Have I Got News For You (Friday 9pm, BBC1)
Jerry Springer guest hosts the perennial panel game show.
Gavin and Stacey (Friday 9.30pm, BBC1)
There is a scene in this episode of Gavin and Stacey that will leave you gob-smacked. If you can ever eat corn on the cob or Kentucky Fried Chicken ever again, then you’re made of stronger stuff than I. And that’s all I’m saying.
The IT Crowd (Friday 10.05pm, C4)
I’ve said before that this is not the greatest sitcom in the world, but it’s better than a lot of the rubbish that’s been slarted out in the name of the comedy over the last year. Parents of the Band, anybody? Shudder. Tonight, Matt Berry steals the show once again as Douglas, the sleazy boss of the company as he’s interviewed by a journalist. Those three in the basement do some stuff too. Probably.
Harry Hill’s TV Burp (Saturday 6.40pm, ITV1)
There are still moments of brilliance from TV Burp, but this extended run does seem to have watered the show down a touch. Very often, less is more. There’s only one way to find out…
Merlin (Saturday 7.10pm, BBC1)
The final episode of a series that has proved, after 13 weeks, to be a very hit and miss affair, ranging from episodes with some genuine thrills and scares, to others with people just sitting in rooms talking about stuff. But Merlin has delivered the ratings, so a second series is surely expected. In tonight’s finale, Nimueh (an excellent Michelle Ryan) is back to give Merlin a terrifying choice.
The X Factor Final (Saturday 7.10pm/9.40pm, ITV1)
And here it is, the final showdown between JLS, Alexandra Burke and an ewok. I’m not going to express my dismay at some of the voting off that’s gone on this series as, with John Sergeant on Strictly, the public vote is king and has to be obeyed. Perhaps the biggest revelation of this series has been Cheryl Cole’s rehabilitation from wild girlband member with a controversial past to much loved national treasure. It’s a funny old world, innit?
The Girls Aloud Party (Saturday 8.40pm, ITV1)
Well I know where I’ll be at 8.40 - glued to ITV1 for an hour of fun and frolics with my favourite girl band. No seriously, I am as unashamedly lowbrow as it comes.
Wallander (Sunday 9pm, BBC1)
Final of three excellent, if dour, detective dramas starring Kenneth Branagh as Kurt Wallander from the books by Henning Mankell. When one of Wallander’s colleagues is murdered, the introspective ‘tec starts to question his own judgement and work.
The Old Curiosity Shop (Sunday 9pm, ITV1)
A welcome rerun for this ITV adaptation of the Dickens classic from 2007, starring Derek Jacobi as Grandfather, owner of the titular shop. It’s quite grim in places, but with some marvellously light touches along the way. Enjoyable as only Dickens can be at this time of year.
Spooks (Sunday 10.50pm, BBC1)
Another chance to see the cracking season finale of the best run of Spooks since the very early days. Superb!
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