James R | On 01, Jan 2021

Christmas is here – and, as many people turn to the internet and video calls to keep connected with friends and loved ones, the TV will also provide a cornerstone of entertainment over the festive season.

7 in 10 adults now use free catch-up services to watch Christmas TV on-demand, according to research from Ofcom, which means that more people can fit their festive TV viewing around Zoom meetings and phone calls. Or, you know, just watching Love Actually on repeat.

One thing is for sure: with BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, My5 and All 4, not to mention Netflix, Sky and more, it’s never been easier to stream something you missed the following day and enjoy Christmas telly on your own schedule. Read on for our highlights of the 2020 UK Christmas TV line-up. Bookmark this page: it will be updated with links to each programme on VOD, so it’s easy to stay up-to-date without having to take off your pyjamas. Nothing on the schedule you like? Click here for Christmas movies on streaming services and other festive recommendations.

23rd December

Ghosts Christmas Special

It’s Christmas at Button House, and as Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) are hosting his family for the first time, Mike is determined to make it perfect. However his plan to make his parents relax may be optimistic. Alison is also determined to deliver the best Christmas ever for the living and the dead, although the latter aren’t filled with festive cheer. It turns out Christmas just isn’t that much fun when you’re deceased. A new arrival in the house forces Julian (Simon Farnaby) to confront past wrongs and as he delves into memories of his former life, he has a revelation that could help the ghosts rediscover the real message of Christmas. Read our review

Available on BBC iPlayer until: November 2021

Motherland Christmas Special

It’s time for Amanda’s festive soiree (dress code: tinsel and tiaras), and nothing says Christmas like evil Santa, Anne’s Christmas cocktails and a ban on dark drinks indoors. Read our review

Available on BBC iPlayer until: 21st January 2021

King Gary Christmas Special

Butterchurn Crescent’s Christmas light display comes under threat when the neighbours reveal they can’t afford the electricity bill, so Gary vows to save Christmas. Read our review

Available on BBC iPlayer until: November 2021

Jack & the Beanstalk: After Ever After

Fee Fi Fo Fum, I smell the blood of David Walliams, who returns with another tale of what happens after happily ever after, this time looking into what happened after Jack felled the beanstalk and defeated the giant.

Available on NOW until: 20th January 2021

Also showing

Mary Berry Saves Christmas
Available on BBC iPlayer until: November 2021

Christmas Eve

Worzel Gummidge: Saucy Nancy

Following the adorable 2019 adaptation by Mackenzie Crook, BBC One has ordered another outing for the warm-hearted scarecrow, inspired by the classic books by Barbara Euphan Todd. Titled Saucy Nancy, the special sees Worzel and hew newfound human friends Susan and John visit a scrapyard, where Worzel overhears the grumbling of a foul-mouthed old friend – the carved ship’s figurehead, Saucy Nancy (Shirley Henderson). She has been languishing, unsold in the yard for years and longs to return to the sea. Worzel and the kids promise to get her there, but will her ship be waiting? Worzel doubts it, but Nancy is convinced. She can feel it in her carvings. Read our full review

Available on BBC iPlayer until: December 2021

Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse

Sky’s festive family drama is inspired by the true story of when a six-year old boy set off on a big adventure to meet his favourite author, Beatrix Potter. It’s a story of what can happen when you are brave enough to follow your dreams. The star-studded drama features Dawn French as Beatrix Potter, Harry Tayler as the young Roald Dahl, Jessica Hynes as Roald’s mother Sofie, Rob Brydon as Beatrix’s husband William Heelis, Nina Sosanya as publisher Anne Landy, Bill Bailey as a Bona Fide Gent, as well as Alison Steadman and Nick Mohammed. Read our full review

Available on Sky and NOW until: 21st January 2021

The Great Christmas Bake Off

Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith, Matt Lucas and Tom Allen are joined by past bakers to celebrate Christmas in the tent, while Alexandra Burke performs Silent Night. Read our full review

Available on All 4 until: 2nd February 2021

Cinderella: A Comic Relief Pantomime For Christmas

The worlds of theatre, film, comedy and music collide as Comic Relief presents a brand new ‘stay-at-home’ adaptation of the pantomime Cinderella. The timeless classic, rewritten by the award-winning Dawson Brothers and produced by Richard Curtis, sees a host of A-list stars take on some of the most iconic roles in panto. The stellar cast includes Olivia Colman as the Fairy Godmother, Guz Khan as Buttons, Helena Bonham Carter as Devilia, Tom Hollander as Baron Hardup and real-life sister and brother Daisy May and Charlie Cooper as the Evil Stepsisters. This virtual script-read guarantees big laughs whilst also raising money to fight loneliness, hunger and cold at home and abroad, both during Christmas and beyond. Read our review

Available on BBC iPlayer until: November 2021

Also showing

Miranda’s Games With Showbiz Names
Available on BBC iPlayer until: 22nd January 2021

