The best of the week's broadcast comedy

The comedy week ahead on TV and radio.

Sunday December 23

TROLLIED: THE WEDDING:  All the Valco gang are together for the last-ever episode of the supermarket sitcom as Gavin (Jason Watkins) and Cheryl (Sarah Parish) tie the knot. Hugh Dennis guest stars as best man Jerome. Sky One, 9pm

HOLD THE SUNSET: Christmas special for the family comedy featuring Alison Steadman and John Cleese. BBC One, 6.20pm

8 OUT OF 10 CATS DOES COUNTDOWN CHRISTMAS SPECIAL:  Jimmy Carr hosts  as Sean Lock and Kathy Burke take on Jon Richardson and David Mitchell. Plus, James Acaster and Joe Wilkinson join regulars Susie Dent and Rachel Riley in the admin sections. Channel 4, 9pm

Monday December 24

CLICK AND COLLECT:Stephen Merchant and Asim Chaudhry play The Odd Couple  in this one-off about two neighbours on a UK road trip to secure the last Sparklehoof The Unicorn Princess at Christmas. BBC One, 9pm.

THE QUEEN AND I: Adaptation of the Sue Townsend family story in which the Monarch  (Samantha Bond) has been sidelined by power-hungry Prime Minister Jack Barker (David Walliams), and winds up in a suburban close.  Johnny Vegas and Julia McKenzie are among the co-stars. Sky One, 6pm

THE KEITH AND PADDY PICTURE SHOW:  Keith Lemon and Paddy McGuinness recreate Gremlins in under half an hour. Guest stars include actual Gremlins actor Zach Galligan, EastEnders star Kara Tointon and comedy actors John Thomson, Su Pollard, Les Dennis and Arthur Bostrom. ITV, 9pm

CONVERSATIONS FROM A LONG MARRIAGE AT CHRISTMAS: A special edition of the radio comedy with Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam as a free-spirited couple who have been married forever. Radio 4, 11.30am

Tuesday December 25

UPSTART CROW: A Crow Christmas Carol sees the  Shakespeare household coming to terms with the cruel loss that ended the last series. But then a mysterious stranger (Kenneth Branagh) offers to share with Will (David Mitchell) a tale of redemption. BBC Two, 8.35pm

ALAN CARR'S CHRISTMAS CRACKER With guests including Channing Tatum, Danny and Dani Dyer, Lily Allen, Sharon Horgan, Olly Murs, Russell Howard, Alesha Dixon  and Chris Kamara. Channel 4, 10.15pm

MRS BROWN'S BOYS: If you must. BBC One, 10.15pm

THE Tim Vine CHAT SHOW: A festive special with non-celebrity guests and more puns than a sleigh full of Christmas crackers. Radio 4, 6.30pm

LATE JUNCTION CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: Stewart Lee, who has had a parallel life as a music critic for much of his comedy career,  takes over the Radio 3 strand for the first of three nights. Today he's joined by musician  Richard Dawson to talk folk, tomorrow he's joined by fellow comedian and  fan of Soviet-era Russian music, Tim Key, and on Friday he  presents a mixtape from recorder player and violinist Laura Cannell. Radio 3, 11pm

Wednesday December 26

THE MORECAMBE AND WISE SHOW: THE LOST TAPES:  For the first time since their original broadcast in 1968, two episodes of Morecambe and Wise will be broadcast on BBC Two this Christmas. The original colour tapes have been lost for 50 years but, as Chortle previously reported, black and white copies were found in a derelict cinema in Sierra Leone and have been transformed back into colour. BBC Two, 7.50pm

KEN DODD - HOW TICKLED WE WERE: A major tribute to 'the last great music hall entertainer', covering his near 65-year career from his first professional stage engagement  in September 1954 and his final performance in his home city of Liverpool in December 2017, as well as his boyhood growing up in the 1930s in Knotty Ash. The programme features interviews with  friends, family, admirers and fellow performers as well as his widow, Lady Anne. BBC Two, 9pm

BIG FAT QUIZ OF THE YEAR: Host Jimmy Carr is joined by Richard Ayoade, Noel Fielding, Mo Gilligan, David Mitchell, Claudia Winkleman and Michelle Wolf. Channel 4, 9pm

PASSPORT TO PIMLICO: The quintessential Ealing comedy about a plucky corner of London declaring independence from the UK might have some Brexity relevance… Talking Pictures TV, 1.45pm

Thursday December 27

MORECAMBE AND WISE IN AMERICA: A new three-part documentary, fronted by Jonathan Ross, about the attempts by Britain's best-known double act to crack the States. Between 1963 and 1968 Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise made over a dozen trips to New York to appear on America's biggest variety show, The Ed Sullivan Show. But they never did make it, to the disappointment of ambitious Ernie. Although Eric was more sanguine, not wanting to change his material to fit the US audience and wary of investing energy into a foreign adventure rather than nurturing the audience at home. The picture at the top of the page shows them on the on the Ed Sullivan show in 1967.Gold 8pm

Friday December 28

BILLY CONNOLLY: MADE IN SCOTLAND: This two-part series takes a look at the early influences that helped make Connolly  the comedy legend he is today. Part one features Eddie Izzard, Ross Noble, Micky Flanagan, Lord Grade, Tracey Ullman, A.L. Kennedy, Val McDermid, Sharleen Spiteri and Eddi Reader. BBC Two, 9pm

THE NEWS QUIZ:  Miles Jupp looks back at the year.  Radio 4, 6.30pm

Saturday December 29

NEW YEAR INTERNATIONAL COMEDY SHOW: Malawian Daliso Chaponda hosts stand-up from  Indian-American Hari Kondabolu, Scottish Stephen Buchanan, Swedish-Chinese Evelyn Mok, Indian Anuvab Pal, British-Filipina Ria Lina and Australian Heidi Regan.

Published: 23 Dec 2018