With less than ten days until Christmas, the festive programming is in full swing. From Yuletide classics to thrilling new dramas, here are our top picks for what's on the telly this week.
Drama: Sticks and Stones
Monday
ITV, 9pm
ITV’s new three-part psychological drama will explore the power plays and politics of office life in this cautionary tale of workplace bullying.
Ken Nwosu (Killing Eve) leads as Thomas, an ambitious salesman who is thrown off balance in a crucial sales pitch and faints. The team lose the lucrative contract along with a sizable bonus and tense frustration arises.
As Thomas begins to feel unjustly blamed for the failure, his attempts to prove himself only cause more disaster for his career and his life begins to spiral out of control.
Festive Pick: A Christmas Carol
Sunday
BBC One, 9pm
Cheery Muppets tale this is not. The mind behind Peaky Blinders, Steven Knight, offers a darker take on Dickens in this sinister adaptation.
Guy Pearce (Memento) plays the miserable Ebenezer Scrooge who is haunted by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. Knight delves into the unspoken dark depths of Victorian society to present a new psychological portrait of this classic Christmas character.
Pearce will star alongside Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings), Stephen Graham (The Virtues), Charlotte Riley (Peaky Blinders) and Joe Alwyn (The Favourite).
Comedy: Cunk & Other Humans
Sunday
BBC Two, 10:45pm
Charlie Brooker takes a swipe at 2019 through his creation Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan), who will be dissecting the year’s major events alongside her colleague Barry Sh***peas (Al Campbell) and other contributors.
Cunk covers a variety of topics across pop culture with her trademark deadpan dimness, from Brexit and Theresa May’s downfall to Joker and Game of Thrones.
Food: Food Unwrapped: Cracking Christmas Guide
Wednesday
Channel 4, 8pm
The Food Unwrapped team will present the ultimate top tips to make the festive cooking period as stress-free as possible.
From the psychology behind why we can’t resist another Celebrations chocolate, to the best method of cooking a sizeable turkey and timesaving tips for cooking parsnips, Food Unwrapped have all the hacks to ensure the highlight of the day, Christmas dinner, runs as smoothly as possible.
Entertainment: A League of their Own’s Christmas Holiday
Thursday
Sky One, 9pm
James Corden hosts this Christmas special, sending Romesh Ranganathan, Jamie Redknapp and Andrew Flintoff on their holidays to the snowy mountains of Austria.
The three men will complete a series of challenges, from attempting the skeleton bob at speeds of 60mph to learning traditional Tyrolean dancing while sporting some dashing lederhosen.
As the day comes to a close, they will be treated to a very special Christmas gift back at the chalet…
Reality: The Apprentice Final 2019
Wednesday
BBC One, 9pm
After 13 gruelling business challenges, only two candidates remain. Scarlett Allen-Horton, the owner of a recruitment company in the West Midlands, and Carina Lepore, the Artisan bakery owner from South London.
The two candidates will battle it out in the final challenge to impress Lord Sugar and win his £250,000 investment.
The fired contestants will return to offer a final helping hand to either Scarlett or Carina as they create a new brand for their company, including producing a digital billboard and a television advert.
They must then pitch their ideas to a room of industry experts including Lord Sugar at London’s City Hall.
As the pair return to the boardroom, only one will be crowned the winner.
