What"s on the box this New Year?

New Year"s Eve TURBIDY TONIGHT RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR (RTE 1) - Count down to 2009 with Ryan Tubridy and his house-band, the Camembert Quartet, as they ring in the New Year live from the RTÉ studios in Donnybrook. In this very special New Year"s celebration, Tubridy will be joined by a host of surprise guests, musical acts and, of course, fun and games in studio with the audience. JOOLS" ANNUAL HOOTENANNY (BBC 2) - Jools Holland welcomes 2009 with his 16th annual Hootenanny, featuring a host of stars and acts that have made their mark on the musical landscape of 2008. On the eve of Motown"s 50th anniversary, Martha And The Vandellas join the line-up to perform some of the greatest songs of the '60s, including Dancing In The Street and (Love Is Like A) Heatwave. Annie Lennox sings one of her solo hits and a classic big band tune; Dave Edmunds performs Seventies tunes such as I Hear You Knocking; Sam Sparro takes his hit Black And Gold in a swing direction; and Lily Allen surprises with her take on a classic song. Hootenanny, of course, also features the usual combination of actors, actresses, comedians and general hipsters, who fill the room with their predictions while the 1st Battalion Scots Guards pipe us into 2009. THE SECRET LIFE OF BRIAN (CH4) - Channel 4 sees in the New Year in comic, surreal fashion with an evening of Python. An hour-long documentary examines how Monty Python"s Life of Brian caused a global furore amongst religious groups, who saw it as blasphemous, disgusting and 'made in hell". 'The Secret Life of Brian" includes exclusive interviews with John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and John Mortimer. Then there"s the film itself, followed by 'What the Pythons Did Next", an hour-long documentary following the solo careers of the legendary comedians. WINNING STREAK CELEBRITY SPECIAL (RTE 1) - This New Year"s Eve join presenters Aidan Power and Kathryn Thomas for a special celebrity edition of the 'Winning Streak Dream Ticket" gameshow. Instead of five scratch card winners, five celebrities from the worlds of music, sport, fashion and entertainment will be taking part in aid of their favourite charity. The celebrities aiming to win big for their chosen cause are television presenter and actress Caroline Morahan, model and former Miss World Rosanna Davison, Boyzone member and Fair City actor Keith Duffy, professional rugby player Brian O"Driscoll and professional boxer Bernard Dunne. New Year"s Day RYAN CONFIDENTIAL: RONNIE DREW (RTE 1) - Last year, Gerry Ryan interviewed Ronnie Drew as part of his 'Ryan Confidential" series. Although Ronnie was then undergoing treatment for cancer, he displayed his characteristic wit, intelligence and humour. The programme ended with a mesmerising version of one of the songs with which Ronnie will be for ever associated - 'The Old Triangle". Sadly, Ronnie succumbed to his illness earlier this year. Now, Ryan has re-visited his interview with Ronnie to include material that was not included in the first broadcast - as well as tributes from some of those who knew and worked with Ronnie over the years. What emerges is a powerful and moving picture of a man who became as well loved for his indomitable character as for the quality and originality of the music that he made. JONATHAN CREEK: THE GRINNING MAN (BBC 1) - Alan Davies returns as Jonathan Creek in the popular, award-winning comedy drama about the adventures of the master of illusion, who uses his brilliance and intellect to explain the unexplainable. This one-off special is written and directed by David Renwick and guest stars Sheridan Smith. Stuart Milligan returns as illusionist Adam Klaus, Creek"s employer. When Creek is called in to solve unexplained events in a vast Gothic house following several disappearances from a gloomy old attic known as The Nightmare Room, Creek is completely baffled. THE IT CROWD (More 4) - Fans of Graham Lineman ('Father Ted" creator) will be in Heaven tonight as the entire second series of this office-friendly sitcom airs. Full of that quirky humour for which Linehan is famous, this is a sharp and sometimes touching look at modern life and relationships. Oh, and nobody says 'Feck off!". Friday 2nd January MORCAMBE & WISE: THE SHOW WHAT PAUL MERTON DID (BBC1) - Life-long aficionado Paul Merton hosts the definitive celebration of arguably the greatest British comedy duo ever, in this hour-long festive feast honouring the magic and genius of Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise. Combining