Pick of the weekThe Night Manager Thursday, BBC One, 9.05pm
It’s been almost 10 years since we last saw MI6 operative Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) in the superb, gripping series based on the John le Carré novel. But now Pine has come back in from the cold for a second series, and since Le Carré didn’t get around to writing a sequel to his 1993 novel, it’s up to the show’s creator and producer David Farr to come up with a whole new story based on Le Carré’s characters. We meet Pine years after he has taken down ruthless arms dealer Dickie Roper (Hugh Laurie) in the thrilling finale of series one. He’s now living a relatively quiet life in London, under a new alias, Alex Goodwin, and quietly trying to bury his past. He’s still working for MI6, but just running a low-key surveillance unit. Nothing too life-threatening. But then one of Roper’s old henchmen comes on his radar, and soon his boss Angela Burr (Olivia Colman) has talked him into going undercover to infiltrate the operation of Colombian arms dealer Teddy Dos Santos (Diego Calva), where he uncovers a conspiracy to destabilise an entire country. What follows is “danger, espionage, betrayal, love, heartbreak, drama and suspense” as Pine risks his neck to gain Teddy’s trust, and risks a lot more besides by getting into a threesome with Teddy and the beautiful Roxana (Camila Morrone).
Highlights Duffy’s PubSunday, RTÉ One, 6.30pm
Patrick Duffy and his wife, Linda, at Duffy’s pub in Galway. Photograph: RTÉ
Actor Patrick Duffy grew up in his parents’ bar in Montana and has been fascinated by pub culture ever since – not so much the drinking side of it, but the community, connection and local history side of it. He found global fame as Bobby Ewing in Dallas, and now runs his own bar in Hollywood with his son, but he got a real taste for Irish pub culture on a trip to Ireland 40 years ago to scout locations for a film. He also traced his family roots back to Kilmovee, Co Mayo, and in this special documentary the 76-year-old makes a return visit to the land of his ancestry with his wife, Linda, visiting local pubs around the country to see how the culture has changed over the past few decades. Is the pub still at the centre of community life, or has it all moved online? Duffy drops into several pubs bearing his own surname – in an echo of Pete McCarthy’s book McCarthy’s Bar – but also visits such places as the Hi-B in Cork, Jim o’ the Mills in Tipperary and The Flowing Tide in Dublin. And of course he meets some interesting characters along the way, including country and Irish legend TR Dallas, the man behind the 1980 smash hit Who Shot JR Ewing? Duffy also reconnects with his own extended family in Kilmovee, in a poignant ending where he scatters some of his father’s ashes among the graves of his ancestors.
Titanic Sinks Tonight Sunday-Wednesday, BBC Two, 9pm
Titanic Sinks Tonight: Matthew Cassidy. Photograph: Stellify Media/BBC
You might be watching James Cameron’s Titanic over the Christmas break, but if you want to cut out the drippy romance and get straight to the minute-by-minute account of what happened on the doomed ship on the night of April 14th, 1912, this four-part docudrama from Belfast’s Stellify Media runs over four consecutive nights until New Year’s Eve. It’s a big-budget affair, re-creating events from the moment crew member Fred Fleet spots the iceberg looming in front of the ship to the moment it sinks into the icy Atlantic 160 minutes later, with the loss of more than 1,500 lives. The actors playing passengers and crew give vivid first-hand accounts of the terror and chaos on board, while a wealth of archive material, including letters, telegrams, memoirs, interviews and public inquiries, helps build a detailed picture of the unfolding disaster and the people caught up in it. The series will also feature analysis and comment from contributors including former marine and now TV presenter JJ Chalmers, Prof Suzannah Lipscomb, Admiral Lord West and authors Jeanette Winterson and Nadifa Mohamed. Who needs Kate and Leo?
Rory McIlroy: A Battle WonSunday, RTÉ One, 9.30pm
Masters champion Rory McIlroy. Photograph: Kieran Cleeves/Augusta National/Getty
It’s been an amazing year for the Northern Irish golfer, during which he finally achieved his career Grand Slam by winning the Masters in Augusta, Georgia, in April following a nail-biting playoff with Justin Rose. McIlroy also went on to win the Irish Open at the K Club in September, and was instrumental in Europe’s Ryder Cup victory over the US later that month. But his biggest victory this year was in defeating his own demons, overcoming the self-doubt that has plagued him throughout his professional career and shrugging off the weight of public expectations to focus on the goals he set for himself when he was just a young boy with dreams of golfing glory. This documentary looks back on the highlights of McIlroy’s year, but also delves into his rollercoaster 20-year career, the successes and setbacks, and the personal and public milestones and millstones that marked his remarkable rise to the top of his game.
