December 24, 2024

TV tonight: more boundary pushing from Frankie Boyle

Frankie Boyle #FrankieBoyle

a man wearing a hat: Photograph: Production/BBC/Two Rivers Media © Provided by The Guardian Photograph: Production/BBC/Two Rivers Media Frankie Boyle Live: Excited for You to See and Hate This a man standing in front of a building: Frankie Boyle in Glasgow. © Photograph: Production/BBC/Two Rivers Media Frankie Boyle in Glasgow. 10pm, BBC Two

Fresh from his deeply entertaining TV tour of Scotland, featuring road tests of fresh material, comic Frankie Boyle now brings this 45-minute set of his typically acerbic observations from the King’s theatre in Glasgow. Tackling that eternally thorny intersection of free speech and humour, Boyle meditates on which aspects of the human condition and our experiences we are free to laugh at and which jokes are simply a step too far. Of course, expect lines to be crossed. Ammar Kalia

The Supervet: Noel Fitzpatrick 9pm, Channel 4

Noel revisits old cases to find out, in that time-honoured phrase, “what happened next”. How fares Jasper the staffie puppy, who went into cardiac arrest during surgery to fix his deformed front legs? And what of rottweiler-cross Lulu, affected with spinal disease? Time reveals all. Ali Catterall

Dear NHS Superstars 9pm, BBC One

Writer and former doctor Adam Kay guides us through this star-studded paean to the NHS in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Everyone from comics Lenny Henry and Jo Brand to actor Adrian Lester and presenter Konnie Huq share their stories of gratitude to the staff who have helped or even saved them. AK

Madeleine McCann: The Hunt for the Prime Suspect 9pm, ITV

German prosecutors say they have a suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. But who is Christian B, and why has it taken over a decade to link him to the much-documented crime? Julie Etchingham investigates. Ellen E Jones

Arctic Alone 9pm, Sky History

The harsh survival contest returns for a seventh season, now with a winner’s pot of $1m up for grabs. In the opening episode, 10 hardy contestants are scattered across the north-west wilderness of Canada with minimal gear. In such challenging and isolated conditions, who will be the first to crack? Graeme Virtue

Imagine: Lemn Sissay – The Memory of Me 10.45pm, BBC One

Alan Yentob meets the Wigan poet Lemn Sissay to explore his remarkable life story and career. Through the prism of his work and interviews with Sissay and his family, Yentob recounts how his childhood spent in care has sparked a lifelong desire to reconnect with his Ethiopian roots. AK

Film choice

The Blues Brothers (John Landis, 1980), 9pm, ITV4John Belushi’s loopy energy and Dan Aykroyd’s deadpan humour make a terrific combo as supercool Jake and Elwood Blues, in John Landis’s riotous cult movie. The brothers set about a fundraising gig in aid of their orphanage: a “mission from God”, blessed with one of the all-time great R&B soundtracks. Paul Howlett

Live sport

Hyundai A-League: Perth Glory v Wellington Phoenix, 10.30am, BT Sport 1. Top-flight Australian clash.

PGA Tour golf: 2020 3M Open, 2pm, Sky Sports Main Event. First day’s coverage from Blaine.

Snooker: World championship, 7pm, Eurosport 1. Day three of qualifying from the Crucible.

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