List of Christmas television episodes and specials in the United Kingdom facts for kids
Christmas in the United Kingdom is a special time, and a big part of the fun is watching festive TV shows! These are often special episodes of regular series or unique shows made just for Christmas. They bring families together to enjoy stories, laughter, and music during the holiday season.
Contents
Drama Specials
Christmas drama specials in the UK often tell heartwarming or exciting stories. Many popular TV series create special episodes that air around Christmas.
BBC Drama
The BBC has produced many memorable Christmas dramas over the years. Here are some well-known ones:
| Series | Episode/Special | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cranford | Christmas Special | 2009 | A festive story from the popular period drama. |
| A Christmas Carol | 2019 | A three-part miniseries based on the classic Christmas story. | |
All Creatures Great and Small
This show about a country vet often had lovely Christmas episodes.
| Episode | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Merry Gentlemen | 1978 | |
| Brotherly Love | 1990 |
Call the Midwife
This popular show about midwives in East London always has a much-loved Christmas special.
| Episode | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas Special | 2012 | The first of many festive episodes. |
| Christmas Special | 2013 | |
| Christmas Special | 2014 | |
| Christmas Special | 2015 | |
| Christmas Special | 2016 | |
| Christmas Special | 2017 | |
| Christmas Special | 2018 | |
| Christmas Special | 2019 | |
| Christmas Special | 2020 | |
| Christmas Special | 2021 | |
| Christmas Special | 2022 |
Doctor Who
The Doctor often saves the world (or universe!) during Christmas in these special episodes.
| Episode/Special | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| "The Christmas Invasion" | 2005 | The first Christmas special for the Tenth Doctor. |
| "The Runaway Bride" | 2006 | The Doctor meets Donna Noble. |
| "Voyage of the Damned" | 2007 | A Christmas adventure on a spaceship. |
| "A Christmas Carol" | 2010 | A Doctor Who twist on the classic tale. |
| "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe" | 2011 | Inspired by C.S. Lewis's Narnia stories. |
| "The Snowmen" | 2012 | Introducing Clara Oswald. |
| "The Time of the Doctor" | 2013 | The Eleventh Doctor's final story. |
| "Last Christmas" | 2014 | A dream-like adventure with Santa. |
| "The Husbands of River Song" | 2015 | River Song returns for a festive caper. |
| "The Return of Doctor Mysterio" | 2016 | The Doctor teams up with a superhero. |
| "Twice Upon a Time" | 2017 | The Twelfth Doctor's final story, meeting the First Doctor. |
ITV Drama
ITV also brings out many festive dramas, often featuring popular detective shows or family sagas.
| Series/Special | Episode | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | The Blue Carbuncle | 1984 | A Christmas mystery for the famous detective. |
| Agatha Christie's Poirot | Hercule Poirot's Christmas | 1995 | A festive murder mystery for Poirot. |
| A Christmas Carol | 2000 | Another adaptation of the classic Dickens story. | |
| Foyle's War | Bleak Midwinter | 2007 | A wartime Christmas mystery. |
Downton Abbey
This popular period drama often had grand Christmas specials.
| Episode/Special | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas at Downton Abbey | 2011 | Season 2's festive episode. |
| A Journey to the Highlands | 2012 | The family travels for Christmas. |
| The London Season | 2013 | |
| A Moorland Holiday | 2014 | |
| The Finale | 2015 | The very last episode of the series. |
Midsomer Murders
Even in the quiet villages of Midsomer, Christmas can bring unexpected mysteries.
| Episode | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Ghosts of Christmas Past | 2004 | A spooky Christmas tale. |
| Days of Misrule | 2008 | |
| The Christmas Haunting | 2013 |
Comedy Specials
Christmas is a time for laughter, and UK TV channels offer many funny specials from beloved comedy shows.
BBC Comedy
The BBC has a long history of creating hilarious Christmas comedy specials.
| Series/Special | Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absolutely Fabulous | Cold Turkey | 2003 | A chaotic Christmas for Patsy and Edina. |
| Blackadder | Blackadder's Christmas Carol | 1988 | A funny twist on the classic Christmas story. |
| Bottom | Holy | 1992 | Richie and Eddie's disastrous Christmas. |
| Gavin & Stacey | Christmas Special | 2008, 2019 | Two very popular festive episodes. |
| The Good Life | Silly, But It's Fun | 1977 | A simple, funny Christmas. |
| The Office | Christmas specials | 2003 | The final, much-anticipated episodes of the show. |
Dad's Army
This classic comedy about the Home Guard during WWII had several Christmas-themed episodes.
| Episode | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Resisting the Aggressor Down the Ages | 1969 | |
| Battle of the Giants! | 1971 | |
| Broadcast to the Empire | 1972 | |
| Turkey Dinner | 1974 |
Keeping Up Appearances
Hyacinth Bucket's attempts at a perfect Christmas often go hilariously wrong.
