For further information:
Louise Zayed
Senior Press Officer
Tel: +353 1 419 3428
louise.zayed@tv3.ie
Kevin Shore
Press Officer
Tel: +353 1 419 3387
kevin.shore@virginmedia.ie
publicity@tv3.ie
TV3 GROUP RELEASE
IMMEDIATE: Thursday 5th December 2013.
TV3 announces its 2013 Christmas Schedule.
Brand new programmes include ‘The Bible’, ‘Coming Home for Christmas’, ‘Ireland’s Christmas Wishes’, ‘Downton Abbey Christmas Special’, ‘Falling for a Dancer’, ‘Graham Norton Show NYE Special’ and ‘Take That: The Circus Live At Wembley’
Christmas movies include ‘Clash Of The Titans’, ‘The Champ’, ‘White Christmas’, ‘Christmas With The Kranks’, ‘Calamity Jane’, ‘Lethal Weapon 4’, ‘Fool’s Gold’ and ‘Free Willy’
Full list of programmes and times in Notes to Editor
Interviews available on request
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas as TV3 announces its 2013 Christmas schedule. With a festive mix of brand new Irish content, US blockbusters, Irish movie premieres, combined with a superb selection of Christmas Classics, Christmas on TV3 promises to be more magical than ever!
Brand new to TV3, The Bible, an epic 10 hour US blockbuster mini-series from Emmy Award winning husband and wife team Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, will be airing for 5 days over the Christmas period. TV3’s Andrea Hayes returns to Dublin Airport for a brand new Coming Home for Christmas, capturing the special moments where families and friends are reunited. Karen Koster and Martin King will make sure some very special children have a Christmas to remember in Ireland’s Christmas Wishes and St. Stephens’ night will see a return to Downton Abbey for the highly anticipated Christmas Special.
TV3 looks forward to the New Year with a classic Irish drama Falling for a Dancer boasting an all-star Irish cast including Colin Farrell and Liam Cunningham. Prepare to be star-stuck this Christmas as Xposé treat us to Celebrity Review of the Year and On the Red Carpet.
TV3 ring in the New Year with a star studded The Graham Norton Show NYE Special featuring Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd & David Koechner; a rare appearance together by sisters Joan and Jackie Collins; a historic gathering on one sofa of the Monty Python team – John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin & Terry Gillam; plus comedy from Frank Skinner and music and chat from super-crooner Michael Bublé.
New Years’ Day on TV3 treats viewers to Take That: The Circus Live At Wembley, The Celebrity Chase New Year Special and GAA on 3 with Football’s Top Ten 2013 followed by Hurling’s Top Ten 2013 on 2nd January.
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a bumper line-up of great Christmas Movies on TV3. TV3 presents the Irish TV premiere of the epic blockbuster Clash Of The Titans along with all our favourite Christmas Classic movies including The Champ, White Christmas, Christmas With The Kranks, Calamity Jane, Lethal Weapon 4, Fool’s Gold and Free Willy to name but a few!
COMING UP IN THE NEW YEAR
As well as an entertaining Christmas line up, TV3 also has some fantastic new shows to look forward to in 2014, starting with 24 Hours to Kill, followed by Keith Barry: Brain Hacker, TV3’s largest home produced show to date. Other shows to watch include Ireland’s Animal A&E, Things we Love and Hate, The Lie and Dancing on Ice.
Images have been sent to your picture desks.
ENDS
For further information
Ciara Byrne
Press Officer
00353 1 419 3329
00353 87 319 9732
Sharon McHugh
Head of Press & Publicity
00353 1 419 3430
00353 87 922 4143
Follow TV3
Follow us on Twitter: @TV3Ireland
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TVThreeIreland
Follow us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/TV3Group
NOTES TO EDITOR:
IRELAND’S CHRISTMAS WISHES
Special
21:00 Wednesday 18th December, 2013
This Christmas Martin King and Karen Koster (with a little help from their friends) are going to make sure that some very special children have a Christmas to remember. TV3 team up with Make a Wish Foundation to meet some children who have had a tough time of it, but prove that positivity and bravery can go a long way - and now it’s TV3’s turn to give them something back. So join Martin and Karen as they meet some truly deserving children, while surprising them with their ultimate gifts, proving that Christmas Wishes really can come true! Over the episode we meet Chloe, 14 from Louth who dreams of transforming her bedroom into a shabby chic setting. We introduce George, 15 from Tipperary to his favourite Irish rugby players at Carton House. Mark, 6 from Limerick gets to meet and work with Search and Rescue at the helicopter base in Shannon and Conor from Dublin gets to play against the All-Ireland Football Champions in Croke Park.
