A selection of what we'll be watching on TV this festive season The toboggan ride into Christmas is officially on, which means it’s time to snuggle up indoors with a cup of something warm (or a glass of something cold, if that’s more your thing) and enjoy the best of what the TV has to offer. Whether you’re in the mood for laugh-out-loud comedies, jaw-dropping drama or star-studded specials of your old favourites – not to mention all the usual suspects that have become synonymous with festive schedules – there’s undoubtedly going to be something on the box to keep even the most curmudgeonly Scrooge happy this Christmas season. But if the decision of where to start is proving a little more difficult than which flavour Celebration you’re going to nab first, we’ve rounded up 40 must-see shows coming up this festive period to help make things a little easier for you… Richard Osman’s Festive House Of Games Tell me more: As households across the nation get ready to dust off the old board games in the hope of passing Christmas at home with the family that bit quicker, Richard Osman is back for telly’s most famous game night – with a host of famous faces trying out the various challenges their host has up his sleeve for them. House Of Games is returning for a 10-part series with different celebrity guests each night, and a festive twist being put on the show’s signature games. When’s it on? Monday 22 December at 7pm on BBC Two Amanda & Alan’s Spanish Christmas Man of the moment Alan Carr returns with his right-hand woman Amanda Holden for another home makeover challenge, this time in the Spanish sunshine. Expect chaos, big laughs… and probably a glass or two of mulled wine, let’s be honest. When’s it on? Monday 22 December at 9pm on BBC One The Mandy Who Knew Too Much In the last few years, Diane Morgan ’s comedy character has become as synonymous with Christmas for us as sleigh bells, gingerbread-infused everything and regrettable actions at the office party, and we’re so glad Mandy is back for a new festive special. This time around, the BBC has teased that Mandy will be tackling “global diplomacy” in a bid to make “a real difference to the balance of power in the world”. Consider us sat! When’s it on? Monday 22 December at 10.25pm on BBC Two Only Connect Pub Quiz Special The Christmas version of the trickiest quiz show on TV sees two teams of pub quizzers being pitted against one another. Will this shorter, festive edition mean we manage to get more than one or two answers right per episode? Doubtful, but let’s see. When’s it on? Tuesday 23 December at 8pm on BBC Two Stuffed Excitingly, Stuffed is one of the BBC’s one-off comedy commissions for this year’s festive season. Written by Matt Like Mobeen co-creator Andy Milligan and starring Guz Khan alongside Morgana Robinson and TV royalty Sue Johnston, the stand-alone special focusses on a family who blow a work bonus on a dream trip to Lapland, only to discover the money was given out in error – and needs to be paid back immediately. When’s it on? Tuesday 23 December at 9pm on BBC One Sally Lindsay’s Christmas Quiz Sally Lindsay is hosting a Christmas quiz in 2025 If you’ve spent the last three weeks swotting up on all things festive by revisiting all of your favourite seasonal movies, songs and snacks, it’s time to get very smug as your Christmas knowledge is put to the test by screen queen Sally Lindsay . Come for the Christmas trivia, stay for the truly random on-screen quiz teams. When’s it on? Tuesday 23 December at 10pm on 5 The Great British Sewing Bee Celebrity Christmas Special For fans of the tried and tested Bake Off TV format, it’s time to see our favourite TV odd couple, Esme Young and Patrick Grant, putting some celebrity guests through their paces with unique festive sewing challenges. Joining host Sophie Willan are Strictly Come Dancing staple Anton Du Beke, comedian Susan Wokoma and Gladiators fave Tom “Hammer” Wilson, alongside Lucy Beaumont, most recently seen on the Celebrity Traitors. When’s it on? Christmas Eve at 7.25pm on BBC One Royal Carols: Together At Christmas Kate Middleton is bringing back Royal Carols in 2025 If what you’re in the mood for this Christmas Eve is something that’ll take you back to the “good old days”, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and ITV’s collaborative carol concert is the traditional festive viewing you’re after. Filmed at Westminster Abbey, the annual concert celebrates those who’ve given up their time to help others over 2025, and features special performances from musicians including Griff, Katie Melua and Bastille’s Dan Smith. When’s it on? Christmas Eve at 7.25pm on ITV1 Finding Father Christmas Finding Father Christmas A touching festive family comedy from Channel 4, Finding Father Christmas centres on a man who grows perturbed by his son’s growing obsession with – and belief in – Santa Claus. We won’t spoil the whole thing for you, but let’s just say that it turns out the son might be speaking the truth… When’s