Birds of a Feather: We Gotta Get Out of this Place
Available on ITV Hub

Christmas Day

Zog and the Flying Doctors

A sequel to 2018’s Zog, we catch up with Zog, Pearl and Gadabout as they become a flying doctor trio, caring for creatures including a mermaid, a unicorn and a sneezy lion. However, when bad weather forces them to land at the palace, Pearl is locked up by her uncle, the King. Zog and Gadabout try in vain to set her free. Pearl gets a chance to escape, but instead decides to stay and care for the ill King, in the process gaining his respect, regaining his love and with it her freedom. Sir Lenny Henry will lead the cast as the Narrator, joined by Rob Brydon (Gavin & Stacey) as King, Patsy Ferran (Laurence Olivier award winner) as Princess Pearl, Hugh Skinner (Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) as Zog, Daniel Ings (The Crown) as Sir Gadabout, Mark Bonnar (Quiz, Catastrophe) as Unicorn, Lucian Msamati (Talking Heads) as Lion and Alexandra Roach (Utopia) as Mermaid.

Available on BBC iPlayer until: 23rd January 2021

Victoria Wood: The Secret List

One of two hour-long programmes featuring sketches handpicked by Victoria Wood from her first solo series, As Seen on TV. With insight from friends and fans as well as rare and unseen footage.

Available on BBC iPlayer until: December 2021

Channel 4’s Alternative Christmas Message

While the Queen will deliver her traditional festive message to the Commonwealth at 3.06pm on BBC One on Christmas Day, Channel 4 will be using deepfake technology to present its Alternative Christmas Message. Mixing candid comments on scandals surrounding certain members of the royal family with a TikTok dance, it will be a stark warning about the advanced technology that is enabling the proliferation of misinformation and fake news in a digital age.

Available on All 4 until: 23rd January 2021

Bridgerton

Created by longtime Shonda Rhimes collaborator Chris Van Dusen (Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice), Bridgerton follows Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), the eldest daughter of the powerful Bridgerton family as she makes her debut onto Regency London’s competitive marriage market. Hoping to follow in her parent’s footsteps and find a match sparked by true love, Daphne’s prospects initially seem to be unrivaled. But as her older brother begins to rule out her potential suitors, the high society scandal sheet written by the mysterious Lady Whistledown casts aspersions on Daphne. Enter the highly desirable and rebellious Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page), committed bachelor and the catch of the season for the debutantes’ mamas. Despite proclaiming that they want nothing the other has to offer, their attraction is undeniable and sparks fly as they find themselves engaged in an increasing battle of wits while navigating society’s expectations for their future. Read our review

Available on: Netflix UK (£8.99 a month)

Quentin Blake’s Clown

Inspired by the book of the same name (and one of its author’s favourite creations), Quentin Blake’s Clown is a half-hour animation that brings to life the adventures of a little toy clown, who has been thrown away with a group of fellow toys by an owner who has outgrown them. Read our full review

Available on All 4 until: 23rd January 2021

Also showing

Strictly: The Christmas Countdown
Available on BBC iPlayer until: November 2021

Blankety Blank
Available on BBC iPlayer until: 23rd January 2021

Call the Midwife
Available on BBC iPlayer until: December 2021

Britain’s Got Talent Christmas Spectacular
Available on ITV Hub until: 23rd January 2021

Gogglebox 2020
Available on All 4 until: 7th February 2021

Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special
Available on BBC iPlayer until: December 2021

Boxing Day

Jimmy Carr’s Big Fat Quiz of the Year

Jimmy Carr returns for another edition of his quiz looking back at the events of 2020. He’s joined by James Acaster, Stacey Solomon, David Mitchell, Maya Jama, Richard Ayoade and Joe Lycett.

Available on All 4 until: 7th February 2021

The Masked Singer

The biggest new entertainment show of 2020 returns for a second season and with a brand-new panelist as BAFTA award-winning comedian Mo Gilligan takes up a chair and the challenge of figuring out who’s behind each singer’s mask. Read our review

Available on ITV Hub

Victoria Wood: The Secret List

The second of two hour-long programmes featuring sketches handpicked by Victoria Wood from her first solo series, As Seen on TV. With insight from friends and fans as well as rare and unseen footage.

Available on BBC iPlayer until: December 2021@

Also showing

Dr Seuss’ The Grinch Musical
Available on Sky and NOW until: 19th January 2021.

The Repair Shop at Christmas
Available on BBC iPlayer until: 21st January 2021@

27th December

Death to 2020

Featuring Hugh Grant, Samuel L Jackson, Lisa Kudrow, Kumail Nanjiani, Tracey Ullman, Samson Kayo, Leslie Jones, Cristin Milioti and Joe Keery – plus Diane Morgan – Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones’ comedy special will weave together some of the world’s most (fictitious) renowned voices with real-life archival footage spanning the past 12 months to tell the story of the dreadful year that was. Read our review

Available on: Netflix UK (£8.99 a month)

Black Narcissus

An adaptation from BAFTA-winning writer Amanda Coe (Apple Tree Yard) of Rumer Godden’s 1939 novel, this three-part series will bring to life once again the iconic tale of sexual repression and forbidden love, famously brought to the big screen by Powell and Pressburger. Gemma Arterton leads an all-star cast, including Alessandro Nivola, Aisling Franciosi, the late Diana Rigg, Jim Broadbent, Gina McKee, Rosie Cavaliero and Sister Briony, Patsy Ferran. Read our review

