Stephen Fry’s 21st Century Firsts (STV, 8.30pm)

ALMOST 21 years ago, some of us were looking forward to the start of a new century, while others fretted about the impact of the so-called millennium bug. Those born that year are now coming of age, while others who were 21 back then have discovered whether or not life really does begin at 40. Here Stephen Fry takes a look at some of the momentous events, landmarks and technological advances made during that time, including the launch of the first iPhone in 2007, the social media revolution and the Tinder app.

Not Going Out (BBC1, 9pm)

THE festive edition of Not Going Out has become a comedy highlight of the season and this year’s episode will be poignant because Bobby Ball, who plays Lee’s lovable but useless father Frank on the show, passed away in October. We meet up with Lee (Lee Mack) and Lucy (Sally Bretton) on New Year’s Eve. They’re joined by Frank, as well as Lucy’s mother and father and friends Toby (Hugh Dennis) and Anna (Abigail Cruttenden). Everything goes swimmingly until someone suggests a new parlour game in which they tell each other how they can improve their behaviour and what New Year’s resolutions they need to make.

Tom Allen Goes to Town (C4, 9pm)

COMEDIAN Tom Allen loves small-town Britain. In this show filmed in 2019, he champions one of these unsung places: Wakefield in West Yorkshire (which is, of course, a city rather than a town), Tom takes in one of the world’s biggest rhubarb crops, explores the beautiful cathedral and visits a drive-in fish and chip shop. He also buys a round of Wakefield’s famous steak pies and renovates the local Caribbean restaurant for the family he’s been staying with.

Pandemonium (BBC1, 9.45pm)

THIS new video diary comedy penned by After Life star and Plebs writer Tom Basden boasts a stellar cast including Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd), Jim Howick (Ghosts), Alison Steadman (Gavin & Stacey) and Tom Basen (After Life). The Jessops have seen their finances and plans devastated in 2020, and have had to abandon their holiday of a lifetime to California. With morale at an all-time low, they decide to have their summer holiday after all ... even if it means Margate in December.