The Snowman: The Film That Changed Christmas (Channel 4/HD | 5:00pm to 6:00pm | Saturday 17th December 2022)

This year marks 40 years since Channel 4 first broadcast the animated adaptation of Raymond Briggs’ much-loved children’s book The Snowman. Children’s authors Tom Fletcher, Joseph Coelho and Dapo Adeola celebrate a film that has become an essential part of the British Christmas, while members of the team who created it share their memories. Narrated by Mandip Gill.

The Snowman (Channel 4/HD | 6:00pm to 6:30pm | Saturday 17th December 2022)

Raymond Briggs’ festive favourite, a wordless animated fantasy telling the story of a small boy whose snowman magically comes to life and whisks him off on the journey of a lifetime to the North Pole. Howard Blake’s score includes the award-winning song Walking in the Air, which was taken to number five in the charts by a young Aled Jones, but is here sung by Peter Auty.

The Snowman and the Snowdog (Channel 4/HD | 6:30pm to 7:30pm | Saturday 17th December 2022)

Animated sequel to Raymond Briggs’ classic festive tale The Snowman, telling the story of another youngster’s magical Christmas. A boy’s snowman and snowdog come to life at the stroke of midnight and take him on an adventure to the North Pole, where he and his new companions meet an assortment of colourful characters, including Santa himself, before returning home – where a wonderful surprise awaits.

Top Gear (BBC 2/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Sunday 18th December 2022)

The team carries out some consumer testing, taking a look at 50 family cars on the market and whittling them down to he best three. Plus, some tips on buying a delivery van on a budget, and Paddy McGuinness heads to Italy to test drive the Daytona SP3, Ferrari’s retro-styled supercar inspired by its iconic 1960s racers.

The Railway Children (BBC 2/HD | 3:00pm to 3:45pm | Tuesday 20th December 2022)

Three Edwardian children are forced to leave their comfortable middle-class London home and move to the wilds of Yorkshire after their father is wrongfully imprisoned for treason. Family drama adapted from E Nesbit’s story, starring Jenny Agutter, Sally Thomsett, Gary Warren, Dinah Sheridan, Bernard Cribbins, William Mervyn and Iain Cuthbertson.

Sports Personality of the Year (BBC 1/HD | 6:45pm to 9:00pm | Wednesday 21st December 2022)

Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott present coverage of the ceremony live from MediaCityUK in Salford, as the year’s key sporting moments are reviewed and the successor to Emma Raducanu is crowned following a public vote. The top scorer in England’s Euro 2022 triumph Beth Mead and the ICC World T20-winning cricketer Ben Stokes are among those expected to be in contention. The 69th staging of the show will also champion the unsung heroes in local communities who do inspiring work at grassroots level.

Paddington (BBC 1/HD | 3:15pm to 4:45pm | Thursday 22nd December 2022)

An earthquake forces a bear from the Peruvian jungle to start a new life in London. He finds modern Britain to be very different from the stories told to him by his aunt, but makes a new home with a kindly family. However, a sinister taxidermist intends to turn him into a museum exhibit. Comedy based on Michael Bond’s series of children’s books, starring Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins and Nicole Kidman, with the voice of Ben Whishaw.

Paddington 2 (BBC 1/HD ( 3:35pm to 5:15pm | Friday 23rd December 2022)

The lovable little bear has settled into his new life with the Brown family in London, becoming a much-loved member of the local community – until his search for a birthday present for his aunt leads to him being framed as a thief. While the Browns try to clear Paddington’s name, he tries to make himself at home in prison, winning over the other convicts and getting involved in an escape attempt. Comedy adventure, starring Hugh Bonneville, Hugh Grant and Sally Hawkins, with Ben Whishaw providing the voice of Paddington.

All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:10pm | Friday 23rd December 2022) ** PICK OF THE WEEK **

It’s Christmas in Darrowby and everyone is trying to make the most of things while the world is at war. A young guest brings some wonder, mischief and cheer to Skeldale House while everyone waits for important news. When Mrs Pumphrey heralds the arrival of a kitten in need of some extra care at Pumphrey Manor, James has just the person to take him under their wing. Siegfried is asked to pay a visit to an injured River just before a big race and makes an important discovery which Sebright Saunders uses as leverage to get River back on the racetrack.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.