Daniel O’Connell: The EmancipatorMonday, RTÉ One, 6.30pm
Anne Hodge in Daniel O’Connell: The Emancipator. Photograph: RTÉ
Why has Ireland proven more resilient against the global assault on democracy by the far right? Perhaps it’s because the legacy of Daniel O’Connell, one of our greatest advocates for justice, is still strong in our DNA. This year is the 250th anniversary of O’Connell’s birth and, in a year when the word “liberation” was misused and mangled by the US president, this one-hour documentary is a reminder of how O’Connell earned the nickname The Great Liberator. The programme follows the young lawyer from Kerry as he grows to become a key figure in Irish politics, campaigning for and securing Catholic Emancipation, and setting a template for other democracy movements to follow. The documentary is written and directed by Ruán Magan and narrated by Domhnall Gleeson, and features interviews from historians, scholars and politicians, including Mary McAleese, Declan Kiberd and Niamh Gallagher, plus an evocative score from Colm Mac Con Iomaire. It might be a good time to top up on that democracy DNA for the difficult times ahead.
Callan Kicks the Year 2025Tuesday, RTÉ One, 9.30pm
Oliver Callan as Siobhán McSweeney in
Callan Kicks the Year 2025
Comedian and broadcaster Oliver Callan digs into his hamper of famous voices for his annual round-up of the year just gone, and there’s no shortage of names and faces for him to add to his satirical repertoire. No surprise to see The Traitors Ireland host Siobhán McSweeney getting the Callan treatment, along with the new American pope, the resurgent Trump and the disgraced royal with the rare antiperspirant disease. Whoever’s been in the news or in the spotlight in Ireland and around the world in 2025, you can be sure Callan will take a good (gentle) swipe at them.
Hercules the Bear – A Love StoryTuesday, BBC Two, 6.30pm 
Maggie Robin and Hercules in Hercules the Bear: A Love Story. Photograph: Maggie Robin
Twenty years ago film audiences were shocked and fascinated by the story of Timothy Treadwell, as told in Werner Herzog’s documentary Grizzly Man. Treadwell spent years camping among brown bears in Alaska, believing he had a special connection with them, until he and his girlfriend were killed and eaten by a bear. This completely unrelated documentary is about a Scottish couple who raised a grizzly bear in their home – but luckily Hercules didn’t eat his owners. Wrestler Andy Robin and his wife, Maggie, adopted Hercules in 1975 when he was just a cub and tamed him. For the next 25 years he was part of the family, and also gained fame as part of Andy’s bear-wrestling act. Hercules also gained parts in TV and film, most notably in the James Bond film Octopussy. He died in 2000 without having killed anyone, so that’s a relief.
Mrs Brown’s Boys New Year Special New Year’s Eve, RTÉ One, 9.50pm & Thursday, BBC One, 10.05pm
You’ve survived the Christmas and, more importantly, you’ve survived the first of two Mrs Brown’s Boys festive specials. Now that you’ve had a few days to recover from the innuendos and double entendres, here’s the second helping of family misadventures with Agnes and the gang, starring Brendan O’Carroll as Mammy, Jennifer Gibney as Cathy, Eilish O’Carroll as Winnie and Danny O’Carroll as Buster. This week it’s not Santa they’re waiting for, but a storm that’s due to hit the country. Not an ideal time for Buster to be doing a parachute jump to celebrate his birthday. And Agnes finds she has to mind her language when a lost nun asks for her help.
Jools’ Annual Hootenanny New Year’s Eve, BBC Two, 11.30pm
Jools Holland rings in the new year in his usual piano-tinkling style, with help from his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra and a roomful of special guests, musical legends and rising stars. Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood will be joining the New Year’s Eve celebrations, with a celebration of his own: 60 years in the rock‘n’roll game. Also joining the hootenanny are 1960s pop star Lulu, who will perform her 1974 hit version of David Bowie’s The Man Who Sold the World (the 10th anniversary of Bowie’s death is approaching) and disco classic Relight My Fire, her 1993 chart-topper with Take That. Nineties R&B stars Craig David and Heather Small will also join the party, along with Olivia Dean, Jessie J, The Kooks, soul legend Ruby Turner and our own Imelda May.
