Brace yourselves. Tonight's the Strictly final - which is always emotional, but this year it's saying goodbye to Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman after more than a decade together. There will be tears. Elsewhere, BBC Two's gone full Madness (in a good way), ITV's dusted off Die Another Day, and if you fancy something lighter, Bradley Walsh is hosting a festive Blankety Blank. Saturday night sorted.

Table of Contents

Quick Picks: Tonight's Best

Early Evening: Family Viewing (5:30pm - 7pm)

Westlife 25: Live at the Royal Albert Hall - ITV1, 5:30pm

Westlife 25

They're down to three members now - Brian McFadden left years ago, and Mark Feehily's on a break for health reasons - but Shane, Nicky and Kian can still fill the Royal Albert Hall. This concert was recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, so expect the big ballads to sound even bigger. Flying Without Wings, World of Our Own, all the hits. If you were a teenager in the late '90s, prepare for some powerful nostalgia.

The Great Christmas Bake Off - Channel 4, 5:30pm

The Great Christmas Bake Off

Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond host as soap stars past and present have a go at Christmas baking. Chris Bisson, Natalie Cassidy, Dean Gaffney, Shobna Gulati and Sheree Murphy put their own spin on a traditional yule log. The stakes are low, the icing is wonky, and Paul Hollywood will probably say something grumpy. Perfect teatime viewing.

Blankety Blank Christmas Special - BBC One, 6:20pm

Blankety Blank

Bradley Walsh keeps things rolling in this reboot that knows exactly what it is - a low-stakes game show where even the losers walk away with a chequebook and pen. Tonight's panellists include Charlotte Church, Motsi Mabuse, Jack Dee and Alex Brooker. The format hasn't changed much since Terry Wogan's day, and that's the point. Easy, festive fun.

Die Another Day - ITV1, 6:35pm

Die Another Day

Brosnan's Bond swan song. Is it a good film? That's... complicated. There's an invisible car. Halle Berry channels Ursula Andress. Toby Stephens chews so much scenery you worry about his dental bills. The ice palace sequence is genuinely spectacular. The CGI tsunami surfing is genuinely terrible.

Look, it's not Casino Royale. But it's Saturday night Bond, and sometimes that's enough. The opening sequence with Bond captured and tortured in North Korea was surprisingly dark for the era - shame the rest of the film couldn't keep that tone.

Prime Time (7pm onwards)

Strictly Come Dancing: The Final - BBC One, 7pm ⭐

Strictly Come Dancing: The Final

This one's going to be a waltz of emotions. Our three finalist couples - the energetic Karen Carney and Carlos Gu, the consistently flawless Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin, and the hip-shaking George Clarke and Alexis Warr - take to the floor one last time. Each performs a judges' choice, a showdance, and their favourite routine from the series.

But the real story? This is Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly's last show together after more than a decade presenting. They're back for Christmas Day, but tonight's the proper farewell. Expect montages. Expect tears. Expect at least one standing ovation that goes on slightly too long.

The glitterball trophy will be lifted by someone, but honestly, the dances feel almost secondary tonight. Shirley, Craig, Motsi and Anton will do their thing. The scoring will be dramatic. But we're all here for the send-off. Keep dancing, indeed.

Sandi Toksvig's Great Riviera Rail Trip - Channel 4, 8:10pm

Sandi Toksvig's Great Riviera Rail Trip

Monaco is the final stop for Sandi on her sun-soaked literary tour across the French Riviera. She checks out the famous casino (and its fascinating history of separating wealthy tourists from their money), then meets an unexpected local resident - Paula Radcliffe, the marathon legend who's made a home in the Monaco hills.

If you've been following the series, this wraps things up nicely. If you haven't, it's still a pleasant hour of Sandi being curious about things and making dry observations about wealth and culture.

Michael McIntyre's The Wheel - BBC One, 9:10pm

Michael McIntyre's The Wheel

And on it spins. Tonight's topics include showtunes, boxing champions, spa treatments and Australian men. The contestants get celebrity assistance from Tony Bellew, Judi Love, Jason Manford, Chris McCausland, Ellie Taylor, George Clarke and Kelly Cates.

It's the same format as always - contestants answer questions, celebrities either help or hinder depending on what they actually know, and McIntyre gurns enthusiastically throughout. If you like it, you like it.