nostalgic tributes from their comedic peers together with contemporary comment from performers who still feel their influence today, Paul Merton guides viewers through the remarkable life and times of Eric and Ernie. Replete with unrivalled access to the archive of classic Morecambe & Wise moments, the show revisits the legendary stars and sketches that became required viewing for millions of families, and without which no Christmas would have been complete. AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 FAITHS (BBC 2) - From Taoism in China to a voodoo mass in West Africa, Pete Owen Jones takes viewers on a definitive guide through faith on Earth - one year, six continents, 80 rituals, smoking babies, naked men festivals, cargo cults and serpent handling. The world"s six biggest religions, however, are only part of the story. Faith is belief in the sacred and it"s expressed in a rich diversity of rituals - in denominations, sects, cults, tribal faiths and new religious movements. Owen Jones"s mission is to witness and take part in rites rarely filmed before - to take the religious pulse of the planet and to understand the depth of humanity"s fascination with the divine. MY FAKE BABY (CH4) - 'My Fake Baby" explores the lives of women who spend hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of pounds on life-like baby dolls. Known as 'reborns", some of the dolls have beating hearts, others have tiny veins and even milk spots. Loved like real babies, they"re taken for walks, cuddled and even have their nappies changed. Adoptive 'mums" include women with grown-up children, grandmothers living away from their grandchildren and women who have left it too late to have their own babies. This extraordinary pursuit, although bizarre to some, brings great rewards to the women involved. Saturday 3rd January BIG BROTHER: CELEBRITY HIJACK LAUNCH (CH4) - In this one-off special simulcast to herald the start of E4"s 'Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack" series, viewers will see for the first time celebrities taking on the role of Big Brother as they oversee a talented group of young housemates. Direct from the Big Brother compound, these are no ordinary housemates - they are handpicked for being extremely talented in fields including music, politics and sports. But just who will be the first celebrity to hijack the role of Big Brother? THE KIDNAPPING OF ELIZABETH SMART (CH4) - In March of 2003, work began on a film that charted the remarkable story of the Smart family and their resolve to find and bring Elizabeth home. Elizabeth Smart, an angelic Mormon child, was kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night. The film ended with her amazing return. Now as Elizabeth approaches the end of her teenage years, 'The Kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart" re-visits the story and the Smart family to discover what happened next. DEMONS (ITV) - An American vampire smiter couldn"t be further removed from the role of the infamous Gene Hunt as portrayed by Philip Glenister. There are supernatural forces of evil at work and it is Luke"s destiny, as the last descendent of the Van Helsing line, to smite the half-lives that stalk the streets. A unique online experience, 'Demons: The Game", will accompany the show" allowing players to immerse themselves in Luke"s deadly mission. Sunday 4th JANUARY NO FRONTIERS (RTE 1) - After travelling the globe in search of the very best holiday and travel ideas, Kathryn Thomas (pictured) and the 'No Frontiers" team return this Sunday night to beat the recession blues. More than anything, this year"s series is about amazing holiday and travel experiences but the team have kept a very close eye on value for money as well. Animal lover Lucy Kennedy follows in the footsteps of Charles Darwin and voyages to the Galapagos Islands. On the 150th anniversary of the publication of his book 'On the Origin of Species" which changed the way we view the world, Lucy is lucky enough to cruise around and explore one of the most unique places on the globe. Weathergirl Lisa Burke investigates an innovative approach to eco-tourism in Western Australia and gets up close and personal with nature as she swims with the largest fish in the world, the whale shark. Traditional safari gets a new twist when it is seen from a child"s point of view as actor Don Wycherley, his wife Deirdre and their children Jack, Katie and Evan, travel to Kenya. ER (RTE 1) - In its 15th season, 'ER" returns for the final time. It"s a matter of life and death on the final season premiere as Abby wakes