Strictly Come Dancing: The Final (BBC1, 6pm)
THE fact that Strictly happened at all this year has been a bit of a miracle – the show has gone on despite some Covid-related bumps along the way. So, it’s even more impressive that the standard this year has generally been so high and the leaderboard so unpredictable. Many couples who the bookies (and some viewers) had written off following the launch show have topped the table during the run. So, it really will be hard to call as we reach the final and the remaining couples prepare to perform three routines.
Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse will score their efforts, but it will be up to the viewers at home to crown the winner. Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are hosting, and there’s also music from Robbie Williams.
The Masked Singer: The Story So Far (STV, 5pm)
IT all seems so long ago now, but back in January and February, The Masked Singer became one of the year’s most talked-about shows. If you missed out or just need your memory jogging ahead of the second series, which starts on Boxing Day, Joel Dommett goes behind the scenes of the first run to remind us of the extravagant costumes, the hidden celebrities and the panel of Ken Jeong, Davina McCall, Rita Ora and Jonathan Ross. He’ll round up some of the highlights and also bring us previously unseen interviews.
My Generation (BBC2, 9.20pm)
IT’S no secret that the 1960s were a time of great cultural and social change. These shifts allowed a new generation of largely working-class people to come to the fore, and among them was Michael Caine.
He’d been acting for some time before Zulu shot him to stardom; he was also a little older than some others who made their name during the decade; that maturity perhaps means he can look back at the period with more clarity and perspective than most.
Caine is the central figure in this fascinating documentary written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, who found fame around the same time via their sitcom The Likely Lads. It features a wealth of wonderful archive footage as well as interviews with the likes of David Bailey, Roger Daltrey, Marianne Faithfull, Paul McCartney, Mary Quant and Twiggy.
Idris Elba Meets Paul McCartney (BBC1, 9.20pm)
HE’S one of the most successful and influential songwriters in the history of pop music, but at the age of 78, Paul McCartney isn’t resting on his laurels just yet. He’s just released McCartney III, the third in a trilogy of albums which find him playing every instrument as well as writing.
Now, he’s talking to actor Idris Elba about his life and extraordinary career. As well as sharing insights into the writing process that produced some of his best-loved works, the former Beatle will also be revealing what inspires him to continue creating and innovating.
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