Christmas TV guide: What to watch, from The Great Christmas Bake Off to Gavin and Stacey
All the best dramas, comedies and reunion specials you should tune into over the festive break
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.After gorging ourselves on mince pies, drinking too much, pretending to be delighted at rubbish gifts and fighting about Brexit, a lot of us just like to curl up on the sofa and watch television at Christmas.
There are, of course, a lot of repeats, but there are also dozens of dramas, comedies and reunion specials airing over the festive period.
A lot of it is still Not Very Good, though, so here’s our pick of what is genuinely worth watching over Christmas.
Check out our list of the best things on television between 22 December and New Year’s Day, below...
Sunday 22 December
A Christmas Carol, BBC1, 9pm
While there’s no Agatha Christie drama this year, cries of “Bah humbug!” should quieten down when viewers see Guy Pearce, Andy Serkis, Stephen Graham and Charlotte Riley star in a unique take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The new adaptation promises to be a “haunting, hallucinatory, spine-tingling immersion into Scrooge’s dark night of the soul”.
The Christmas Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan, BBC2, 9pm
Romesh Ranganathan is back with a Christmas special of his comedy travel show. After shivering his way through last year’s adventure to the Arctic, the comic fancied a bit of warm weather so the BBC sent him to the Sahara – where he filmed in up to 50 degree heat.
Christmas Eve
The Snowman, Channel 4, 3.50pm
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Raymond Briggs’s elegiac classic about a young boy who makes a snowman that comes to life.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Channel 4, 7.30pm
Benedict Cumberbatch, Tamsin Greig and David Oyelowo voice a new adaptation of Judith Kerr’s beloved picture book The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Oyelowo stars as the tea-guzzling jungle cat who turns up out of the blue to eat and drink a surprised family out of house and home. The film’s theme song “Hey Tiger!” is sung by Robbie Williams, who is all over this year’s Christmas music like a bad rash from a fake Santa beard, it seems.
Christmas Day
The Alternative Christmas Message, Channel 4, 2.25pm
Jeremy Corbyn won’t be watching the Queen’s Speech – but he might be able to spare five minutes for The Alternative Christmas Message. We don’t yet know who will be doing the honours this year, but past presenters have included Danny Dyer, the president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whistle-blower Edward Snowden and Katie Piper, to name a few.
The Snail and the Whale, BBC1, 2.30pm
The Shape of Water star Sally Hawkins is cuddling up with a fish once more in this new adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s book about a restless young snail who wants to travel the world. Rob Brydon, meanwhile, plays the whale.
The Great Christmas Bake Off, Channel 4, 7.10pm
The Bake Off tent is taking a trip down nostalgia lane by bringing in Status Quo to play “Rockin’ All Over the World” while contestants from previous series of the show compete in festive-themed challenges for the title of Christmas Star Baker. Watch out for Paul Hollywood on Grinch duties.
Gavin & Stacey, BBC1, 8.30pm
Despite being one of America’s biggest late-night talk-show hosts, James Corden found the time to reunite with Ruth Jones to write a festive special of their hit sitcom, Gavin & Stacey. In a comeback episode that somehow manages to be better than the originals, Joanna Page, Mathew Horne, Larry Lamb, Julia Davis and the rest of the cast return to Barry where Uncle Bryn (Rob Brydon) is on the verge of a nervous breakdown in his attempts to cook Christmas dinner.
Boxing Day
Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2019, Channel 4, 9pm
What meal did Donald Trump serve a visiting football team at the White House? How did Jennifer Aniston break the internet in 2019? These are among the questions that will be asked in this year’s chaotic edition of the Channel 4 quiz. Jimmy Carr and his laugh will be on hosting duties, with Maya Jama, Asim Chaudhry and Richard Ayoade among the celebrity contestants.
Would I Lie to You at Christmas?, BBC1, 9.30pm
Joining Santa’s naughty list this year with their tall tales will be Liz Bonnin and Stephen Merchant on David Mitchell’s team and Sharon Osbourne and Dr Ranj Singh on Lee Mack’s side in this glorious game of deception. Each story has a festive theme.
Sunday 29 December
The Trial of Christine Keeler, BBC1, 9pm
The Trial of Christine Keeler stars Sophie Cookson as the eponymous model and topless showgirl who was at the centre of the Profumo affair of 1963 – an event briefly and brilliantly covered in The Crown series 2. The drama, which promises to take a “fresh look at one of the biggest political stories of the 20th century”, also features James Norton, Ellie Bamber and Emilia Fox.
New Year’s Day
Doctor Who, BBC1, 6.55pm
Jodie Whittaker will be back to bend the rules of space and time alongside Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole for a 12th series of new monsters and guest stars, including Stephen Fry and Lenny Henry.
The Great Festive Bake Off, Channel 4, 7.40pm
The girls of Derry and their wee English fella will be entering the tent to compete for the Star Baker title on New Year’s Day. Expect a higher dosage of baking innuendoes than usual from this mischievous bunch. There will also be a performance from the London Community Gospel Choir to keep things wholesome.
Dracula, BBC1, 9pm
Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have reunited to bring Dracula to life in a new three-part drama which will offset all our Christmas cheer with a bit of blood and gore. The vampiric count will be played by Claes Bang – and judging by the trailer, it’s set to be a terrifying series.
Bancroft, ITV, 9pm
The first series of this hit drama was dropped quite suddenly into the schedules last year, after a show about the Hatton Garden heist was pulled at the last minute due to an ongoing court case. Now Bancroft is back for a second run starring Sarah Parish as a battle-hardened detective.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments