Easter television guide 2016: What’s on TV this long weekend?

Easter television 2016

by Owen Tonks |
Published on

Easter is all about spring sunshine and flowers, fluffy little lambs, feasting on chocolate eggs, oh, and the resurrection of Christ.

Plus, it means a long weekend off work which is the perfect opportunity to kick back in your favourite onesie and binge watch some amazing television.

We’ve compiled a handy list of the best things to watch over the Easter period for you to enjoy. Yay!

Good Friday 25 March

Mary Berry’s Easter Feast - BBC2, 7pm

Easter TV guide 2016

Who doesn’t love a bit of Mary Berry, especially when she’s whapping out her hot cross buns, eh? This is actually a repeat of the second episode of the Easter special (the first was on Tuesday 15 March, BBC2, 8pm, if you want to catch up). In this episode, Great British Bake Off’s Mary explores what the Great British public loves to shove in their gob over Easter. She visits the Greek Orthodox community, the Archbishop of York and more as she gets some ideas for her own festive feast. Yum!

Food Unwrapped - Channel 4, 8pm

Continuing with the food theme on this Good Friday, magazine show Food Unwrapped is back and dishy television-presenting farmer Jimmy Doherty investigates whether it’s a good idea to put dishwasher salt on your chips (what?!), while co-host Kate Quilton visits an amazing new chicken farm in Holland. Hmmm… Thinking of heading out to the pub yet?

Travel Man - Channel 4, 8.30pm

If you’re not lucky enough to be jetting off on holiday over the Easter period, you can imagine you are by watching former IT Crowd star Richard Ayoade and comedian Rob Delaney as they spend two days in Seville, Spain. The cameras follow them as they learn to flamenco dance, take a Wild West road trip and, err, sip on Fanta and chomp on Kinder Eggs.

Blue Eyes - More4, 9pm

If drama is your thing you may want to feast your eyes on this Swedish conspiracy thriller. This is the latest from the Walter Presents brand, named after the guy who searches through the world’s TV drama and choose the best for Channel 4, all of which can be accessed on Channel4.com. This gripping political thriller plays out the murder of a controversial election candidate, Annika Nilsson, the local representative of an extreme right-wing party, who is killed after making a polarising speech in the town square. Watch out for the many twists!

Gogglebox and The Last Leg - Channel 4, 9 and 10pm

Easter TV guide

So you fancy a laugh, do you? Well, Googlebox and The Last Leg can help you out! Everyone’s favourite coach potatoes are back to make you giggle with their entertaining views on what’s been on telly this week, and, straight after, Adam Hills, Josh Widdecombe and Alex Brooker attempt to make you belly laugh as they discuss the week’s news.

The Graham Norton Show - BBC1, 10.25pm

Funnyman Graham is hosting a Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice special and will be joined by Ben Affleck, who plays Batman, Henry Cavill, who portrays Superman, and Amy Adams, who was cast as Lois Lane. Oh, and the Pet Shop Boys are there to tinkle on their instruments and have a sing-song.

Saturday 26 March

Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway – ITV1, 6pm

A Saturday evening without Ant & Dec just doesn’t seem right. This week the Geordie duo are joined by Mark Hamill, aka Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, as he takes his place in the guest announcer’s chair. Ant & Dec partake in a mini motorbike race around the studio and the pair introduces the fourth instalment of Who Shot Simon Cowell? Plus, the cast of West End show Billy Elliot try to turn Little Ant & Dec into ballet dancers.

The Voice UK – BBC1, 7pm

Easter TV guide

Judges will.i.am, Paloma Faith, Boy George and Ricky Wilson are back as the live shows begin. Each coach has three contestants who are fighting it out to triumph when the show ends next month. Who will win? Maybe former Liberty X star Kevin Simm will get another shot at stardom.

The Heat – Channel 4, 9pm

Bridesmaids was totally hilarious and this comedy is from the same director, Paul Feig. It stars Sandra Bullok and Melissa McCarthy who play a neurotic FBI special agent and a brash Boston policewoman who are forced to work together in a bid to catch a dangerous drug lord.

