RTÉ Christmas schedule fit to make you laugh... and cry

‘Tis the season for spreadsheets as RTÉ unwraps a festive schedule more colourful than a Tubridy Christmas jumper.

RTÉ Christmas schedule fit to make you laugh... and cry

‘Tis the season for spreadsheets as RTÉ unwraps a festive schedule more colourful than a Tubridy Christmas jumper.

Make the The Young Offenders Christmas Special your first entry because only the most miserable ol’ grinch could fail to wring a few laughs from Cork’s most convincing honorary Norries.

There’s plenty of old reliables: some simply “old”, others, “reliable”. Mrs Brown’s Boys and Rodge and Podge can be filed under either heading.

The former returns with with two brand new episodes, airing on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, while the Christmas Eve laughs are on RTÉ2 courtesy of poster couple for divorce, Bridget & Eamon.

Kiddie fare includes a specially commissioned panto for all the family, The Greatest Show That Never Was, recorded in front of a live audience of 500 kids and parents, which can only heighten the drama.

Special guest stars include Rosemary Smith, Ireland’s first female rally driver, and Teresa Mannion, whose back catalogue includes doorstepping singing donkeys, rapping about unnecessary journeys, dancing with stars, and being an all round good sport.

Two shows are definite spreadsheet entries: a celebrity version of Ireland’s Fittest Family and Celebrity Home of the Year. Coach Anna Geary will have the chance to exact revenge on Brian Redmond, outspoken judge on Dancing with the Stars, where Anna was a finalist last year. Brian and his family are her charges.

The Zoo Winter Special is a likely whole-family favourite, as well as a series of festive flicks and feelgood classics including The Jungle Book, The Magnificent Seven, Home Alone and Miracle on 34th Street.

Fair City fans can look forward to an hour-long special on Christmas day. For anyone else — there are board games.

For a bit of religion — it is after all Christmas — there’s a chance to go behind the scenes of the recent papal visit: Pope Francis in Ireland: Behind the Scenes.

For sports fans, Players of the Faithful shows how Seamus Darby scored the most famous goal in GAA history in 1982.

All in all, plenty to fill those spreadsheets.

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