Throng

The BBC today announced the six acts hoping to take part in music's biggest annual extravaganza as they compete to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in Your Country Needs You! on Friday 12 March 2010 at 8.30pm on BBC One.

Performing live in the studio, the Eurovision hopefuls will be out to impress Pete Waterman – producing this year's entry with long-time collaborator Mike Stock – plus a specially-selected panel consisting of Pete, with last year's UK entrant Jade Ewen and performance-judge supremo Bruno Tonioli.

They will hear four solo singers, one all-girl trio and a five-piece group – all vying for the opportunity to sing for the UK in Oslo this May.

Bafta Award-winning Anna Maxwell Martin (Freefall, White Girl, Bleak House) plays journalist and campaigner Heather Brooke, whose tenacious investigations brought about the disclosure of MPs' expenses, in one-off drama On Expenses for BBC Four.

Brian Cox (The Take, The Bourne Supremacy, Troy) stars opposite Anna as Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin, who finds himself in a battle against Heather when she requests details of MPs' expenses and allowances under the Freedom of Information Act.

Written by Tony Saint (The Long Walk To Finchley, Micro Men) and directed by Simon Cellan Jones (Generation Kill, The Trial Of Tony Blair, Our Friends In The North), this humourous 60-minute drama focuses on the events leading up to one of the defining political scandals in recent history and reveals the David and Goliath tale behind the now infamous headlines.

Sunday, January 17 on E4

Featuring some of the funniest clips from the most popular comedy shows of the last 50 years, this three-hour special also has interviews with the writers, actors, comedians and performers behind the lines that have become embedded in the national psyche.

As the whole of the British Isles faces up to what is now the coldest and "whitest" winter for decades, our wildlife is forced to endure huge challenges.

As we struggle to cope, how does nature survive and adapt? The Springwatch/Autumnwatch team and friends have been out investigating what the big freeze really means for our wild animals.

Snow Watch, a specially-commissioned winter wildlife special, will report from wildlife hotspots around the UK, discussing who are the winners and losers, and offering advice on what we can do to help in our own gardens.

10:00pm Thursday, January 7 on E4

Hosted by Jimmy Carr; the quiz once again features three celebrity teams made up of Charlie Brooker and David Mitchell, Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand, Rob Brydon and Claudia Winkleman.

11:10pm Wednesday, January 6 on M4

The show that launched Eddie Izzard's Hollywood career , this is Izzard at his best, taking ideas and situations and extrapolating them into bizarre, tangential, absurd and surreal comic narratives, including the 'Death Star canteen' routine.

10:20pm Sunday, January 3 on C4

Alex Zane presents Rude Tube's 2010 New Year's Special: the definitive and biggest countdown of the world's funniest, daftest and most bizarre video virals. From the millions of uploaded clips online, Rude Tube has hand-picked the best of the best to usher in the New Year with a top 100 that promises to deliver a feast of internet madness.

9:00pm Saturday, January 2 on E4

Hosted by Jimmy Carr the quiz once again features three celebrity teams made up of Charlie Brooker and David Mitchell, Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand, Rob Brydon and Claudia Winkleman. The teams battle it out to see who knows the most about the headlines of the year, tackling a succession of taxing questions.

Friday, January 1 on M4

"Just a spoonful of sugar...", "When you wish upon a star...", "The hills are alive..." If these lyrical quotes from classic films make you go misty-eyed with nostalgia then it's time to start reminiscing, as the 100 Greatest Family Films of all time are counted down.

Friday, January 1 on 4

The legendary annual star-studded entertainment fest the Big Fat Quiz of the Year returns taking a light-hearted and irreverent look back on the highs and lows of 2009. Hosted by Jimmy Carr; the quiz once again features three celebrity teams and captains. The Teams battle it out to see who knows the most about the headlines of the year, tackling a succession of taxing questions. Plus, there will be surprise cameo appearances from a string of top-drawer guests to assist the teams.

Thursday, December 31 on M4

A celebration of all the great songs and performers from the best classic and contemporary musicals. Denise Van Outen reveals the nation's favourite musical of all time, as voted for by the British public.

Monday, December 28 on 4

Channel 4 have conducted a survey with the leading critics and industry figures, and asked the public in a YouGov national poll to tell us what they think were the greatest songs of the last 10 years. At a time where our charts are dominated by TV talent show winners, will acts like The Killers or Arctic Monkeys even feature? Has Beyonce swept all before her? Where will Kylie come? And will we dare to admit that Beautiful is actually not that bad? The programme features some of the biggest names in music, from Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody to Will Young to Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos.

Sunday, December 27 on 4

Channel 4 has conducted a survey with the leading TV critics and industry figures, and asked the public in a YouGov national poll, to tell us what they think was the greatest television of the last ten years. In a decade apparently dominated by box-sets, will the number one show be The Wire ? And where will Big Brother chart? The Greatest TV Shows of the Noughties counts down the 20 shows that represent the best of the decade. But has Friends made some enemies? Will the Dragons be scorched by 'Suralan Sugar'? And which is the only soap to make it into the top 20?

Sunday, December 27 on E4

Film by (multiple) Golden Globe-winner Ricky Gervais, shot during his first ever stand-up tour, Animals.

Saturday, December 26 on E4

New Heroes of Comedy celebrates the success of Sacha Baron Cohen, the comic genius behind Ali G, Borat and Bruno.