Channel 4

Murray has guest hosted the UK’s longest running TV quiz show since summer 2022, becoming a favourite among fans.

Confirming the news on Steph’s Packed Lunch, Murray said: “It’s a career dream to be named as permanent anchor of one of television's most iconic programmes. I have been a fan since day one, been part of the family for over a decade, appearing on Dictionary Corner, and now I get the honour of guiding it into a fifth decade. However, I just don’t want Countdown to survive, I want it to thrive.

The Last Leg of the Year

Channel 4, 9pm

Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker ring in the new year with a Last Leg special looking at the good, the bad and the ugly of 2022.

Mayflies

BBC One, 9pm

Martin Compston stars as writer Jimmy, who receives a call from his oldest friend Tully (Tony Curran) with the life-changing news that he has terminal cancer and a final request that will test their 30 year strong friendship.    

TV host and Countdown veteran Carol Vorderman, Olympic champion Mo Farah, Radio 1 DJ Greg James, Chicken Shop Date's Amelia Dimoldenberg and singer Rebecca Lucy Taylor (aka Self Esteem) will compete in the third New Year's special of the comedy competition series. 

The celebrities will take on a series of obscure tasks to impress the Taskmaster, Greg Davies, and his assistant, Little Alex Horne, to be crowned the New Year Treat's champion and take home this year's trophy: Greg's Golden Eyebrows.

Session chair Amol Rajan: Did you interpret the new culture secretary saying that she is re-examining the business case for privatisation as implying that she and Prime Minister Liz Truss are not as committed to privatisation as their predecessors? 

Alex Mahon: We’re in discussion with the DCMS about where they want to end up and what the options are. I imagine they’ll look at the things that I like: facts, data and evidence. Then we’ll see what the coming weeks and months hold as they think about that. 

Based on the real-life high court battle in 2022, known as Wagatha Christie, the drama will tell the story of the libel case between Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney. The case hit headlines around the world and ignited a debate around privacy.

Coleen Rooney will be played by Chanel Cresswell and Rebekah Vardy by Natalia Tena. 

They will be joined by Michael Sheen as Rooney’s barrister David Sherborne and Simon Coury as Vardy’s barrister Hugh Tomlinson, who has represented multiple high profile people including King Charles III.

Grayson Perry: This England (working title) will see the artist search for objects, art, design, fashion, pop culture pieces, personal mementos, family heirlooms and memorabilia to help him create his own interpretation of what it means to be English.

Perry will collect these objects from the people he meets along the way, before displaying them in an exhibition at a prestigious gallery alongside his own works of art.

Grayson Perry says the inspiration for the series came from "all the talk about identity these days."

Last year’s competition saw Guiseppe Dell’Anno crowned the series winner, having beaten Chigs and Crystelle in the final. With Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding once again returning as hilarious hosts, meet the twelve new bakers hoping to be crowned Britain's best baker:

The celebrities will be leaving their showbiz lives behind and taking part in a series of gruelling tasks in the oppressive Jordanian desert heat. 

The fourth series will be the longest series to date with seven episodes and will start with 14 celebrities taking part. Everyone will be pushed to their physical and mental limits and discover sides of themselves they didn’t know existed. 

The selection course will be run by an elite team of ex-special forces operators form the UK and USA.