BBC announces Christmas line-up across channels and BBC iPlayer

From a huge array of brand new shows and specials, to festive editions of your favourites, there is something for everyone on the BBC this Christmas.

Christmas 2021 is a time to reunite with friends and family once more, and this year’s line-up of must-see shows will bring everyone together to share the festive season on the BBC. There’s a stocking full of special programmes to enthral and enchant featuring your favourite stars and characters, whatever your mood. The BBC is the place to be entertained this Christmas and New Year.

— Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer

The BBC is treating viewers to a wealth of festive sparkle and yuletide entertainment over the holiday season, spreading good cheer, and a little mystery, across the nation this Christmas and New Year.

From a huge array of brand new shows and specials, to festive editions of your favourites, there is something for everyone on the BBC this Christmas, featuring a host of big name stars, much-loved faces, and a very popular little sheep. From the best in drama, comedy and entertainment, to factual, arts, music and religion programming, the offer from the BBC this year promises to enchant and delight.

The spectacular line-up is available

live or on-demand on BBC iPlayer and across our channels alongside a vast range of box sets, so viewers can choose when and where they want to watch Christmas on the BBC.

Charlotte Moore, BBC’s Chief Content Officer says: “Christmas 2021 is a time to reunite with friends and family once more, and this year’s line-up of must-see shows will bring everyone together to share the festive season on the BBC. There’s a stocking full of special programmes to enthral and enchant featuring your favourite stars and characters, whatever your mood. The BBC is the place to be entertained this Christmas and New Year.”

The world’s favourite sheep returns to the BBC this year in a ‘Santastic’ adventure Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas, which sees Shaun’s seasonal excitement turn to dismay as everyone learns the true value of Christmas. There’s more animated adventures in the adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s beloved story Superworm narrated by Olivia Colman with Matt Smith playing the hero with other voices including Patricia Allison and Rob Brydon.

Get ready to escape into other worlds over the festive season in a selection of gripping new dramas; Sarah Phelps’ A Very British Scandal, starring Claire Foy and Paul Bettany as the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, recounts one of the most notorious legal cases of the 20th century. Psychological thriller The Girl Before, adapted from the novel of the same name by JP Delaney, tells the story of Jane, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw who moves into a strange house designed by an enigmatic architect played by David Oyelowo.

Around the World in 80 Days is a brand new adaptation of the classic novel from Jules Verne and stars David Tennant, Ibrahim Koma and Leonie Benesch as the intrepid threesome Phileas Fogg, Passepartout and Abigail ‘Fix’ Fortescue. Mystery packed thriller The Tourist starring Jamie Dornan charts one man’s search for his identity through the vast and unforgiving Australian outback in a character-driven drama full of shocking, surprising, funny and brutal turns.

A Very British Scandal, Around The World in 80 Days, The Girl Before and The Tourist

For the first time ever, Death In Paradise fans are in for a Christmas treat as Danny John-Jules returns to the Saint Marie police force to assist DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little) in another mystery on the sun soaked Caribbean island; and the nuns of Nonnatus House are preparing for a winter wedding between Lucille and Cyril (Leonie Elliott and Zephryn Taitte) as well as having an influx of expectant mums in Call the Midwife.

Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Who will be joined by a host of guest stars including Aisling Bea, Adjani Salmon and Pauline McLynn for a spectacular New Year’s Day special; and Worzel Gummidge makes a welcome return in two brand new episodes - Twitchers and Calliope Jane - created by and starring Mackenzie Crook, alongside Bill Bailey as Mr Peregrine and Nneka Okoye as Calliope Jane.

Over in Albert Square, love is in the air as two couples prepare to marry. Denise and Jack, (Diane Parish and Scott Maslen) and Chelsea and Gray (Zaraah Abrahams and Toby-Alexander Smith) head to the registry office, but as always in EastEnders, the road to wedded bliss is anything but smooth.

Natural history lovers are treated with not one but two brand new films from Sir David Attenborough - Attenborough's Wonder of Song in which David chooses some of his favourite recordings from the natural world; and Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard where he is joined by Professor Ben Garrod and a team of archaeologists at a quarry in Swindon.

Attenborough's Wonder of Song

Amongst a raft of sensational comedy and entertainment specials, The Weakest Link makes a spectacular return to BBC One this year. With brand new host Romesh Ranganathan, there will be a Christmas special in which he is joined by eight celebrities hoping to win £50,000 for their chosen charity, and an additional four episodes stripped across a week.

Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel features Danny Dyer, Zoe Ball and David Walliams competing with the help of seven celebrity experts to win money for their chosen charity. Blankety Blank, hosted by Bradley Walsh, has fast become a firm favourite with viewers and this special will feature more famous faces as contestants vie to not win the iconic cheque book and pen. Paddy McGuinness hosts a celebrity edition of I Can See Your Voice, featuring guest Leona Lewis alongside the Celebrity Investigators Jimmy Carr, Alison Hammond and Amanda Holden.

For fans of Mrs Brown’s Boys there are two visits to Finglas this season. At Christmas, Agnes (Brendan O’Carroll) has become a non-singing member of the choir, and Dermot (Paddy Houlihan) and Buster (Danny O’Carroll) have organised a benefit night for a rather unusual cause; whilst New Year brings about fresh starts in the Brown house, and an unexpected visitor has a unique investment opportunity.

