Selecting your annual Christmas TV picks used to be an enjoyable task, when all you had were a handful of channels to pick from and a pen to circle your choices in the telly guide.
Now, with a host of channels you’ve never even heard of and countless streaming platforms to add into the mix, it’s a bit more of a chore, ontop of what can already be a pretty laborious time of the year.
Don’t fret, though. We’ve done the legwork for you, and rounded up 40 of the most intriguing and hightly-anticipated shows airing over the festive season this year.
You’re welcome...
Following on from a joyous return to form for Strictly Come Dancing, the show is marking its 20th anniversary with a look back at a host of priceless moments from the past 22 seasons.
When’s it on? Saturday 21 December at 7pm on BBC One
The classic ’80s gameshow is back for a one-off special, with a new look, a new host and (hopefully!) some new truly naff prizes on offer. Freddie Flintoff is taking over presenting duties this time around, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for multiple appearances from Bully.
When’s it on? Sunday 22 December at 6pm on ITV1
This year’s Death In Paradise special is a biggie, as it will welcome Don Gilet to the island as its new head DI, following in the footsteps of Kris Marshall, Ardal O’Hanlon and Ralf Little.
When’s it on? Sunday 22 December at 8.30pm on BBC One
Richard Osman is kicking off a new string of House Of Games specials with some impressive and eclectic celebrity guests and, of course, some truly ridiculous Yuletide challenges.
When’s it on? Monday 23 December at 7pm on BBC Two
The festive edition of the popular BBC panel show puts a Christmas twist on the usual format, with special guests including Jimmy Carr, Lenny Rush, Laura Smyth and the incomparable Rustie Lee. And let’s just say, you might want to get used to Rob Brydon’s smiling face, as you’ll be seeing (and hearing) a lot of him in the coming days.
When’s it on? Monday 23 December at 7pm on BBC One
Get ready to do some serious sobbing as Si King takes us on an emotional journey down memory lane, celebrating the life of his late friend and co-host Dave Myers, who died earlier this year.
When’s it on? Monday 23 December at 9pm on BBC Two
Lee Mack’s award-winning sitcom is marking 100 episodes in style in the run-up to Christmas, with a one-off episode full of unique festive cheer.
When’s it on? Monday 23 December at 10.40pm on BBC One
No, Bullseye isn’t the only TV format ITV is breathing some new life into this festive period. Holly Willoughby is making her return to our screens after almost a year with right-hand man Stephen Mulhern, in a revival of the classic You Bet!, in which celebrity panellists try and work out how likely it is that competitors can pull off a string of ridiculous challenges.
When’s it on? Christmas Eve at 5.05pm on ITV1
Filmed at Westminster Abbey earlier this year, Kate Middleton is joined by her husband, Prince William, and their children as they ring in Christmas with star guests and classic festive tunes.
When’s it on? Christmas Eve at 7.30pm on ITV1
At the other end of the festive scale, there’s the annual Bake Off special, where Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding will no doubt deliver their usual Christmas chaos, as they welcome some iconic soap stars into the iconic tent. There’s also a New Year special featuring a line-up of all-Scottish former bakers in honour of Hogmanay.
When’s it on? Christmas Eve at 8pm on Channel 4
Not everyone wants to watch the traditional Christmas favourites and nonstop saccharine telly over the festive period, and for those, we’d recommend checking out BBC Two’s spooky story. Adapted for the screen by Mark Gatiss, the special stars Éanna Hardwicke, Phoebe Horn, Celia Imrie and Juice creator Mawaan Rizwan.
When’s it on? Christmas Eve at 10.15pm on BBC Two
“Why, hello Ainsley!”. Everyone’s dream dinner guest kicks off your Christmas day afternoon viewing with special guests and top cooking tips. True, it’s probably too late to put any of them into practise, but there’s always next year, right?
When’s it on? Christmas Day at 2pm on ITV1
Marking the 12th collaboration between the BBC and children’s author Julia Donaldson, deep-sea story Tiddler is sure to hold kids’ attention for its duration, with enough celeb voices (yes, that’s Hannah Waddingham doing the narration) to keep everyone else entertained too.
When’s it on? Christmas Day at 2.35pm on BBC One.
Just in case there’s not been enough Strictly on your TV for the past week, it’s now time to crown this year’s Christmas champion as six brand new celebrities dance it out for the chance to lift the coveted Silver Star trophy.
