RT Brings Christmas Home with Magical Seasonal Schedule

02/12/2021

Join us for heart-warming, joyful and unmissable moments in entertainment, drama, and documentaries

Brand new specials top the line-up for a magical Christmas on RT . There's plenty of craic courtesy of a Tommy Tiernan special, Callan Kicks the Year and Mrs Brown, while The 2 Johnnies are hosting the NYE show in Dublin Castle. New highlights include documentaries on Grand National winner, Rachael Blackmore, a heartwarming programme on Irish Toy shops and we celebrate with Irish legend, Daniel O'Donnell as he celebrates his 60th birthday. Toy Show hero Adam King fronts his own new animated series on RT jr, featuring the voice of Ryan Tubridy as Santa Claus. Dermot Whelan and Doireann Garrihy launch one hour of family entertainment, in a new show, Big Night In and there's also a Christmas special with the Home School Hub gang too, alongside music, sport, drama and entertainment.

On radio, Joe Duffy will present his legendary Christmas eve special from the Radio Centre while over on 2FM listeners can enjoy an hour long special with Jenny Greene and the RT Concert Orchestra. Christmas is a special time on RT lyric fm, with some thrilling seasonal performances, including Handel's Messiah, while Raidi na Gaeltachta will feature a range of fascinating stories and music. And dedicated fans of RT Gold can rock around the tree with their favourite presenters. Take advantage of the time off and get stuck into the best of binge-worthy shows on RT Player. There's truly something for everyone on RT this Christmas.

TELEVISION AND RT PLAYER

ENTERTAINMENT Music, chat and craic is top of the agenda this Christmas on RT , with something for everyone in the audience.

Tommy Tiernan is back with a one off special this December that's full of surprises for him, and his viewers! A master of improvisation, Tommy thrives on the adrenaline of surprises. The result is conversations full of adventure and surprise, with people from all walks of life, some well-known personalities, some lesser so.

All the Mrs Brown's Boys gang return for two more seasonal specials, airing Christmas Day and New Year's Eve, which see Agnes recruited to the church choir, but under strict instructions, and a Christmas tree shortage which means Buster has to get even more creative than usual.

There are sonic treats in store for music fans too. Artists and presenters Loah and Una Healy return to the iconic Round Room of the Mansion House in the Heart of Dublin to reprise a very special Christmas edition of The Heart of Saturday Night. And, in a unique new show Bowie - Starman, with the RT Concert Orchestra, a remarkable line up of Irish and international stars, including Suzanne Vega, Rufus Wainright III, Sharon Corr, Imelda May, Joe Elliot, Christy Dignam and many more, join with Bowie's own band, and the RT Concert Orchestra, to honour his legacy, and play some of his greatest hits.

With laugh out loud celebrity pranks, nail biting studio games, audience surprises and a Christmas stocking full of other treats, Big Night In is one of the biggest Christmas presents in the RT One schedule for Irish families. Dermot Whelan and Doireann Garrihy press the launch button on one hour of serious family entertainment!

The 2 Johnnies present RT 's New Year's Eve Countdown Show live from Dublin Castle with guests from the world of sport and entertainment. Picture This will ring in the New Year in front of a crowd of 5,000 people.

And comedian Oliver Callan rounds off the year with some much-needed laughs in Callan Kicks the Year 2021. The Co-Teeshes and Mary Lou review stories from Zapponyism to the stuck Suez ship, Dublin Bay South, heaves, Olympics, Kin, the US insurrection and cuckoos. With Joe Biden, Boris, Home of the Year and Francis Brennan.

Ireland's Fittest Family culminates in the most epic final yet, on The Mountain in Kilruddery. All four families are eager for the ultimate title, but only one family can be crowned winner! This December Ireland's Fittest Family will also show two specials. On 29 December, Grainne Gallanagh, The Happy Pear's Flynn twins, and comedians Neil Delamere and Sinead Quinlan complete for title of Ireland's Fittest Family in our celebrity special, with the winner walking away with 10,000 euro for their chosen charity. And, in Hall of Fame, Mairead Ronan, along with Donncha O' Callaghan, Anna Geary, Davy Fitzgerald and Derval O' Rourke look back on the most memorable moments and the families that made them over the past nine series.

MOVIES Nothing says Christmas quite like movies, and this season, RT has you covered for both top premieres and much-loved classics.

There's fun for all the family with lots of kids' premieres including Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (Christmas Day, RT One 6pm); Abominable (Christmas Day RT 2, 11am); and The Secrets Life of Pets 2 (Christmas Day, RT One 12:35pm), while for older movie buffs, we've got Bohemian Rhapsody (Christmas Day, RT One 10:10pm); Rocketman (Stephen's Day, RT One, 9:35pm ), critically acclaimed Irish film Dating Amber (21st December RT 2 9:35pm) ; and the heart-warming Stan and Ollie (31st December RT 2, 10pm).

Meanwhile, prepare to get cosy with a hot chocolate for some top nostalgia with viewer favourites across the season including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, The Greatest Showman, Die Hard, Braveheart, Back to the Future trilogy, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Indiana Jones series, Home Alone 2 Lost in New York, Casablanca, Singin in the Rain, The Big Sleep, and Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang.

DOCUMENTARIES Sporting victory, toy shop delights, and trips down memory lane RT 's arts, factual and sports documentaries come with a high feelgood factor this Christmas

Rachael Blackmore: A Grand Year sees award-winning filmmaker Ross Whitak

LINK:	https://about.rte.ie/2021/12/02/rte-brings-christmas-home-with-magical...
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