Lee Mack’s Not Going Out sees Lee and Lucy (Sally Bretton) take a visit to the Panto, the star of which is Lucy’s teenage crush, Jason Donovan; and The Ghosts of Button House think Santa has stopped off early when Mike and Alison (Kiell Smith-Bynoe and Charlotte Ritchie) find a man sleeping in a tent in the grounds.

Strictly Come Dancing, will see couples compete in some fab-yule-ous routines for the Christmas glitterball, alongside dazzling group numbers and performances from Jamie Cullum, Sheridan Smith and Gary Barlow.

Three teams of famous faces - Tamzin Outhwaite and Jake Wood; Gareth Malone and Yolanda Brown; and Alex Brooker and Ellie Taylor, who each hope to win £10,000 for their chosen charity, join Marvin and Rochelle Humes in The Hit List; and Danny Dyer returns to host two seasonal episodes of The Wall vs Celebrities, with questions once again posed by Angela Rippon.

Even though it’s Christmas, the tall tales don’t stop in Would I Lie For You? where Rob Brydon is joined by team captains David Mitchell and Lee Mack alongside Jim Broadbent, Rose Mattafeo, Angela Rippon and Ardal O’Hanlon.

It’s Secret Santa time for the presenters of Top Gear – Driving Home For Christmas, as Paddy, Freddie and Chris each buy surprise cars for each other, before setting off a Christmas themed road trip from Bethlehem (in Wales…)

As is traditional, a lone chorister of King’s College Cambridge sings the opening verse of Once in Royal David’s City, heralding the service of music, readings and prayer in Carols From Kings; and this year’s Midnight Mass will come from St. Chad’s Cathedral in Birmingham, presided over by the Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Rev. Bernard Longley. The Christmas Day Eucharist will come live from the beautiful Coventry Cathedral, and there will be offerings from Songs of Praise, including Rev. Kate Bottley at a Christmas market held in the shadow of Lincoln Cathedral, and Katherine Jenkins will host a celebration of Christmas from Westminster Abbey. On 1st January, the Most Rev. Justin Welby will reflect on a challenging 12 months, as well as meeting inspirational people, in The Archbishop of Canterbury’s New Year Message.

It’s holiday season at The Repair Shop, where the dedicated team of craftspeople are ready to lovingly restore some treasured Christmas keepsakes; and brand new host Sarah Pascoe sets challenges for some well-known faces in two episodes of The Great British Sewing Bee under the watchful gaze of judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant.

And there are three yuletide outings for MasterChef this year - MasterChef: The Professionals Rematch Special pits four of the chefs from previous series against each other to win challenges judged by Monica Galetti, Marcus Wareing and Gregg Wallace; ten previously judged celebrities return for a MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off, hosted by Gregg and John Torode; and a Champions Special sees five of the winners from the amateur series return to show how far they have progressed since winning the series.

And BBC Sports Personality of the Year will take place in Media City Salford, celebrating achievement in sport from unsung heroes to more well known faces.

The year on BBC One rounds off with the starriest celebrities on The Graham Norton Show; and then it’s off for fireworks and a music extravaganza in the New Year’s Eve Concert.

Over on BBC Two, M.R. James’ The Mezzotint, adapted by Mark Gatiss, stars Rory Kinnear, Robert Bathurst, Frances Barber, John Hopkins, Emma Cunniliffe, and Nikesh Patel. This haunting tale, set in an old English college in 1922, it is guaranteed to bring some eerie fear to the audience.

There are laughs and stars a plenty in Beauty and the Beast: A Comic Relief Pantomime for Christmas, an adaptation of the classic tale written by Ben Crocker and The Dawson Bros.; in an extended (by one minute) episode of Mandy, starring Diane Morgan, she tries to discover the true meaning of Christmas; whilst in Latimer Crescent, Michelle and Alan’s (Joy McAvoy and Graeme ‘Grado’ Staveley) Christmas plans go awry as neighbours get on each other’s nerves in Two Doors Down, also featuring Arabella Weir and Alex Norton. And ‘lost’ since 1970, an episode of the Morecambe & Wise Show will be broadcast for the first time in 50 years

Live at the Apollo has always highlighted some of the brightest comedy talent, and this seasonal special is no different, as host Jason Manford introduces Maisie Adam and Nabil Abdulrashid; and the QI elves will be featuring a sparkly S for this year’s show, hosted by Sandi Toksvig, alongside regular panellist Alan Davies, Bonnie Langford, Joe Lycett and Sally Phillips. And Frankie Boyle’s New World Order returns, where Frankie will be joined by guests to look back on some of the biggest stories in what has been a baffling year. And across 10 festive episodes, Jeremy Paxman will gather some familiar graduates to compete in Christmas University Challenge.

Romesh Ranganathan, and of course his mum Shanti, will return for his look at modern Britain alongside some celebrity guests in The Ranganation. And Only Connect, hosted by Victoria Coren Mitchell will be accompanied by cheese, wine and two teams from previous series try to figure out what connects Ben, Phillip Schofield, The Ivy and Cricket.

This festive season, Gareth Malone is heading to Blackburn, where he discovers a huge amount of amateur musical talent as he puts on a Christmas concert celebrating the work of the NHS staff and other keyworkers from the region. And Gregg Wallace will pay a visit to a Christmas card factory for Inside the Factory.

Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer, along with Ted the fishing dog and some fantastic surprises, head to the rivers Eden and Tyne where their mission is to catch an elusive English salmon for Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing; and Si King and Dave Myers are also heading back home to celebrate with their families in The Hairy Bikers Go North For Christmas.

Andi Oliver and Mary Berry

Andi Oliver’s Taste of Home Christmas Special sees the chef in the city of Glasgow, where she will help three households shop and prepare their family recipes for some celebratory feasts. And Dame Mary Berry will help out three hopeless cooks with tips and techniques as they prepare a sumptuous meal, in Mary Berry’s Festive Feasts.

Sir Quentin Blake remains one of the most iconic illustrators, and for this very special programme, Quentin Blake: The Drawing of My Life, he will fill a 30 foot canvas with some of the most-loved characters and key moments from his career. Featuring contributions from a host of famous faces, Joanna Lumley, Ore Oduba and Peter Capaldi will also read passages from some of the many books he has illustrated.

The seven musically gifted siblings of the Kanneh-Mason family will perform some of their favourite Christmas music as they prepare their Nottingham home for the holiday season in A Musical Family Christmas With The Kanneh-Masons; and no New Year would be complete without Jools’ Annual Hootenanny, where Jools and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra will be joined by guest performers for the countdown to midnight. And the traditional Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Day Concert from Vienna will come from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein.

Music always captivates the audience at Christmas, and this year BBC Two is treating the audience to some of the concerts from the vaults, including Adele; Madonna; and Lady Gaga, all At the BBC. And Madonna: Truth or Dare takes a behind-the-scenes look at the 1990 Blonde Ambition tour.

Jonathan Van Tam

On BBC Four, Professor Jonathan Van Tam will be joined by scientists who have all had vital roles to play in the Covid-19 pandemic in the 2021 Christmas Lectures from The Royal Institution; and a unique performance of Winter Journey - or Winterreise - will be staged in a tower built at the 2300m summit of the Julierpasse in south-east Switzerland, from filmmaker John Bridcut and performances from Benjamin Appl accompanied by pianist James Baillieu.

And of course the little ones aren’t forgotten, as CBeebies and CBBC welcome some favourite faces to the screens over the Christmas season, including Justin Fletcher in The Night Before Christmas; Bluey tries to be good and kind; Tish Tash is responsible for decorating the Christmas tree; and there are festive editions of Numberblocks and Alphablocks - Letters to Santa.

Andy and the Band are tasked with trying to save Christmas; Jess and Tracy rediscover the meaning of Christmas in The Beaker Girls; and the Horrible Histories gang put their own spin on Christmas; Blue Peter, hosted by Adam, Mwaksy, Richie and Henry the dog, will be packed with special studio guests and letters from badge winners; and in celebration of Jacqueline Wilson’s Wonderful World, from the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the multimedia adventure will be broadcast on iPlayer as well as Radio 3 and Radio 4.

And if all that weren’t enough, there will be lots of classic Christmas box set programming to stream on BBC iPlayer from much-loved shows like The Royle Family, The Vicar of Dibley, Call the Midwife, Doctor Who, Miranda, Absolutely Fabulous, Mrs Brown’s Boys, Not Going Out and My Family.

Religion programming

The full line up of this year’s Religion programming is available here.

Notes to Editors

Pictures available at www.bbcpictures.co.uk

TD

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BBC One

Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas

Shaun the Sheep, from the multi-award-winning independent animation studio Aardman, is coming to BBC One this Christmas for a new half-hour special featuring Shaun, Timmy and the Flock - as well as some new characters -in a mischief-filled festive caper.

The Flight Before Christmas sees Shaun's seasonal excitement turn to dismay when a farmhouse raid to get bigger stockings for the Flock inadvertently leads to Timmy going missing. Can Shaun get Timmy back before he becomes someone else’s present? Prepare for a ‘Santastic’ adventure as everyone learns the true value of Christmas!

Themes of friendship, loyalty, mischief and fun combine for a unique adventure that will appeal to all generations when families gather around the TV this Christmas.

Justin Fletcher returns as Shaun and Timmy, alongside Marcus Brigstocke as Farmer Ben, ‘agricultural brand’ and rival to The Farmer, first introduced in Shaun the Sheep series six. Anna Leong-Brophy voices his wife, Jin, while Laura Aickman is their young, independent and rebellious daughter, Ella.

Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas for BBC One and BBC iPlayer comes from Giles Pilbrow & Mark Burton with the script also written by Giles Pilbrow. It is directed by Steve Cox and produced by Richard Beek. Executive Producers are Mark Burton, Sarah Cox and Carla Shelley.

Superworm

Superworm is a comic hero with a difference. Super-long, super-strong and big-hearted, he and his best friend Butterfly are always helping all the other garden creatures - whether he's saving baby toad from a major road, rescuing beetle from down a well, or even becoming a skipping rope to entertain some bored bees. Superworm too often takes all the credit. When the wicked Wizard Lizard hears about Superworm's special skills, he decides to kidnap Superworm to help him find treasure. Despite everything, with her friend in deep trouble, Butterfly comes to the rescue, convincing the other creatures to help her with a daring plan… 

The first-rate voice cast will be headlined by Oscar-winner Olivia Colman as Narrator and Emmy nominee Matt Smith playing the hero, Superworm. They are joined by Patricia Allison (Sex Education) as Butterfly, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Wizard Lizard and Rob Brydon (Gavin & Stacey) as the Crow, with Cariad Lloyd as Mama Toad. Superworm is the ninth TV adaptation by Magic Light Pictures of a Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler title for BBC One and BBC iPlayer, produced by Martin Pope & Barney Goodland for Magic Light Pictures.