THE BIBLE
New Miniseries
21:00 Saturday 21stDecember, 2013
21:00 Sunday 22nd December, 2013
21:00 Monday 23rdDecember, 2013
21:00 Friday 27th December, 2013
21:00 Saturday 28th December, 2013
In The Beginning/Exodus
New to TV3, The Bible is an epic 10 hour television miniseries from Emmy Award winning husband and wife team, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. Viewers will see the Bible from Genesis to Revelation come to life in a way never before seen. In the opening programme Noah endures the wrath of God; Abraham is forced to choose between his two sons, casting both Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness. The Israelites are led out of Egypt. Moses puts his faith in God and is rewarded with an awesome miracle: the Red Sea parts, allowing the Israelites to escape (1/5).
XPOSÉ: THE CELEBRITY YEAR IN REVIEW
Special
20:00 Monday 23rdDecember, 2013
From Niall Horan and One Direction’s meteoric rise over the last 12 months to Daniel Day Lewis’s awards show sweep in StevenSpielberg’s Lincoln – Xposé looks back on the celebrity year that was. Karen Koster, Glenda Gilson and Lisa Cannon introduce the most jaw-dropping showbiz moments and reveal which celebs left them star-struck in this 30 minute blast of super-star power.
COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
Special
20:00 Tuesday 24th December, 2013
Christmas is a time for families to come together and spend quality time with each other - and nobody understands this more than the people who travel for hours, and even days, to make it home in time for Christmas. During the festive season, in a brand new Christmas special, Andrea Hayes will be at Dublin Airport’s arrivals gate to capture the special moments as families are reunited and friends are brought back together once more. Witness the emotional and often tearful moments as passengers are reunited with their loved ones.
DOWNTON ABBEY S4
Special
21:00 Thursday 26th December, 2013
Christmas Special
It's the summer season and as part of Rose's 'coming out' she is to be presented at Buckingham Palace. The family and servants are at Grantham House, their London residence, preparing for the busy social program. Not one to miss such a grand occasion, Cora's mother, Martha Levinson makes the journey from New York with her playboy son Harold, fresh from his recent brush with the law. Both outspoken and larger-than-life, they make quite an impression amongst certain members of London's high society, in particular with Lord Aysgarth, played by James Fox. Isobel finds herself with an admirer while Edith is wrestling with a moral dilemma. Downstairs, Daisy gets an unexpected invitation and Carson treats the staff to a special day out. When the Crawleys are implicated in a scandal that threatens to engulf the monarchy, Robert will go to great lengths to protect the royal family, and his own.
XPOSÉ: ON THE RED CARPET
Special
20:00 Friday 27th December, 2013
From Tom Cruise mania in Dublin to the One Direction chaos on the red carpet in London - Xposé revisits the biggest and most celeb-packed red carpets from the last 12 months. Karen Koster, Glenda Gilson and Lisa Cannon reveal their own personal highlights, some behind-the-scenes secrets AND who said what when the cameras stopped rolling in this 30 minute feast of fashion, celebrity interviews and entertainment news.
