For a lot 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 TV is so brilliant.
For others, sitting around to watch the TV is an important part of Christmas Day itself.
No matter what your situation is, there’s some cracking things to watch on Christmas Day this year – with classic seasonal films, to festive specials of our favourite shows, and a few family-friendly additions all on the agenda – so we’ve rounded-up the best of the bunch to create our TV guide.
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Here’s five of our picks.
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The Snowman & The Snowman and the Snowdog
Channel 4 – 3:55pm
The Snowman and the Snowdog / Credit: Channel 4 & Robin Shaw Illustrator
You can’t have one without the other.
Starting off this list with some classics that so many of us grew up with, and are perfect for all the family to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Christmas Day and sit down and watch.
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The Snowman (1982) tells the charming tale of how James – a young boy who wakes up one Christmas Eve morning to the heaviest snows he’s ever seen – rushes out to make a snowman, and then the magic begins. While the sequel, The Snowman and the Snowdog (2012) see a boy’s snowman and snowdog come to life at the stroke of midnight to take him on an adventure to the North Pole, before returning home – where a surprise awaits.
You can catch both The Snowman at 3:55pm, followed by The Snowman and the Snowdog at 4:30pm on Channel 4.
Strictly Come Dancing
BBC One – 5:10pm
Strictly Come Dancing / Credit: BBC & Guy Levy
We’ve all come to expect 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 again this Christmas Day, with celebrity contestants Jay Blades, Fred Sirieix, Mel Giedroyc, Moira Stuart, Anne-Marie, and Adrian Chiles taking to the floor to impress judges the judges and battle it out for the Christmas glitter ball trophy.
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The contestants will also be performing a group routine alongside the professional dancers, and there will be musical performances from guests Jamie Cullum and Gary Barlow.
You can catch Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One at 5:10pm.
Call The Midwife
BBC One – 8pm
Call The Midwife / Credit: BBC iPlayer
Beloved BBC drama Call The Midwife is another show that’s become very well-known for its Christmas specials over the years – and 2021 is absolutely no different.
In this episode, the Christmas of 1966 promises to be a memorable one at Nonnatus House, as Lucille and Cyril prepare for their upcoming winter wedding, but the midwives are faced with their busiest Christmas Day ever, with the Maternity Home is filled with expectant mums to be, each with their own challenging case.
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You can catch Call The Midwife on BBC One at 8pm.
The Great British Bake Off
Channel 4 – 8pm
The Great British Bake Off / Credit: GBBO & Channel 4
The Great British Bake Off is once again back with a Christmas special for the big day.
Bringing all the drama and baking-related puns we’ve come to know and love from the original series over the years, but just with a little festive cheer, judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, and hosts Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding invite the stars from the award-winning hit drama It’s a Sin to join them in the famous tent to celebrate Christmas.
Olly Alexander, Nathaniel Curtis, Lydia West, and Shaun Dooley will all be competing for the coveted ‘Christmas Star Baker’ title.
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You can catch The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 and 8pm.
Love Actually
ITV – 10:40pm
Love Actually / Credit: Studio Canal
We couldn’t write this list up without including at least one Christmas film.
Although watching Christmas films throughout December in the lead-up to the big day to get into the spirit is often a big part of the festive season for many of us, there’s always room to watch a film one last time on Christmas Day – and this one couldn’t be on at a more perfect time for the grown-ups and hopeless romantics.
Love Actually (2003) is a Christmas-themed romantic comedy film featuring a star-studded cast that delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving people, who all end up being linked to each other as the tales progress.
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You can catch Love Actually on ITV at 10:40pm.
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Featured Image – BBC | Studio Canal
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Manchester has been named one of the most ‘affordable’ cities in the UK – this is why
Emily Sergeant
A list of the top 10 most affordable cities in the UK has been revealed, and Manchester has made the cut for one very specific reason.
On a bit of a budget? Aren’t we all.
The cost of living crisis has been raging on for quite a few years now, and unfortunately, despite how much we all wish for it to, it doesn’t appear to be slowing down – with prices for everyday items, especially typical fridge and cupboard stables, shooting up by the day, even though supermarkets are showing efforts to prevent it.
And it’s the noticeable price increases in groceries that led delivery insurance provider, Street Cover, to uncover which UK cities don’t strain your food shopping budgets too much just yet.
As it was found that food and non-alcoholic drinks inflation reached 1.3% this past summer, a new study has revealed that Sheffield is officially the most affordable city in the UK, with several other northern locations on the list.
Manchester has been named one of the most ‘affordable’ cities in the UK / Credit: MCC | Aldi
The study compared the 2026 Grocery Index for the largest UK cities with the UK average, as well as available 2025 Grocery Indices, to track the changes in food affordability.
The cities are ranked by the index difference from the national average – which is 67.3 – but the report also uses direct monetary values for a grocery basket to provide some additional context too.
Manchester took sixth place on the list, with an average grocery basket price of £23.08, while some of the other northern cities in the top 10, besides Sheffield at number one, include Liverpool, Leeds, and Newcastle.
Top 10 Most Affordable UK Cities For Groceries
Sheffield
Milton Keynes
Liverpool
Reading
Newcastle
Manchester
Leeds
Bristol
Cardiff
Southampton
As the only other North West city in the top 10, Liverpool may have come in third place overall, but the study found that the grocery bill here is the smallest in terms of actual monetary numbers – with it setting shoppers back £22.08 for a regular supermarket basket, which is a whole £1 cheaper than in Manchester.
“Data shows households in the North East of England have the lowest average food spend in the country, around 11% below the UK average, while Yorkshire sits 6.6% below,” Al Taylor, who is the Head of Street Cover, commented on the study’s findings.
“Sheffield’s position at the top reflects lower property costs for retailers, less competition from premium chains, and a supermarket landscape dominated by value-led options.
“The practical implication for household budgets is significant – the difference between budget and premium shopping can easily be £1,000 or more per year for a family, which can be spent on other things or saved for future plans.”
Featured Image – Aldi
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Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’
Emily Sergeant
Call yourself a clever clogs? The BBC is currently looking for contestants to take part in what is widely considered the hardest quiz show on TV.
That’s right – Only Connect is back for another series on BBC Two.
Presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell and first broadcast all the way back in 2008, Only Connect takes TV quizzing to the next level, as it sees two teams compete against each other by finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues.
In this quiz show – which viewers have dubbed one of the most challenging there is – knowledge only takes you so far, as the ability to think laterally is also deemed ‘vitally important’.
A casting call for the upcoming 2027 series has been shared on the BBC website, with people from Greater Manchester encouraged to apply.
Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’ / Credit: BBC
The casting call reads: “The popular BBC Two quiz show presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell returns for a new series in 2027.
“Only Connect is seeking teams of three players OR single applicants or teams of two looking for like-minded teammates to pool their combined wits to solve fiendish conundrums and vexing puzzles.
“This is the quiz series where, as in life itself, knowledge will only take you so far: patience and lateral thinking are also vital. It’s all about making connections between things which may appear, at first glance, not to be connected at all.”
Reckon you’ve got what it takes then? Applications are now open, and all applicants must be aged 18 or over and a resident in the UK or Channel Islands.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd December 2021 
