For some of us, if the run-up to Christmas wasn’t already busy enough as it is, there’s often not a moment to breathe on the big day itself between presents being opened, travelling to see people, entertaining guests, slaving over a hot stove for hours, and eating plenty of food.
Sometimes though, you may find yourself twiddling your thumbs with some time to spare, and that’s why the distraction of festive television is so brilliant.
For others, sitting around to watch the TV is an important part of Christmas itself.
No matter what your situation is, there’s some cracking things to watch on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year – with classic seasonal films, to festive specials of our favourite shows, and a few family-friendly additions all on the agenda.
Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2024 / Credit: BBC
We’ve all come to expect a Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special at this point, haven’t we? After the iconic ballroom dance competition programme has been bringing us smaller, festive editions of the show we all know and love since 2004, it’s back once again this Christmas Day.
Six celebrity contestants will be taking to the floor to impress judges the judges and battle it out for the Christmas glitter ball trophy.
You can catch Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One at 3:55pm on Christmas Day.
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Doctor Who Christmas Special
BBC One
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Christmas Day – 5:10pm
Doctor Who Christmas Special / Credit: BBC Studios
What would Christmas be without a Doctor Who special?
The long-running sci-fi series is back where it belongs with another festive episode on Christmas Day this year, and we can’t wait.
The episode introduces Joy, played by Nicola Coughlan, who checks into a London hotel in 2024, only to discover that her quiet stay is anything but ordinary. When Joy opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel, she discovers danger, dinosaurs, and the Doctor… but a deadly plan is unfolding across Earth, just in time for Christmas.
You can catch the Doctor Who Christmas Special on BBC One at 5:10pm on Christmas Day.
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Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
BBC One
Christmas Day – 6:10pm
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl / Credit: BBC
Wallace & Gromit make their long-awaited return with a new feature-length adventure.
Wallace and his pre-programmed smart gnome, Norbot, are the main suspects after a recent crime wave of stolen garden goods across the region… but while Wallace proclaims his innocence, it’s up to Gromit once again to battle sinister forces, or Wallace will never invent again.
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Who could possibly be behind such evil actions? Rightfully behind bars after all this time, Feathers McGraw is back with vengeance.
Directed by Nick Park, Reece Shearsmith provides the voice of Norbot, and Peter Kay is Chief Inspector Macintosh, alongside other famous names such as Diane Morgan, Adjoa Andoh, and Lenny Henry.
You can watch Wallace & Gromit: Most Vengeance Fowl on BBC One at 6:10pm on Christmas Day.
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Gavin & Stacey: The Finale
BBC One
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Christmas Day – 9pm
Gavin & Stacey: The Finale / Credit: BBC
9pm. Christmas Day 2024. The end of an era is here.
It’s been five whole years since we left Nessa down on one knee declaring her love for Smithy and asking him to marry her… and a lot has happened in those five years.
This Christmas, fans of the long-running sitcome will be able to join on the journey to Barry and Billericay as we catch up with the Shipmans and the Wests for the very last time, and maybe find out what exactly did happen on that fishing trip.
You can watch Gavin and Stacey: The Finale on Christmas Day on BBC One at 9pm.
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Outnumbered
BBC One
Boxing Day – 9:40pm
Outnumbered / Credit: BBC
Our final long-awaited Christmas Special comeback is here… are you ready to be Outnumbered once again?
In a moment of adversity, Sue and Pete gather all their children – who are now adults, and have their own hurdles to navigate in the real world – and one grandchild to try to celebrate a traditional family Christmas.
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Their new house is smaller, the children are bigger, and within the chaos, an uninvited house guest overstays their welcome.
You can watch Outnumbered on Boxing Day on BBC One at 9:40pm.
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Fancy something extra?
If you’ve got even more time on your hands to kill, and you’re looking to get stuck into even more festive TV action, not just being newly released this year, then we’ve rounded up what we think are 10 of the best Christmas Specials of all time.
What’s your thoughts on this – do you agree? Or are we missing your favourite pick?
Featured Image – BBC
TV & Showbiz
New BBC series based on bestselling book to film in Manchester with big-name actors
Emily Sergeant
A new BBC series based on a bestselling book is set to begin filming in Manchester.
The new series, titled You Are Here, is described as being an ‘honest, witty, and tender’ love story based on David Nicholls’ critically acclaimed novel of the same name – with the author having also written the eight-part adaptation set to be directed Lenny Abrahamson, who is best known for BBC‘s cult-classic miniseries Normal People, and the Oscar-nominated Room (2015).
Set along the Coast to Coast walking trail from the Lake District to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire, You Are Here tells the story of Marnie and Michael.