FALLING FOR A DANCER
Two-Part Special
21:00 Monday 30th December, 2013
21:00 Tuesday 31st December, 2013
Two part mini-series, set in 1930’s Ireland. Based on Deirdre Purcell’s much beloved novel, starring Colin Farrell, Elisabeth Dermot Walsh and Liam Cunningham. A woman is forced into an arranged marriage after becoming pregnant during a meaningless fling. Elizabeth’s frustration at living in the company of her brutish husband in an isolated Cork village provokes a flirtatious encounter with young Daniel McCarthy (Colin Farrell) in full view of the entire village; an episode she soon comes to regret. (1/2)
THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW
New Episode
23:00 Tuesday 31st December, 2013
New Years Eve Special
The host continues his award-winning chat show with the biggest celebrities, the brightest conversation and the best jokes on TV. Look forward to a star-studded night of reunions on Graham’s sofa to end the year: the stars of “Anchorman 2” Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd & David Koechner; a rare appearance together by sisters Joan and Jackie Collins; a historic gathering on one sofa of the Monty Python team – John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin & Terry Gillam; plus comedy from Frank Skinner and music and chat from super-crooner Michael Bublé.
TAKE THAT: THE CIRCUS LIVE AT WEMBLEY
Special
14:45 Wednesday 1st January, 2014
TV3 brings you stunning footage of Take That recorded live at Wembley Stadium.
The Circus Live tour proved to be the fastest selling in UK history, and ended up entertaining more than 1 million fans over 20 dates in 2009.
GAA ON 3: FOOTBALL’S TOP TEN 2013
Special
15:50 Wednesday 1st January, 2014
Senan Connell counts down the Top Ten moments from the 2013 GAA All-Ireland Football Championship. A summer when Monaghan claimed Ulster success and Mayo got revenge on Donegal and Dublin picked up Sam Maguire for the second time in 3 years.
THE CELEBRITY CHASE S3
New Episode
20:00 Wednesday 1st January, 2014
Vic Reeves, Jenni Falconer, Michael Buerk and Francine Lewis
Comedian Vic Reeves, presenter Jenni Falconer, broadcaster Michael Buerk and impressionist Francine Lewis compete to win thousands of pounds for charity by pitting their general knowledge against one of the show's resident trivia experts. However, they must work as a team to build their prize pot and stay one step ahead of the Chaser. Bradley Walsh hosts.
GAA ON 3: HURLING’S TOP TEN 2013
Special
16:30 Thursday 2nd January, 2014
Senan Connell counts down the Top Ten moments from the 2013 GAA All-Ireland Hurling Championship. A summer of surprises as Kilkenny were beaten twice, Limerick ended a long wait for Provincial success and Clare saw off Cork in the All Ireland Final after a replay to lift Liam McCarthy for the first time since 1997.
THE CHAMP
Movie
14:55 Sunday 22nd December, 2013
00:00 Monday 30th December, 2013
(1979)
Often named “The Saddest Movie of All Time”, The Champ tells the tale of Billy Flynn, an ex boxing champion who begins working on a comeback in order to give his young boy, T.J, a better future. T.J. worships "The Champ" who has looked after him since his mother Annie left them seven years ago. But when Annie suddenly shows up again, the Champ must face his greatest fight yet - the fight for custody of his son.
Cast & Credits:
Jon Voight,
Faye Dunaway,
Rick Schroder.
CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS
Movie
21:00 Tuesday 24th December, 2013
(2004)
With their daughter away, her parents decide to skip Christmas altogether until she decides to come home, causing an uproar when they have to celebrate the holidays at the last minute. Festive fun.
Cast & Credits:
Tim Allen,
Jamie Lee Curtis,
Dan Aykroyd.
WHITE CHRISTMAS
Movie
Virgin Media Television launches its Spring TV Schedule
Monday 23rd, 17:13pm
The World TV Premiere of ?Cardboard Gangsters?, Brand New Christmas Specials and Family Movie Fav
Wednesday 13th, 15:52pm
TV3 announces presentation team and panel for its coverage of the NatWest Six Nations 2018
Tuesday 12th, 16:49pm
?Quote Devil Insurance? Renews Sponsorship of Virgin Media Television Weather
Monday 15th, 17:15pm
TV3 Group to rebrand as Virgin Media Television
Thursday 28th, 13:10pm
Virgin Media and TV3 secure rights to all UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches
Tuesday 15th, 11:12am