15 of the most promising shows on TV this weekend

The Late Late Show
Friday, RTÉ One, 9.35pm
Irish athletics champion Sonia O'Sullivan and daughter Sophie will be joining Ryan Tubridy to talk about Sophie's silver medal success at the European Under 18 Championships in Hungary earlier this year. Also: After seven years, Snow Patrol are back with a new album and a sold-out concert this week at the 3Arena. The group will perform a new track and frontman Gary Lightbody will talk about life back on the road. Former footballer Tony Cascarino will tell Tubridy about the frightening operation to remove a golf ball-sized brain tumour; and Louth native and Harry Potter costar Evanna Lynch will describe the excitement of making it into the finals of the hit US TV show Dancing with the Stars.

Election '18
Friday, RTÉ One, 7pm

The Irish general election of 1918 was a seismic event in country's political landscape, marking the rise of Sinn Féin and setting in train the push for independence. It's seen as the birth of Irish democracy, as the newly elected representatives chose not to go to Westminster but set up their own parliament in Dublin. And it saw the emergence of a brilliant young New York-born politician, Éamon De Valera, who was swept to victory in his local Clare constituency. If TV had been around in those days, it would have made for gripping viewing, so Loosehorse Productions has put together an election special, reporting "live" on events 100 years ago as they unfolded. David McCullagh and Sinéad O'Carroll are the presenters of this special recreation, with political analysts giving their views as the political tectonic plates shifted, and actors in costume taking on the roles of key players in the drama. The programme uses modern data analytics and infographics to interpret the results, and dramatic recreations seamlessly blend with archive footage to bring viewers right into the moment. Producer Ruan Magan previously brought us the Ifta-winning documentary 1916: The Irish Rebellion and the drama Wrecking the Rising, so this should be an interesting slice of historical analysis.

Ón Rinn go Reykjavik
Friday, TG4, 7.30pm

Letterfrack celebrates ‘bit of a looper’ mentor and activist

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The best (and worst) TV of 2018

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Natália Uí Fhaoláin explores what it means to find a home away from home when she meets with Sibéal Turraoin. The An Rinn native, explorer and photographer tells Uí Fhaoláin about living in Iceland, and together they discover what similarities and differences they share on their unlikely journeys.

Cúl Stáitse – Oireachtas 2018
Friday, TG4, 8.30pm
Cameras go behind the scenes at this year's Oireachtas na Samhna festival at Citywest in Dublin, giving viewers a chance to get up close to the action. those who took part discuss their preparations and what it would mean to win.

The Sound of Movie Musicals with Neil Brand
Friday, BBC4, 9pm

He's already presented The Sound of Cinema and The Sound of Musicals, and now composer Neil Brand is combining the two with this three-part series tracing the evolution of film musicals from 1929's Broadway Melody all the way up to La La Land. He begins with the arrival of sound, looking at how some of the all-singing, all-dancing movies of the Great Depression, such as 42nd Street and Gold Diggers of 1933, were tougher and more socially aware than their reputations might suggest. But Brand doesn't just focus on Hollywood: he also takes a look at the Russian musicals commissioned by Joseph Stalin to promote Soviet ideology.

The Graham Norton Show
Friday, BBC1, 10.35pm
Norton is joined by Aquaman star Jason Momoa, dancer and Strictly Come Dancing judge Dame Darcey Bussell, and comedian Bill Bailey. With music from Little Mix.

Through the Christmas Keyhole
Friday, UTV, 9pm
Someone is going to be sneaking into celebrities' houses this Christmas, and it ain't Santa Claus. Keith Lemon is back with a sixth series of Through the Keyhole, which kicks off with a festive special. He'll be rummaging around the homes of three mystery famous faces, looking for clues to their identity and generally have a good old nosey. Back in the studio, it's up to the star-studded panel to work out who lives in a house like this. The celebs making the guesses are king of chat Jonathan Ross, presenter Lorraine Kelly and comedian Jimmy Carr. But will the owners of the houses be equally A-list, or will some viewers need a few extra clues to work out who they are?

Strictly Come Dancing: The Final
Saturday, BBC1, 6.30pm

We’ve had 13 weeks of tears, tans, fancy footwork and what feels like an unusual number of “Strictly scandals”, but the final is now upon us. The four remaining dancers will perform three routines: one picked by the judges, one chosen by the couples themselves and, of course, a no-holds-barred show dance. Judges Shirley Ballas, Darcey Bussell, Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel-Horwood will give their verdicts, but it’s ultimately up to the viewing public to decide who should follow in Joe McFadden’s footsteps and lift the glitterball trophy.

