Alexander Armstrong: Fine Tuned

Alexander Armstrong: Fine Tuned will be on Sky Arts on Sunday 4th December at 8pm, and repeated on Tuesday 6th December at 7pm.

Xander will be performing tracks from Upon A Different Shore, and will chat to Katie Derham about his musical influences. Sounds good!

And it's back to new shows!

Personally, I think they're just checking to see if we're still awake. After, what, three weeks of repeats? we'll be back to new shows from Monday 10th December.

Right, anyone prepared to take bets on whether the run of new 'uns will last through till Christmas?

Comedy Pointless Celebrities, 10th December

There's a star-studded Pointless Celebrities Comedy special repeat in store, on Saturday 10th December at 6pm.

It features Simon Day and Paul Chowdhry, Emily Atack and Ian Lavender, Kerry Godliman and Graeme Garden, and Steve Pemberton and Bob Mortimer. I remember this as a very good show. Should be fun.

Soaps Pointless Celebrities, 3rd December

Saturday 3rd December at 6.10pm on BBC1 sees a repeated Soaps Pointless Celebrities special.

Joe Swash and John Altman from EastEnders, Nick Pickard and Ali Bastian of Hollyoaks, Waterloo Road's Victoria Bush and Zaraah Abrahams, and Sharon Maughan and Tina Hobley, who played mother and daughter in Holby City, are the pairs taking part.

Fern Britton meets... Alexander Armstrong

Alexander Armstrong will guest on the November 27th edition of Fern Britton Meets..., at 10am on BBC1. In this short series, which airs once per year around Christmas, Fern talks to high profile figures about how their life has been shaped by their beliefs.

There are also film inserts illustrating the subject's life; I hear, for instance, that a segment has been recorded at Xander's old school, Durham. Apparently he'll also be discussing his llamas. Sounds like it could all be very interesting. I look forward to it.

Alexander Armstrong 'Sends to All' on Michael McIntyre's Big Show

Alexander Armstrong guests on Michael McIntyre's Big Show on Saturday 26th November on BBC1 at 8.10pm, as 'victim'  of the Celebrity Send To All segment. In this, McIntyre takes control of a celebrity's phone, and sends a potentially embarrassing text message to all their contacts.

I imagine the consequences took poor Xander quite some time to sort out. Let's find out, on the 26th.

Family Pointless Celebrities, 26th November

It's a family affair in a repeated Pointless Celebrities on 26th November at 6.10pm. Each pair is related in some way.

So we have Gary Lineker and his son Harry, Calum Best with his mum Angie, Michael Underwood with wife Angellica Bell, and  Louis Theroux and his wife Nancy Strang.

During recording, Louis Theroux shared a selfie showing the view from the podiums. Always interesting to see a different angle.

Back to repeats

Bad news, Pointless fans... just one more week of new shows, then it's back to repeats from Monday 21st! Sorry BBC schedulers, that's a wrong answer and scores 100 points.

I don't know as yet when we'll be back to new shows - not long I hope. I'll keep you updated.

Alexander Armstrong to host Have I Got News For You

Alexander Armstrong will host Have I Got News For You for a record 28th time, on Friday 25th November at 9pm on BBC1.

Along with regular team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton, Xander will be joined by guests Jess Phillips MP and Nish Kumar. Based on this year so far, they'll not be short of things to talk about....

Top ten hit for Alexander Armstrong!

Alexander Armstrong's new album, Upon A Different Shore, has entered the Official Album Chart at number 8. Yes, that's the main chart, not the specialist classical one.

What an excellent result for the album's first week on sale. And meanwhile, Xander's previous album, A Year of Songs, is heading back up the classical chart, up to number 2 this week. Exciting times.

Children in Need Rocks for Terry

Last night (1st November) Alexander Armstrong took part in Children in Need Rocks for Terry, a fundraising concert for Children in Need staged at the Royal Albert Hall to honour broadcaster and Children in Need figurehead Terry Wogan. It will be shown on BBC1 at 8.30pm on Monday 14th November.

Also taking part were Take That, Ellie Goulding, Olly Murs, Gregory Porter, Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, Rick Astley, Beverley Knight, the Vamps, Ward Thomas and Shaun Escoffery. Appeal films and archive clips of Terry's career, including a chance to relive one of the classic Radio 2 Janet and John Stories, will also be included.

Music Pointless Celebrities, 12th November

Four pairs of musicians strike a chord in a repeated Pointless Celebrities, on 12th November at 6.05pm.

Taking part are Sinitta and Jaymi Hensley, Vernie and Easther Bennett, Claire Richards and Ian 'H' Watkins, and Tony Christie and Ben Adams.