TV & Showbiz

Five of the best things to watch on TV this Christmas 2023

We've rounded-up the best of the bunch to create our own festive TV guide.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 19th December 2023

Christmas is a hectic time.

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.

So, just like we have done for the past couple of years, we’ve once again rounded-up the best of the bunch to create our TV guide.

Here’s just five of our picks.

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Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2023

BBC One

Christmas Day – 4:40pm

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2023 / 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, with celebrity contestants such as actor Jamie Borthwick, Sugababes star Keisha Buchanan, newsreader Sally Nugent, and more, all taking to the floor to impress judges the judges and battle it out for the Christmas glitter ball trophy.

The contestants will also be performing a group routine alongside the professional dancers, and there’ll be some merry musical performances from special guests too.

You can catch Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One at 4:40pm on Christmas Day.

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Doctor Who Christmas Special

BBC One

Christmas Day – 5:55pm

Doctor Who Christmas Special / Credit: BBC

What would Christmas be without a Doctor Who special?

Fans absolutely devoured the three 60th anniversary specials last month, and now, the long-running sci-fi series is back where it belongs on Christmas Day with another festive episode.

Aside from new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa confirmed to be making his first appearance in the iconic role, the BBC is keeping plot points about the upcoming episode pretty vague this year, with a synopsis for it online simply reading: “Long ago, on Christmas Eve, a baby was abandoned in the snow. Today, Ruby Sunday meets the Doctor, goblins, stolen babies and, perhaps, the secret of her birth.”

You can catch this year’s Doctor Who Christmas Special on BBC One at 5:55pm on Christmas Day, and watch a new chapter begin.

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Not Going Out

BBC One

Christmas Eve – 10pm

Not Going Out / Credit: BBC

Not Going Out is back for yet another Christmas special this year.

Lee Mack’s multi award-winning comedy series – which is now the longest running sitcom on air – is set to return with a new Christmas special this Christmas Eve, and not only that, but it’ll actually be the show’s 100th episode in total.

A synopsis for the festive episode on the BBC website reads: “Brace for yuletide suburban chaos, as Lee throws everything at creating the perfect family Christmas, agreeing to Lucy’s wishes to do something charitable and having “a normal Christmas where nothing goes wrong.” This moment of festive spirit sees the couple invite Wilfred, a lonely pensioner from the nearby care home, to join them for Christmas dinner. The only instruction is that Wilfred is not, under any circumstances, allowed to drink alcohol.”

You can catch the Not Going Out Christmas special on BBC One on Christmas Eve at 10pm.

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Mog’s Christmas

Channel 4

Christmas Eve – 7:45pm

Mog’s Christmas / Credit: Channel 4

A special animated adaptation of Judith Kerr’s much-loved classic children’s book, Mog’s Christmas, is coming to Channel 4 on Christmas Eve.

Created to celebrate Kerr’s 100th birthday, a synopsis for the Christmas special on the Channel 4 website reads: “Mr and Mrs Thomas and their children Debbie and Nicky are busy making preparations for Christmas. With two Aunts and a jolly Uncle staying in the house, Mog, the beloved family cat, is feeling a bit ignored. When Mr Thomas and the two children arrive home with an enormous Christmas tree, Mog takes fright and scrambles onto the roof for safety. Regardless of the Thomas family’s attempts to rescue her, Mog refuses to come down.

“Despite everyone’s fears, Mog has a magical night in the snow with a cat themed Christmas dream, but will Mog arrive back home in time for Christmas Day?”

You can catch Mog’s Christmas on Channel 4 on Christmas Eve at 7:45pm.

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Christmas with the Royle Family

BBC Two

Christmas Day – 9:15pm

Christmas with the Royle Family / Credit: BBC

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas for many Mancs without the Royle Family… and luckily, BBC Two has decided to dedicate a big chunk of its Christmas Day programming schedule to one of the sitcom’s beloved stars – the late Caroline Aherne.

As well as celebrating Aherne’s career, a re-run of The Royle Family’s classic Christmas episode – which is titled ‘Christmas With The Royle Family’, and first hit screens back in December 1999 – will be aired.