When a mutual friend throws them together, Marnie and Michael unexpectedly find themselves setting off on an epic walk.
Against the odds, they end up on the brink of a relationship that neither was looking for, but might be exactly what they both need.
Treading the tricky path from loneliness to love, Marnie and Michael go coast-to-coast across the stunning English countryside, navigating an undeniable attraction along the way that is just as exhilarating as it is terrifying.
📚 Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen lead the cast of You Are Here, adapted from David Nicholls' best-selling novel
Producers say the series is about finding a connection when you least expect it and overcoming the obstacles of midlife.
Set to be filmed across Manchester and the Lake District, it has been announced that respected actors Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen will take on the lead roles of Marnie and Michael.
“I’m so delighted to be working on You Are Here with Element, the BBC, Starz, and Lenny, whose work I’ve admired for many years,” commented David Nicholls.
“And Matthew and Claire are both just dream casting, wonderful in comedy and drama, so detailed and thoughtful and sympathetic.
“The intention with the novel was to write a close-up study of a relationship, but set against this magnificent landscape, and that’s our ambition here too – to make something both intimate and epic, funny and dramatic, a romantic comedy with real emotion.
“We can’t wait to bring Marnie and Michael’s journey to the screen.”
Featured Image – Juankr and Josh Wool (via BBC Press Office)
TV & Showbiz
North West comedy podcast set to ‘replace Live at the Apollo’ with FREE YouTube alternative
Danny Jones
Hit North West comedy podcast Have A Word has said that it will be “replacing” Live at the Apollo following the beloved British stand-up show being cancelled this past July.
The popular Have A Word pod is one of the biggest in the UK, not to mention boasting one of the biggest Patreon memberships around.
Famously described by executive producer and co-host Carl Reigler, as well as its most avid followers, as a ‘FREE podcast that more than 32,000 people still choose to pay for’, their in-house studio already puts out regular monthly specials, produces fellow comedians’ stand-up specials and other podcasts.
And now, it looks like they’re aiming to fill the void left by Live at the Apollo, stating that they “believe there needs to be a regular stand-up series that showcases the best comedians in the country.”
Sharing a lengthy statement on their social media accounts, they wrote: “A combination of big names and the comics you haven’t heard of yet that are about to become your new favourite. But maybe it doesn’t need to be on terrestrial TV anymore…
“We are going to create that show and release it on [their] YouTube. The platform is already being utilised for comics to self-release specials; however, this, we believe, will be the first series of its kind on the platform.”
Led by Scouse comic Adam Rowe and former Manchester resident turned ‘Beat The Frog’ co-founder Dan Nightingale – who we were lucky enough to talk to chat with back in 2022 – they’ve given guest appearances to countless up-and-coming stars on the modern circuit.
Nightingale, who also founded the infamous ‘Beat The Frog’ format at the Frog and Bucket in the Northern Quarter, also compères regular nights as part of the Comedians Club Chester, providing even more opportunities for rising stars within the genre to get up on stage.
They go on to say, “We want to use the channel we’ve built to give comics an opportunity to do their stuff without the shackles and censorship that naturally come with broadcast TV. We believe there needs to be a regular stand-up series that showcases the best comedians in the country.
“A combination of big names and the comics you haven’t heard of yet that are about to become your new favourite. But maybe it doesn’t need to be on terrestrial TV anymore…”
In case you missed the news and how the unfortunate axing has come about (besides digital entertainment and streaming becoming increasingly dominant), you can find the full story down below.
22 years of spotlighting stand-up stars from all over.
Circling back to the mission statement from the pod crew, they signed off by adding, “This is the most excited we have been about a project for quite some time.”
“We cannot wait to show you what we do with this.”
Speaking on their most recent Patreon exclusive episode, Rowe went on to detail that they will be running the new live and straight-to-digital show from grassroots comedy venues, promising that the duo will not only MC, but also perform new material and spotlight at least two other talents on every episode.
The outpouring of support for the project has already begun, with plenty of fellow comics, podcast listeners, comedy fans and more praising the idea in the comments, racking up hundreds of responses and more than 12.7k comments on their Instagram alone.
What do you make of the plans to become ‘the new home’ of live comedy broadcasting?
Meanwhile, viewers and famous alumni alike are still mourning the loss of the UK TV institution, with the likes of another ex-Manc resident and UoM graduate Jack Whitehall, among many others, sharing old routines and crediting the programme’s influence on generations of the live stand-up circuit.
Sad to see Live at The Apollo is coming to an end. I remember watching it with Jack Dee as a teenager and being so excited when I finally got on it myself. End of an era. pic.twitter.com/vszlQ32Hxp
Emily Sergeant -
23rd December 2024 
