No one does Christmas television quite like the BBC.
It’s part of the Yuletide tradition. Just as customary as wrapping presents, carving the turkey and putting up the tree, getting yourself a bumper edition of a TV listings magazine and circling your favourite shows over the festive period is a Christmas essential.
This year, the Beeb have outdone themselves with their Crimbo specials and seasonal schedule. There’s something for everyone and the only difficulty will be wrestling the remote off family members with their own preferences.
Photo: Piotrus
Our personal favourites include the return of Dr Who and Sherlock, Life In The Snow, Cunk on Christmas, and Charlie Brooker’s 2016 Wipe. Check out some of the other highlights below. Deep breath…
- The last time you’ll ever see Mary, Paul, Mel and Sue together in The Great Christmas Bake Off;
- The much-awaited return of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in Sherlock;
- Peter Capaldi waving his sonic screwdriver about in Dr Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio;
- A Scrooge-themed Mrs Brown’s Boys (it’s not really our thing but some people love it);
- A special festive edition of Outnumbered, with all the kids looking far too old and grown up;
- David Walliams’ one-off sketch show Walliams & Friends, featuring Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville;
- The first in a new series of Still Open All Hours, starring national treasure Sir David Jason;
- The explosive return of Max Branning on EastEnders;
- Snow animals surviving the deepest of winters in Life In The Snow, for fans of Planet Earth II;
- A Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, along with a special tribute to Head Judge Len Goodman;
- Dominic West, Rob Brydon, Tamsin Greig and others starring in Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes;
- Sports Personality Of The Year (or The Andy Murray Show), plus the final of The Apprentice;
- The Nutcracker performed by the Royal Ballet;
- Michael McIntyre’s Big Christmas Show, featuring celebrity guests Catherine Tate and Harry Enfield;
- Top Of The Pops revealing the Christmas number one, plus Jools Holland’s annual Hootenanny;
- Professor Brian Cox explaining ‘The Entire Universe’, with the help of Eric Idle;
- Philomena Cunk’s ‘Cunk On Christmas’, and Charlie Brooker’s sardonic end-of-year ‘2016 Wipe’
- TWO Robot Wars Christmas specials featuring celebrity guests
Phew! All that and we’ve not even touched on all the football we’ll have to fit in too…
Catch up with the latest episode of Football Friday Live
