Bold headline: TV tonight highlights a gripping mix of personal resilience, high-stakes investigations, and festive film fare.
Prisoner 951: The Hostages’ Story
9pm, BBC Two
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe tells her own remarkable story in a feature-length documentary, following the acclaimed BBC drama about her six-year detention in Iran. The program blends personal recounting with footage from her arrest and imprisonment, while also placing her experiences in a broader political context. It includes conversations with former hostages and decision-makers who shaped the events. Hollie Richardson
Grand Designs: House of the Year
8pm, Channel 4
The quest for 2025’s most ambitiously conceived new homes continues. This episode showcases remarkable builds, including a sandstone house in Bannau Brycheiniog (formerly the Brecon Beacons) quarried from the local mountains, and a striking steel-framed residence in Hertfordshire that reads more like a modern sculpture than a traditional house. Phil Harrison
Portrait Artist of the Year 2025
8pm, Sky Arts
Brian Cox’s renowned presence—often described as no-nonsense—has long defined his intense Shakespearean performances and, more recently, his portrayal of Succession’ s volatile Logan Roy. In the final, three markedly different artists aim to capture not only an accurate likeness of Cox but also the many facets of his persona. Hannah J Davies
Shetland
9pm, BBC One
With the penultimate episode, the series intensifies as secrets surface across suspects and supporting characters, yet only one person remains the prime candidate for murder. Tosh pursues potential police corruption, while Ruth relaxes a bit too much in her downtime. Jack Seale
The Sycamore Gap Mystery
9pm, Channel 4
The tragic felling of Northumberland’s beloved Sycamore Gap sparked nationwide outrage in 2023, and echoes of that anger linger. Local residents describe the scene as “sickening,” likening the fallen tree to a murder. This two-part special digs into the incident, presenting access to evidence that led to two arrests. HR
The Hunting Party
9pm, U&Alibi
Profiler Bex (Melissa Roxburgh) leads a multi-agency team in pursuit of another elusive serial killer. The Widower, aka Mark Marsden (Jesse Bradford), has deep abandonment issues and a chilling pattern of murdering wives. The question driving the case: is there a connection to a former prison employee? Graeme Virtue
Film picks
Oh. What. Fun. (Michael Showalter, 2025), Prime Video
December often brings a glut of Christmas titles, but some films push the boundaries. Oh. What. Fun. stars Michelle Pfeiffer in a crowd-pleasing, relatable story about a family that only realizes how demanding the holidays are when the matriarch vanishes. It has the potential to be this year’s standout festive film. Stuart Heritage
The Roses (Jay Roach, 2025), Disney+
A mid-budget character piece that didn’t land in cinemas but likely finds its stride on streaming. Depending on your taste, this is either an adaptation of Warren Adler’s 1981 novel or the 1989 Danny DeVito film. Either way, Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman play a married couple whose relationship descends into outrageous cruelty, with a strong supporting cast including Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon, Ncuti Gatwa, Allison Janney, and Jamie Demetriou. SH
Controversy sparks curiosity: what line should be drawn between personal trauma and public storytelling in documentary films? Do you think Nazanin’s account sheds essential light on international diplomacy, or could it risk oversimplifying complex geopolitical factors? Share your take in the comments.
