James R | On 03, Dec 2022

Sky is unwrapping a slew of Christmas specials this December, but those aren’t the only gifts lined up, from the debut of Rosie Molloy Gives Up Everything and nature doc Predators to the return of New Amsterdam and I Hate Suzie, plus festive one-off Christmas Carole. For more information on the latest Sky TV packages and pricing, click here.

Don’t have Sky? You can also stream all of the above live and on-demand through NOW, Sky’s contract-free VOD service, which costs £9.99 a month for an Entertainment Membership.

Sky Cinema, meanwhile, continues to benefit from its new model of replacing daily releases with weekend premieres. This month’s line-up includes The Amazing Maurice, The Batman, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore – plus, for Sky Cinema subscribers on Sky platforms, there’s the added bonus of Paramount+ titles being included for free. For more information on getting Sky Cinema, click here. Again, if you don’t have Sky, you can also stream Sky Cinema’s movie catalogue live and on-demand through NOW, for £11.99 a month.

Here’s what’s coming soon to Sky and NOW in December 2022:

Entertainment / TV

Branson (Sky Documentaries, 9pm) – 4th December

Sixteen days before Richard Branson is scheduled to make a potentially historic flight as the first passenger to reach space in his own spacecraft in July 2021, the billionaire entrepreneur sits down for a conversation with acclaimed filmmaker Chris Smith, in light of the risk that lies ahead.

Rosie Molloy Gives Up Everything: Season 1 (Sky Comedy, 10pm) – 7th December

Rosie Molloy (Sheridan Smith) is addicted to everything. Smoking, alcohol, Terry’s Chocolate Oranges, Xanax, Adderall, caffeine… the list goes on. After an embarrassing incident at her brother Joey’s wedding, she wakes up in hospital and decides to change her life by ‘giving up everything’. But as Rosie juggles her father’s ill health and the possibility of losing her job, she has the dawning realisation that her addictions are destroying everything – her friendships, her family and her work life. Harder still is the realisation that perhaps it isn’t the addictions that are the problem. If Rosie really does give up everything, will she still be Rosie?

New Amsterdam: Season 5 (Sky Witness, 9pm) – 7th December

After a tumultuous year in which the leadership of New Amsterdam underwent dramatic change, the idealistic and beloved Max Goodwin is back at the helm. As Max takes back the reins at New York City’s busiest public hospital, he must first address his own personal life. Max and the team will forge ahead with optimism and a renewed commitment to their own lives – reaching for more joy and forging deeper connections with the people they love.

Spike Milligan: The Unseen Archive (Sky Arts, 9pm) – 7th December

In this documentary, we delve into a treasure trove of recently unearthed archive to tell a brand-new story of Spike Milligan. Film, scripts, letters, objects, photographs, recordings, art – they all come together to paint a portrait of a comic genius.

Predators: Season 1 (Sky Nature, 7pm) – 11th December

In this new nature series narrated by Tom Hardy, five apex predators face the ultimate test to survive as their rapidly changing world impacts both their own lives and that of the wild kingdoms over which they rule. Those at the top are now being challenged. Territories are being redrawn and new relationships formed.

A League of Their Own: Christmas Special (Sky Max, 9pm) – 12th December

This year, while taking a look back at some of the best moments from past series, they’ll come together to take part in a special celebrity golf tournament that Romesh has organised as a Christmas present for Jamie: The Redknapp Cup. After getting a golf lesson from Andrew ‘Beef ’ Johnston, Jamie and Micah will captain rival teams featuring Joel Dommett, Maisie Adam, Alex Brooker, Tony Bellew, Eve Muirhead, John Barnes, David Seaman and H from Steps. After Christmas dinner, the tournament will build to a climax as they take on one final festive themed hole at night.

The Russell Howard Hour: Christmas Special (Sky Max, 11pm) – 22nd December

Russell Howard takes on Christmas in a special compilation edition of his topical comedy show, featuring the finest festive moments from over the years.

Never Mind the Buzzcocks: Christmas Special (Sky Max, 8pm) – 15th December

Greg Davies, Noel Fielding, Daisy May Cooper and Jamali Maddix present a special Christmas edition of the mayhem -filled musical panel show, featuring a trio of very special guests – nose wrinkler and Steps singer Claire Richards, dapper comedian Tom Allen, and the unstoppable force of nature that is Pete Doherty.

I Hate Suzie Too (Sky Atlantic, 9pm) – 20th December

She’s back. And she’s dancing. Suzie Pickles steps back into the spotlight as the BAFTA® nominated and critically acclaimed Sky Original drama, from co-creators Lucy Prebble and Billie Piper returns.

