Wednesday’s TV tips
2014 was the year when people power forced a Government U-turn over water charges, ebola caused a global health scare and Garth Brooks had to pull out of playing Croke Park.
This programme captures all the drama at home and abroad during 12 months which will live long in our memories.
Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan returns home to Jackson after graduating from university with dreams of becoming a writer.
She is horrified to learn that her family’s beloved maid Constantine has quit and that one of the neighbours, Hilly Holbrook, is proposing that black workers should have to use separate bathrooms.
Determined to end the discrimination, Skeeter pitches a book detailing the extraordinary lives of the maids, who have spent countless years raising white children.
While it may not have the emotional intensity of other films dealing with the subject matter, there is much to be said for the way this multi award-winning drama mirrors the actions of its main protagonist – gently changing perceptions and occasionally delivering great delights.
Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer
It doesn’t seem long ago that we were sitting around our TV sets at the end of last year, looking back over the previous 12 months’ events, but believe it or not a lot has happened since.
It’s just as well, too, or host Jason Manford would be spending the next hour twiddling his thumbs and talking about the weather.
Not that the various catastrophic floods and deluges earlier in the year weren’t noteworthy enough in themselves, of course...
Yes, 2014 was a year that threw everything it had at us, but fortunately we’re resilient enough to take it all in our stride, sit down at the end of it all and laugh about it, drink in hand, as Jason guides us through the highs and lows of 52 weeks’ of sport, showbiz, celebrity and entertainment news.
So settle back and enjoy as we reflect on the year of ice bucket challenges and more.
You’ve eaten that much turkey you would happily never look at the stuff again, and your body has just about recovered from the copious amounts of grandma’s lovingly made mulled wine.
But look lively; there’s still the small matter of a new year to see in yet, and given what a shindig he hosts every year, it’s little wonder Alan Carr and his cabinet of booze have been invited back once more.
Of course, he’s pulled some of his A-list chums in to share in the celebrations as well, including Jonathan Ross, Gok Wan, Alesha Dixon, Mark Wright and Caroline Flack, while music comes courtesy of Tulisa and Professor Green.
Fans of Alan know what to expect by now – for the uninitiated, if you match him drink for drink (if his chat show is anything to go by), you will have a teeny weeny headache in the morning.
Kathryn Thomas and Paddy McKenna are joined by special guests to countdown the final moments of 2014 and ring in a brand new year with New Year’s Eve Live on RTÉ One.
Broadcast live from The House of Lords Dublin, the show will highlight the 3 NYE concert in College Green with artists including Kodaline. RTÉ Radio 1 will also broadcast live from the 3 NYE Concert in Dublin and the RTÉ One New Year’s Eve show will be streamed on RTÉ Player nationally and internationally.
Queen without Freddie Mercury has always been like decaffeinated coffee. Yes, it has elements of the classic band, but without THAT voice, it’s less ’Killer’ and more ’Filler Queen’.
However, Roger Taylor and Brian May have found a good vocalist in Adam Lambert, and like real coffee, they will keep you up for a good part of the night.
Now 40 years since the band really started making waves in the public’s consciousness, it will be very hard not to tune in to this spectacular.
A runner-up in 2009’s American Idol, Lambert clearly impressed those august men of rock enough to land the gig of stand-in frontman.
Here May and co wow the masses at Central Hall in London’s Westminster with a string of classic tracks.
There will be a break for the chimes of Big Ben and the traditional fireworks display over the Thames.
Your hosts are Radio 1 DJs Greg James and Gemma Cairney.
Hard to believe it’s more than 22 years since BBC2 welcomed in a new year without Jools Holland’s musical extravaganza.
However, it’s obvious the former Squeeze man is doing something right, though the show would probably work as well with Jamie Cullum or an equally gifted musician at the helm.
The latest end-of-year line-up includes British singer-songwriters Ed Sheeran, Paolo Nutini, Ellie Goulding, Paloma Faith and Joss Stone.
Naturally there’s no shortage of talent from across the Pond with 1960s pop singer Ronnie Spector, blues musician Boz Scaggs, soul singer William Bell and country band Hayseed Dixie.
And on top of that lot, Clean Bandit with Jess Glynne perform their hit single Rather Be, while guitar legend Wilko Johnson and regular Hootenanny participant Ruby Turner also do their thing.
No edition of this annual strand would be complete without the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards playing in the new year in traditional fashion.
