Here's EVERYTHING you need to know about what Sky are showing this Christmas!
With Christmas fast approaching, Sky has revealed what treats they've got in store this festive season.
From festive hits to a brand-new Sky Original Christmas special starring Lee Mack and Chris McCausland, there’s plenty to keep you busy this December. Plus, with all your favourite classic films available on Sky Cinema and NOW, you’ll be fighting over the remote this Christmas.
Here are some festive hits you won’t want to miss this Christmas on Sky...
This year's big Sky Christmas special is Bad Tidings which stars Lee Mack, Chris McCausland and Rebekah Staton.
It’s the week before Christmas and Stockport home security expert, Neil played by Lee Mack, has a problem with his neighbour. Scott played by Chris McCausland, swaps their bins, complains about Neil’s ‘project’ car on his drive and has had his Christmas lights up all year, shining into Neil’s home office. Basically, he’s a git. He’s also blind, and the rest of the street thinks he’s great.
When they try to make Scott the new head of Neighbourhood Watch, Neil can stand it no more. He questions Scott’s suitability for the role (“It’s Neighbourhood Watch! I mean, hello?”) and, in the tit for tat row which ensues, Neil ends up blowing the power. For the whole street. On Christmas Eve.
Everyone, including Neil’s wife and teenage daughter, is forced to take their Christmas plans elsewhere, leaving Neil and Scott alone and on guard. When infamous local crime family - The Brennans - decide to rob the entire street in one night (“It’s like Santa in reverse”), the odd couple must team up to stop them. They’ve got no lights, no cameras, no alarms, but one of them is blind, which might be an advantage…
Steven Frayne, the magician formerly known as Dynamo, is back this Christmas with an epic new show which sees him return to his roots, and wow people like never before by taking his magic back to the streets, stunning huge crowds as he goes.
After his dramatic rebirth in the epic conclusion of Dynamo Is Dead last year, Britain’s greatest magician is setting out on a journey around the country, unearthing everyday heroes and delivering mind-blowing magic.
Throughout the show, magic builds to an astonishing climax in which Steven will take the ultimate risk, pushing himself to the limit for a death-defying finale: the miracle to end all miracles. Get ready for a show filled with inspiration, wonder, and pure magic, as Steven Frayne once again defies belief.
Currently scheduled for 18th December on Sky Max, much-loved comedy quiz show, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, is returning for a Christmas special and having taken time off to celebrate a nativity of her own, the immaculate Daisy May Cooper makes her triumphant return to Buzzcocks for a raucous Christmas special.
Joining her, host Greg Davies, team captain Noel Fielding and series regular Jamali Maddix will be comedian Chris Ramsey, singer songwriter Ella Henderson and Capital Breakfast host Jordan North.
From Saturday 30th November, Game of Throws: Inside Darts offers exclusive access to the world of professional darts. The world of darts is more popular than ever and the World Championship held every Christmas at Alexandra Palace sells out in minutes and millions tune in to watch worldwide.
In a year like no other, this three-part celebratory access-all-areas documentary for Sky Documentaries will track the action from pretournament preparation to the final and beyond, following up-and-coming hopefuls to top-seeded players - the likes of Michael van Gerwen, Luke Humphries and darts wunderkind Luke "The Nuke" Littler.
We'll also spend time with the families who support them to achieve their dreams, as well as those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to create this global phenomenon. Darts is one of the most popular sports on TV, yet little is known about the players themselves. This series charts what it's really like to be a darts player in today's world: the ups and downs, the humour, the camaraderie, as well as the sacrifices they make to win the biggest prize in the game.
Speaking of darts, in Rob & Romesh Vs Darts, Rob and Romesh have special access to Luke Littler and other top players, as he prepares for his redemption run.
Not only will the boys learn what it takes to come within touching distance of the crown, they'll need to sharpen up their own skills for a special head-to-head challenge the PDC have arranged, in front of a sold-out Alexandra Palace at this year’s World Championship.
Becoming Madonna for Sky Documentaries is being described as an immersive, archive driven film, built around a cache of recently uncovered audio tapes in which a young Madonna reflects on her extraordinary life and career.
With rare footage, unseen photos and intimate interviews with family, friends and collaborators, some of whom have never spoken in a documentary before, the film shows this celebrated star as we’ve never seen her before.
