TV Pick of the week: Christmas Day TV

Billy T as the Tainui Kid. Photo / Supplied

Tis the season to be a couch potato and although the main TV fodder for Christmas Day comes in the form of movies - the pick of the bunch has to be Up! on Sky Movies at 4.55pm - there is also a mix of nostalgia, dancing and docos to help you digest your brandy snaps and trifle.

For that familiar teehee and kapai, check out Maori Television's Billy T. James Special at 8.30pm, a one-off show of all the best sketches from the cheeky and clever Cuz, including Te News and Where'd You Get Your Bag?.

On TV One at 7pm, hear what Her Majesty has to say about the year that was, and the year to come, in The Queen's Christmas Message.

It's followed by Master Chef UK (7.10pm).

Then Kiwi comedian Michele A'Court ponders "what if" the French had got to New Zealand first on Here To Stay (7.40pm) and meets some French-Maori families living in the King Country town of Te Kuiti.

Over on Prime, you can dance the night away with Superstars Of Dance (8.05pm), hosted by Michael "Riverdance" Flatley. Don't expect any left feet in this show from producers Nigel Lythgoe and Simon Fuller of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance fame - the competitors are all top dancers from eight countries. For song and dance of a Gleek kind, Vibe is screening Tis the Glee-son (7pm, with repeats on Boxing Day at 11.15am and New Year's Eve at 8.30pm), which revisits all the best moments and antics from the first two seasons of Glee.

It's a mix of feel-good and retro over on TVNZ Heartland, starting from 1pm with The End Of The Golden Weather, the Ian Mune film of Bruce Mason's story about a 12-year-old boy and his funny friend Firpo. Later in the day, there are the most loved Telethon moments (5pm), a Mucking In Christmas Special (7.30pm), and 40 Years of Country Calendar (8pm).

For a chuckle, the Stars In A Reasonably Priced Car on Top Gear's Christmas Special (8.30pm, UK TV) are brutal fashion divas Trinny and Susannah. It's a chance for host Jeremy Clarkson to get his own back on the pair after they had their wicked way with him on their show What Not To Wear.

On the History Channel at 6.30pm you can watch Jesus: The Missing Years, which investigates the life of Jesus between the ages of 12 and 30.

LOWDOWN

When and where: Saturday, various channels
What: The big day's shows (or ones to induce the post-pavlova nap on the sofa)

-TimeOut