Ronan Keating and Friends: New Year’s Eve Party New Year’s Eve, BBC One, 11.30pm
The boy from Boyzone hosts his own musical New Year’s Eve party, with a concert featuring his biggest hits, both as a solo artist and as frontman of one of the biggest boybands around. The show was recorded earlier this month at the BBC’s Riverside Studios, and will feature a raft of special guests joining Ro onstage as they count down to 2026 and hand over to the world-famous fireworks live in London. Among the highlights will be Ronan’s hit version of When You Say Nothing at All, from the soundtrack of Notting Hill, his chart-topping single Life Is a Rollercoaster, which has racked up 100 million streams on the internet thingy. There’ll also be covers of classic songs by George Michael and Van Morrison.
The Late Late New Year’s Eve ShowNew Year’s Eve, RTÉ One, 10.25pm
Patrick Kielty will be saying slán leat to 2025 with a glitzy Late Late New Year’s Eve special featuring musicians, comedians, athletes and even a few traitors. Among Kielty’s guests as he leads us out of the old year is Irish heptathlete Kate O’Connor, who will chat to Kielty about her amazing year, as she won silver in the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo and was crowned Irish Athlete of the Year. Also dropping by for a chinwag will be comedian/musician/podcaster Garron Noone, who’ll try to get through the evening without dropping the F or the C bomb. Kielty will also chat to some cast members of hit series The Traitors Ireland, and there’ll be music from David Gray, Lyra, Gavin James, Sharon Shannon and Cliffords. All this was pre-recorded in October but, by the magic of technology, it will blend seamlessly into a real-time countdown to 2026, where Dublin band Inhaler will rock in the new year in front of a live audience at Dublin Castle.
The TraitorsThursday & Friday, BBC One, 8pm; Saturday Jan 3rd, BBC One, 7.45pm
Claudia Winkleman is the host once again for the fourth series of The Traitors, but she faces a challenge of her own, as the Irish version of the show, presented by Siobhán McSweeney, has seriously thrown down the gauntlet. Can Winkleman win over Irish viewers who spent weeks under the spell of Paudie, Eamon, Vanessa, Katelyn, Oyin and the rest of the Irish traitors. Sure we’ll give her a chance. Winkleman will welcome a new batch of contestants to the Scottish castle, where lying, cheating, betrayal and murder are all part of the package, and a prize of up to £120,000 awaits whoever can avoid being unmasked as a traitor or becoming a traitor’s next victim.
StreamingStranger Things finaleFrom New Year’s Day, Netflix
Some TV shows just don’t know when to call it a day but, like the 1980s, all good things must come to an end, and so the Duffer Brothers have decided the time is right to bring their hugely successful and culturally impactful sci-fi horror series to a close with the fifth and final series. It’s fitting: the cast were just kids when the show started 10 years ago; now they’re all young adults, and probably should be spending a bit less time in the Upside Down. The first four episodes of series five dropped at the end of November, and three more episodes aired on St Stephen’s Day. The cast members are planning to get together one last time to watch this two-hour-plus long finale, along with millions of other ST fans around the globe. As befits the show’s 1980s setting, the Duffer Brothers are planning to go out in a blaze of glory, as the gang prepare for a final battle with the evil mind-flayer Vecna.
Harlan Coben’s Run AwayFrom Thursday, January 1st, Netflix
James Nesbitt has already starred in two Harlan Coben adaptations on Netflix, with Stay Close and Missing You. He’s going for the hat-trick with this six-part psychological thriller from the pen of the prolific crime writer. Nesbitt plays Simon, whose seemingly perfect family life with his wife, Ingrid (Minnie Driver) begins to disintegrate after their teenage daughter, Paige (Ellie de Lange), inexplicably runs away from home. Simon is determined to track down his missing daughter, but when he finds her in a public park strung out on drugs, he’s confronted by a young man who seemingly has Paige under his control. That’s when things go really pear-shaped. Soon Simon is the main suspect in a murder investigation, and he has to go deep into a deadly underworld if he want to get his daughter back alive. Ruth Jones co-stars as Det Insp Elena Ravenscroft.