Little Red Riding Hood: After Ever After (Sky Max, 8pm) – 23rd December

Fifty years after the events of the classic fairy-tale, a grown-up Red Riding Hood has established a fearsome reputation within the village of Wolferton as a deadly Wolf Buster, hunting down wolves with her Wolf Blaster and ridding them from the forest forever. Red’s eager and intelligent granddaughter Red Riding Boots wants desperately to become a Wolf Buster herself, having listened to her grandmother tell the famous story many times. When two wealthy German tourists Helga and Otto arrive demanding to see a real-life wolf, Plank and his son Chip do their best to con as much money out of them as possible, even if that involves Chip going into the deep dark forest all alone. Boots takes matters into her own hands and hunts down a wolf where she learns from a wise old owl called Twit that the forest is suffering and out of balance, making Mother Nature very angry that the natural order of the forest is being disrupted. Boots decides that she must save wolves from extinction after all.

Rob & Romesh vs Christmas on Ice (Sky Max, 9pm) – 21st December

Throughout the year, fans of the show have been putting in their asks for things they’d love to see Rob and Romesh take on for this year’s Christmas Special. And with all the votes counted and verified, the overriding and most popular choice has been… an appearance on Disney on Ice!

The Unofficial Science of Home Alone (Sky Max, 9pm) – 19th December

Comedians James Acaster, Guz Khan and Alex Brooker have all been obsessed with the classic 1990 comedy Home Alone ever since they were kids. Christmas isn’t Christmas until you’ve watched kid Kevin McAllister, played by Macauley Culkin, set a series of deadly traps to deter the inept burglars “The Wet Bandits” from breaking into his house. But there’s one big burning question that all Home Alone fans need answering; would Harry & Marv survived those traps in real life? Well, it’s time to find out!

Christmas in Ireland with Imelda May (Sky Arts, 9pm) – 24th December

Filmed in the iconic Pepper Cannister Church in the heart of Georgian Dublin, Imelda May is joined by friends and family, and the odd famous face, to celebrate a traditional Irish Christmas with viewers at home.

Christmas Carole (Sky Max, 8pm) – 24th DecemberC

A yuletide story of our times, with apologies to Charles Dickens. BAFTA Award-winning Suranne Jones stars in this seasonal new Sky Original. Carole Mackay (Jones) is an unashamedly outspoken and wealthy entrepreneur. Her online business selling all things festive has earned her a fortune, as well as the nickname ‘Christmas Carole’. But her success hasn’t made her a better human being. In fact, it’s made her worse. The truth is that Carole is a monumentally mean person. Positively Scrooge-like. And, just like Ebeneezer, she doesn’t love Christmas at all. But this Christmas Eve, Carole’s past, present and future are about to collide. Will some rather familiar Christmas spirits help her discover the true spirit of Christmas?

Stewart (Sky Documentaries, 9pm) – 26th December

Using immaculately restored, and previously unseen, archive footage, STEWART shows the rush of excitement that heralded Sir Jackie’s first F1 World Championship title in 1969, his humble beginnings outside Glasgow, and the darker years of the early 1970s when he fought to improve racing safety. STEWART is an immersive, colourful and powerfully emotive film, transcending motor sport to explore universal themes of love, loss and human vulnerability.

Lionesses: How Football Came Home (Sky Documentaries, 9pm) – 27th December

Featuring brand new exclusive interviews from the stars of the team, this is the inside story of How Football Came Home. With never seen before footage and official UEFA highlights from the 2022 Womens European Championships, this is the definitive documentary behind England’s first win in a major football tournament since 1966.

 

Sky Cinema

The Batman – 2nd December

Batman (Robert Pattinson) ventures into Gotham City’s underworld when a sadistic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues. As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans become clear, he must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued the metropolis.

Together Together – 3rd December

When young loner Anna is hired as the gestational surrogate for Matt, a single man in his 40s who wants a child, the two strangers come to realise this unexpected relationship will quickly challenge their perceptions of connection, boundaries and the particulars of love.

Prancer: A Christmas Tale – 4th December

James Cromwell stars in the next installment of the popular Prancer family film franchise, Ten-year-old Gloria and her recently widowed grandfather Bud befriend a mysterious reindeer when the family gather for Christmas. Bud comes to believe that Prancer may actually be magical, but Gloria fears his theory will send him straight to a retirement home.

