Feel-good shows and performances to light up the screen this week

Sunday 17/12/17 - Sports Personality of the Year (BBC One, 6.50pm)

It has been suggested that Lewis Hamilton's hopes of a knighthood may have taken a hit after he was implicated in the Paradise Papers scandal.

And if the bookies' odds are anything to go by, the Mercedes driver and four-time Formula One world champion may also be facing disappointment tonight as the 2017 Sports Personality of the Year is decided.

The man to beat at Liverpool's Echo Arena appears to be heavyweight boxing superstar Anthony Joshua.

The 27-year-old Watford fighter has had a memorable year including his stunning win over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in April and the 10th-round stoppage against Carlos Takam in October.

So can 2014 SPOTY victor Hamilton do what he has done on the racetrack all year and overtake his rival?

The Sports Personality of the Year ceremony has a tendency to throw up a surprise or two, and the race for the award this year might not be the two-horse race most are predicting.

There are plenty of other deserving candidates on the shortlist, but one notable omission will be Andy Murray - the winner in three out of the last four years.

The Scottish tennis star has seen his season curtailed by a hip injury so there will be no fourth victory for him this time around.

On the other hand, Team Sky cyclist Chris Froome has had a stellar season that saw him secure his legacy as one of the sport's greats.

Froome became the first man to follow up a win at the Tour de France with a victory in the Spanish equivalent, the Vuelta a Espana, in the same season.

Swimmer Adam Peaty broke his own 50m breaststroke world record twice this year and is also a contender, as is recently knighted athlete Mo Farah, Premier League top scorer Harry Kane and double Para world champion Jonnie Peacock.

But what about the prospects of there being a female winner for the first time since Zara Phillips in 2006?

Tennis player Johanna Konta reached her reached her best singles ranking of World No.4 in July as well as the Wimbledon semi-finals, while Anya Shrubsole may not be a household name, but her incredible bowling performance in England's Cricket World Cup final win in July may see her in with a chance.

Also on the shortlist are taekwondo world champion Bianca Walkden and speed skater Elise Christie.

Before the main award is decided, hosts Gary Lineker, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan will also being going through the sporting highlights of the year, and as usual, there are a number of other prizes up for grabs.

The Team, Coach, Unsung Hero, Young Sports Personality, Overseas, Helen Rollason and Lifetime Achievement gongs will be handed out throughout the evening.

Although 2017 hasn't been an Olympic, Commonwealth or even soccer World Cup year, there have still been some vintage performances from our sporting heroes.

The old phrase says "it's not the winning, it's the taking part that counts".

But try telling that to the great and the good gathered in Liverpool tonight - especially Joshua, Hamilton and the other fierce sporting competitors who are vying for the main award.

Monday 18/12/2017 - The League of Gentlemen (BBC Two, 10pm)

"What's all this shouting? We'll have no trouble here!"

Well, that's unlikely. If there's one thing you're guaranteed when tuning into The League of Gentlemen it's trouble - and as Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith are back for three special editions this week, you can bet there'll be trouble aplenty going on in Royston Vasey.

If you haven't heard of the show, it focuses on some of the strangest characters ever to grace the small screen.

Take Edward and Tubbs, for example. They're a brother and sister living in "a local shop for local people" who hate strangers and bump them off at every opportunity, while Harvey and Val Denton are the relatives from Hell with a penchant for toads.

Then there's Barbara, the transsexual cab driver whose operation seems to have gone horribly wrong, and Pauline, a vindictive employment restart officer totally obsessed with pens.

But it's been a decade and a half since we last saw the boys all working together, in tandem with their writing partner, Jeremy Dyson. They've decided to resurrect the town and its weird and wonderful inhabitants to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their first BBC show, a six-part radio broadcast entitled On the Town with the League of Gentlemen; its success led to the first TV series two years later.

"We are thrilled to bits to be returning to Royston Vasey in celebration of our 20 years at the BBC (with time off for bad behaviour)," say the boys. "We look forward to digging up the old characters - some of them literally - and seeing how life has treated them.

"It's been great fun to write these Specials, and we've saved money on the make-up budget by kindly growing ancient ourselves. Like the sign says: You'll Never Leave."

Gatiss, Shearsmith and Pemberton met while studying drama at Bretton Hall College in West Yorkshire, and struggled to make it as actors before teaming up with Gatiss' friend Dyson and devising a stage show inspired by oddballs they had met, as well as their mutual love of classic British horror movies such as The Wicker Man, Don't Look Now and those made by Hammer.

After three TV series, a Christmas special, a film, stage show and live tours, the quartet decided to work on new projects. All three actors have worked constantly on a range of projects; Gatiss is perhaps best known for Doctor Who (he appears in this year's Christmas special) and Sherlock, while Pemberton and Shearsmith have appeared in a number of projects independently as well as together on Psychoville and Inside No 9.

Dyson has written books, been a script editor and co-created the West End hit Ghost Stories (Shearsmith had a spell as the lead during its run) with Andy Nyman; a film version is heading our way soon.