A Very British Scandal

Written by Sarah Phelps, A Very British Scandal focuses on the divorce of the Duke (Paul Bettany) and Duchess of Argyll (Claire Foy), one of the most notorious, extraordinary and brutal legal cases of the 20th Century. Famed for her charisma, beauty and style, Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, dominated the front pages as a divorce featuring accusations of forgery, theft, violence, drug-taking, secret recording, bribery and an explicit polaroid picture - all played out in the white-hot glare of the 1960s media.

This three-part drama turns the scandal inside out to explore the social and political climate of post-war Britain, looking at attitudes towards women, and asking whether institutional misogyny was widespread at the time. As her contemporaries, the press, and the judiciary sought to vilify her, Margaret kept her head held high with bravery and resilience, refusing to go quietly as she was betrayed by her friends and publicly shamed by a society that revelled in her fall from grace.

A Very British Scandal, a 1x90’ for BBC One, will be directed by Anne Sewitsky and produced by Chris Ballantyne. Executive Producers are Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Diarmuid McKeown and Delyth Scudamore for Blueprint Pictures, Lucy Richer for the BBC, Sarah Phelps, Anne Sewitsky, Claire Foy, Kate Triggs and Dominic Treadwell-Collins. It was commissioned by Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama and Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer. Amazon Studios is co-producing in the US.

The Girl Before

The Girl Before tells the story of Jane played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who gets the chance to move into a beautiful, ultra-minimalist house designed by an enigmatic architect played by David Oyelowo. There’s just one catch: occupants have to abide by his list of exacting rules. Jane starts to feel the house changing her in unexpected ways, but when she makes the shocking discovery about her predecessor Emma played by Jessica Plummer, she’s forced to confront unnerving similarities. As the two women’s timelines interweave, Jane begins to question if her fate will be the same as the girl before... also stars Ben Hardy.

Created, written and executive produced by JP Delaney, the limited four-part series is adapted from Delaney's own best-selling novel of the same title. Marissa Lestrade co-wrote episodes of the series and Emmy nominated Lisa Brühlmann directed.

The Girl Before for BBC One, iPlayer and HBO Max, is made by 42. It was commissioned by Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama and executive producers are Eleanor Moran, Rory Aitken and Ben Pugh for 42, Ben Irving for the BBC; and JP Delaney and Lisa Brühlmann.

Around The World In 80 Days

An epic adaptation of Jules Verne’s novel Around the World in 80 Days comes to BBC One and iPlayer this Christmas. The eight-part series starring David Tennant as the intrepid explorer Phileas Fogg, Ibrahim Koma as the mercurial Passepartout and Leonie Benesch as young journalist Abigail ‘Fix’ Fortescue.

Following an outrageous bet, Fogg and his valet, Passepartout, take on the legendary challenge of circumnavigating the globe in just 80 days, swiftly joined by aspiring journalist Abigail ‘Fix’ Fortescue, who seizes the chance to report on this extraordinary story. The series has been adapted by a team of renowned writers led by Ashley Pharoah (Life On Mars, Ashes To Ashes, The Living And The Dead) and Caleb Ranson (Child Of Mine, Heartless).

Around the World in 80 Days is an 8x50' for BBC One and iPlayer is a Slim Film + Television and Federation co-production for the European Alliance formed by France Télévisions, ZDF and RAI, with additional co-production partners, Masterpiece PBS (U.S), Peu Communications (South Africa), Be-Films and RTBF (Belgium), and Daro Film Distribution (associate producer).

The Tourist

Jamie Dornan stars as a British man who finds himself in the glowing red heart of the Australian outback, being pursued by a vast tank truck trying to drive him off the road. An epic cat and mouse chase unfolds and the man later wakes in hospital, hurt, but somehow alive. Except he has no idea who he is. With merciless figures from his past pursuing him, The Man’s search for answers propels him through the vast and unforgiving outback.

Full of shocking, surprising, funny and brutal turns, The Tourist is set in a world populated by quirky, enigmatic characters and off-beat comedy punctuates high-stakes action. At its heart however, is a story of self-discovery with a ticking timebomb underneath: as The Man starts to uncover the mystery of who he was, he’s also forced to ask who he is now - and fast. Will he unlock the secrets of his identify before those who are trying to kill him catch up with him?

The Tourist for BBC One and iPlayer is made by Two Brothers Pictures. It was commissioned by Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama and executive producers are Harry and Jack Williams, Christopher Aird, Chris Sweeney and Tommy Bulfin for the BBC.

Attenborough And The Mammoth Graveyard (w/t)

Four years ago a couple walking round a freshly dug gravel pit just outside Swindon noticed something unusual protruding from the mud. It was the top of a huge fossilised leg bone of a mammoth. Sally and Neville Hollingworth, both keen amateur fossil hunters, had stumbled across the discovery of a lifetime - a mammoth graveyard in the old prehistoric riverbed of the Thames.

They returned to dig up more mammoth bones, made more exciting was Sally’s discovery of a stone ‘hand axe’ created by an early human. Sally and Neville’s finds appear to be hundreds of thousands of years old andcould offer an extremely rare glimpse of life deep in the Ice Ages.