Nadiya's Party Feasts
Saturday, BBC2, 6.30pm
Nadiya Hussain shares her favourite festive dishes, making the perfect food to hand around and share: melt-in-the-mouth halloumi chips, smoked mackerel pate choux, sticky lamb ribs. She also prepares a hearty dive-in dish of beef chilli and jalapeno corn bread, as well as vibrant salads – Brussels sprout slaw and pomegranate and parsley tabbouleh. Plus, for desert a chocolate eclair roll and passion fruit bundt. The accomplished cook also joins a group of children as they make cupcakes, lends a hand with a trifle and helps out with a surprise birthday cake.

Happy Hour with Olly Murs
Saturday, Virgin One/UTV, 9pm

Over Christmas many of us will return to our old stomping grounds and perhaps call in for a drink or two at their formr local. But Olly Murs is going one better: for one-night only, he’s returning to Essex to take over an entire pub for an evening of games, chat, karaoke and performances of some of his greatest hits. He won’t be manning the beer pumps alone – Bradley Walsh will fill in as temporary landlord. There will be some famous punters as well, as Emma Willis, Rochelle Humes, Chris and Kem, and Tom Jones all drop by, along with a mystery guest whose identity is so secret even Olly doesn’t know who it is yet. And some of the audience will also be in for a surprise during this very happy hour.

Big Star's Bigger Star
Saturday, UTV, 5.30pm
Stephen Mulhern hosts a spin-off of Big Star's Little Star, as parents spill the beans about their famous children. They talk about their home lives, making heart-warming revelations or telling downright embarrassing stories. The contestants taking part all hope to win as much money as possible for their chosen charities. In the first edition, Emmerdale's Adam Thomas, Saturdays singer Frankie Bridge and stand-up comedian Joel Dommett compete for the £15,000 jackpot.

The RTE Sports Awards 2018
Saturday, RTÉ One, 9.20pm

Darragh Maloney and Joanne Cantwell present the ceremony, which celebrates the achievements of irish athletes over the coarse of the past year. The longlist for Sportsperson of the Year includes Sinéad Aherne, Thomas Barr, Brian Fenton, Kellie Harrington, Ellen Keane, Cian Lynch, Rhys McClenaghan, Ayeisha McFerran, Sanita Puspure, Davy Russell, Johnny Sexton, Jason Smyth and Katie Taylor, The show will also see the Young Sportsperson of the Year, Team of the Year and Manager of the Year honoured as well as a new inductee to the RTÉ Sport Hall of Fame.

Ireland's Fittest Family: The Final
Sunday, RTÉ One, 6.30pm
Forget the All-Ireland final – here's the ultimate test of physical endurance and resolve, and for the first time ever, the final of Ireland's Fittest Family will be held at historic Croker. There are only four families left out of 20: the Lawlors from Limerick, the McDonalds from Laois, the Finnegan Hogans from Cork, and the Coneys from Tyrone. Which of them will make it over the line and grab that €15,000 prize? They'll face their most challenging tests yet, including Sheer Scale from the Cusack Stand, and a Hanging Tough that will require nerves of titanium to even watch. Then there's the final race, which takes the families around the Croker pitch and up Hill 16.

Celtic Woman, Ancient Land: Live at Johnstown Castle, Wexford
Sunday, Virgin One, 6.05pm

Here come The Spice Gaels with their latest concert spectacular, a Celt-tastic extravaganza in an outdoor setting with Johnstown Castle as the backdrop. The multi-platinum singing sensation (Mairead Carlin, Eabha McMahon, Tara McNeill and Megan Walsh) will perform material from their current album, Ancient Land, and plenty of timeless favourites to make you feel all warm inside for Christmas.

Sports Personality of the Year 2018
Sunday, BBC1, 7pm
This year, for the first time, the 12 individuals in contention for the SPOTY award won't be revealed until the night. So although we don't know who has been nominated, we can still take a punt on the main contenders in what has been a memorable year for sport. With England making it all the way to the semi-finals of the Fifa World Cup, captain Harry Kane is bound to be in the shake-up, as is cyclist Geraint Thomas, who became the first Welshman to triumph at the Tour de France. Other notable sportspeople who will receive support from the public are Lewis Hamilton, Anthony Joshua, Alastair Cook, Dina Asher-Smith and Lizzy Yarnold. Gary Lineker, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan host the show live from Birmingham's Genting Arena.

Additional reporting: PA