This Is Christmas – 9th December

Set in London during the busy yuletide season, This Christmas follows Adam (Alfred Enoch) and Emma (Kaya Scodelario) on their daily commute from the picture-perfect village of Langton to London, meeting the same passengers every day. When their train breaks down in the middle of the countryside, everyone’s Christmas celebrations are in serious danger of being derailed… Until Adam takes it upon himself to break the unspoken taboo of talking to strangers on a train and invites the whole carriage to hold their own Christmas party…

The Nan Movie – 10th December

Catherine Tate’s Joannie Taylor aka Nan hits the big screen as she goes on a wild road trip from London to Ireland with her long-suffering grandson Jamie to make amends with her estranged and dying sister Nell

Inbetween Girl – 11th December

After her parents’ sudden divorce, teen artist Angie Chen turns to secret hookups with popular jock Liam. As Angie contends with her parents’ divorce and her secret fling with Liam, she comes to discover what she wants – and who she wants to be.

The Amazing Maurice – 16th December

animated adventure based on one of Sir Terry Pratchett’s wildly popular Discworld novels starring Hugh Laurie (Avenue 5), Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), David Thewlis (Wonder Woman), Himesh Patel (Yesterday), Gemma Arterton (The King’s Man) and Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey). Maurice is a streetwise ginger cat who masterminds a money- making scam by befriending a group of talking rats and a human boy, Keith. Going town to town, the rats pretend to infest the town and Keith uses his pipe to lead them away – all for a tidy profit. However, as Maurice and the rodents reach the stricken town of Bad Blintz, they discover something sinister going on down beneath the city’s streets.

Firestarter – 17th December

For more than a decade, parents Andy (Zac Efron) and Vicky (Sydney Lemmon) have been on the run, desperate to hide their daughter Charlie from a shadowy federal agency that wants to harness her unprecedented gift for creating fire into a weapon of mass destruction. Andy has taught Charlie how to defuse her power, which is triggered by anger or pain. But as Charlie turns 11, the fire becomes harder and harder to control. After an incident reveals the family’s location, a mysterious operative is deployed to hunt down the family and seize Charlie once and for all. Charlie has other plans.

Hell Hath No Fury – 18th December

Branded a traitor by her countrymen, French national Marie DuJardin is rescued by American soldiers on one condition: to survive, she must lead them to a cache of gold hunted by the Nazis, the French resistance, and the Americans alike.

Der Kaiser – 23rd December

Das Boot’s Klaus Steinbacher portrays Franz Beckenbauer, the legendary German footballer who won the World Cup as a player in 1974, and then as the West German team’s coach in 1990. Taking place against the backdrop of the breathtaking tournaments, the film tells of a man who railed against the rigid structures and outdated rules in football and fought to conduct his private life as he wished, outside of the moral constraints and expectations of the time.

The Duke – 24th December

In 1961, Kempton Bunton, a 60-year old taxi driver, stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. It was the first (and remains the only) theft in the Gallery’s history. Kempton sent ransom notes saying that he would return the painting on condition that the government invested more in care for the elderly – he had long campaigned for pensioners to receive free television. What happened next became the stuff of legend. Only 50 years later did the full story emerge – Kempton had spun a web of lies. The only truth was that he was a good man, determined to change the world and save his marriage.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore – 25th December

Professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) knows the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts Magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) to lead an intrepid team of wizards, witches and one brave Muggle baker on a dangerous mission, where they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald’s growing legion of followers. But with the stakes so high, how long can Dumbledore remain on the sidelines?

The Bad Guys – 26th December

Based on the New York Times best-selling book series, a crackerjack criminal crew of animal outlaws are about to attempt their most challenging con yet – becoming model citizens. Never have there been five friends as infamous as The Bad Guys – dashing pickpocket Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), seen-it-all safecracker Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), chill master-of-disguise Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), short-fused “muscle” Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) and sharp-tongued expert hacker Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), aka “Webs.” But when, after years of countless heists and being the world’s most-wanted villains, the gang is finally caught, Mr. Wolf brokers a deal (that he has no intention of keeping) to save them all from prison: The Bad Guys will go good.

Boxing Day – 26th December

Melvin (Aml Ameen), a British author living in America returns home to London for Christmas to introduce his American fiancée Lisa (Aja Naomi King) to his eccentric British-Caribbean family. Their relationship is put to the test, as she discovers the world her fiancé has left behind.

Hounded – 31st December

A gang of young thieves in the midst of a home robbery get more than they bargained for when they are captured by the property owners. Attacked and bound by their captors, they are spirited away from the home and released in the middle of nowhere tracked, hunted and to be killed like animals. Pursued by bloodhounds and a heavily armed family, the resourceful thieves will not die without a fight.

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