When Sir David Attenborough heard about their remarkable finds, he was keen to see them for himself. Since he was a boy, he has been smitten with the lure of hunting fossils. He joins biologist Prof. Ben Garrod and a team of archaeologists and palaeontologists as they carefully excavate the quarry where the bones were found. The site raises many questions: Why were the mammoths here? How did they die? Could the ancient humans have killed them? Leading experts in the fields of evolution, both human and mammoth, provide clarity in understanding of our relationship with this iconic ice-age giant.

As the team finds more stone tools lying side-by-side with more mammoth bones they realise this could be a once in a generation discovery offering a unique window into prehistoric Britain.

Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard (w/t), a 1x60’ for BBC One and iPlayer, is made by Windfall Films. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Director, Factual, Arts and Classical Music Television and Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Science and Natural History. The Commissioning Editor is Tom Coveney and the Executive Producer is David Duggan.

Attenborough's Wonder Of Song

Sir David Attenborough chooses his favourite recordings from the natural world that have revolutionised our understanding of song. Each one - from the song of the largest lemur to the song of the humpback whale to the song of the lyrebird - was recorded in his lifetime. The oldest, when he was just five. The most recent, only a few years ago. And one was made by him. “There are seven recordings of song that have particular interest for me,” he says. “Some are lovely, some are surprising and one almost broke my heart. But all of them broke new ground”.

Traditionally our understanding of song has been dominated by Charles Darwin’s theory of sexual selection: singing is dangerous as it reveals the singer’s location to predators, but it also offers the male a huge reward, the chance to attract a female and pass on genes to the next generation. Males sing. Females don’t sing: they listen and choose the best singers. Beautiful and complex male songs are the acoustic equivalent of a peacock's tail.

But now new discoveries are transforming those long-held ideas. Scientists are finding that, in fact, in the majority of all songbird species, females sing - and it’s only now they are being properly heard. It is a revelation in the world of birdsong.

And how many more exciting discoveries are there to make about song? What else will be revealed about these sounds which, although enchanting to our ears, are, in fact, far more than that: they are marvellous examples of the spectacular survival strategies that animals have developed in order to stay alive. “That,” Attenborough says, “is why I will never cease to wonder at the beautiful sounds we call song.”

Attenborough's Wonder of Song is made by Mike Birkhead Associates. Commissioned by Patrick Holland, Director, Factual, Arts and Classical Music Television and Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Science and Natural History. Directed, produced and written by Beth Jones and Mike Birkhead. BBC Commissioning Editor Tom Coveney.

Death In Paradise Christmas Special

Fans of Death in Paradise are in for a Caribbean Christmas treat this December with the first ever feature length episode. Concluding the tenth anniversary celebrations, the festive 90-minute special, which stretches from a grey damp drizzly London all the way to the warm sparkling beauty of idyllic Saint Marie, will see the return of Danny John-Jules as charismatic Officer Dwayne Myers, for this celebratory episode. Also joining the regular cast (Ralf Little, Joséphine Jobert, Tahj Miles, Don Warrington and Elizabeth Bourgine) for this one-off sunny special are Mathew Baynton (Ghosts), Juliet Stevenson (Riviera), Stanley Townsend (Informer), Jocelyn Jee Esien (Jack & The Beanstalk: After Ever After), Anthony Calf (Poldark), Tessa Bonham Jones (The Trial of Christine Keeler), Elizabeth Tan (Emily in Paris) and Tariq Jordan (Law and Order: UK).

Death in Paradise, a 1x90’ for BBC One and BBC iPlayer, is made by Red Planet Pictures. It is internationally distributed by BBC Studios. The feature length episode is written by James Hall, produced by Candida Julian-Jones and directed by Ben Kellett. Tommy Bulfin is the Commissioning Editor for the BBC and Tim Key is executive producer for Red Planet Pictures.

Call The Midwife

Series 11 begins with a Christmas special set in December 1966. Christmas promises to be a memorable one at Nonnatus House as Lucille (Leonie Elliott) and Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) prepare for their upcoming winter wedding. The Nonnatus team are faced with their busiest Christmas Day ever as the Maternity Home is filled with expectant Mums to be, each with their own challenging case. Luckily Mother Mildred (Miriam Margolyes) is on hand to support the team.

Call the Midwife for BBC One and BBC iPlayer is made by Neal Street Productions. It was commissioned by Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama and Charlotte Moore, Chief Content Officer. Executive Producers are Pippa Harris, Heidi Thomas and Ann Tricklebank. Executive Producer for the BBC is Mona Qureshi with Ann Tricklebank as Producer.

Doctor Who New Year’s Day Special

The Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and friends will kick-start 2022 with an action-packed spectacular episode set to air on BBC One on New Year’s Day. The festive special will feature guest stars Aisling Bea (This Way Up, Living With Yourself, Quiz), Adjani Salmon (Dreaming Whilst Black, Enterprice) and Pauline McLynn (Father Ted, Shameless).

Sarah (Aisling Bea) owns and runs ELF storage, and Nick (Adjani Salmon) is a customer who visits his unit every year on New Year’s Eve. This year, however, their night turns out to be a little different than planned…

The festive episode is the first of three Doctor Who Specials airing in 2022. The second Special airs in Spring and Jodie’s final feature-length Special (in where the Thirteenth Doctor will regenerate), will transmit in autumn 2022 as part of the BBC’s Centenary celebrations.