Available on BBC iPlayer until: November 2021@

30th December

Pandemonium

Tom Basden’s new sitcom follows the Jessops, who, with family morale at an all-time low, decide they’re going to have their summer holiday after all, even if it means doing it in October. In Margate. All filmed by their youngest son, Pandemonium charts the Jessops last, dogged attempt at some quality family time in 2020, despite the best efforts of a global pandemic to pull them apart. Read our review

Available on BBC iPlayer until: December 2021

Uncle Vanya

This production of the iconic Chekhov play, directed by Ian Rickson, was performed at London’s Harold Pinter Theatre at the start of the year. After its run was curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the BBC has stepped in to film a version of the production, which was produced during lockdown without an audience. The impressive cast were present, though, including Toby Jones, Richard Armitage, Rosalind Eleazar, Aimee Lou Wood, Anna Calder-Marshall, Dearbhla Molloy and Peter Wight, with Roger Allam replacing Ciarán Hinds. Read our review

Available on BBC iPlayer until: December 2021

Yearly Departed

Amazon Prime Video will say so long to 2020 with this new comedy special Yearly Departed, hosted by Phoebe Robinson (2 Dope Queens). It will feature a lineup of all-women comedians delivering eulogies to everything from casual sex to beige plasters and everything in between that we’ve “lost” in 2020.

Available on Amazon Prime Video

New Year’s Eve

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Part 4

Netflix’s incarnation of the teenage witch, pitched somewhere between Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, with a hint of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, returns for its fourth and final chapter, as conflict is about to erupt between witches and mortals and the stakes for Sabrina are higher than ever.

Available on Netflix UK

Also showing

The Graham Norton Show
Available on BBC iPlayer until: January 2022

The Last Leg
Available on All 4 until: 10th January 2021

Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny
Available on BBC iPlayer until: 30th January 2021

Alicia Keys Rocks New Years Eve
Available on BBC iPlayer until: 30th January 2021

New Year’s Day

Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks

The seasonal special will see the return of one of the Doctor’s biggest and most feared enemies, as The Doctor is locked away in a high-security alien prison. Isolated, alone, with no hope of escape, she is far from her best friends, Yaz, Ryan and Graham, who have to pick up their lives on Earth without her. But it’s not easy. Old habits die hard. Especially when they discover a disturbing plan forming. A plan which involves a Dalek. How can you fight a Dalek, without the Doctor? Enter John Barrowman, who reprises his role of Captain Jack.

Available on BBC iPlayer until: December 2021

The Serpent

Inspired by real events, The Serpent tells the remarkable story of how the conman and murderer Charles Sobhraj (Tahar Rahim) was brought to justice. Posing as a gem dealer, Sobhraj and his girlfriend Marie-Andrée Leclerc (Jenna Coleman) travelled across Thailand, Nepal and India in 1975 and 1976, carrying out a spree of crimes on the Asian ‘Hippie Trail’ and becoming the chief suspects in a series of murders of young Western travellers.

Available on BBC iPlayer until: December 2021

Taskmaster’s New Year Treat

Taskmaster’s New Year Treat will welcome five famous faces from radically different specialities and set ludicrous challenges supervised by Greg Davies and his Little Assistant Alex Horne. Competing to win the coveted Taskmaster trophy will be: acclaimed film actor John Hannah (Four Weddings and Funeral), journalist and leading Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy (Ways to Change the World Podcast), actress Nicola Coughlan (Derry Girls), television and radio presenter Rylan Clark-Neal, and internationally renowned dancer Shirley Ballas (Strictly Come Dancing, BBC One). Read our review

Available on All 4 until: 31st January 2021

Frankie Boyle’s 2020 New World Order

Frankie Boyle returns with his New World Order end-of-year special, where, with the help of his guests, he dissects the bewildering year that was 2020.

Available on BBC iPlayer until: December 2021

Also showing

Mrs Brown’s Boys New Year Special
Available on BBC iPlayer until: December 2021

 

Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing

Gone Christmas Fishing follows Bob Mortimer as he returns to his childhood roots in Middlesbrough to fish and reminisce with his dear friend and angling mentor Paul Whitehouse. Read our review

Available on BBC iPlayer until November 2021

The Goes Wrong Show: The Nativity

The team return with their take on the nativity, where the angel Gabriel develops a firework obsession, a donkey-actor argument results in unnecessary nudity, and there is way too much fire. Read our review

Available on BBC iPlayer until November 2021

Upstart Crow: Lockdown Christmas 1603

The plague has hit London, and as Christmas approaches, Will and Kate are in wave fifteen of state-enforced home confinement together in Will’s London lodgings. Read our review

Available on BBC iPlayer until November 2021

All Creatures Great and Small

James is trying to bury his pain over Helen and has invited his new girlfriend Connie to the annual Skeldale Christmas party in this festive outing for the revival of the classic TV series.

Available on My5 until 21st January 2021

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