News roundup, with Darren Jordon, Susanna Reid. Weather update at 8.25. (W)
Classic comedy short, opening a Laurel and Hardy season.
Down-and-out street musicians Stan and Ollie find a wallet, which turns out to belong to a policeman.
(R) (BW) (S)
(Our Wife is tomorrow at 11.10am)
Bilko Goes South. A special project that involves a trip to Florida attracts Bilko's keen interest. (R) (BW) (S)
A Christmas to Remember. Troy grants an orphan's dearest
Christmas wish. (R) (S)
Past seasonal singles, with the likes of Slade and Bing Crosby.
Shown last Wednesday (S)
A special edition of TOTP2 is showing tomorrow at 5.15pm
A glimpse of another popular holiday spot. (R) (S)
Thriller. A lonely girl witnesses a sailor murder his girlfriend, after which a strange friendship grows between her and the killer.
Review page 39.
(1959, PG) (BW) (S) ***
(John Mills stars in Morning Departure on Christmas Eve at 2.30pm)
*** A Saturday Matinee double bill starts with a remake of the seasonal romance, starring Cynthia Gibb. When widower Jodie gets Steve fired, the pair strike up an unlikely friendship. Review page 39. (1996, U) (S)
The Saturday Matinée double bill ends with a comedy by Arnold Schwarzenegger and starring Dyan Cannon.
Elizabeth hosts a TV series on home life, even though she hasn't a clue about domestic matters. To boost ratings, her producer gets her to entertain a national hero for Christmas dinner on live TV. Review page 39. (1992, U) (S)
The 45th annual journalism awards ceremony, from
London's Cafe Royal. Among the year's major events from a journalistic perspective has been news coverage since the 11 September attacks. Presented by Clive Anderson. Director Charles Kitchen ; Producer Christine Ruth (S) (W)
To coincide with the release of the first film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, this programme profiles the shy Oxford professor whose fantasy stories placed him at the centre of a worldwide phenomenon. Including archive footage of Tolkien, readings from his works and contributions from contemporaries and biographers. Presented by Kirsty Wark. Director Julian Birkett ; Series editor Basil Comely (S) (W) BBC RADIO COLLECTION: The Lord of the Rings and The Fellowship of the Ring - boxed sets available on both cassette and compact disc
BBC Knowledge begins a season on children's literature with An Awfully Big Adventure, a portrait of Tolkien, on Christmas Eve at 11am
A one-off Christmas musical extravaganza from Vienna's opulent concert hall featuringjazz vocalist Tony Bennett , tenor Placido Domingo , US pop artist Vanessa Williams and young Welsh star Charlotte Church, with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and Bennett'sjazz quartet.
Director David Mallet (S) (W) A special live concert from Vienna is on New Year's Day at 11.15am
A Christmas edition of the show from New York City in which the Doncaster diva is joined by special guests Tony Bennett , American soprano Renee Fleming and violinist Joshua Bell. The musical programme ranges from Bernstein to Verdi, and from Duke Ellington to Handel, and includes a selection of seasonal carols. Plus the Birmingham Royal Ballet performing David Bintley 's Nutcracker Sweeties.
Directors Rupert Edwards. Robin Lough ; Producers Emma Cornish , Fiona Morris The series concludes next Saturday at 7.05pm (S) (W)
Premiere. Oscar-winning drama. Will Hunting has the most brilliant mind at America's top university, but he is a headstrong, penniless cleaner. Faced with a jail sentence, his fate lies in the hands of a therapist. Widescreen. Review page 40.
(1997, 15) (S) (W) *****
The first in a rerun of the ten-part series celebrating the popular culture of the seventies. Presenter Jimmy Savile looks back at the advent of colour television, chopper bikes, stylophones, MASH and The Goodies. Musical highlights include Mungo Jerry and the Supremes.
Director Mike Wadding: Series producer Alan Brown (R) (S) (W) I Love 1971 can be seen tomorrow at 11.05pm
The first of three episodes of the innovative dance series. In Birds, Yolande Smith and David Hinton draw on avian movements. Your Dark Eyes, by Suzy Blok Wolke Kluppell, depicts how a love song revives memories. Enclosed, by Ed Wubbe and Marijke Jongebloed , is about a troubled relationship between two women. Executive producers Bob Lockyer , Henk van der Meulen. Rodney Wilson
The next edition is showing tomorrow at 12.05am (S) (W)
Film noir, beginning the Crimescenes season. Lt Diamond gets help from a surprising source when trying to break a gang. Review page 40.
Director Joseph H Lewis (1955. PG) (BW) (S) Crimescenes continues tomorrow at 12.25am with Slightly Scarlet
