+
The Journey of India, Discovery+
FREE AD SUPPORTED TELEVISION
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Freevee
Magic in Mount Holly, Freevee
A Christmas Story, Freevee
A Christmas Hero,
Small Town Christmas, Pluto TV
MTV Xmas (Channel), Pluto TV
Song for Christmas, Pluto TV
12 Days of Giving, Pluto TV
The Santa Trap, Pluto TV
It's a Wonderful Life, Pluto TV
Finding Mrs Claus, Pluto TV
DAY-BY-DAY PICKS
FRIDAY 15 DECEMBER, 2023
7pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
8pm Nottingham Forest v Spurs, Sky Sports
SATURDAY 16 DECEMBER, 2O23
12.30pm, Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
12.30pm Ipswich Town v Norwich City, Sky Sports
5.30pm Burnley v Everton, Sky Sports
SUNDAY 17 DECEMBER, 2023
1am Rodriguez vs. Edwards, DAZN
12.30pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
2pm West Ham v Wolves, Sky Sports
4.30pm Liverpool v Man Utd, Sky Sports
MONDAY 18 DECEMBER, 2023
7pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
TUESDAY 19 DECEMBER, 2023
12.30pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
7pm BBC Sports Personality of the Year, BBC One
7.30pm Chelsea v Newcastle, Sky Sports
BBC 1, 7PM
WEDNESDAY 20 DECEMBER, 2023
12.30pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
7.30pm Liverpool v West Ham, Sky Sports
THURSDAY 21 DECEMBER, 2023
12.30pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
8pm Crystal Palace v Brighton, Sky Sports
FRIDAY 22 DECEMBER, 2023
12am World Poker Tour World Championship Final, Watch WPT
12.30pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
FIFA Club World Cup Final, TNT Sports
8pm Aston Villa v Sheff Utd, Sky Sports
SATURDAY 23 DECEMBER, 2023
12.30pm, Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
12.30pm West Ham v Man Utd, TNT Sports
3.05pm Bath Rugby v Harlequins, TNT Sports
4pm Day of Reckoning
ANTHONY JOSHUA VS. OTTO WALLIN & DEONTAY WILDER VS. JOSEPH PARKER and 6 other fights
DAZN PPV and TNT SPORTS BOX OFFICE
5.30pm Liverpool v Arsenal, Sky Sports
DAZN/TNT SPORTS BOX OFFICE, 4PM
CHRISTMAS EVE
8.25am Father Christmas, Channel 4
11.30am Scrooge, Channel 5
1pm Wolves v Chelsea, Sky Sports
1pm White Christmas, BBC2
2.40pm The Grinch, STV
2.50pm The Sound of Music, BBC1
4pm The Snowman, Channel 4
5.45pm Miracle on 34th Street, Channel 4
6.40pm Carols from Kings, BBC2
11.30pm Christmas Carols, STV
11.40pm Christmas Celebration, BBC1
CHRISTMAS DAY
8.50am Christmas reflections at the Quay, BBC1
10.15am Christmas Morning Service, BBC1
10.25am, Kung Fu Panda 2, Channel 4
11.15am Cinderella, BBC1
11.15am Chariots of Fire, BBC2
3pm The King, BBC1, STV, Sky News
3.10pm Wizard of Oz, Channel 5
5pm New York Knicks v Milwaukee Bucks, TNT Sports
5.15pm Titanic, Film4
6pm Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs, Sky Sports
7.30pm Denver Nuggets v Golden State Warriors, TNT Sports
8.15pm Queen: Live at Wembley 1986, Sky Arts
9.30pm New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles, Sky Sports
10pm LA Lakers v Boston Celtics, TNT Sports
11.30pm Australia v Pakistan 2nd Test, TNT Sports
BOXING DAY
7am South Africa v India 1st Test, Sky Sports
7.35am Only Fools and Horses day, Gold
12.30pm Newcastle v Nottingham Forest, Prime Video
AFC Bournemouth v Fulham, Prime Video
