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.

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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

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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.”

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

Mercury Prize 2026 review: RAYE takes home the crown as Newcastle celebrates the very best in music

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

One of the biggest nights in music kicked off last night as the Mercury Prize 2026 was awarded.

If there was ever a night to fall head over heels in love with British and Irish music, the 2026 Mercury Prize made a very convincing case.

Bringing together some of the country’s most exciting artists under one roof in Newcastle, this year’s ceremony was a reminder of just how much talent is packed into the current music scene.

From established legends to the names shaping what comes next, it was an absolute belter.

Images: Audio North

Held at the Newcastle Utilita Arena for the second year running, I think everybody in that room felt very lucky to be there to see firsthand who took home the coveted prize.

The shortlist brought together an impressive mix of artists, with Florence + The Machine, Olivia Dean, JADE, Suede, Pulp, Dave and Sir Paul McCartney among the big names making the lineup very star studded indeed.

Suede kicked things off with ‘Dancing With The Europeans’, bringing their unmistakable energy to the ceremony, while Pulp delivered ‘Begging For Change’ as part of the HELP(2) charity compilation.

 
 
 
 
 
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It was a line-up that demonstrated the sheer range of music being made across the UK and Ireland, from contemporary pop to established rock and even jungle thanks to Bradford’s own Nia Archives.

And of course, there was one woman who had every reason to leave with a smile on her face.

RAYE took home the coveted Mercury Prize for THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE., an ambitious, genre-hopping album that blends jazz, soul, R&B and classical influences into something so fabulously unique.

Image: Audio North

Newcastle’s own Knats performance was definitely a highlight of the evening, combining slick jazz with spoken-word poetry against a projection of The Tyne Bridge.

A fitting image, and one that underlines the importance of holding such huge events in the north and highlighting the obvious talent that thrives here.

The 2026 Mercury Prize was a brilliant showcase of the country’s music at its best.

And with RAYE taking home the trophy, it’s clear there is plenty of ‘hope’ left in British music.

Read more:

Featured image – Audio North

TV & Showbiz

Chester Zoo welcomes The Traitors stars Claudia and Alan – but it’s not what you think

Lydia Mastrolonardo Lydia Mastrolonardo Chester Zoo welcomes The Traitors stars Claudia and Alan - and they're vultures

No, Chester Zoo isn’t keeping actual Claudia Winkleman and Alan Carr in enclosures – everybody stand down.

The zoo is in fact welcoming its first pair of hooded vultures, to hopefully boost the critically endangered species, and they just so happen to be named after some of our favourite celebrities from The Traitors.

As famous as Alan Carr and Claudia Winkleman are, these two give them a run for their money, as the first of their kind to ever come to Chester Zoo – making them pretty big celebs in the animal kingdom.

The pair of vultures are currently nestling in to their new home, alongside their new white-headed vulture roommates, at the Heart of Africa aviary. It is here that conservationists are hoping the newly bonded pair will start a family, as part of a Europe-wide breeding programme, to help safeguard their species from extinction – no pressure or anything.

Bird Keeper Heather-Anne Pedley said: “Alan and Claudia came to us from the Horstmann Trust, a conservation breeding centre for vultures, where they are an established breeding pair. We named them
after Traitors stars Alan Carr and Claudia Winkelman, because what better way to reflect how funny and engaging they are, than to name them after two national treasures?

“Nobody prepared me for how much I would fall in love with them, their antics and characters. They look like they’ve just put a hood up, and they have this beautiful blue ring around their eyes, like natural eyeliner.”

Alan and Claudia, Chester Zoo's new vultures
Alan and Claudia, Chester Zoo’s new vultures. Credit: Chester Zoo

Hooded vultures are distinctive with dark brown feathers, a buff ‘hood’ and a bald face and throat, with wingspans of up to 180cm. They are native to west, central and southern Africa, where they typically pick up their lunch by soaring over the land, looking for carcasses to feed upon as part of ‘nature’s clean-up crew.’

It’s not all gore though, they are very active, clever and interested in their environment. The couples are monogamous, will preen each other, gently touch each other’s bills and co-build nests – quite the romantics.

Heather-Anne added: “This pair are real love birds, and we are hopeful they’ll go on to breed. Any youngsters they go on to have will become part of a European conservation breeding programme, helping to create an insurance population for this incredibly rare species.

“In the wild, vultures help prevent zoonotic diseases – illnesses that can spread between species – because their stomach acid is so strong they can eat decaying meat that other animals would not be able to digest. This helps prevent the spread of diseases like anthrax and botulism into the soil.”

Despite their crucial role across various ecosystems, vulture numbers are declining and they are now sadly classified as critically endangered, according to the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.

This decline is driven by mid-air collisions or accidental electrocution by scanning the ground for prey whilst perched on uninsulated power lines. These birds are also at risk of being poisoned or even hunted to facilitate an unsustainable demand for vulture body parts and eggs to be used in traditional medicine and rituals, while there is no scientific evidence to support this use.

We are really rooting these two and hope that they settle into their new home.

Read more…

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