Doctor Who is a BBC Studios production for BBC One and a BBC America co-production. BBC Studios are the international distributors for Doctor Who.

Worzel Gummidge

Two brand new one-hour films directed, created and starring Mackenzie Crook: Twitchers and Calliope Jane - inspired by the classic books by Barbara Euphan Todd - are coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Christmas.

Twitchers

After a raging thunderstorm, a flock of rare choughs turn up at Scatterbrook Farm. Keen to seize the opportunity of scaring such a rarely sighted bird, Worzel enlists the help of Susan and John. But their plans are soon scuppered once word of the choughs gets around and a group of avid twitchers move in before he’s even had his chance. To make matters worse, the twitchers’ arrival forces Mr B to come to face to face with his old birdwatching rival, Lee Dangerman. With the twitchers refusing to leave, can the children come up with a plan to help scare the choughs and save Worzel and Mr B from embarrassment?

Calliope Jane

Susan and John are excited when they learn that F R Peregrine’s Travelling Fair is coming to Scatterbrook for one night only. But as much as he’d love to join his friends, Worzel can’t be seen wandering around by humans. He recalls the legend of a fairground with an enchanted organ. It’s believed that, with the right music, the organ has the power to send humans to sleep so that scarecrows can enjoy the rides without the fear of being seen. At the museum, Aunt Sally finds herself agreeing to go on an adventure with another ex-fairground attraction, Calliope Jane, and it turns out Worzel isn’t the only scarecrow who wants to attend the fair... As the scarecrows descend the risk of being seen intensifies, but will the legend of the enchanted organ turn out to be true?

Written and directed by Mackenzie Crook, Worzel Gummidge is co-produced by Leopard Pictures and Treasure Trove Productions for BBC One and iPlayer. The films are executive produced by Kristian Smith for Leopard Pictures, together with Mackenzie Crook and Lisa Thomas for Treasure Trove Productions and rights holder Patrick D. Pidgeon for Pidgeon Entertainment, Inc. The producer is Matt Carver. International distribution of Worzel Gummidge is handled by ITV Studios.

EastEnders

Love is all around Walford this Christmas as two couples prepare for their yuletide nuptials and families celebrate for the first time together. The halls may be decked, presents wrapped and mistletoe prepped but Albert Square is home to many secrets and plenty of residents desperate to reveal the truth over the turkey.

The Trueman-Fox’s are celebrating love with Denise, Jack, Chelsea and Gray heading towards wedded bliss but with Whitney following her gut instinct and Kim anxious to expose Phil’s crimes, the journey towards winter wedding joy is set to be icy.

Rocky is spending his Christmas with Kathy and Sonia, he’s grown fond of his ‘daughter’ but keeping up appearances is taking its toll and an unwanted guest threatens to spoil more than just the dinner.

Janine is firmly on the naughty list this year and will do whatever it takes to make sure she remains in the spotlight. Is the sudden Christmas spirit her way of giving Scarlett the day she deserves, or will Mrs Claus become Mrs Claws as Janine craves attention from elsewhere? Phil and Kat face a bumpy road in the countdown to their first Christmas together as Sharon leans on Phil for support.

The Weakest Link Christmas Special

The Weakest Link is back on BBC One this Christmas, with a brand new host. BAFTA award winning comedian Romesh Ranganathan will bring his own twist to one of the world’s most iconic quizzes. Romesh is joined by 8 celebrities, each with their own connection to Christmas who will have to work as a team to try to win a maximum prize of £50,000 for their chosen charity.

Each round one player will be voted The Weakest Link by their fellow contestants and will leave with nothing. After a final head to head one celebrity will be crowned The Strongest Link and will take the prize.

The Weakest Link, a 1 x 45’ is a BBC Studios Entertainment Production for BBC One and iPlayer. It was commissioned by Kate Phillips, Director of Entertainment. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios is Pete Ogden. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Neil McCallum.

Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel

Bafta Award-winning Michael McIntyre hosts this special festive episode of The Wheel. Three famous faces – actor Danny Dyer, Radio and TV presenter Zoe Ball and comedian, actor and writer David Walliams - compete to complete The Wheel in an attempt to win money for their chosen charities this Christmas.

On The Wheel, trying to help the three celebrity contestants raise as much money as possible, are seven celebrity experts: choirmaster and broadcaster Gareth Malone, actress Martine McCutcheon, presenter Alex Scott, comedian Jason Manford, EastEnders actress Tameka Empson, comedian Julian Clary and presenter Gregg Wallace will take their turns to help answer questions on everything from Christmas movies to festive food But whose help will be a gift and who has got their traditions in a twist?

Full of laughs and festive spirit, The Wheel promises to get celebs and viewers alike in a spin in this special yuletide edition.

Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel is produced by Hungry McBear Media for BBC One and iPlayer. It was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, and Kate Phillips, Director of Entertainment Commissioning. The Executive Producers for Hungry McBear Media are Dan Baldwin and Tom Blakeson. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Kalpna Patel-Knight.

Blankety Blank

Bradley Walsh hosts a fun-filled festive special of the legendary gameshow. A panel of six celebrities to fill in the missing BLANKS and help win some brilliant prizes for some very lucky contestants. He’s joined by Angela Rippon, Richard E Grant, Tom Allen, Sarah Millican, Mel B and Danny Jones.

Blankety Blank is a Thames (part of Fremantle) Production for BBC One and iPlayer and was commissioned by Kate Phillips, Director of Entertainment. The Executive Producer for Thames is Christopher Barber and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Kalpna Patel-Knight.