Sheff Utd v Luton Town, Prime Video
Preston v Leeds United, Sky Sports
1pm Andre Rieu, Sky Arts
1.15pm-3.15pm Beauty and The Beast, BBC1
3pm Dundee v Celtic, Sky Sports
5.05pm The Lion King, BBC1
5.30pm Burnley v Liverpool, Prime Video
6pm Les Miserables the staged concert, Sky Arts
7.15pm Sportscene, BBC Scotland
8pm Man Utd v Aston Villa, Prime Video
10.50pm Match of the Day, BBC1
11.30pm Australia v Pakistan 2nd Test, TNT Sports
WEDNESDAY 27 DECEMBER, 2023
7am South Africa v India 1st Test, Sky Sports
12.30pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
3.50pm Ghost Busters, BBC1
6.15pm The Princess, Sky Documentaries
7.30pm Brentford v Wolves, Prime Video
Chelsea v Crystal Palace, Prime Video
8pm Hibernian v Hearts, Sky Sports
8pm The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall, Sky Arts
8.15pm Everton v Man City, Prime Video
11.30pm Australia v Pakistan 2nd Test, TNT Sports
THURSDAY 28 DECEMBER, 2023
7am South Africa v India 1st Test, Sky Sports
9.35am Great Expectations, BBC2
12.30pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
1.10pm The Ten Commandments, Channel 4
3.40pm Ghost busters II, BBC1
7.30pm Brighton v Spurs, Prime Video
8.15pm Arsenal v West Ham, Prime Video
9pm Respect, BBC1
11.20pm The Godfather, Channel 4
11.30pm Australia v Pakistan 2nd Test, TNT Sports
FRIDAY 29 DECEMBER, 2023
7am South Africa v India 1st Test, Sky Sports
12.30pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
3.45pm Ski Jumping: The Four Hills, Eurosport1 and Discovery+
7.45pm Dundee United v Partick Thistle, BBC Scotland
8pm Cast Away, Channel 4
10.45pm The Godfather Part II, Channel 4
11.30pm Australia v Pakistan 2nd Test, TNT Sports
SATURDAY 30 DECEMBER, 2023
7am South Africa v India 1st Test, Sky Sports
12.30pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
12pm Celtic v Rangers, Sky Sports
12.30pm Luton Town v Chelsea, TNT Sports
1.15pm Tour de Ski, Eurosport and Discovery+
5.30pm Nottingham Forest v Man Utd, Sky Sports
6pm Paddington 2, BBC1
10pm Four Weddings and a Funeral, Channel 4
HOGMANAY
11am Tour de Ski, Eurosport
12.30pm Ski Jumping: The Four Hills, Eurosport1 and Discovery+
2pm Fulham v Arsenal, Sky Sports
3pm Leicester v Bath Rugby, Sky Sports
8.50pm Andre Rieu New Year's Eve in Hamburg, Sky Arts
10pm Get the Tunes On, BBC1
11.15pm Bringing in the Bells, STV
11.30pm Hogmanay Live, BBC1
11.30pm Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny, BBC2
11.45pm New Year's Eve Live, Sky Showcase
NEW YEAR'S DAY
8.50am Tour de Ski, Eurosport1 and Discovery+
10.15am New Year's Day Live concert from Vienna, BBC2
12.30pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
1pm Ski Jumping: The Four Hills, Eurosport1 and Discovery+
2.30pm The Magnificent Seven, BBC2
8pm Liverpool v Newcastle, Sky Sports
10.10pm The Rose Bowl, Sky Sports NFL
TUESDAY 2 JANUARY, 2024
8am Tour de Ski, Eurosport1 and Discovery+
12pm Ski Jumping: The Four Hills, Eurosport1 and Discovery+
12.50pm Cleopatra, BBC2
7.30pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship, Sky Sports
7.30pm West Ham v Brighton, Sky Sports
WEDNESDAY 3 JANUARY, 2024
1.25pm Tour de Ski, Eurosport1 and Discovery+
8pm Paddy Power World Darts Championship Final, Sky Sports
