We all know the true meaning of Christmas. That’s right, watching television. This year’s Christmas line-up will have you glued to the sofa just like the Royle Family.
Highlights include Mary, Paul, Mel and Sue tasting some Christmas bakes in The Great Christmas Bake Off (the last ever episodes on the BBC boo! hiss!); our own Brendan O’Carroll’s Mrs Brown turning into Scrooge and refusing to put up her Christmas tree; animated adventures and drama for big and little kids with Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes and Raymond Briggs’ charming Ethel And Ernest; brand new drama with Agatha Christie’s The Witness For The Prosecution; stunning snow animals surviving the deepest of winters; through to the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, The Apprentice final and of course my own seasonal highlights Sherlock and Call The Midwife.
In fact, there is such an abundance of Christmas specials, you’ll probably spend most of your time fighting over the remote.
The Great British Bake Off’s memorable past contestants will dig out their pinnies and re-enter the famous tent armed with their best festive recipes, to make our mouths water with the last ever episodes on the beeb. Ah lads, it just won’t be the same on another channel! GBBO will air its first episode at 4:45pm on Christmas Day, straight after Frozen, on BBC1. Part one will then be repeated on St. Stephen’s Day morning at 11:30am before the second part airs that evening at 7pm.
Brendan O’Carroll is back with more from Mrs Brown and family, as the hit comedy once again brings laughs galore with two Christmas episodes. Agnes is fed up with the hassle of Christmas trees, so refuses to have one and Grandad is back from hospital with a prescription for medical marijuana – nothing could possibly go wrong. You can catch the chaos on BBC1 at 10.30pm on Christmas Day.
It wouldn’t be a proper Christmas without the residents of Albert Square facing up to festering secrets, fractured families and the explosive return of Max Branning in EastEnders. With Lee Carter at breaking point, as well as the Mitchells facing the prospect of this being Phil’s last Christmas, at the very least ‘Enders will make you feel better about your own life. There will be a 35-minute episode on Christmas Eve at 8.25pm and an hour-long episode on Christmas Day at 9.30pm (RTÉ One and BBC1).
In a year filled with car accidents, the Emmerdale storylines will focus on Ashley’s dementia and see Belle trying to reunite her parents Zak and Lisa. Awww. You can catch up with the goings on Christmas Day at 5.45pm with a special 60-minute episode on ITV/UTV.
Meanwhile, over on Coronation Street, Toyah is back and Maria is facing some time in the slammer. An hour-long episode will be shown on ITV/UTV on Christmas Day at 7.55pm, but watch out because it’s going head to head in the schedules with a certain programme about 1960s midwives…
South Africa is the unexpected destination for the staff of Nonnatus House this Christmas as the stars of Call The Midwife find themselves transported to Hope Clinic, as they fight to save the tiny mission hospital. The 2016 Christmas special will air on Christmas Day at 8pm on BBC1. Ermahgerd I’m so exira!
Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes come to life in six animations voiced by Dominic West, Rob Brydon, Tamsin Greig and many more, plus there’s more original animation with Ethel And Ernest, voiced by Brenda Blethyn and Jim Broadbent, on BBC1 at 7.30pm on Wednesday 28th December. Channel 4 won’t be left out of the animation stakes; they have a fab adaptation of Michael Rosen’s classic children’s book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt at 7.30pm on Christmas Eve.
Wanna watch children watching television? Me too! Last year the Christmas edition of Gogglesprogs pulled in a whopping 4 million viewers for Channel 4. You can be one of the millions tuning to Channel 4 this year at 8pm on Christmas Eve.
Now, listen up my fellow Cumberbitches. The much anticipated return of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in Sherlock sees the world’s favourite detective back home and back on our screens from the 1st of January 2017. It has to be said that the fourth series looks more impressive than ever. I cannot wait.
Any nerdy Doctor Who fans out there? I know a few who will be excited to hear that the good Doctor is back on screen for the first time in a year, as Peter Capaldi joins forces with an investigative journalist and a superhero in a bid to save the city of New York in a brand new episode called The Return Of Mysterio. The festive special will air at 5.45pm on BBC1 on Christmas Day.
If you fancy something a bit more high-brow than a load of daleks, you’ll be glad to know that more celebrated actors are set to grace a brand new drama this Christmas with the likes of Kim Cattrall, Andrea Riseborough, Toby Jones and David Haig joining forces in Agatha Christie’s The Witness For The Prosecution. The 1920s murder-mystery will be on BBC1 on St Stephen’s Day at 9pm, and repeated on Tuesday the 27th at 9pm. If thats not enough crime-solving for you then Jonathan Creek is also back with a macabre mystery to solve in a 90-minute special including a glittering cast such as Warwick Davis. You can tune in to BBC1 at 9pm on Wednesday 28th December for that one.
Bafta-winning writer Sally Wainwright pens new drama To Walk Invisible, which tells the story of the extraordinary Brontë sisters and the obstacles they faced to come from obscurity and produce some of the greatest novels of all time. You can see that on Thursday the 29th of December at 9pm on BBC1.
One I really enjoyed last year, Last Tango in Halifax, returns for a two part special beginning on Monday 19th December followed by the concluding part the next evening – Tuesday 20th December – both on at 9pm on the Beeb. The West Yorkshire family drama staring Anne Reid, Derek Jacobi and Sarah Lancashire attracted over eight million viewers with its season finale last year. Worth a look if you haven’t caught it before.
Christmas isn’t complete without some showbiz sparkle and glitter. The baubles and fake tan are out for the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, which will air on Christmas Day at 6.45pm on BBC1. After they have chosen their champion for 2016 in the Strictly Come Dancing Grand Final, more winners will be crowned on Sports Personality Of The Year and The Apprentice Final. It is also time to bid a sad farewell to Head Judge Len Goodman who hangs up his ‘seven’ paddle for the last time, with a look back on his Strictly career in Strictly Len Goodman. His replacement has not yet been announced.
Everyone loves Judi Dench right? Right. A new documentary, Dame Judi Dench – All The World’s Her Stage, looks at the phenomenal career of one of the world’s most loved and decorated actresses.
This week we found out that more young people are watching Planet Earth than The X Factor. Good news! There is more natural history programming on the way this crimbo as Gordon Buchanan travels to Kenya to get closer than ever before to the most majestic of animals, the African elephant, in Elephant Family And Me. And in a more seasonal offering Gordon will be meeting animals who make their homes in the snow, from polar bears, to penguins and owls and even festive favourites reindeers and the robin redbreast, with Life In The Snow. Wild Tales From The Village, a charming film narrated by Tcheky Karyo (The Missing), reveals the parallel world of incredible tiny creatures who live side by side with unsuspecting humans.
For music lovers, Top Of The Pops once again returns on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, as does Jools Holland with his annual Hootenanny. BBC Two celebrates the festive season with the return of much-loved Christmas Eve tradition, Carols From King’s (my nan never missed this when she was alive bless her). Filmed within the candlelit splendour of the Chapel at King’s College, Cambridge, it really feels like Christmas to me when this is on in the background.
So. Off ye go now and create a personalised full colour-coded schedule of all your faves, put your jammies on, light the fire, open a tin of USA Biscuits and don’t leave the house till January.
What will you be glued to this Christmas? Email Alison.Bough@herfamily.ie or let us know your thoughts in the comments.
You can also join the conversation on Twitter @HerFamilydotie