it on? Christmas Eve at 7.30pm on Channel 4 All Creatures Great & Small All Creatures Great & Small returns for a new Christmas special in 2025 One of the brightest and most prominent feathers in 5’s cap, All Creatures Great & Small returns to our screens this Christmas Eve for a new festive special. In this new instalment, we reach Christmas 1945, where Darrowy is putting on its annual nativity pageant. When’s it on? Christmas Eve at 9pm on 5 Two Doors Down Christmas Eve marks the triumphant return of Two Doors Down If we were still in an era of circling things in biro that we wanted to watch in the TV guide’s Christmas schedule, we’d be reaching for the fattest marker we could find to go around Two Doors Down . This new special sees the Latimer Crescent residents celebrating Christmas in their own unique ways, with plenty of surprises promised for devotees of the sitcom that’s become British telly’s best-kept secret. It’s also worth noting that Two Doors Down’s Christmas special is the first new episode of the show to be put together since the death of its co-creator Simon Carlyle in 2023, which will undoubtedly add an extra layer of poignancy to this final festive offering. When’s it on? Christmas Eve at 10pm on BBC One The Last Leg Of Christmas The Last Leg already has a reputation for being a show where its guests feel more comfortable being loose-lipped . So, when you add in the fact that it’s Christmas, and that those paying Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker a visit this time include Harry Hill and Alison Hammond, we truly can’t wait to see how the fun plays out this Christmas Eve. When’s it on? Christmas Eve at 10pm on Channel 4 A Ghost Story For Christmas: The Room In The Tower For fans of all things macabre, Mark Gatiss ’ annual ghost stories have become a festive must-watch, and this year’s sounds like another chilling addition to the oeuvre. Starring The Crown and Black Mirror ’s Tobias Menzies and all-round national treasure Dame Joanna Lumley , the story centres around a man who is haunted by a recurring nightmare which slowly begins to take over his reality. When’s it on? Christmas Eve at 10pm on BBC Two The Nutcracker From The Royal Ballet Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker is the perfect intersection of cultural and Christmassy – and this performance from the Royal Ballet is the ideal thing to stick on first thing as you open your pressies and tuck into your first Bucks Fizz of the morning. Who cares if you only know the music from various festive ads and Christmas specials from over the years? When’s it on? Christmas Day at 11.25am on BBC Two The Scarecrows’ Wedding The Scarecrows' Wedding A new original for BBC One on Christmas Day afternoon, The Scarecrows’ Wedding is based on The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson’s beloved story of the same name. Things don’t quite go to plan for field-dwellers Harry and Betty on their big day, but the debacle leads to them learning an important lesson we can all take something away from – particularly as we’re gathered together for Christmas. When’s it on? Christmas Day at 3.10pm on BBC One Gladiators: Celebrity Special There’s something extremely nostalgic about sitting down to enjoy a celebrity special of Gladiators on Christmas Day, isn’t there? Reality star Sam Thompson and The Body Coach himself, Joe Wicks, are among the famous faces taking on unbelievable physical challenges in the name of entertainment this time around. Frankly, the only battle we’re interested in taking part in this Christmas is over the last wedge of Terry’s Chocolate Orange, thanks… When’s it on? Christmas Day at 3.35pm on BBC One Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly Trust us, if celebrity-filled specials of regular shiny-floor Saturday night programmes aren’t your thing, BBC One is probably not the place for you this Christmas Day. Strictly Come Dancing ’s festive episode for 2025 is notable not just because of the six new celebs on the line-up , but the fact it will mark Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s last ever time hosting the show together. When’s it on? Christmas Day at 5.30pm on BBC One Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel The Wheel See what we mean? For The Wheel ’s Christmas special, celebrities are not only on the central wheel itself, but answering a variety of general knowledge – as well as more niche – questions in the hopes of securing money for their chosen charities. Excitingly, the guests this time around include a mini Gavin & Stacey reunion for the UK’s modern-day king and queen of Christmas, Mathew Horne and Joanna Page . When’s it on? Christmas Day at 6.45pm on BBC One The Great Christmas Bake Off This year's Christmas Bake Off includes a reunion for the stars of Peep Show Channel 4 has not one but two very special trips to the Bake Off tent for us this festive season, the first of which will air in the middle of its Christmas Day schedule. Following