Being The Brontes – BBC2, 9pm

Host Martha Kearney is joined by author Helen Oyeyemi and journalist Lucy Mangan to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charlotte Bronte’s birth by taking a look back and her life and those of her sisters Emily and Anne. The literary legends didn’t have it easy as Charlotte was in love with a married man, their father Patrick was going blind and their brother Branwell was an alcoholic.

The Jonathan Ross Show – ITV1, 10pm

If you fancy a chuckle, tune into The Jonathan Ross Show. The comedian is joined by actress and writer Carrie Fisher who stars as General Leia in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. England rugby squad players Dylan Hartley, Billy Vunipola, Danny Care and Jonathan Joseph will also make an appearance in addition to funnyman Russell Howard and singer Katherine Jenkins.

Celebrity Juice – ITV2 10.05pm

Crazy Keith Lemon hosts the panel game show – Johnny Vegas and Rylan Clark-Neal will be joining Holly Willoughby, Gino D’Acampo and Fearne Cotton.

Easter Sunday 27 March

The Secret Life Of The Zoo – Channel 4, 7pm

Easter TV guide

This programme takes a behind-the-scenes look at life at Chester Zoo. In this episode, the Hi Way elephant family have been hit with a deadly virus and the zoo’s vets work hard to try and get them back to good health. Mac, a male zebra, is introduced to some females in the hope they might make some babies, and viewers get to look at the world of the naked mole rat.

Our Queen At 90 – ITV1, 8pm

Easter TV guide

If you’re a bit of a royalist, you’ll enjoy this documentary. It takes a look at the life of Elizabeth II to celebrate her 90th birthday. Show makers were allowed special access to the Queen and other members of the Royal Family throughout the last year. Viewers will hear from Prince Charles and sons William and Harry as well as Prince Andrew and his daughters Beatrice and Eugine.

The Night Manager – BBC1, 9pm

The last in the series! Roper makes a final deal with Barghati in Cairo and Pine returns to the Nefertiti Hotel, where he learns of the arms dealer and unexpectedly bumps into the owner almost blowing his cover story. Burr fails to intercept one of Roper’s arms shipments and thinks Pine has turned against her.

Indian Summers – Channel 4, 9pm

In this episode Aafrin is tasked with umpiring a cricket match between Indian and British politicians and his political and personal worlds clash as the Dalal family are drawn into his secrets.

Due date – Channel 5, 9pm

You’re bound to be in an extra good mood this evening knowing that you have yet another day off tomorrow, so maybe you fancy a laugh? This comedy stars Robert Downey Jr and Zach Galifanakis as they take a cross-country road trip in a bid to make it in time for the birth of Peter Highman’s first baby.

Monday 28 March

Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers – BBC1, 7.30pm

Easter TV guide

A religious festival wouldn’t be right without some classic Wallace & Gromit and this Easter we’re being treated to The Wrong Trousers. This Oscar-winning animation features the inventor and his dog as their life is shaken up after they offer a room to naughty penguin Feathers McGraw.

Marvel Avengers Assemble – BBC1, 8.30pm

Avengers Assemble

This action fantasy film stars Robert Downey Jr, Samuel L Jackson, Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson and sees powerful energy source Tesseract stolen from a SHIELD base by Thor’s brother Loki. Superheroes Iron Man, Captain America and Thor work together to save the planet along with agents Black Widow and Hawkeye.

The Island With Bear Grylls – Channel 4, 9pm

Easter TV guide

Super survivor Bear is back as 16 new contestants attempt to live on an uninhabited island with only a few basic tools. Tonight, eight men and eight women are dropped on opposite sides of the island and they have to swim to shore and search for drinking water before they shrivel up like a prune. How do they know if the water is safe to drink?

Eddie Izzard: Marathon Man For Sport Relief – BBC2, 9.40pm

Comedian Eddie Izzard has proven himself to be superhuman after running 27 marathons in 27 days for charity to mark the number of years Nelson Mandela spent in prison. The cameras follow Eddie as he struggles to complete the gruelling challenge. Will he succeed?

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