CHRISTMAS EVE: 11 festive treats to watch on television today

From an animated adventure by the makers of The Snowman to a murder mystery in the snow, here's our pick of 11 top programmes and films. 

Christmas Eve

Doctor Zhivago (Channel 5, 9.05am)

This epic romantic drama is set during the Russian Revolution and follows Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif) a married doctor who falls for Lara (Julie Christie), the beautiful wife of a political activist. He's torn between his commitment to his wife and his passion for his mistress. Of course, the path of true love doesn't run smooth. The story itself is nothing particularly special, despite being based on Boris Pasternak's classic novel. However, the outstanding performances from the all-star cast and, in particular, David Lean's masterly direction, make it a must-see. Although it was mauled by the critics, the film earned 10 Oscar nominations, winning five.

Scrooged (Channel 4, 2.45pm)

Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a ruthless TV executive who only thinks of the festive season in terms of ratings. This year, he's pinning his hopes on a gimmick-laden live version of A Christmas Carol (complete with a terrifying trailer), little guessing that he's about to find himself staring in his own personal version. No one does cynicism quite like Murray, and he's on fine form in this updating of Charles Dickens' classic tale. It may never reach the heights of the not-altogether-dissimilar Groundhog Day, but in addition to Murray, there are scene-stealing turns from David Johansen and Carol Kane as the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present respectively. And if someone wants to make a full-length version of the TV movie-within-a-movie The Night the Reindeer Died, we'd probably watch that as well.

Penguins of Madagascar (BBC1, 4.50pm)

Plucky penguin Skipper (voiced by Tom McGrath) leads a crack squad on a daring mission to break into Fort Knox in search of treasure: a luminous orange snack called Cheezy Dibbles. The penguins subsequently fall into the clutches of nefarious octopus Dr Octavius Brine (John Malkovich), who intends to take over the world using his mutation serum. Thankfully, Skipper and co escape and a chase along the canals of Venice leads the penguins into the company of a grey wolf called Classified (Benedict Cumberbatch), who works for an elite inter-species task force known as North Wind. This animated adventure is a feast for the eyes and there are a few neat visual gags, but the lead characters arguably work better as the sidekicks in the Madagascar films than as heroes of their own story.

Blankety Blank (ITV, 6.30pm)

Hands up who can't get that irritatingly catchy theme tune out of their heads after reading the title. We're betting lots of you are answering in the affirmative right now. Blankety Blank was always one of the tackiest game shows on the box, but its makers knew it and revelled in its cheapeness - it turned out to be one of the programme's unique selling points. Over the years, Terry Wogan, Les Dawson and Paul O'Grady (in the guise of Lily Savage) hosted it, and now it's David Walliams who is stepping into the role. It's a one-off for now, but if it proves successful, who knows what the future holds?

We're Going on a Bear Hunt (C4, 7.30pm)

Animated adventure, based on the popular children's bedtime book of the same name, by Michael Rosen. Stan, Katie, Rosie, Max and the baby, along with Rufus the dog, all embark on a quest to find some bears. Trekking through whirling snowstorms, muddy bogs and dark forests, the siblings refuse to let anything get in their way. However, when Rosie and Rufus end up getting lost, bear-hunting suddenly doesn't seem quite so much fun after all. Featuring the voices of Olivia Colman, Pam Ferris and Mark Williams as Mum, Grandma and Dad respectively.

Alan Bennett's Diaries (BBC2, 8pm)

The phrase 'national treasure' could have been coined to describe Alan Bennett, although you get the impression he would probably hate the idea. He's instantly recognisable and hugely popular across a range of ages and classes - something that not every playwright of distinction can boast. Bennett first came to fame in the early 1960s as part of the Beyond the Fringe team; these days he's perhaps best known for his plays The History Boys and The Lady in the Van (the film version of the latter receives its terrestrial TV premiere after this programme), and the TV series Talking Heads. Throughout his life, Bennett has been a dedicated diarist, and here, at the age of 82, he takes viewers through some of the events he has kept a record of, opens up about his private life and turns his still biting wit onto modern politics.

Birds of a Feather (ITV, 8pm)

Travis has finally been allowed to fly the nest on a gap year to Spain, but nobody has heard from him in four days and he was last seen getting on a ferry to Morocco with his girlfriend. Tracey is convinced something terrible has happened to him so she heads off to Tangier to track him down and bring him back home for Christmas, accompanied by Sharon and Dorien. On arrival they end up in a bar run by Vince, one of Dorien's old flames, who reviews the CCTV footage and spots Travis being arrested in a police raid. Festive special of the comedy, starring Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph, with Martin Kemp.

David Walliams Celebrates Dame Shirley Bassey (BBC1, 9pm)

They say that parody is the highest form of flattery. If that's the case, Shirley Bassey should be thrilled to bits by the way in which David Walliams and Matt Lucas paid homage to her during their late-1990s show Rock Profiles - Lucas played the great Dame as a diva claiming to have had more hits that she actually has. Not that the girl from Tiger Bay is exactly short of career-defining songs, having performed three 007 title numbers as well as plenty of other show-stopping tunes (her rendition of Big Spender remains definitive, for instance). She turns 80 in January, and to celebrate that landmark, she shares the stage with Walliams, one of her biggest fans. She discusses her life and career and, of course, performs some of the songs that turned her into an icon.

Grantchester Christmas Special (ITV, 9pm)

It's the week before Christmas, and Sidney and Geordie are drawn into a case with echoes of an unsolved murder from nine years previously when a bride-to-be reports the disappearance of her groom on their wedding day. After finding the man dead with the wedding rings lodged in his mouth, the unlikely duo hunt for the killer. At least the case - and the Christmas preparations - should help take Sidney's mind off his beloved Amanda. Drama set in the 1950s, starring James Norton, Robson Green, Morven Christie and Al Weaver.

The Lady in the Van (BBC2, 9.00pm) Premiere

Playwright Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings) moves into a house in Camden - and soon after, a cantankerous woman called Miss Shepherd (Dame Maggie Smith) settles in the same street in her ramshackle vehicle. Alan foolishly agrees to let her take up temporary residence on his driveway. Months turn into years and the playwright despairs as he becomes Miss Shepherd's guardian and suffers regular visits from interfering social services worker Miss Briscoe (Cecilia Noble). Teasingly billed as "a mostly true story", The Lady In The Van is an entertaining screen adaptation of Bennett's award-winning 1999 stage work. Smith reprises her theatre role as the eponymous tramp, unleashing an array of withering putdowns that would surely have her imperious Dowager in Downton Abbey clucking with approval.

Through the Keyhole (ITV, 10.30pm)

For some of us, getting a chance to snoop around in the homes of the rich and famous is a dream come true, a rare opportunity to find out how the other half lives. This series, which was originally hosted by David Frost, does just that, although it's rather more tongue-in-cheek a show these days than it was back in Frost's era. ITV isn't telling us which celebrities are allowing cameras inside, but on the panel will be Coronation Street's Shayne Ward, model Kelly Brook and comedian Johnny Vegas.