Madness: Radio 2 in Concert - BBC Two, 9:10pm

Madness: Radio 2 in Concert

Don't watch that; watch this. Madness have always occupied a peculiar space in British pop - sharing more DNA with Ian Dury than their two-tone peers, but with a slapstick surrealism entirely their own. They Nutty-dance from music hall (House of Fun) to English romanticism (the Nick Drake-alike One Better Day) without ever losing their identity.

Recorded last November at Broadcasting House in London, Jo Whiley presents as the band perform in front of a small audience of fans. Our House, House of Fun, It Must Be Love, plus some special treats from across their long career. A joyous raft of hits. If that theme tune slaps for you (and it should), this is tonight's winner.

Late Night: For Music Lovers (10pm onwards)

An Evening with Elton John and Brandi Carlile - ITV1, 10:25pm

An Evening with Elton John and Brandi Carlile

A concert from the London Palladium where the pair perform songs from their album Who Believes in Angels?, plus duets on each other's songs. Elton's voice has mellowed with age, but he's still got it. Carlile brings the country-rock edge. If you're after quality music after the Saturday night entertainment rush, this is your destination.

Madness at the BBC - BBC Two, 10:20pm

Madness at the BBC

If one Madness concert wasn't enough, here's frontman Suggs and keyboardist Mike Barson taking a trip down memory lane through the BBC's archives. Their finest moments from decades of appearances - Top of the Pops performances, chat show visits, the lot. Double Madness night. BBC Two knows its audience.

Match of the Day - BBC One, 10:20pm

Highlights of the day's Premier League action, including Everton v Arsenal and the big one - Tottenham v Liverpool at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. If Spurs can get anything from Liverpool at home, it'd be quite the Christmas present for their fans. Gary Lineker and the gang will dissect it all.

Mike Yarwood at the BBC - BBC Four, 10pm

Mike Yarwood at the BBC

Rory Bremner reflects on the life and career of fellow impressionist Mike Yarwood, one of the BBC's most successful stars of the 1970s and 1980s. Archive clips galore. If you remember when impressionists were the biggest thing on telly, this is a nice nostalgia trip.

If You're Not Into Light Entertainment

Live Sport

Premier League Football: Newcastle v Chelsea kicks off at 12:30pm on TNT Sports. From St James' Park, where the Magpies will be looking to spoil Chelsea's top-four ambitions.

Darts: World Championships - Sky Sports Main Event has second-round action from Ally Pally from 2:30pm. The Christmas darts is always good background viewing.

Premiership Rugby: Harlequins v Bristol - TNT Sports at 5:15pm if you fancy some West London rugby before the evening's entertainment kicks in.

Sky Max Alternative

If Strictly isn't your thing, A Very Brassic Christmas is on Sky Max at 10pm. Vinnie, Erin, Tommo and the gang must save Christmas in their own inimitable way, featuring a heist at a winter wonderland. It's crude, it's chaotic, and it's exactly what you'd expect from Brassic.

What's on Streaming

Netflix still has everything you haven't watched yet. The problem isn't finding something; it's choosing.

Disney+ has the full Star Wars and Marvel catalogues if anyone's doing a Christmas marathon.

Paramount+ is still pushing that Shell film with Elisabeth Moss and the lobster treatments. It's weirder than it sounds, and it sounds weird.

The Viewing Schedule Table

Time Channel Programme
5:30pm ITV1 Westlife 25: Live at the Royal Albert Hall
5:30pm Channel 4 The Great Christmas Bake Off
6:20pm BBC One Blankety Blank Christmas Special
6:35pm ITV1 Die Another Day
7:00pm BBC One Strictly Come Dancing: The Final
8:10pm Channel 4 Sandi Toksvig's Great Riviera Rail Trip
9:10pm BBC One Michael McIntyre's The Wheel
9:10pm BBC Two Madness: Radio 2 in Concert
10:00pm BBC Four Mike Yarwood at the BBC
10:00pm Sky Max A Very Brassic Christmas
10:20pm BBC One Match of the Day
10:20pm BBC Two Madness at the BBC
10:25pm ITV1 An Evening with Elton John and Brandi Carlile

Final Verdict

Saturday's a big one. Strictly's finale is the obvious main event - not just for the competition, but for the farewell to Tess and Claudia. Bring tissues. If you're more interested in music, BBC Two's double-header of Madness concerts is a treat, and Elton with Brandi Carlile at the Palladium should deliver. Die Another Day's the kind of daft Bond film that works better on a Saturday night than it does under critical scrutiny. Match of the Day brings the football highlights, and there's enough variety to keep everyone happy. Five days until Christmas. Keep dancing.

Nick Bain writes about television for TVRadar.co.uk