What's on TV today: Sunday, December 28 highlights include the Death in Paradise Christmas special and Battle of the Sexes
Plus, a Torvill and Dean celebrationChristmas TV highlights for Sunday, December 28 include the Death in Paradise Christmas special and Fletchers’ Family Farm at Christmas.
Last Sunday we got the Beyond Paradise Christmas special, now we’re off to Saint Marie for the Death in Paradise festive 90-minute outing. Plus we’re getting a new docudrama about the Titanic disaster and a behind-the-scenes look at Torvill & Dean’s final tour.
Here are all the top picks to watch on TV today.
Death in Paradise Christmas special (BBC One, 8.30pm)
Why would anyone book an office party in Saint Marie? You just know someone will get murdered! The senior team at Dugdale’s Branded Merchandise have been treated to a Caribbean break by their boss Helen (Kate Ashfield). But it obviously ends in tragedy when a body is found in the pool of their rented villa.
DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) is quickly on the scene to investigate in the festive special. And so are his poor colleagues after he cancels their Christmas leave! He’s not the nicest boss is he?!
Rather intriguingly Mervin asks a familiar face to help search the company offices in the UK. Could this familiar face be DI Jack Mooney (Ardal O’Hanlon)? Or possibly DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall)? Whoever the mystery person is they discover the murder weapon! How on earth did it end up in a locked draw in Swindon? We’re sure there will be a suitably bonkers explanation!
Meanwhile, Mervin will finally get to meet his long-lost brother, Solomon. But will the pair get on?
Titanic Sinks Tonight (BBC Two, 9pm)
This four-part docudrama takes the audience on a journey through the sinking of the Titanic in real time. It pieces together the events, minute by minute, to reveal exactly what happened when the ship struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912 four days into her maiden voyage.
We see everything through the eyes of first-class stewardess Violet Jessop (Vicky Allen) and first-class passenger Jack Thayer (Rhys Mannion), who bother survived. Outnumbered star Tyger Drew-Honey also stars as a telegraphist.
Over 1,500 people died out of the approximately 2,200 passengers on board.
Battle of the Sexes (BBC One, 3.45pm)
Clare Balding hosts live coverage of this hugely controversial exhibition match in Dubai between 2022 Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios and current women’s No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
In the original Battle of the Sexes tennis match in 1973, the then female No. 1 Billie Jean King easily beat former men’s top-ranked player Bobby Riggs in straight sets.
Amazingly, it was watched by 90 million people worldwide. However, Billie Jean King doesn’t see this match as anything like hers in the 1970s. She said recently: “Ours was about social change; culturally, where we were in 1973. This one is not.
“I hope it’s a great match – I want Sabalenka, obviously, to win – but it’s just not the same.”
Fletchers’ Family Farm at Christmas (ITV1, 6.30pm)
The Fletchers head to Austria where they stay with an Alpine farming family in this Christmas episode. They’re taught about why cowbells are important for cattle and how chants can be used to get chickens to go where you want them.
The children have more fun heading to an ice cave and also learning how to make gingerbread.
Former Emmerdale star Kelvin talked emotionally earlier this year about how a fire had destroyed their home. The damage was so bad Kelvin, his wife Liz and children had to move into temporary accommodation for a while. So, the whole family feel they deserve their Austrian adventure.
Torvill & Dean: The Last Dance (ITV1, 8.30pm)
The cameras follow Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean on their final tour called Our Last Dance. The documentary begins with the Dancing on Ice stars and Olympic champions rehearsing for the 42 shows.
In quieter moments the pair talk about their long career and friendship. Jayne said during the tour: “This whole tour has been a celebration. We want to leave on a high and want the audience to enjoy celebrating with us.”
It ends, suitably, with them performing their Olympics-winning Bolero routine for the last time.
Read more: Everything you need to know Red Eye series 2
