TV tonight: an unmissable series about the amazing story of disco


Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution

10pm, BBC Two

Disco is often regarded as music of pure hedonism. But this excellent series rightly posits it as deeply political, too, soundtracking growing emancipation for LGBTQ+ and Black people during the 1970s and issuing an implicit challenge to American orthodoxies in the process. In this opening episode, Nicky Siano reminisces about his early days on the scene, we learn how the US “beef crisis” facilitated disco and the illustrious Earl Young walks us through the fundamentals of disco drumming. Phil Harrison

Survivor: The Finals

6pm, BBC One

Just five players are left now as the endurance contest set on a Dominican beach approaches its endgame. Clearly tensions exist but, after all this time, so do friendships. A tricky challenge brings a vital immunity necklace for one player – but can the other alliances hold with the £100k prize now so close? PH

Strictly Come Dancing: The Final

7pm, BBC One

From Angela’s limber leg to Layton’s gobsmacking pole dance, it has been a vintage Strictly year. Layton joins Ellie and Bobby in the final – and the winner will be announced after they each perform three dances. To top it all off, the one and only Cher will be performing live as this year’s gang reunite to prance around her. Hollie Richardson

Building the Billion Pound Cruise Ship

8pm, Channel 4

In which a crack team of French engineers race to meet the deadline to construct one of the world’s biggest, most advanced cruise ships; that’s wrangling 42,000 tonnes of steel and assembling more than 2,500 cabins. Not to mention 13 dining areas, numerous shops, bars, and seven swimming pools … So, slightly less complex than the average Ikea build. Ali Catterall

Bad Host: Hunting the Couch Surfing Predator

9pm, Sky Documentaries

This week’s instalment in the three-part documentary about a couch-surfing host who assaulted and raped his guests sees a Portuguese woman begin the fightback. It’s a moving, troubling tale of secret Facebook groups, online sleuthing and the start of a process to bring a predator to justice. Alexi Duggins

Blood Actually: A Murder, They Hope Mystery

9pm, Gold

Why is Johnny Vegas making a terrified dash through a snowy forest while dressed as Santa? It’s a festive edition of his and Sian Gibson’s comedy whodunnit, where a trip to a rural cottage backfires spectacularly. It’s a daft, slightly hammy, fun watch featuring more stars than a festive jumper – including Lee Mack, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Jane Horrocks, Martin Kemp and Robert Webb. Alexi Duggins

Film choice

Dawn of the Nugget, Netflix

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget on Netflix.

Aardman’s egg-streamly belated sequel to the 2000 animation is another gadget-packed treat. After the Great Escape of the first film, Ginger and Rocky (now voiced by Thandiwe Newton and Zachary Levi) are living in seclusion on an island in a lake. But then their adventurous daughter Molly (Bella Ramsey) runs off to investigate a nearby chicken farm, which turns out to be a Bond villain-style fortified factory with a disturbing new product line. Cue cunning plans, outwitted humans and bracing British comedy. Simon Wardell

Live sport

Saracens v Connacht, 12.30pm, TNT Sports 1 Followed by Bordeaux Bègles v Bristol Bears, Leinster v Sale Sharks and Cardiff v Bath.

Darts: World Championship, 2.30pm, Sky Sports Main Event Day two at Alexandra Palace.

International T20 Cricket: West Indies v England, 5pm, TNT Sport 2 The third in the series. The fourth is on Tue 19 at 7.30pm on TNT Sport 1.

Premier League Football: Burnley v Everton, 5pm, Sky Sports
Main Event
On Sun 17 it is West Ham v Wolves at 2pm then Liverpool v Man Utd.


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