When Madonna arrived in New York City from Michigan with dreams of becoming a professional dancer, it was the start of an incredible journey. This film charts the period 1978-1992 as Madonna dramatically transformed herself from insecure 19-year-old outsider to the most controversial pop star in the world, with the astonishing publication of her erotic photography book ‘Sex’.
These were the heady years during which Madonna came of age as a person and an uncompromising artist. Through her fiery conflicts with the conservative establishment in the 80s and 90s, the film powerfully evokes a time where traditional views on sexuality and gender roles were being audaciously challenged and Madonna was always at the vanguard.
Previously unseen archive sheds new light on the personal tragedies that fuelled Madonna’s drive, re-examining the early death of her mother and those of her dance teacher Christopher Flynn and close friend Martin Burgoyne, both of whom died during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s.Through their stories, we see Madonna in a new light: smarter, more radical and more vulnerable than anyone at the time gave her credit for.
The second season of dark comedy Based on a True Story returns to Sky Max on the 16th December. It's the story of the unlikely friendship between a married couple and a serial killer.
Season two of the series finds new parents Ava and Nathan Bartlett, played by Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina, three months into parenthood. Focused on taking care of her family, Ava is determined to resist her true crime obsession and return to work as a real estate agent while Nathan trains private tennis clients.
But a series of new murders pulls her back in – is Matt, played by Tom Bateman, behind the slayings? Is Ava’s sister Tory, played by Liana Liberato, now entangled in a relationship with Matt, in danger?
If stand-up comedy is more your thing, then there's plenty to enjoy this Christmas on Sky Comedy with not one but four brand news specials.
In Maisie Adam: Appraisal. five years into her job as a comedian now, Maisie Adam is due an appraisal. Join her for the ultimate performance review where you’ll either see just why she was awarded Best New Act and nominated for Best Newcomer, or you’ll see someone who’s ready for ‘organisational restructure’.
In Micky Flanagan: If We Ever Needed It, using his trademark cockney charm and infectious energy, Micky Flanagan will discuss life since turning 60, growing older and reflect on the changes in the world around him, as well as poking fun at his observations on life.
In James Acaster: Hecklers Welcome James Acaster recounts the formative childhood experiences at the root of his love/hate relationship with performance, whilst obliging himself to embrace any interruptions from the audience.
And finally, in Paul Chowdry: Family Friendly Comedian, Paul Chowdhry presents a special, intimate performance of his highly acclaimed show, where he contemplates putting his career as a controversial stand-up comic behind him to potentially land a recently vacated space on daytime TV.
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a blockbuster film to enjoy and this year, Sky Cinema subscribers will get to see Timothée Chalamet as Wonka from the 6th December in Wonka
Based on the extraordinary character at the centre of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl’s most iconic children's book and one of the best-selling children's books of all time, Wonka tells the wondrous story of how the world's greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.
Elsewhere, on Sky Nature, four-part series Airborne experiences the freedom of a true bird’s-eye-view as the creatures of the sky world learn to catch air, snatch in flight meals, find love, and forge new flight paths. Embark on an astonishing aerial adventure like no other and soar alongside them through the most challenging and spectacular environments on the planet.
Airborne showcases the planet’s ultimate aeronauts: from majestic Andean condors, parachuting Japanese squirrels, and the fleetingly beautiful spectacle of mayflies emerging on the Tisza River.
On Sky Arts, Nutcracker: Backstage with English National Ballet goes behind the curtain with English National Ballet and their world premiere of a brand new production of Nutcracker. Having performed a version of the festive ballet every year since it was founded, this year sees the Company take a fresh approach, and the pressure is on to wow audiences more than ever before.
Also on Sky Arts, from the 15th December, The Story of Panto with Gyles Brandreth does exactly what its title would suggest. In this one-off special, Gyles Brandreth will reveal some of the surprising origins of this uniquely British art-form.
Panto-aficionado Gyles will immerse himself in every aspect of the genre, from its roots in commedia dell’arte and Victorian music hall to scene painting, slapstick and the making of a pantomime dame. He’ll be joined on his merry way (oh yes he will!) by pantomime experts including Julian Clary and Gary Wilmot, celebrating the panto in all its vibrant, joyful glory.
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