on from its past specials with the cast of Heartstopper, It’s A Sin and Derry Girls, this year’s Christmas Bake Off will reunite the cast of Peep Show ( minus one ), including Oscar winner Olivia Colman herself. When’s it on? Christmas Day at 8pm on Channel 4 Call The Midwife Call The Midwife ’s two-part Christmas special (the second half of which you can catch in the same slot on Boxing Day) kickstarts what’s set to be an ambitious year for the award-winning period drama , including its first ever official spin-off and even a new movie. The new festive story takes the nuns of Nonnatus House across the globe to Hong Kong to lend their aid after a disaster. When’s it on? Christmas Day at 8.15pm on BBC One Amandaland Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley in Amandaland The BBC is pinning a lot on its hit comedy Amandaland , giving it the enviable slot occupied by the much-hyped Gavin & Stacey Christmas special in 2024. It was recently revealed that regulars Lucy Punch and Joanna Lumley would be joined by an exciting familiar face in the new episode, reuniting the latter with her Absolutely Fabulous co-star Jennifer Saunders as Amanda spends the festive season with her aunt. When’s it on? Christmas Day at 9.15pm on BBC One The 1% Club Christmas Special Lee Mack is fronting a very different version of The 1% Club this Christmas Day. As ever, a team of 100 hopefuls will be slowly whittled down with the hopes of receiving a £100,000 prize pot – but this time all of the questions put to them will revolve around the festive season in some capacity. When’s it on? Christmas Day at 9.15pm on ITV1 Mrs Brown’s Boys Brendan O'Carroll in character as Agnes Brown in Mrs Brown's Boys To say the least, Mrs Brown’s Boys is… not for everyone. If you’re part of the select group that it is for, though, you’ll be pleased to hear it’s back for one of two new specials this Christmas Day, with the second instalment following in the New Year. When’s it on? Christmas Day at 10.15pm on BBC One Stranger Things If you’ve been on tenterhooks ever since that episode four cliffhanger earlier this year, you’ll be pleased to hear that your whole Boxing Day is now clear to spend with the Hawkins gang, whether you’ll be staying up till the wee small hours to binge the new episodes as soon as possible, or scattering them out over the day while you enjoy your festive leftovers. Once that’s done, there’s also one last feature-length instalment dropping at the same time on New Year’s Day, so as soon as you’re done with the usual countdown, you can squirrel yourself away and enjoy the final chapter in the Stranger Things story. When’s it on? Boxing Day at 1am on Netflix The Masked Singer: Christmas Specia l Speaking of strange things… The Masked Singer is back ! Ahead of a full season in January, get ready for four brand new celebrities to try and hide their identities from the panel while belting out seasonal staples and donning the most festive apparel. When’s it on? Boxing Day at 7.30pm on ITV1 The Festive Pottery Throwdown Siobhan McSweeney’s workshop is opening its doors to some new celebrity guests in this new festive special. Getting stuck in this Boxing Day are an array of eclectic stars that include Countdown host Colin Murray, comedy actor Sarah Hadland and Love Island champion Amber Gill. When’s it on? Boxing Day at 7.45pm on Channel 4 The Big Fat Quiz Of The Year It’s time to see how much attention you’ve actually been paying the last 12 months. Alright, given some of the events of 2025, we’re not sure how much we actually want to recall, but in quiz form, we’re just about up for it. When’s it on? Boxing Day at 9pm on Channel 4 John And Lisa’s Christmas Kitchen After the double-punch of Christmas Day and Boxing Day, you might be looking around the kitchen and feeling a little at a loss as to exactly what to throw together for your next meal. If that sounds at all familiar, John Torode and Lisa Faulkner have some ideas to help you out food-wise on those dreaded “Crimbo limbo” days, in their usual weekend slot. When’s it on? Saturday 27 December at 11.40am on ITV1 Lives Well Lived Lives Well Lived is offering up a chance to remember and pay tribute to some of the big names from the world of entertainment who died in 2025, with specific segments devoted to the likes of Diane Keaton , Gene Hackman and Robert Redford . If that moment of reflection is to your liking, when it’s over, you can also switch over to BBC Four, which is devoting the whole night to Prunella Scales , who died in October 2025 at the age of 93. When’s it on? Saturday 27 December at 7.40pm on BBC Two Death In Paradise Don Gilet in Death In Paradise Looking out the window at the grey skies and drizzle that are synonymous with that endless period between Christmas and New Year is the perfect opportunity for some sun-soaked escapism, right? Death In Paradise’s Christmas special sees the return of Don Gilet as DI Mervin Wilson, with guest stars including Doctor Who’s Pearl