I Can See Your Voice Christmas Special

The addictive play-a-long singing game show is back on the BBC for a fun-filled festive special. Paddy McGuinness hosts and is joined by Celebrity Investigators, Jimmy Carr, Alison Hammond and Amanda Holden plus special guest Leona Lewis. The player hoping to win £10,000 is joined by Gabby Logan and together they will need to tell the difference between the good and bad mystery singers, without ever hearing them sing a note! With seasonal lip sync songs and festive cheer, it's the perfect game to play with the family this Christmas.

I Can See Your Voice a 1x60’ is a Thames (part of Fremantle) Production for BBC One and iPlayer. It was commissioned by Kate Phillips, Controller, Entertainment. The Executive Producers for Thames are Amelia Brown and Lee Smithurst. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Rachel Ashdown.

Mrs Brown’s Boys

Mammy’s Mechanical Merriment

It’s Christmas in Finglas once again. Agnes has been recruited to the church choir, but she’s under strict instructions from Father McBride that there’s to be no singing and certainly no dancing. That’s not the only thing off-limits, a Christmas tree shortage means Buster has to get even more creative than usual trying to impress Agnes by any means necessary. Meanwhile Dermot and Buster have organised this year’s festivities at Foleys and are holding a Murder Mystery night in aid of alcoholic greyhounds. What could possibly go wrong?

Mammy’s Micky

This New Year is all about reconciliation and fresh starts in the Brown household but not everyone seems to have got the message. Grandad’s brother, Micky, is fresh out of prison when he decides to stop by for a visit. Everyone except Grandad is suspicious when he shows up asking for five thousand euro to invest in a South African gold mine. Winnie, inspired by Cathy’s book, is on a daredevil mission to change the trajectory of her life while Mrs Brown’s boys are forced to have a heart to heart.

Mrs Brown’s Boys a 2x30’ is a BBC Studios and BocPix production for BBC One and iPlayer. It was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Chief Content Officer and BBC Comedy. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Gregor Sharp. The Executive Producer is Steven Canny and the Director is Ben Kellett.

Not Going Out

Not Going Out returns to BBC One this Christmas with a trip to the Panto. Lee Mack’s multi award-winning hit show, and longest running sitcom on air, will return this December.

It is Christmas and Lee (Lee Mack) is not happy that Lucy (Sally Bretton) had booked tickets to the Pantomime. Especially given the star of the show is Lucy’s teenage crush, Jason Donovan.

Produced by Avalon, Not Going Out, a 1 x 45’ is directed by Nick Wood and produced by Jamie Rix and was commissioned by BBC Comedy. The Executive Producers are Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett, Lee Mack and Jon Thoday. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Gregor Sharp.

Ghosts

The critically acclaimed and much-loved sitcom Ghosts will be back for a special Christmas episode this December.

In the run up to the festive season, Kitty becomes convinced that Santa has made an early stop at Button House when Mike and Alison discover a man living in a tent on their grounds. The ghosts' advice on how to deal with him leaves much to be desired, but eventually Mike and Alison learn that they have more to offer this Christmas than they realised.

Written and created by Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond. The Christmas episode also guest stars Jennifer Saunders.

Ghosts, a 1x30’ is a Monumental Television production in association with Them There for the BBC. The Christmas special is produced by Matthew Mulot and directed by Nick Collett and the creators serve as Executive Producers alongside Monumental's Alison Carpenter, Debra Hayward and Alison Owen.

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special

Strictly Come Dancing returns to the Ballroom for an all-star Christmas special as six Strictly stars take to the floor in a bid to be crowned Christmas Champions 2021.

Hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, the show wouldn't be complete without the festive foursome on the judging panel. The Christmas special will start with a sensational group routine featuring the celebrities and their professional partners, alongside the Strictly pros. And, as well as dancing, there’s plenty of music, with two very special performances from Jamie Cullum and Gary Barlow and Sheridan Smith.

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special will air on BBC One on Christmas Day.

The Hit List

It’s time for a star-studded Christmas Special of The Hit List! The three teams joining Marvin and Rochelle Humes for this festive episode are Actors and EastEnders stars Jake Wood and Tamzin Outhwaite, Choirmaster Gareth Malone and Saxophonist Yolanda Brown and comedians Alex Brooker and Ellie Taylor; but who will sleigh the competition and get the chance to win £10,000 for their chosen charity? Get ready to play along and shout out the answers at the telly!

The Hit List is a Tuesday’s Child Scotland production and has been commissioned by Kate Phillips, Director of Entertainment Commissioning. The Executive Producer is Karen Smith for Tuesday’s Child Scotland and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Neil McCallum.

The Wall Vs Celebrities Christmas Specials

Hosted by Danny Dyer, with questions voiced by TV legend Angela Rippon, the ultimate combination of strategy, general knowledge and luck returns to BBC One this festive season with two celebrity specials.

The first episode is an EastEnders special, as Walford favourites Maddy Hill and James Bye take on the biggest game on TV. Will The Wall play grinch on this festive occasion or can Maddy and James win big for their charities?

The second episode to air over the festive period features award winning stand-up comedian Sarah Millican alongside her husband and fellow stand up Gary Delaney, as they take on The Wall in a bid to walk away with a cash prize for their chosen charity.