When’s it on? Christmas Day at 3.15pm on BBC One.
With Ncuti Gatwa now fully into the swing of things as the lead in Doctor Who, we’re excited to note that this year’s annual Christmas special pairs him up with Nicola Coughlan, who had a massive year in 2024 after taking the lead in the latest season of Netflix’s Bridgerton.
When’s it on? Christmas Day at 5.10pm on BBC One
It looks set to be an emotional year on t’cobbles this Christmas as Gail Platt not only prepares to walk down the aisle for the seventh time, but also bid farewell to Weatherfield for good. We’re sure there’ll be plenty else going on – but honestly, we’ll be watching for Helen Worth’s last scenes after 50 years in Coronation Street.
When’s it on? Christmas Day at 7pm on ITV1
A season special of Channel 4′s most wholesome reality show is always going to hit the right notes – and the fact it’s airing on Christmas Day only adds to our excitement. While The Piano usually introduces us to new amateur musicians, this special will welcome back some familiar faces, in what will be Lang Lang’s final outing as a judge.
When’s it on? Christmas Day at 7.05pm on Channel 4
The BBC is gifting fans not one but two EastEnders specials this Christmas, one of which is going out at the post-watershed time of 10.35pm. Quite what they have in store remains to be scene, but after a year of staggering twists, we reckon fans are in for a treat.
When’s it on? Christmas Day at 7.30pm and 10.35pm on BBC One
Sandwiched between EastEnders’ two dramatic instalments is the cosiest show on telly, at its peak cosiness over Christmas. This year’s Call The Midwife special is being split into two, with a bonus episode also coming on Boxing Day, so you can get even more seasonal joy from your Poplar faves.
When’s it on? Christmas Day at 8pm on ITV1
The stakes are high for the last ever instalment of Gavin & Stacey, which picks up the story five years on from Nessa’s infamous Christmas Day proposal. Exact plot details are still being kept under wraps, but if there’s one thing for certain, it’s that this feature-length special is not to be missed.
When’s it on? Christmas Day at 9pm on BBC One
Before the sixth season of the weirdest guessing game on telly gets underway, there’s this one-off seasonal special to enjoy. Last year’s festive guests on The Masked Singer included Ainsley Harriott, Carol Vorderman and Julian Clary, so it’s worth keeping an ear out for some exciting new performers.
When’s it on? Boxing Day at 7.30pm on ITV1
Siobhán McSweeney takes the lead in this celebrity version of everyone’s favourite pottery series, with special guests Martin Kemp (in his landmark 100th reality TV appearance of 2024), Tom Rosenthal, Babatunde Aléshé and Rachel Riley.
When’s it on? Boxing Day at 9pm on Channel 4
If you’re sick to the back teeth of the schedules being full of saccharine Christmas specials, ITV reboots and celebrities trying out different reality TV formats, Squid Game’s return could be the antidote you’re seeking. Netflix’s biggest hit to date is back after a three-year absence, with Gi-hun returning to the games he thought he knew, only to discover the rules are oh so different this time around. We’d recommend rationing these new episodes out, but if we’re being honest, we’ll probably have binged the lot by Friday morning.
When’s it on? Boxing Day on Netflix
Don’t let the Gavin & Stacey reunion overshadow the fact that another popular BBC sitcom is also back on our screens for a seasonal special. And with the Brockman family all grown up, eldest son Jake has a new appreciation for his parents as he returns home for Christmas as a new dad.
When’s it on? Boxing Day at 9.40pm on BBC One
Play along with fabulous guests like Judi Love, Katherine Ryan and recent Strictly Come Dancing champion Chris McCausland as host Jimmy Carr tests your knowledge on all of the major (and, indeed, silly) news stories that have dominated the headlines over the past year.
When’s it on? Friday 27 December at 9pm on Channel 4
This year’s Christmas special of the Death In Paradise spin-off is getting a bit of a spooky twist, as the usual investigation winds up taking the form of a ghost story. Intrigued? Us too, tbh.
When’s it on? Friday 27 December at 9pm on BBC One
The BBC is taking a moment to remember one of the UK’s most iconic stars of the screen, following her death earlier in the year. Maggie Smith At The BBC will look back at some of her legendary performances and memorable interview moments, with Celia Imrie narrating the special.