Last year, Gatiss mentioned during an interview that perhaps when the League did come back together, they could do something with a Brexit theme, seeing as Britain had become a "local country for local people."

Whatever happens, it's an early Christmas present to savour - and send shivers down the spine.

Tuesday 19/12/17 - The Royal Variety Performance 2017 (ITV, 7.30pm)

Imagine you've been dropped on Earth and have no idea what time of year it is.

If it's getting close to Christmas, there'll be two televisual markers to watch out for - BBC Sports Personality of the Year, and The Royal Variety Performance.

When these babies turn up in the schedules, you know the festive season is just around the corner.

Sports Personality is being broadcast by the BBC on Sunday 17, and the entertainment show to end all entertainment shows arrives just a few days later, and as usual it features many different performers, each doing their thing in front of a packed audience. If variety happens to be the spice of your life, then this most spectacular of extravaganzas is likely to pep up Thursday night's viewing no end with two hours of the stuff of which showbiz legends are made.

Filmed live on November 24, the show with more stars than there are in the sky (well, sort of) features a glittering selection of faces from the worlds of comedy, theatre, music, dance and cinema in action at the London Palladium - a venue which has hosted more than its fair share of memorable events over the years.

While the participants basque in their moment of glory, the reasons why the Royal Variety Performance exists and the charity it raises money for rarely get a mention.

The first such show took place on July 1, 1912, before King George V and Queen Mary. Afterwards, the King said he would attend an annual variety show provided the profits went to the Variety Artistes Benevolent Fund. Now renamed the Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund, it has enjoyed royal patronage ever since.

Unfortunately, the event didn't take place for 16 years due to the World Wars and various periods of royal mourning, but it remains a fixture in the showbiz calendar, and looks set to remain so for many moons to come. Believe it or not, more than 150 million viewers tune in worldwide.

Each year the bash has taken place, a mass of famous faces have been lining up to take part - and 2017 was no different. Afterwards, they met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who were in attendance. Here's hoping those taking part were on top form.

Comedian Miranda Hart acted as host and compere, while the cast of West End hit 42nd Street and Big Fish (including Kelsey Grammer) performed songs from their shows.

Alfie Boe and Michael Ball sang too, as did Louis Tomlinson, Paloma Faith and Seal; The Killers also took to the stage. Jason Manford, who's more accustomed to telling jokes at such events, warbled tracks from his new album of showtunes.

But the act everyone wanted to see was pianist Tokio Myers who, of course, won his spot on the show by winning this year's Britain's Got Talent.

It's certainly a mixed bag of entertainment, and those people who claim that variety entertainment isn't their thing should think again, because with this kind of line-up, there's something for everybody.

Wednesday 20/12/17 - Judi Dench's Secret Woodland (BBC1, 8pm)

Dame Judi Dench is one of Britain's greatest ever actresses.

She is a star alum of the Royal Shakespeare Company, has seven Laurence Olivier Awards under her belt, won an Oscar for her eight-minute turn as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love and even died in James Bond's arms.

Dench, who turned 83 earlier this month, also received an Oscar nomination 20 years ago for her role as Queen Victoria in Mrs Brown, and she has been hotly tipped for her seventh nod in the spring after she reprised her role in hit drama Victoria & Abdul.

However, when you talk about Dame Judi's life, her long and distinguished acting career is only part of the story.

Dench is full of mischief and far from shy when discussing what lingerie she wears, her sex life, tattoos, rap music, younger men and her hobby of embroidering cushions with raunchy sayings.

But what many people don't know about the North Yorkshire-born actress is that she has another great passion, which although is less scandalous, is perhaps far more important.

Judi was so smitten with trees as a child that she got terribly upset when she saw lorries stacked with trunks and logs driving past and remains convinced trees should only be felled if absolutely necessary.

"I have an astonishingly early memory of laying in my pram and seeing a chestnut tree," she explains.

"Whenever a friend or relative dies, I make a point of planting one in my garden. I especially love oaks, larches and silver birches.

"Too many forests are being destroyed and we should do all we can to conserve what we have and plant more. The more trees I see, the happier I am."

This one-hour special, filmed over the course of a year, is a magical study of the changing seasons and their effect on Judi's own secret woodland at her home near Reigate in Surrey.

Judi shared her passion for trees with her late husband, the actor Michael Williams.

Together they nurtured their woodland at their home, and for the past seven years she has continued to care for her grove with her close companion, wildlife enthusiast and conservationist David Mills.

This film follows Judi's journey through the seasons and her mission to understand her woodland's vital role in our history and our future.

With the help of some of the best tree scientists and historians in the world, she unlocks the remarkable secret lives of trees and the stories that they tell us.

Thanks to the latest scientific techniques and equipment, Judi is able to truly understand how trees work and gain an insight into their secrets.

She learns just how effective trees are as carbon capture machines that are fighting to protect our planet, and then she investigates the very foundation of trees - their roots - learning about an intricate underground fungi network that connects many trees in a forest together.

Through this amazing research, viewers can learn more about how trees can communicate and contribute to the forest, sharing resources with seedlings or the vulnerable.

