Festive specials aim to please

HARRY Hill makes his official acting debut in this comedy drama, which has been adapted by Charlie Higson from the classic children's books by Norman Hunter - and no, not the one whose hard tackles frightened the lives out of footballers in the 1970s when he was centre-half for Leeds United.

This Norman Hunter was an author from Sydenham who saw service as a teenager in the First World War before becoming a copywriter and author. He wrote 13 books featuring the character over a 50-year period.

"As a budding schoolboy scientist and inventor myself I loved the Professor Branestawm books as a kid, I was fascinated by Heath Robinson's wonderful illustrations too," says Hill. "It's a thrill for me to be playing the prof in Charlie Higson's brilliant TV adaptation. Best Christmas present ever!"

The books have been adapted for TV before, in 1969 by ITV with Jack Woolgar in the lead role. But this take promises to be definitive, not only because of Hill's performance, but because of the co-stars lining up alongside him. Vicky Pepperdine, recently seen in BBC 4 r sitcom Puppy Love, Brian Pern's Simon Day, actresses Sophie Thompson and Miranda Richardson, comedians David Mitchell, Ben Miller and Higson himself all have roles.

For the uninitiated, Professor Branestawm is an absent-minded professor, whose creations have a habit of going disastrously wrong. Luckily, his long-suffering housekeeper Mrs Flittersnoop and his dim, but loyal, best friend Colonel Dedshott are usually on hand to stop him blowing himself up, but not everyone is convinced that's enough of a safeguard.

Can plucky school kid Connie stop evil businessman Mr Bullimore and local councillor Harold Haggerstone from kicking Branestawm out of the village on health and safety grounds?

Christmas Day
Doctor Who (BBC1, 6.15pm)

FOR the past nine years, the BBC has provided viewers with the perfect way to recuperate after their overindulgences by producing a series of special festive episodes of Doctor Who.

The latest - entitled Last Christmas - is the first to star Peter Capaldi and writer Steven Moffat is slightly obsessed with keeping his plots a secret in case spoilers leak out. So, what do we know? As well as Capaldi playing the gallivanting Gallifreyan, Jenna Coleman is back as Clara and Nick Frost makes a guest appearance as the one and only Santa Claus.

"I'm so thrilled to have been asked to guest in the Doctor Who Christmas Special, I'm such a fan of the show," says Frost. "The read-through was very difficult for me; I wanted to keep stuffing my fingers into my ears and scream 'No spoilers!' Every day on set I've had to silence my internal fan-boy squeals!"

The action takes place on an Arctic base which is under attack from terrifying creatures - and only the Doctor and his pal Santa can save the day. Watch out too for a few other familiar faces, including former Coronation Street star and Strictly Come Dancing runner-up Natalie Gumede.

Michael Troughton continues his family's association with the programme - his brother David has appeared in the show several times – as the son of Patrick Troughton, who played the Doctor's second incarnation.