Its a Dame Edna New Year experience for the Beeb

Across England, Northern Ireland and Wales BBC One viewers can tune into Australia’s most famous Dame with Dame Edna Rules the Waves.

Barry Humphries’ comic alter ego follows this year’s farewell tour with a star-studded New Year special, filmed in front of a studio audience full of Dame fans.

Guests dropping by to ring in 2020 include Sharon Osbourne, Rob Rinder and Emily Atack. But it wouldn’t be an Edna night without music and Nile Rodgers and Chic will be providing the soundtrack to the evening. The show will also feature a trip aboard Dame Edna’s luxury yacht, which sails under the command of captain Rudolph Walker, with the help of onboard chef Rick Stein, eco-warrior Anita Rani and a special appearance by Strictly Come Dancing’s Joe Sugg.

The show isn’t airing on BBC One Scotland in this slot, because they like to be different; not necessarily better, just different possums. The rest of us can tune in on BBC One at 9pm.

Other BBC highlights

Craig David Rocks Big Ben as the singer-songwriter performs live at London’s Central Hall Westminster in a concert to ring in the New Year featuring some of his most popular hits. The performance continues after the traditional fireworks display with one of Craig’s famous TS5 sets. Hosted by Roman Kemp the show starts on BBC One at 11.25pm, unless of course you’re in Scotland.

Scotland isn’t able to fiddle with BBC Two so we can all unite together, should we wish, with Jool’s Annual Hootenanny. This year’s acts include Brittany Howard, Stereophonics, Rick Astley, Tom Walker, YolanDa Brown, Melanie, La Roux, Eddi Reader, Pauline Black and Arthur `Gaps’ Hendrickson and Hootenanny mainstay Ruby Turner, as well as the customary midnight appearance by the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards to ring in 2020. BBC Two at 11.15pm.

In Holby City Serena finds her principles tested when she encounters the dealer who supplied drugs to her dead daughter, and is forced to make a life or death decision. Chloe finally feels ready to move forward in her life, but may have to destroy the hopes of a good friend to do so. BBC One at 8pm

Just like Christmas ITV have pretty much gone home, turned everything off, and put as much effort into their New Year schedule as a Gemma Collins gym workout. Anyway a couple of highlights today include…

Alan Carr’s Celebrity Re-play 2019. It’s a repeat, of course, but if you haven’t see the comedians look back at the highs and lows of 2019 then its worth catching. Through quizzes celebrities look back at the news of the year from Stormzy’s spectacular Glastonbury set to England almost winning the Rugby World Cup and Boris Johnson’s failed attempt to shut down Parliament. Angellica Bell joins Alan in overseeing proceedings with contestants including Kate Garraway and Michelle Visage. ITV and UTV at 11pm

North of the border STV has made, as usual, much more of an effort with their New Years Eve offering and this year Weatherman and presenter Sean Batty is at the helm for his Very Scottish Hogmanay. In previous years we’ve had specials with Lorraine Kelly on a boat, Lulu in full song and going right back a special Take The High Road to see in the new year; now its the turn of Sean, who is a popular face on STV hosting his own documentary series as well as the weather forecasts across all the STV regions in Scotland. Expect music, dance and food… STV at 11.30pm