VIDEO: World's Strongest Man TV schedule announced ahead of live shows
UK fans will get a marathon 11 and a half hours of prime time Channel 5 coverage as public demand for the sport literally goes from strength to strength.
In part that is due to the superhuman stars of the show now more regularly competing in arenas to live audiences around the the country with five shows lined up for next year.
See full TV and live events schedules below.
The jaw-dropping, adrenalin pumped action will see the international hulks carry cars, trucks, pulling fire engines, hoisting logs, lifting huge Atlas Stones, flipping tyres, tossing kegs and trying not to be pulled apart competing in events like the torturous looking new Hercules Hold, plus more.
There are up to 50 variations of the events to decide the globe's top titan – with all eyes on the likes of 2018 champ Hafþór ‘Thor’ Björnsson, who played The Mountain in Game Of Thrones, Polish strongman Mateusz Kieliszkowski, four times WSM USA’s Brian Shaw and fellow countryman Latvian-born American professional strongman, Martins Licis.
It begins with four consecutive nights this week - Monday to Thursday, December 16 to 19 - as the strongmen battle for the British, European, North American and World Tour titles, for a place at WSM.
With five gruelling challenges and a lot at stake, including a golden ticket to compete at World's Strongest Man, first up is all the action from the 2019 Britain's Strongest Man competition which took place at tth beginning of the year at Sheffield Fly DSA Arena.
That is being show on Channel 5 on Monday, December 16, at 7pm.
Fans wanting to see the action live in 2020 don't have long to wait - Britain;s Strongest Man returns to the FlyDSA Arena in Sheffied on Saturday, January 18. Tickets are £28.13 to £196.88, with VIP tickets available including goody bags and the chance to meet the strongmen. Visit www.flydsaarena.co.uk, call 0114 256 565 or visit www.giants-live.com.
The TV schedule then turns to Europe's Strongest Man - Tuesday, December 17, 7pm - which played out in front of a full crowd at Leeds First Direct Arena and the 2020 tournament, again being filmed for Channel 5 viewing next Christmas, is back at Leeds on Saturday, April 6. For tickets visit www.firstdirectarena.com.
The North American Open features on Channel 5 on Wednesday, December 18, 7pm.
Then it's back to the UK for the Wembley qualifiers, on Thursday, December 19, 7pm.
TV's growing army of strongman fans will then have to wait for The World Tour Finals filmed recently at Manchester Arena, to be screened on Boxing Day, December 26, at 8pm.
The World's Strongest Man finals will be screened for five consecutive days, from Friday, December 27, to the final itself, a 90-minute special on New Year's Day, Wednesday, January 1, at 7.30pm.
Full schedule and timings below.
Strongman fans have come to expect the annual festive TV shows which are now as much a part of Christmas as Santa and the tree.
Fans at the Giants Live shows also get to see and can meet strongman legends who are now pundits, judges and commentators including the likes of three times WSM Bill Kazmaier, four times WSM Magnús Ver Magnússon and Britain’s own retired WSM Eddie Hall, who is also pursuing a Hollywood film career and stars in TV shows such as The Strongest Man in History – which has been airing on the History Channel.
Giants Live Director Darren Sadler said the Giants Live promoted strongman competitions need to be seen live to fully appreciate the feats of strength.
He said: "The inspirational, edge-of-seat action has to be seen to be believed– this is a sports entertainment at its biggest and best!
"We are delighted to return to Sheffield in January where we get great support with huge crowds. We offer a VIP ticket and fans can also get the chance to meet Paul and the other strongmen.
"But with Christmas coming and the World's Strongest Man on TV over Christmas we're expecting tickets to sell fast so buy now to avoid disappointment."
There will be five Giants Live promoted strongman events in the UK in 2020 - in Sheffield, Leeds, Glasgow, London and Manchester. Full details below and for all tickets visit giants-live.com.
GIANTS LIVE 2020 EVENTS:
Sat, January 18: Britain's Strongest Man, Sheffield FlyDSA Arena.
Sat, April 4: Europe's Strongest Man and Word Log Lift Chalenge, Leeds First Direct Arena.
Sat, June 6: The Strongman Classic, London Albert Hall.
Sat, Sept 12: World Open and World Deadlift Championship, Manchester Arena.
Sat, Oct 10, World Tour Finals, Glasgow SSE Hydro.
* Please note, due to the nature of the event, the line-up of stars is always subject to change.
WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN TV SCHEDULE 2019
Mon, Dec 16, 7pm:: Britain's Strongest Man filmed at Sheffield FlyDSA Arena
Tue, Dec 17, 7pm: Europe's Strongest Man filmed at Leeds First Direct Arena.
Wed, Dec 18: 7pm: North American Open
Thu, Dec 19, 7pm: Giants Live Wembley, filmed at Wembley Arena
Thu, Dec 26, 8pm: World Tour Finals, filmed at Manchester Arena
Fri, Dec 27, 7pm: World's Strongest Man 2019 The Finals Heat 1
Sat, Dec 28, 7pm: World's Strongest Man 2019 The Finals Heat 2
Sun, Dec 29, 6.30pm: World's Strongest Man 2019 The Finals Heat 3
Mon, Dec 30, 7pm: World's Strongest Man 2019 The Finals Heat 4
Tue, Dec 31, 7pm: World's Strongest Man 2019 The Finals Heat 5
Wed, Jan 1, 7.30pm: World's Strongest Man 2019 The Grand Final (90 minute special).