Hustle - Final series starts its run on 6th January

© BBC - Kudos Film &Television
Kelly Adams, Robert Glenister, Matt Di Angelo,
Robert Vaughan and Adrian Lester in character as
Emma, Ash, Sean, Albert and Mickey.

Hustle returns to BBC1 on Friday, 6th January at 9.00pm but this is the last ever series for Mickey Bricks and his team of highly skilled conmen. As always they'll target London's rich and greedy and, with their grifting skills better than ever, they're ready to push themselves to the limit in the search for riches. But pushing themselves is just the start and with the marks looking meaner and the risks higher, Mickey will need some truly ingenious cons if they're going to keep alive and out of jail. Kicking off the series with a bang, the first episode sees the grifters take on gold dealer Dexter Gold. Famous for parting the elderly from their precious treasures in return for a pittance and trading stolen gold at profitable prices, the gang is eager to give this fraudster a taste of his own medicine Masquerading as a renegade army unit, the team lures their greedy mark with the promise of a consignment of looted Libyan gold. Stars Adrian Lester as Mickey, Robert Vaughan is Albert, Robert Glenister is Ash, Matt Di Angelo is Sean, Kelly Adams is Emma and Paterson Joseph guests in the first story as Dexter Gold.

BBC1 video trailer for new drama series in 2012

This is the new BBC video showing their new drama series for 2012. It includes: Birdsong, Call The Midwife, Sherlock and Upstairs Downstairs. Catch it below:

New Tricks: It Smells of Books - Repeated at 9pm on BBC1 tonight

© BBC - Wall to Wall Television
Beth Goddard in character as
widow Paula Symes

New Tricks repeat from series 7 at 9.00pm tonight on BBC1. This was episode 2 of the series and is titled It Smells of Books. Brian Lane spends time in the old-fashioned, respectful and tranquil surroundings of The London Library after being barred from his noisy, disorderly public library for causing a disturbance. After he finds out that a membership cards is listed among the personal effects of a cold case victim, he decides to go under cover there as the team reinvestigates the death of university professor Dr Richard Symes, who died falling from the roof of his college three years ago. Stars Amanda Redman as Sandra Pullman, James Bolam as Jack Halford, Alun Armstrong as Brian Lane and Dennis Waterman as Gerry Standing.

Final part of Great Expectations tonight!

© BBC - Masterpiece
Gillian Anderson in character as Miss Havisham

Pip is horrified by Magwitch's arrival and the revelation that his fortune comes not from Miss Havisham, but from a convict, in the final episode of Sarah Phelp's bold adaptation of Great Expectations. Pip races to Satis House, only to learn that Estella is engaged to Bentley Drummle, who delights in Pip's humiliation. Pip realises that Miss Havisham led him to think she was his benefactor, and encouraged his love for Estella out of cruelty - fuelled by bitterness. Wemmick warns Pip that rumours have been circulating of Magwitch's return from Australia..the penalty for returning as a transported convict is hanging. Now Pip must help Magwitch escape. Pip decides he can never go home and will accompany Magwitch on his escape. But as Pip and Magwitch make their escape down the Thames, just as they reach the meeting point for the steamer Compeyson looms out of the fog, in a boat full of soldiers. He has been lying in wait for them...

Great Expectations continues on BBC1 tonight

© BBC - Masterpice
Douglas Booth in character as Pip

On the second episode of Great Expectations Pip works hard to become a gentleman under Herbert Pocket's instruction, and his expensive tastes soon see him racking up debts. Summoned by Jaggers to account for himself and his debts, he meets Jagger's taciturn maid, Molly, and Bentley Drummle, another of Jaggers's wards. Drummie is confident, charming and a baronet. Pip is keen to be accepted into his circle and his spending spirals further out of control. Pip is delighted when Miss Havisham asks him to visit her at Satis House, keen to see his transformation first-hand. Pip tells Herbert that he intends to marry Estella as soon as he reaches his majority; Herbert warns him of Miss Havisham's history, but Pip is determined. Back in London, Pip's thrown to see Drummie flirting with Estella, but he's reassured by Estella that Drummle will get no joy from her. As Pip sleeps after a night of celebration with Herbert, he is woken from his fireside armchair by an intruder. It's Magwitch, the convict from the marshes. He has bag of dirty money. Magwitch is Pip's secret benefactor...