Mackie and comedian Josie Lawrence. When’s it on? Sunday 28 December at 8.30pm on BBC One Music Videos That Defined The 80s Christmas is all about nostalgia, and with that in mind, 5 has pieced together a one-off documentary looking back at the decade when music videos truly reigned supreme, helping launch everyone from Madonna and Prince to pop superstardom. Alternatively, if you’re back at work on Monday, and need just one hour of escapism before you accept that fate, this could well be just the distraction you’re after. When’s it on? Sunday 28 December at 11.55pm on 5 The Celebrity Apprentice: Christmas Special In a year that gave us Alan Carr on The Celebrity Traitors, La Voix on Strictly Come Dancing and Ruby Wax on I’m A Celebrity, it’s fair to say that reality TV fans have been a little spoiled. To stretch the festive fun out a little longer, though, the BBC has put together a new two-part Apprentice special where celebrities like AJ Odudu, Sarah Hadland and EastEnders’ Jake Wood ( plus some others we’re admittedly less excited to see back on our screens ) heading off to Lapland for one of Alan Sugar’s most daunting tasks to date. When’s it on? Monday 29 December at 9pm on BBC One The Cockfields Christmas Special Fans of the cult sitcom The Cockfields have a late Christmas present this year in the form of a brand new festive special, which sees Simon taking a seasonal trip to the Isle Of Wight to see his family, and bringing Esther along with him. For those who fell in love with Joe Wilkinson on The Celebrity Traitors this year, this is also an ideal opportunity to see him in action outside of the castle. When’s it on? Tuesday 30 December at 10.45pm on BBC Two Top Of The Pops Review Of The Year While the Top Of The Pops Christmas special is, regrettably, now a thing of the past, at least the BBC is giving pop fans the opportunity to reflect on the year in music with this New Year’s Eve episode. Clara Amfo is on hand to share the highs and lows of 2025’s musical moments, including some A-list performances. When’s it on? New Year’s Eve at 6pm on BBC Two The Graham Norton New Year’s Eve Show Graham Norton ’s sofa is always a buzzy and star-studded affair, but there’s something about his annual New Year’s Eve show that just feels extra sparkly. Joining him to see off 2025 in style are Tom Hiddleston (more on him in a sec), Carey Mulligan, Oscar winner Laura Dern and the year’s biggest break-out star, Adolescence actor Owen Cooper, among others. When’s it on? New Year’s Eve at 10.30pm on BBC One Jools’ Annual Hootenanny Oh come on, it just isn’t New Year’s Eve without a bit of Jools Holland, is it? He’ll be counting down to 2026 with his annual Later… special with 2025’s biggest British star, Olivia Dean, plus performances from the likes of Jessie J, Craig David, Heather Small and Lulu. When’s it on? New Year’s Eve at 11.30pm on BBC Two The Traitors At The Proms Excited for the new season of The Traitors ? Feel like drumming up all the tension of the castle before the new episode has even aired? Well, this BBC Proms special is one for you, as it celebrates the musical moments that have helped make the show such a phenomenon, hosted by Claudia Winkleman herself. When’s it on? New Year’s Day at 2pm on BBC One EastEnders Soap fans are in for a treat the first week of 2026, with ITV’s long-awaited “Corriedale” crossover event being preceded by another of EastEnders ’ time-jump stunts. Jake Wood’s Max Branning takes centre stage in this latest offering, which sees the soap teasing a major storyline that lies ahead in the months to come by fast-forwarding exactly one year into the future, where the Walford resident is dealing with the fall-out of an incident that will have life-changing consequences for both himself and his family. When’s it on? New Year’s Day at 7.30pm on BBC One The Traitors After that action-packed Celebrity Traitors finale , there’s no time for fans of the Bafta-winning reality show to catch their breath, as the castle is reopening its doors to 22 new contestants hoping they can play the game to their advantage to grab that hefty prize pot. While the format remains largely the same, given The Traitors is now into its fourth year here in the UK, you can count on one or two twists to shake things up as the series unfolds. When’s it on? New Year’s Day at 8pm on BBC One The Night Manager The Night Manager It’s the TV return that was 10 years in the making, but Tom Hiddleston and Olivia Colman are officially both back for a second season of The Night Manager . Based once again on John Le Carré’s much-loved spy novels, the action in this latest update picks up nine years after the events of series one, with some exciting new additions thrown in. When’s it on? New Year’s Day at 9.05pm on BBC One READ MORE: These Are All Our Top Picks Of What's New To Watch On Netflix In December 2025 Our Verdict On All Of The Must-Listen New Christmas Songs Released In 2025 Feeling Christmassy Yet? All Of This Year's Must-See Festive Ads