What takes your fancy this NEw Year’s Day? (Picture: Getty Images/Rex Shutterstock)
It’s New Year’s Day… and you may want to spend the afternoon or evening chilling in front of the TV.
When you consider the fact New Year’s Eve was on a Saturday in 2023, the telly and comfort of your sofa might be beckoning to you following a late night of boozy celebrations.
Even if you don’t do much on December 31, it’s still a post-Christmas Sunday, and some downtime is much-needed before heading back to work.
All that said: what’s actually on the box this eve?
Let’s see what major channels BBC, ITV and Channel 4 (plus their spin-offs BBC Two, BBC Three, ITV2 and E4) have in store…
BBC
Mary Poppins Returns, 4pm, BBC One – something family-friendly to start off with, a 2018 film starring Emily Blunt as the iconic nanny, and also featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Call The Midwife returns for its 12th season (Picture: BBC / Neal Street Productions / Nicky Johnston)
Planet Of The Apes, 4.45pm, BBC Two – if you’d rather stick a classic film on, switch over to watch this 1968 flick with Charlton Heston at the helm
EastEnders, 6.30pm, BBC One – soap fans won’t want to miss the New Year’s-themed episode of EastEnders, as disaster is set to strike the Slaters’ New Year’s Eve party
Only Connect, 6.30pm, BBC Two – a special episode of the notoriously tricky quiz show, which sees two favourite teams from the previous year return to go head-to- head
His Dark Materials, 7pm, BBC One – episode three of the third series of His Dark Materials is showing, continuing the dystopian story of Will and Lyra as they battle against rulers Magisterium
Antiques Roadshow, 7pm, BBC Two – at the same time, you can switch over for a special episode of the long-running antiques hit celebrating the 100th anniversary of the BBC
More: Film review
Call The Midwife, 8pm, BBC One – the first episode of the new series (its 12th) is set in April 1968 sees plenty of change in Poplar, and the arrival of a new sister to Nonnatus House
The Maze Runner, 8pm, BBC Three – this 2014 dystopian sci-fi film, for young adults, stars Dylan O’Brien and Thomas Brodie-Sangster, and is based on the novel of the same name
Happy Valley, 9pm, BBC One – the popular crime drama is back with the brand new first episode of series three. The teaser reads: ‘When Catherine discovers the remains of a murder victim, it bizarrely leads her straight back to Tommy Lee Royce.’
Motown Master: Lamont Dozier at the BBC, 9pm, BBC Two – a special devoted to late songwriter Lamont Dozier, using archive footage, before documentary When Motown Came To Britain at 10pm.
Mrs Brown’s Boys, 10pm, BBC One – the second 2022 special called ‘Mammy’s Hair Loom’, in which Buster suspects Cathy’s boyfriend Boris is a vampire – and Agnes gets an antique vase appraised
Spend sometime with Mammy this New Year’s Day (Picture: BBC / Alan Peebles)
Match Of The Day 2, 10.50pm, BBC One – the news follows Mrs Brown’s Boys at 10.30pm, then it’s MOTD2 for a look at the 2023 Premier League action so far
Long Shot, 11.45pm, BBC One – last but not least is this 2019 comedy movie starring Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron, as a journalist and the US Secretary of State who become unlikely lovers.
ITV
ET: The Extra Terrestrial, 3.15pm, ITV2 – if you’ve got some time in the afternoon, Steven Spielberg’s 1982 classic ET, starring a young Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore
Penguins of Madagascar, 3.50pm, ITV1 – this family-friendly animated 2014 movie follows the escapades of the penguins we met in the Madagascar franchise: Skipper, Rico, Kowalski and Private
Celebrity Catchphrase, 5.30pm, ITV1 – Stephen Mulhern presents the iconic game show, with three celebrity contestants trying to ‘say what they see’ and win money for charity
Get ready for a new set of costumes and clues with the return of The Masked Singer (Picture: REX/Shutterstock)
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, 5.35pm, ITV2 – around the same time on ITV2 is the 2018 addition to the Jurassic World franchise, starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard.
The Masked Singer, 6.30pm, ITV1 – the new series of The Masked Singer arrives. Expect 90 minutes of colourful costumes and chaos as anonymous celebrities sing their hearts out while the audience (and judges) guess their identity, before they’re unmasked…
No Time To Die, 8pm, ITV1 – end the evening with the most recent James Bond thriller, from 2021, starring Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch and Lea Seydoux.
Ocean’s 8, 8pm, ITV2 – not a Bond fan? Flip the channel to watch Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina and Rihanna attempt an epic heist
Gallagher Premiership Rugby Highlights, 11.20pm, ITV1 – if it’s still not time for bed, catch the rugby highlights once No Time To Die (and a brief ITV News bulletin) is over.
More: New Year’s Day
Channel 4
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, 5.15pm, Channel 4 – Harrison Ford and Sean Connery star in this 1982 action caper
Skyscraper, 7.05pm, E4 – speaking of action, The Rock attempts to save his family from the world’s tallest building, in Hong Kong, after it is taken over by terrorists in this 2018 thriller
The Great New Year Bake Off, 7.40pm, Channel 4 – this festive special welcomes back past contestants Chigs Parmar, Lottie Bedlow, Manon Lagreve and Antony Amourdoux for another chance to win a Star Baker title
Taskmaster’s New Year Treat, 9pm, Channel 4 – Greg Davies and Alex Horne will put Carol Vorderman, Greg James, Sir Mo Farah, pop star Self Esteem and YouTube sensation Amelia Dimoldenberg to the test in a range of bizarre challenges in this 2023 special
Big Fat Quiz Of The Year, 10pm, Channel 4 – Jonathan Ross, Stephen Merchant and more stars are quizzed by Jimmy Carr in a repeat of 2022’s Big Fat Quiz, just in case you missed it on Boxing Day
Sean Lock: Keep It Light, 11.55pm, Channel 4 – a hilarious 2017 stand-up special by the late comic Sean Lock
The Last Leg Of The Year, 12.50am, Channel 4 – if you missed The Last Leg’s end of year special on New Year’s Eve, you can stay up late into January 2 to catch up.
MORE : Are the soaps on over New Year? Full schedules confirmed
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Chill in front of the TV this January 1.