ITV1's new one-off drama Fast Freddie, The Widow and Me tonight at 9.00pm

© ITV - STV
Laurence Fox in character as Jonathan Donald
and below, Sarah Smart as Laura Cooper

This new ITV1 drama Fast Freddie, The Widow and Me goes out at 9.00pm tonight and stars Laurence Fox (Lewis) as Jonathan Donald, a wealthy but narrow-minded luxury car dealer whose attitude is challenged when her receives a community service order at a support organisation called The Moonbeam Club. There he meets recently widowed Laura Cooper played by Sarah Smart (Five Days) who runs the club, and "Fast" Freddie Copeland played by Jack McMullen (Waterloo Road), a member who is terminally ill and will be lucky to see in the New Year. The cast includes Tamzin Outhwaite (Paradox) and Bill Paterson (Law & Order: UK). This is a one-off 90-minute drama made by STV. After being found guilty of a drink driving charge, Jonathan expects to get off lightly but instead receives a community service order in the run up to Christmas, 60 hours with The Moonbeam Club, a support organisation for young adults with social and behavioural difficulties. After a disastrous first day, Jonathan is sent packing by Laura, she and the group have no use for him and his prejudice. But Jonathan is forced to return by an even less impressed judge, who serves him a longer order. Jonathan's attitude and commitment begins to change as he gets to know one of the club's members - 18-year-old Freddie who suffers from kidney disease and genetic heart condition which means he'll be lucky to survive the next couple of months. One of Freddie's dreams is to have his own idea of a perfect Christmas. But having grown up in various care homes Freddie knows his dream is unlikely to come true. Against, Laura's careful advice, Jonathan decides to take it on himself to give Freddie the Christmas he's always dreamed of. With the help of Laura's mother Julia, his best friend and lawyer Charlie and a rag tag bunch of criminals lead by one of Charlie's clients, debonair fraudster Patsy Morgan played by Tamzin Outhwaite, he begins his quest.

Christmas Day ratings - Eastenders wins!

The early figures for Christmas Day show Eastenders winning the biggest audience with 10.2 million views peak and 9.9 million average audience with Coronation Street second on 9.9 million and average 9.3 million. Third and fourth are Downton Abbey and Doctor Who but as Downton got 9.1 million peak and 8.6 million average whilst the  Doctor got a lower peak at 9.0 but a higher average at 8.9 million; it's not clear which is third and which is fourth!

BBC1's Great Expectations starts tonight at 9.00pm

Starting tonight and continuing over the next two nights at 9.00pm BBC1's Great Expectations celebrates the writings of Charles Dickens as we approach the bicentenary of his birth, in 2012.



 On a cold winter's day, an 11-year-old orphan, Pip, runs into an escaped convict on the marshes near his home. The convict, Magwitch, orders the boy to steal a file from his Uncle Joe's forge to remove his shackles.

Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Clocks tonight at 9pm

© ITV - Agatha Christie Ltd - WGBH
David Suchet in character as Hercule Poirot

In Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Clocks at 9.00pm tonight on ITV1, Lieutenant Colin Race is investigating the death f two Navy personnel when a distraught Sheila Webb runs out of 19 Wilbraham Crescent and into his arms. Is she responsible for the murder of the middle-aged man found stabbed on the sitting room floor? Four clocks, frozen at the time of 4:3, are discovered in the room where the body is found and the owner, Miss Pebmarsh of the house denies having requested Sheila's secretarial services. Poirot travels to Dover at Lieutenant Race's behest and observes the mounting complications to the case. Race is determined to find a connection with the recent death of his fiancée and a German mole from within the Navy but in his state of grief he becomes increasingly involved with Sheila. A wall of evidence begins to build against Sheila and the clock ticks for Poirot when another innocent victim is found brutally murdered. 

Don't miss Downton Abbey special tonight on ITV1 at 9.00pm

© ITV - Carnival Films/NBCU
Dan Stevens and Michelle Dockery in character as
Lady Mary Crawley and Mathew Crawley

It's Christmas 1919 in the Christmas episode of the acclaimed period drama Downton Abbey starring Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern. The abbey is hosting a lavish Christmas party, yet despite it being the season of goodwill, tensions are rife and the arrest of Bates played by Brendan Coyle has cast a shadow over the festivities. Will he be a condemned man or will he be found innocent in time to dance with his new wife at the annual sevants' ball? Mary played by Michelle Dockery has to consider her future with Sir Richard Carlisle played by Iain Glen following a contretemps at the shooting party and Violet played by Maggie Smith has concerns about Rosamund played by Samantha Bond, whose new suitor - the dashing but raffish Lord Hepworth played by Nigel Havers - is not all he seems.

Doctor Who Christmas Special at 7.00pm tonight

© BBC

It's Christmas Eve, 1938, when Madge Arwell comes to the aid of an injured Spaceman Angel as she cycles home, in this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special, starring Matt Smith as the Doctor. He promises to repay her kindness - all she has to do is make a wish. Three years later, a devastated Madge escapes war-torn London with her two children for a dilapidated house in Dorset. She is crippled with grief at the news her husband has been lost over the channel, but determined to give Lily and Cyril the best Christmas ever. The Arwells are surprised to be greeted by a madcap caretaker whose mysterious Christmas gift leads them into a magic wintry world. Here, Madge will learn how to be braver than she ever thought possible. And that wishes can come true... Madger Arwell is played by Claire Skinner, Lily Arwell by Holly Earl and Cyril Arwell by Maurice Cole.