| Episode | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| The Father Christmas Suit | 1991 | |
| Sea Fever | 1993 | |
| Angel Gabriel Blue | 1994 | |
| The Pageant | 1995 |
Only Fools and Horses
This much-loved comedy about Del Boy and Rodney Trotter had many iconic Christmas specials.
| Series | Episode/Specials | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Only Fools and Horses | Christmas Crackers | 1981 | |
| Thicker Than Water | 1983 | ||
| To Hull and Back | 1985 | A feature-length Christmas special. | |
| A Royal Flush | 1986 | ||
| The Frog's Legacy | 1987 | ||
| The Jolly Boys' Outing | 1989 | A very popular special with the gang's trip to Margate. | |
| Miami Twice: Part 1 – The American Dream / Miami Twice: Part 2 – Oh to Be in England |
1991 | Del Boy and Rodney go to America. | |
| Mother Nature's Son | 1992 | ||
| Fatal Extraction | 1993 | ||
| Heroes and Villains / Modern Men / Time On Our Hands |
1996 | The famous "Christmas Trilogy" where the Trotters become millionaires. |
The Royle Family
This show about a working-class family watching TV together often had very popular Christmas specials.
| Episode | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas with the Royle Family | 1999 | |
| The Royle Family at Christmas | 2000 | |
| The Queen of Sheeba | 2006 | |
| The New Sofa | 2008 | |
| Joe's Crackers | 2010 | |
| Barbara's Old Ring | 2012 |
The Vicar of Dibley
Geraldine Granger, the vicar, often found herself in funny situations during Christmas.
| Episode | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| The Christmas Lunch Incident | 1996 | Geraldine has to eat multiple Christmas dinners. |
| Winter | 1999 | |
| Merry Christmas | 2004 | |
| The Handsome Stranger / The Vicar in White | 2006 |
ITV Comedy
ITV also offers a range of festive comedy shows.
| Series/Special | Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benidorm | Christmas Special | 2010 | A sunny Christmas abroad. |
| Mr. Bean | Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean | 1992 | Mr. Bean's unique take on Christmas. |
Channel 4 Comedy
Channel 4 has also contributed to the festive comedy lineup.
| Series/Special | Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Father Ted | A Christmassy Ted | 1996 | A very funny Christmas special from the Irish priests. |
| Friday Night Dinner | Christmas Special | 2012 | A chaotic family Christmas dinner. |
| The Inbetweeners | Xmas Party | 2008 | The boys try to have a Christmas party. |
General Entertainment Shows
Many non-fiction and entertainment shows also get into the Christmas spirit with special episodes.
Cookery Shows
Christmas is all about food, so it's no surprise that many cooking shows have festive specials.
| Series/Special | Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Years(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Great British Bake Off | Christmas Special | 2012–2016 | Bakers return for festive challenges. |
| The Great Christmas Bake Off | 2017–present | More festive baking fun. | |
| Nigella's Christmas Kitchen | 2007 | Nigella Lawson shares her Christmas recipes. | |
Music and Dancing Shows
Music and dancing are a big part of Christmas celebrations, and TV shows reflect this.
| Series/Special | Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strictly Come Dancing | Christmas Specials | 2004–present | Celebrities and dancers perform festive routines. |
| Top of the Pops | Christmas Specials | 1964–present | A look back at the year's biggest hits and the Christmas number one song. |
Gameshows
Even game shows get a festive makeover, often with celebrities playing for charity.
| Series/Special | Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celebrity Mastermind | Christmas Special | 2004–present | Famous faces test their knowledge. |
| The Chase | Christmas Text Santa | 2012 | A special episode for charity. |
| Pointless | Christmas Special | 2013–present | Contestants try to find obscure answers. |
| Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? | Celebrity Special | 1998–2013 | Celebrities play for charity during Christmas. |
Children's Christmas TV
Christmas is especially magical for children, and UK TV channels create many special shows just for them.
BBC One/Two/CBBC
The BBC offers a wide range of festive shows for younger viewers.
| Series | Episode/Special | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Peter | Christmas Show | 1958–present | An annual festive show with crafts and challenges. |
| Danger Mouse | The Snowman Cometh | 2015 | A snowy adventure for the secret agent. |
| Hank Zipzer | Hank Zipzer's Christmas Catastrophe | 2016 | Hank's Christmas goes wrong. |
| Horrible Histories | Horrible Christmas | 2010 | A funny look at Christmas history. |
| Shaun the Sheep | We Wish Ewe A Merry Christmas | 2010 | Shaun and the flock have a festive time. |
David Walliams Adaptations
Many of David Walliams' popular children's books have been turned into Christmas TV specials.
| Special | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Mr Stink | 2012 | A heartwarming story about a homeless man. |
| Gangsta Granny | 2013 | A boy discovers his granny is a jewel thief. |
| The Boy in the Dress | 2014 | A boy who loves wearing dresses. |
| Billionaire Boy | 2015 | A rich boy who feels lonely. |
| Awful Auntie | 2016 | A girl tries to escape her evil aunt. |
| Ratburger | 2017 | A girl befriends a rat. |
| Grandpa's Great Escape | 2017 | A boy helps his grandpa escape a care home. |
Julia Donaldson Adaptations
Books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler are often adapted into lovely animated Christmas specials.
