Gogglesprogs Christmas Special, C4, 8pm
THE UK’s youngest TV critics are back, including eight-year-old Molly, her brother William, 11, and their friends Stephanie and Christina. They’ll be joined by a few new recruits as they cast their eyes over some of the TV highlights of 2018, from news stories to popular hits. The youngsters will also be taking a look at some nostalgic Christmas classics but will these shows cast a spell over today’s kids or will they be struggling to see what all the fuss is about?
The Long Song, BBC1, 9pm
ADAPTED from the award-winning novel by Andrea Levy, this three-part period drama (showing over consecutive evenings) might sound quite heavy for festive TV fare as it’s set in 19th-century Jamaica during the final days of slavery. But while it’s undoubtedly powerful, there is more hope and humour than you might expect. Tamara Lawrance stars as July, who is born into slavery at the Amity sugar cane plantation and is picked by the mistress, Caroline Mortimer (Hayley Atwell), to be her personal maid.
Grizzly Bear Cubs and Me, BBC2, 9pm
Gordon Buchanan joins the Pazhetnovs, a pioneering family of biologists in Russia, as they try to rehab bear cub orphans. There are more than 100,000 grizzlies in Russia and as humans encroach further into the wilderness, conflict is increasing. The Pazhetnovs have been rescuing orphaned cubs for nearly three decades and have successfully returned more than 200 back to the wild.
The Undateables: A Festive Proposal (C4, 9pm)
THE cameras catch up with some familiar faces and follow their plans for the festive season. For some, love has blossomed. Others are still waiting for Cupid to strike. As Lizzie and Joseph prepare to host their first Christmas party, Ray and Christine opt for an intimate meal for two. While Charlotte hopes Santa will bring her a boyfriend, Richard, a self-confessed scrooge, sees the advantages of being single.
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