up after the ambulance explosion and realises that she has a broken wrist, but quickly rushes to check on the others in the ambulance. A mother and daughter are also rushed in from the explosion and Abby misdiagnoses the case. Meanwhile, Morris and Neela struggle to keep up with the injuries sustained from the explosion. GREATEST COMEDY CATCHPHRASES (CH4) - Featuring the funniest clips from the most popular comedy shows of the last 50 years, this three-hour special features interviews with the writers, actors, comedians and performers behind the immortal lines which have become embedded in the collective national psyche. Covering comedy catchphrases from both Britain and America, the programme explores the origins of the stand-out punch lines and explores how they worked their way into our memories. ABOVE SUSPICION (ITV) - Kelly Reilly plays Lynda La Plante"s new heroine. Acclaimed actor Ciarán Hinds stars as her boss, the volatile Detective Chief Inspector Langton. Anna Travis has been assigned to her first murder case - a gruesome series of killings that has shocked even the most hardened of detectives. The murders started eight years ago, and now the body count is up to six. The method of killing is identical, and the victims are all drug-users and prostitutes. Determined to earn recognition from her boss and the respect of her male colleagues, Travis works hard to find a vital piece of information which links one man to the murders. Monday 5th JANUARY BLOOD OF THE IRISH (RTE 1) - A landmark series for RTE One, the two-part 'Blood of the Irish" explores the most fundamental questions about the Irish population: who were the first people to settle here and where did they come from? Why are the oldest Irish human remains less than 10,000 years old when, just 100kms away in Britain, human traces go back 700,000 years? Did the first Irish arrive overland on an ice bridge, or on a small fragile boat blown ashore by the winds of chance? The series combines cutting edge science, the latest archaeology and superb visuals to bring this enthralling topic to screens for the first time. Ireland was first settled around 9,000 years ago by a mysterious race of people who travelled by land and sea up the coast from northern Spain and southern France. Who were these people, how did they travel and why does their legacy prevail to this day? Were they our ancestors? The very latest genetic research is beginning to provide the answers. PROJECT HA-HA (RTE 2) - 'Project Ha-Ha" is a new comedy series consisting of four experimental comedy pilots by some of the country"s most exciting and innovative comedy talents, including Dead Cat Bounce, Diet of Worms, David McSavage and an ensemble piece featuring comedians such as Bernard O"Shea, Collum McDonnell and Carol Tobin. Dead Cat Bounce are a comedy group whose unique blend of sketch comedy and blistering musical performance have won them legions of fans and critical acclaim. Dublin Stories is written and performed by another comedy group, Diet of Worms, who have had much success both on the live and on the internet. Dublin Stories is a continuation of their cult internet series of the same name. The mock-documentary explores the lives of two very unusual 'couples" as they face the prospect of becoming first-time parents. Tuesday 6th JANUARY THE GREAT ESCAPE (RTE 1) - The perfect antidote to the post-Christmas and credit crunch blues, 'The Great Escape" features four stories of different Irish families who made the break with Ireland and moved lock, stock and barrel to start a new life in another country. The first programme features the sunshine and blue skies of Spain and the story of the Dankers from Terenure in Dublin who moved to Marbella in search of a better life. Stay-at-home mother Suzanne and former antiques dealer Howard moved to Marbella with their two young sons in July 2007. Go-getter Suzanne set up a wedding planning business for Irish couples getting married in Spain, while Howard planned to set up an antiques business. The programme follows their progress as they depart from the grey skies of Dublin through their first year in Marbella as they contend with starting from scratch in a new country. THE LUCY KENNEDY SHOW (RTE 2) - Following on from three very successful years with 'The Podge and Rodge Show" and two very successful series of 'Livin" with Lucy", now Lucy Kennedy returns with her own late-night chat show. The show will be a mix of lively chat, celebrity gossip and comedy as Lucy"s unique brand of good-natured nosiness will be unleashed on two celebrity guests each week.