It's confirmation for Judi that there's so much more to the trees she loves - they are a real community that help each other, humans and the planet.

Thursday 21/12/17 - Darcey Bussell: Looking for Fred Astaire (BBC1, 10.45pm)

Darcey Bussell: Looking for Fred Astaire (BBC1, 10.45pm)

It's often claimed that Ginger Rogers said she did everything that Fred Astaire did, except backwards and in high heels.

While it seems that quote has been misattributed - which may come as something of a disappointment to any female Strictly Come Dancing contestants who are tired of hearing how hard the rumba is for male celebrities - Darcey Bussell is about to discover that Astaire's life and career were shaped by a series of strong women.

Presenting the documentary Darcey Bussell: Looking for Fred Astaire is something of a dream job for the prima ballerina-turned-Strictly judge, who admits that he has always been her hero.

She told the Radio Times: "As a little girl, I didn't dream of being a ballet dancer, I dreamt of being a movie star like Ginger Rogers and dancing with Fred Astaire. I used to watch the Sunday double-bills on TV and Iong to be part of what seemed a perfect Disneyland world.

"Astaire was a genius. He had a unique style and identity on stage and brought his own personality to everything he did, which is an amazing quality that has inspired every dancer who followed him."

Sadly, she never achieved her dream of dancing with him - this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Hollywood icon's death at the age of 88.

But here she learns more about his life, starting with the fact that he was born Frederick Austerlitz, in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1899 - and that he was never meant to be dancer in the family.

His mother Ann only put the five-year-old Fred on stage so he could partner his sister Adele, and for the next 27 years she would be the star attraction in their song-and-dance act.

Darcey discovers that this sibling rivalry might have been a factor in Fred's incredible discipline as a dancer. He knew that if he wanted to outshine his sister, he would have to work twice as hard as she did. It also inspired him to seek out new dance techniques to lift their act to another level, and he would find inspiration in Harlem, introducing African-American influences into his routines.

When Adele gave up her career to get married in 1932, it seemed Fred would finally have the spotlight to himself.

However, Hollywood had different ideas, pairing him with another new partner - Ginger Rogers.

Fred had mixed feelings about this to say the least, writing to his agent: "What's all this about my being teamed with Ginger Rogers? I will not, repeat will not have it."

Yet the pair went on to make 10 films together, and their influence can still be felt today, as the choreographer of La La Land confirms.

Yet behind the scenes, there was another woman who was shaping Fred's life - his first wife Phyllis, who he married as he made his way in Hollywood and who gave him the love and support he needed as he broke away from his family to become a star in his own right.

Friday 22/12/17 - Al Murray's Make Christmas Great Again (ITV, 9pm)

For some people, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, when shoppers start combing the internet or scuffling in the supermarket aisles for a bargain. But for others it means the last weekend before Christmas - also known as 'mad Friday' - when Britain's drinkers hit the nations bars and clubs.

So really, what better date for Al Murray's Pub Landlord to host his very own lock-in at his magnificent pub, the festively named Reindeer's Head?

However, the special isn't only here so that viewers can recreate the experience of being out drinking without actually having to deal with any raucous revellers who have had an excess of festive spirit. The Pub Landlord think that this year in particular, we all need a little extra seasonal cheer.

He says: "Christmas is back and so am I. Christmas - everyone's favourite time of year - needs a boost in these turbulent times. That's why I have stepped into the breach and offered to Make Christmas Great Again. With songs, guests, and a sack full of Christmas cheer to turbo boost the season."

But of course, the Pub Landlord isn't just for Christmas. Murray's creation was born at the Edinburgh Festival in 1994, when Murray was doing a show with Harry Hill and realised they didn't have a compere. Murray told Tatler: "'I said, 'Why don't we say the barman's filling in?' and [Hill] said, 'Yeah, all right, whatever.' We did a run in Edinburgh and then we went on tour, and by the end of the tour I had an act. Just like that."

The character quickly took on a life of his own - he won the prestigious Perrier Award at Edinburgh in 1999, and landed his own sitcom, Time Gentlemen Please the following year.

He's also gone on to host a chat show, Al Murray's Happy Hour, starred in two An Audience With... specials and appeared at three Royal Variety Performances.

The character has even stood for parliament, running against Nigel Farage for the seat of South Thanet in the 2015 general election (they both lost to Conservative candidate Craig Mackinlay,).

But now the self-styled publican, philosopher, common sense commando, scholar and sage is on a different mission as he sets out to remind us all that the British invented Christmas.

If that doesn't fill you with festive cheer, he'll also be leading a sing-along, backed by his band The Remoans, with such soon-to-be classics as You Can't Even Say Christmas Anymore.

He'll also be chatting to celebrity guests, and inviting members of the public to win some early presents in the studio games Wrong Answer and Robot Reindeer Rodeo, which requires a famous face to climb on the back of Buckarudolph.

Santa may warn us at the beginning of the show that ''confidence in Christmas has dropped faster than the pound' but if anyone can make the Yuletide great again, it's the Landlord.