You can catch Christmas with the Royle Family on BBC Two on Christmas Day at 9:15pm.

Fancy something extra?

Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy

‘Christmas with the Royle Family’ isn’t the only time you’ll get to see Caroline Aherne on TV this Christmas Day either, as in addition to BBC Two’s run of programming dedicated to the late Manc icon, there’s also set to be a new TV special celebrating her “unique life and talent” too.

Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy will feature unseen photographs and contributions from a cast of her lifelong friends – including Steve Coogan, Jon Thompson, Craig Cash, and producer Andy Harries.

Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy / Credit: BBC

You can catch Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy on BBC Two on Christmas Day at 10:25pm, and find out more about the special programme here.

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Featured Image – BBC

TV & Showbiz

Single Mancs wanted to take part in next series of Married At First Sight UK

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Okay, bold question time – would you marry a complete stranger?

If you (somehow) answered yes to that, then you’ll probably be keen to hear that hit Channel 4 reality show, Married at First Sight UK, is currently on the lookout for brave contestants to take part in the next series.

And you’ll probably be even keener to hear that casting directors are urging single Mancs to stick an application in… if they fancy it.

If you haven’t seen Married at First Sight yet, well then firstly, where have you been? And secondly, it’s a dating show like no other that sees singletons marry complete strangers in a social experiment – and it’s undoubtedly binge-worthy and extremely entertaining.

MAFS UK
Married at First Sight UK has opened its casting for the next series / Credit: Channel 4

Contestants – who will not have met or had contact with each other until the wedding day – are matched up with their supposed ‘perfect match’, determined by a group of experts who use “scientific matchmaking methods”.

Once the contestants are married off, the camera follows them for five weeks to see whether the new relationship is a success or not.

Calling on singletons to put their faith in the matchmaking service, Channel 4 wrote in the casting announcement on the ‘Take Part’ section of its website: “If you are ready to swipe left to the dating apps and say ‘I do’ at the altar, then our experts are here to help you find the one.”

Channel 4 wants singletons to put their faith in the matchmaking service / Credit: Channel 4

Casting directors say singles of all ages, backgrounds, gender identities, and sexualities are ‘welcome to apply’ for the new series.

Fancy it then?

Applications are currently open for the next series, and to apply to the show, you just need to be over 18 years of age, live in the UK, and feel ready for marriage.

Read more:

Find out more and apply here.

Featured Image – Channel 4

TV & Showbiz

BBC is looking for messy Mancs who need to ‘sort their life out’ to take part in new series

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Do you need to sort your life out?

We get that this may sound like a pretty brutal and upfront question to ask, but don’t shoot the messenger, it’s technically the BBC asking it, as producers are currently on the hunt for messy people who could do with ‘sorting their life out’ to take part in the new series of one of its hit TV shows – and they’re encouraging Greater Manchester residents to apply.

While the title of the show may, quite literally, be Sort Your Life Out, we promise it’s not as harsh as it seems, as in reality, it’s just offering you a helping hand to tidy up.

That’s right, if you would you like your home to be totally transformed by none other than Stacey Solomon and her expert team, then through a life-changing declutter, supersize spring clean, and some ingenious carpentry solutions to top things off, you could bring some job back to where you live.

The BBC is looking for messy Mancs who need to ‘sort their life out’ to take part in new series / Credit: BBC | FreerangeStock

Stacey and her expert team of organising fanatics can help you let go of the things you don’t need, and streamline what you do.

Plus they’ll also help to create space-saving storage and put systems in place to save you time and money in the future.

“Whether you have a new baby on the way, want to run a business from home, find it hard to let go of sentimental items or just want to create calm in the chaos, we’d love to hear from you,” producers said in a casting call on the BBC website.

Does this process sounds like something you could benefit from then? Producers of the hit show are looking for families or shared households to take part in a potential future series.

Read more:

Find out more and apply to Sort Your Life Out on the BBC website here.

Featured Image – BBC

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