TV tonight: our highlights for Monday 21st December

By Claire Crick
( What's on TV )
published

Geraldine in The Vicar of Dibley in Lockdown
(Image credit: BBC/Tiger Aspect Productions Ltd/Des Willie)

The Vicar of Dibley is one of the gems today...

Geraldine gives her final lockdown sermon in the Vicar of Dibley, Will and Kate are back in Upstart Crow, and eight celebrities cook up a storm on Celebrity Masterchef. Here's what you shouldn’t miss tonight. 

  • Our hand-selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include three TV shows, a film, live sport and the latest trending need-to-binge-on-now box set 
  • Keep up to date with the latest soap spoiler storylines on TV tonight with our daily soap synopsis 
  • For more information about what’s on TV tonight see our TV Guide 

What's on TV tonight 

Our expert TV journalists have picked the best things on TV tonight... 

Best TV shows on TV tonight

The Vicar of Dibley, 8.50pm, BBC1

TV tonight The Vicar of Dibley in Lockdown

Hugo helps Geraldine during lockdown (Picture: BBC) (Image credit: BBC/Tiger Aspect Productions Ltd/Des Willie)

In her final virtual sermon, Geraldine reflects on what a strange year 2020 has been – arguably the worst since the Dibley Witch Trials. We also get to see the results of Dibley’s ‘design a mask’ competition, and Hugo steps in when Geraldine makes a pre-lockdown mercy dash to Cadbury World! ★★★★ SP

Upstart Crow, 9pm, BBC2 

Upstart Crow's David Mitchell: Ben Elton doesn't get the credit he deserves

Can inspiration strike Will in isolation? (Picture: BBC/Colin Hutton) (Image credit: BBC/Colin Hutton)

Will (David Mitchell) and Kate face a Christmas with a difference in 1603, although it might seem familiar to viewers in 2020 as they’re in lockdown! The topical festive special of the comedy about Shakespeare imagines the Bard confined to his London lodgings thanks to the plague. While Kate keeps busy baking, Will feels the pressure to write a play for the new king. Can inspiration strike in isolation? ★★★ JH

Celebrity MasterChef, 9pm, BBC1 

TV tonight Celebrity MasterChef: A Recipe for Success

Famous faces return to cook up a storm in the kitchen (Picture: BBC/Shine TV) (Image credit: BBC/Shine TV)

Eight brave souls from previous series return to the kitchen. Presumably they didn’t have enough stress first time round! Tonight we meet the first four famous faces back for more over two festive specials (there’s another one on Wednesday 23 December), with  showbiz legend Christopher Biggins among the line-up. Will the popular panto dame manage to eliminate the competition to create the best festive grub? ★★★★ JH

Best box set to watch on TV tonight

Call the Midwife, BBC iPlayer, series 1 to 9

TV Tonight, Call the Midwife

Catch up on all the drama from Poplar before the Christmas special (Picture: BBC/Neal Street Productions/Soph) (Image credit: BBC/Neal Street Productions/Soph)

Call the Midwife is back on BBC1 for a Christmas special, so why not binge watch the entire nine series before tuning in on Christmas Day? Or, if you're new to Call the Midwife, now is your chance to catch up on all the drama from Poplar. Based on the best-selling memoirs of Jennifer Worth, Call the Midwife follows a group of midwifes in the poverty-stricken East End of London in the 1950s. 

Best film to watch on TV tonight

Moomins and the Winter Wonderland, 8am & 6.30pm, Sky Cinema Premiere/NOW TV

The much-loved children’s characters are brought to life in this heart-warming big-screen adventure. Rather than sleep through the winter, Moomintroll sets out to explore the season as Moominvalley prepares to welcome a special guest. Fans of the Scandinavian scamps can also see them in Moomins on the Riviera showing on C4 at 6.35am. ★★★ JH

Live sport

  • Monday Night Football: Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers, 5pm (k-o 5.30pm), Sky Sports
  • Monday Night Football: Chelsea v West Ham United, 7.45pm, (k-o 8pm), Sky Sports

Soaps on TV tonight

If you watch just one thing on TV tonight… 

Don't miss The Vicar of Dibley for her final lockdown episode.

Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide. 

Happy viewing!

Claire Crick
Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 


After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off. 


She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 


As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book.