Billy Connolly: My Absolute Pleasure – Boxing Day, STV, 9:30pm
Just because one of the greatest ever stand-up comedians has retired from live performance, that doesn’t mean he’s going to disappear completely. Heaven forfend. In this welcome catch-up, we visit The Big Yin at his Florida Quays abode. It’s a sunny portrait of well-deserved familial contentment (there are cameos from wife Pamela and daughter Scarlett). He’s in fine fettle too; this isn’t blind fanboy sentiment talking, he’s as sharp and funny as ever. Slower in body, but not in mind. Classic stand-up clips are woven throughout, most of them chosen in support of Connolly’s entirely wise and unpretentious philosophising about life and the art of comedy. These encounters should be an annual festive tradition.
Superworm – Christmas Day, BBC One, 2:30pm
This year’s animated adaptation of a book by all-conquering children’s author Julia Donaldson takes place within the insect community. Our titular hero is an unusually long and strong invertebrate who protects his neighbours as a matter of course. He’s a truly amazing guy. Superworm’s already quite dramatic life is thrown into turmoil when he’s kidnapped by an evil wizard lizard and his lumbering crow accomplice. They force him into digging for buried treasure, which is no way to treat a selfless super-being. Fortunately, his friends mount a daring rescue mission. This is a sweet little Christmas diversion for all the family. Your star voice artistes are Rob Brydon, Olivia Colman and Matt Smith.
Quentin Blake: The Drawing of My Life – Christmas Day, BBC Two, 4:10pm
The beloved children’s illustrator Quentin Blake is best known for his association with Roald Dahl, but that’s only part of his story. As this delightful profile reveals, Blake’s canvas is broad. He continues to make the world a kinder, brighter place with ongoing projects such as his specially-commissioned artworks for NHS wards. A quietly inspiring figure, Blake has encouraged generations of children to write, draw and engage with their imaginations. Now aged 88, he comes across a lovely man with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. And his instantly recognisable style – scratchy, minimalist, yet full of fluid detail and charm – is a wonder to behold. The programme is packed with tributes from some of the artists he’s inspired.
Terry Pratchett’s The Abominable Snowbaby – Christmas Day, Channel 4, 7:30pm
The animated warmth continues with this touching parable about overcoming prejudice. It begins with a quaint English town waking up to a massive blanket of snowfall. The locals are quite delighted, until they discover that the blizzard has brought with it an enormous Yeti infant. He’s vulnerable and alone, an adorable innocent, but they treat him with opprobrium. He doesn’t belong there. Step forward a kindly old grandma (Julie Walters) who forms a bond with this misunderstood creature. Beautifully animated in the traditional 2-D style, The Abominable Snowbaby is testament to the all-encompassing wit and compassion of its late author. Even if you don’t have any children in your vicinity, it’s worth tuning in for.
Around the World in 80 Days – Boxing Day, BBC One, 5: 50pm
David Tennant stars as gentleman explorer Phileas Fogg in this eight-part adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic 19th century adventure yarn. We all know the basic gist of the story – tired of his stuffy lifestyle, Fogg accepts a daring wager to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days – but series co-creator Ashley Pharaoh (Life on Mars) has taken some liberties with the source material. That’s fine in theory, these texts should never be set in stone, but depositing Fogg and co into the real-life horror of the French Revolution creates a peculiar tonal imbalance. It’s as if Pharaoh feels the saga requires some gravitas, when surely the whole point of Verne’s work was fantastical escapism. A curate’s egg.
A Very British Scandal – Boxing Day to Tuesday, BBC One, 9pm
A spiritual sequel to Russell T. Davies’ excellent drama about Jeremy Thorpe, this miniseries explores broadly similar themes. The bitter divorce between the Duke and Duchess of Argyll caused headline-grabbing uproar in the early 1960s. It was an early example of public-shaming; the Duchess’ reputation was dragged through the mud, while the Duke was upheld as some sort of victim. The story unfolds within an ingrained culture of rampant misogyny. A potentially powerful piece, but here’s the problem: the protagonists (played by Paul Bettany and Claire Foy) aren’t especially interesting in and of themselves. He’s a despicable swine, and she’s an aloof enigma. Writer Sarah Phelps, whose work I admire, struggles to make us care.
The Big New Years & Years Eve Christmas Party with Kylie and Pet Shop Boys – Hogmanay, BBC One, 11:25pm
The most bittersweet night of the year might be alleviated by these pop interventions. Take your pick: you’ve either got Olly Alexander, Kylie Minogue and Pet Shop Boys on BBC One – which all sounds good to me – or Jools’ Annual Hootenanny on BBC Two, which also kicks off at 11:25pm. His guests are Lulu, Gregory Porter, Ed Sheeran, Ruby Turner and – as the bells strike midnight – the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards. You presumably know the score by now. Jools’ show will end with an all-star version of Enjoy Yourself by The Specials, which always strikes me as an unintentionally cruel song to perform under these circumstances.