| Special | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| The Gruffalo | 2009 | The story of a mouse and a monster. |
| The Gruffalo's Child | 2011 | The Gruffalo's child goes looking for the Big Bad Mouse. |
| Room on the Broom | 2012 | A witch and her animal friends. |
| Stick Man | 2015 | Stick Man tries to get home for Christmas. |
| The Highway Rat | 2017 | A greedy rat who steals food. |
| Zog | 2018 | A young dragon learning to fly. |
CBeebies
CBeebies provides festive fun for the youngest viewers.
| Series | Episode/Special | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie and Lola | How Many More Minutes Until Christmas? | 2006 | Lola is very excited for Christmas. |
| Grandpa in My Pocket | The Magic of Christmas | 2010 | |
| Hey Duggee | The Tinsel Badge | 2014 | The Squirrels earn a festive badge. |
| Pingu | Pingu's Family Celebrate Christmas | 1992 | Pingu and his family enjoy Christmas. |
Bob the Builder
Bob and his machines often have to fix things to save Christmas!
| Episode/Special | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Bob's White Christmas | 1999 | |
| A Christmas to Remember | 2001 | |
| Mr. Bentley's Winter Fair | 2004 |
Fireman Sam
Fireman Sam and his team keep everyone safe during the festive season.
| Episode/Special | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Snow Business | 1988 | |
| Let it Snow | 2005 | |
| The Big Freeze |
Postman Pat
Postman Pat delivers special Christmas mail in Greendale.
| Episode/Special | Year | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Postman Pat's Magic Christmas | 2004 | |
| Postman Pat's Christmas Eve | 2006 | |
| The Flying Christmas Stocking | 2008 |
CITV
CITV also has a range of Christmas specials for children.
| Series | Episode/Special | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art Attack | Xmas specials | 1994–1997, 2003 | Creative Christmas crafts. |
| Count Duckula | A Christmas Quacker | 1990 | A festive episode with the vegetarian vampire duck. |
| The Worst Witch | Cinderella in Boots | 2000 | A magical Christmas story. |
Horrid Henry
Horrid Henry often tries to cause mischief during Christmas.
| Episode/Special | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Horrid Henry's Christmas | 2006 | |
| Horrid Henry and the Cracking Christmas | 2009 | |
| Horrid Henry and the Early Christmas Present | 2011 |
My Parents Are Aliens
This show about alien foster parents had some funny Christmas episodes.
| Episode/Special | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| First Christmas: Part 1 | 2000 | The aliens experience their first human Christmas. |
| First Christmas: Part 2 | ||
| Winter Blunderland | 2006 |
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas and his friends on the Island of Sodor have many snowy and festive adventures.
| Episode/Special | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas' Christmas Party | 1984 | |
| Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree | 1986 | |
| Thomas and Percy's Christmas/Mountain Adventure | 1992 |
Channel 5's Milkshake!
Milkshake! offers Christmas fun for preschoolers.
Peppa Pig
Peppa and her family enjoy many Christmas traditions.
| Episode/Special | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Peppa's Christmas | 2007 | |
| Santa's Grotto | 2010 | Peppa visits Santa. |
| Santa's Visit | 2010 | Santa comes to Peppa's house. |
| Mr Potato's Christmas Show | 2011 | |
| Father Christmas | 2017 |
Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom
Ben and Holly have magical adventures in their tiny kingdom during winter.
| Episode/Special | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| Snow | 2009 | |
| The North Pole | Ben and Holly visit the North Pole. | |
| Ben & Holly's Christmas - Part 1 | 2012 | |
| Ben & Holly's Christmas - Part 2 |
Other Children's Specials
Raymond Briggs Adaptations
Raymond Briggs' beautiful animated stories are often shown at Christmas, bringing classic tales to life.
| Special | Year(s) | What it's about |
|---|---|---|
| The Bear | 1998 | A girl befriends a polar bear. |
| Father Christmas | 1991 | A look at Father Christmas's life. |
| The Snowman | 1982 | A boy's snowman comes to life. |
| The Snowman and The Snowdog | 2012 | A sequel to the beloved classic. |
Other Christmas TV Moments
Beyond specific shows, some events are a regular part of the UK Christmas TV schedule.
- Channel 4's Alternative Christmas message (1993 – present) – A different voice shares a Christmas message, often from a well-known figure.
- Midnight Mass (1960 – present) – A traditional church service broadcast on Christmas morning.
- The Royal Christmas Message (1957 – present) – The King or Queen gives a special message to the Commonwealth. This has been televised since 1957.
- Songs of Praise (1961 – present) – A religious music program that celebrates Advent and Christmas.
See also