When’s it on? Saturday 28 December at 7pm on BBC Two
This one-off celebrity version of the ITV gameshow will see Graham Norton putting Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page, Strictly fave Tyler West and Oscar nominee Richard E Grant through their paces.
When’s it on? Saturday 28 December at 7pm on ITV1
It’s now been two years since The Split last captivated the nation, and the show is now being revived for two special episodes that take the story in a brand new direction – more specifically towards mainland Europe. Nicola Walker has teased that a speech from her character Hannah is unlike anything she’s “heard a woman speak like on prime time TV before”, so you can bet that we will be seated... and watching episode two on iPlayer immediately after the first one finishes.
When’s it on? Sunday 29 December at 9pm on BBC One
Between House Of Games, Would I Lie To You? and The Masked Singer, we’re happy to see that there’s plenty in the way of “silly” on telly over Christmas – but this seasonal special of Taskmaster promises to be something else. This time around, the celebrity contestants include TV legend Sue Johnston, former England footballer David James and Mr Money Saver himself, Martin Lewis. Prepare for chaos.
When’s it on? Sunday 29 December at 9pm on Channel 4
Fans of Diane Morgan’s comic creation will no doubt be overjoyed to hear that Philomena Cunk is back doing what she does best – making sense of life’s biggest mysteries and asking the big questions. What a way to round off the year.
When’s it on? Monday 30 December at 9pm on BBC Two
The Last Leg is invariably one of the week’s most anarchic and unpredictable hours of telly, and the New Year’s specials always lean into this even harder. Looking back at 2024 in review with Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker are some of our TV faves like Sandi Toksvig, AJ Odudu and, once again, Chris McCausland (who presumably said yes to these festive specials before he knew there was a Glitterball Trophy with his name on it in the immediate future).
When’s it on? New Year’s Eve at 9pm on Channel 4
Will we be letting the fact this show is actually just old performances from Jane And Friends cut up and pieced together as a “singalong” special stand in our way of ringing in 2025 with TV’s campest auntie? No, we will not.
When’s it on? New Year’s Eve at 10pm on Channel 5
Graham Norton has truly gone all out for his latest New Year’s Eve special. Joining Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse, comedian John Bishop and Oscar winner Rami Malek will be record-breaking pop singer Robbie Williams, on double duty as both interviewee and musical guest.
When’s it on? New Year’s Eve at 10.25pm on BBC One
Once the showbiz schmoozing is over, Sophie Ellis-Bextor is on hand to ring in 2025 after a bumper year for her that’s seen her making an unexpected return to the charts thanks to a certain Barry Keoghan routine. Tune in for big hits, a few surprise guests and, in the middle of the show, the annual New Year fireworks.
When’s it on? New Year’s Eve at 11.30pm on BBC One
This year is a big one as it marks 30 years since Jools Holland’s very first Hootenanny, the annual New Year special of his music show Later... With Jools Holland. To make the event extra special, he’s mixing classic guests including Kathy Sledge, Marc Almond and Roger Taylor with contemporary stars like Jade Thirlwall, who have Later... one of its most iconic performances in years back in the autumn.
When’s it on? New Year’s Eve at 11.30pm on BBC Two
The first ever celebrity special of Gladiators has so much more to offer than just Joel Dommet in a singlet, we promise. Testing their strength and endurance alongside the Masked Singer host will be Ted Lasso star Ellie Taylor, comic Rob Beckett and daytime host Louise Minchin. Yes, really.
When’s it on? New Year’s Day at 6pm on BBC One
While usually, we’d let whoever wants to watch Vera do so quietly, without necessarily recommending it to anyone else, the detective show’s return is a bigger deal than usual as Brenda Blethlyn recently announced she was stepping down as the Tyneside sleuth. The show returns on New Year’s Day for the first of two farewell episodes.
When’s it on? New Year’s Day at 8pm on ITV1
A big castle. Some big capes. A big fringe. The Traitors is back, people, and we are so ready.
When’s it on? New Year’s Day at 8pm on BBC One
If you feel like kicking off 2025 with the most wholesome of vibes, the Gogglebox families are returning on New Year’s Day, where they’ll be reviewing the line-up of festive telly you just spent the past week watching. Enjoy!
When’s it on? New Year’s Day at 9pm on Channel 4
