UKTV's blog

UKTV – Sunday 13 January, 7.00pm

Tina works part time as a cleaner. Ron’s been made redundant by the bottle factory. The lives of this long-term married couple are turned upside-down with the surprise visit of their best friend from the fifties and deep feelings are rekindled. Starring: Tom Jones, Alison Steadman, Brenda Blethyn.

UKTV – Fridays from 4 January, 9pm

Meet Jamie, 16, and Laura, 18. They are two teenagers who after one too many drinks, some deceptive party lighting and an available bedroom find they have one very big complication on their hands. Laura is pregnant. Only problem is, she’s meant to be heading off to university and Jamie is way too young to be considering raising a kid – prior to this, the extent of his responsibilities was doing his homework and managing his pocket money. Pramface brings humour and heart to a tricky subject, as it follows these two unexpected parents-to-be as they try, and frequently fail, to negotiate family, sex and what happens once nine months is up.

UKTV – Fridays from 4 January, 8.30pm

Space battles, quantum entanglement, and love triangles with snack dispensers, are just some of problems facing Rimmer, Lister, Cat and Kryten as they return in a brand new series of the legendary sci-fi sitcom. As Red Dwarf continues to creak though the wastelands of unchartered deep space, the posse stumble upon the mysteriously abandoned SS Trojan, but as they inspect the ship Rimmer receives an SOS distress call from an old foe and is suddenly faced with the dilemma of his life. Meanwhile, Lister grapples with the problem of being his own father, gets involved in a love triangle with snack dispensers 23 and 34, while Kryten and Cat become quantum entangled forcing them to do everything in unison. The series finale finds the boys surrounded by a Simulant War Cruiser and its fleet of attack ships. Armed with only two forks and a pencil sharpener, the Dwarfers begin to wonder whether this is the beginning of the end. Only one man can save them. Unfortunately that man is Arnold J Rimmer.

UKTV – Thursdays from 3 January, 9.00pm

A warm family comedy series about a young boy growing up in a chaotic and creative household in late 1980s Ireland. This semi-autobiographical series is written by and stars Chris O’Dowd as the imaginary friend of 11 year old Martin, the youngest child in the large, loud Moone family. Headed by Martin’s signwriter father, who longs to be an artist and his frazzled mother, this is a family with a lot of love where everyone tends to pull in different directions! Martin has a unique view of life, dealing with enterprising school bullies with the help of his imaginary friend, who also narrates his adventures. But while most boys would dream up a superhero sidekick, Martin’s pal is a man in his mid-30s with the most common name in Ireland!

UKTV – Thursdays from 3 January, 8.30pm

The eagerly anticipated first television series from talented female comedy duo Lorna Watson and Ingrid Oliver. Already a huge success on the live comedy circuit and regarded as two of the hottest new names in television comedy, Watson and Oliver showcase their impeccable comic instincts in funny, clever and often downright silly sketches in front of a live studio audience. They’re also joined by guest stars – including Sophie Thompson, John Barrowman, Felicity Montague, Hugo Speer and Adrian Scarborough – who somehow find themselves dragged into the mischief and running gags. With three consecutive sell-out performances at the world famous Edinburgh Festival, as well as writing and performing credits in TV comedy hits like the BAFTA-winning Peep Show, The IT Crowd, School of Comedy and We Are Klang, this is one double act you won’t want to miss!

UKTV – Tuesdays from 1 January, 9.20pm

Monster hit Primeval roars back onto the screens for an extended third season. Still reeling from Stephen’s death and with the depth of Helen’s betrayal now revealed, Nick Cutter must fight to re-focus his embattled team. Cutter’s crew are joined by some new recruits in the form of maverick policeman Danny Quinn, sparky Egyptologist Sarah Page, and the new leader of the ARC’s security forces Captain Becker. But as the anomalies continue to present an unrelenting series of threats, the task in hand seems almost insurmountable. It’s not just deadly creatures the team has to contend with, they also face a threat to the future of not just the ARC but of mankind itself.

UKTV – Tuesday 25 December, 7.30pm

An adaptation of Mary Norton’s classic children’s books that brings the world of the tiny Borrowers who live under our floorboards into the twenty-first century in an action-packed and warm-hearted film that will sit at the heart of the Christmas schedule. Filled with an all-star cast that also includes Victoria Wood, Christopher Eccleston and Sharon Horgan, this is a fast-paced tale of adventure that is funny and thrilling, while at its heart is a message about the importance of family and our relationships with the people we love. Starring: Christopher Eccleston, Robert Sheehan, Stephen Fry, Sharon Horgan.

UKTV – Fridays from 7 December, 9.30pm

Graham Norton presents a show focusing on the people, trends, stories and aspects of celebrity culture that interest him most. Featuring trademark Norton comedy monologues and celebrity chat, guests this series include: Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Lenny Kravitz, Jude Law, James Corden, Antonio Banderas, Robert Downey Jr, Eddie Izzard, Coldplay and more.

UKTV – Fridays from 7 December, 7.30pm

Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman’s unconventional team of ex detectives – Jack Halford, Brian Lane and Gerry Standing – may be eccentric, bend the rules, ignore procedure, follow their hunches and take risks, but they get results. UCOS (the Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad) has the best clear-up rate in the Force. Season 7 sees them reopening the files on the death of a boxer, the high-profile abduction of a debutante in 1983, a fraudulent businessman, the murder of a celebrated graffiti artist, the abduction and murder of a five-year-old boy, the stabbing of an 80s fashion designer, and the suspicious suicide of a college professor. As usual, there are plot twists and red herrings galore, plus a bewildering number of suspects played by well-known guest stars, which this series has no difficulty in attracting. Starring: Amanda Redman, Alun Armstrong, Dennis Waterman, James Bolam

UKTV – Thursdays from 6 December, 8.30pm

The BAFTA-award winning Getting On returns for more dark humour among the bedpans; set in the backwaters of the National Health Service this third series sees King Edwards closed and Den, Kim and Dr Moore transferred 12 miles to a newer ward. Cuts, re-structuring and life events once again dominate the daily grind. Devised and written by its three principal cast, the real challenge lies in just getting on with life in a world where few things work smoothly and messy choices are the order of the day. Over six shifts we watch as the staff cope with mounting bureaucracy and shine a light on the everyday. Written by and Starring: Jo Brand, Joanna Scanlan, Vicki Pepperdine