In addition, these two episodes will also see the debut of an exciting new game changing feature on The Wall - Superdrop. Superdrop will see seven green balls drop all at the same time from the 4-storey monolith, meaning the potential to win serious readies is even more real. But then they must face seven red balls 'the evil Superdrop' that could wipe all their cash away. A thrilling addition to an already epic game.

The Wall Versus Celebrities Christmas Specials, 2 x 45’, is produced by Remarkable TV (part of Banijay UK) for BBC One. It was commissioned by Kate Phillips, Director of Entertainment Commissioning. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC One is Ruby Kuraishe and the Executive Producer for Remarkable is Richard Hague. The Series Producer is Stephen Lovelock.

Would I Lie To You? At Christmas

Rob Brydon is back in the host’s chair for a festive edition of the award-winning comedy panel show Would I Lie To You? And as ever, David Mitchell and Lee Mack are the lightning-quick team captains. Over the course of the show, a stellar cast of celebrity guests reveal amazing stories about themselves. But are they telling the truth, or are they making it all up? David Mitchell is joined by Jim Broadbent and Rose Matafeo while Lee Mack is joined by Angela Rippon and Ardal O'Hanlon.

Would I Lie To You? At Christmas, a 1x30’ for BBC One and iPlayer, is made by Zeppotron. It was commissioned by Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore and Controller of Entertainment Kate Phillips. The BBC Commissioning Editor is Pinki Chambers. Peter Holmes, Rachel Ablett and Ruth Phillips are the Executive Producers for Zeppotron.

Top Gear - Driving Home For Christmas

In this festive episode, Chris Harris, Paddy McGuiness and Freddie Flintoff aren't choosing their own cars, but instead choosing for one another. Yes, it’s time for Top Gear Secret Santa!

After unwrapping their presents in Bethlehem (that’s Bethlehem, Wales, obviously), our three wise(ish) men and their gifts set off on a Yuletide voyage across Britain, stopping off to play the traditional Christmas parlour game of ‘High Speed Visual Charades’, and deliver a truly enormous tree to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bath. Because nothing says ‘Merry Christmas’ like a thousand kilos of Norway Spruce on the Royal Crescent. Then, in the words of the great Chris Rea, it’s time for the presenters to do some drivin’ home for Christmas. Home, of course, being the Top Gear test track, magically transformed into a veritable winter wonderland of speed...

Top Gear - Driving Home for Christmas is a BBC Studios Production for BBC One and iPlayer. The commissioners are Kate Phillips, Jo Wallace and Syeda Irtizaali. The executive producers are Clare Pizey and Alex Renton.

The Repair Shop

Christmas is just around the corner, and tucked away in a frosty corner of the British countryside, the Repair Shop barn is already bustling as the dedicated team of Christmas craftspeople prepare for their biggest and busiest ever holiday season.

In the Repair Shop this Christmas, the team takes on a very special mechanical doll, a traditional German decoration, an ageing harmonium, and a train set all the way from Kenya. Treasured Christmas keepsakes are not the only items on the menu this Christmas at the Repair Shop, as Secret Santa has again challenged every expert to create a gift from scratch for one of their barn mates. As secret plans are made in each nook and cranny of the barn, inspired creations begin to emerge, including a gingerbread replica of the Repair Shop itself!

The Repair Shop Christmas Special, a 1x60’ programme for BBC One and iPlayer, is made by Ricochet Limited. It is commissioned by Carla-Maria Lawson. The commissioning editor is Carla-Maria Lawson and the executive producer is Alex Raw and series producer Rebecca McLaughlin.

The Great British Christmas Sewing Bee

Brand new host Sara Pascoe throws a Christmas Sewing Bee extravaganza. To help her get into the festive spirit, she welcomes celebrity sewer Rev Kate Bottley, actors Antony Cotton and Kiell Smith-Bynoe, plus presenter Anneka Rice into the Sewing Room. Under the watchful eye of judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant, the four brave celebrities follow a pattern for a Christmas jumper, they transform a charity shop bundle into fancy dress outfit and create dresses from Christmas past. Only one celebrity can be granted their Christmas wish to win the coveted Christmas Sewing Bee award before they gather around the piano for a sing-song.

The Great British Christmas Sewing Bee, a 1x60’ programme for BBC One and iPlayer, is made by Love Productions. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Popular Factual and Factual Entertainment. The Commissioning Editor is Patrick McMahon and the Executive Producers are Susanne Rock and Richard McKerrow.

The Great British New Year Sewing Bee

Comedian and host Sara Pascoe celebrates the New Year on The Sewing Bee by inviting four more celebrities into the Sewing Room to try their hand at creating party clothes. Winner of Drag Race UK Lawrence Chaney, comedian and writer Rose Matafeo, singer Claire Richards from Steps and journalist Kirsty Wark all get behind their sewing machine and give it a go. Judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young set them the challenge to rustle up a festive waistcoat, transform some old clothes into children’s party dresses and fit a food themed fancy dress outfit to a model. Finally they hit the dance floor with Claire performing an eighties disco classic.

The Great British New Year Sewing Bee, a 1x60’, is made by Love Productions. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Popular Factual and Factual Entertainment. The Commissioning Editor is Patrick McMahon and the Executive Producer are Susanne Rock and Richard McKerrow.

MasterChef Champions Special

For the very first time, five of the most memorable amateur champions return to the MasterChef kitchen in a cooking contest to rival any other. The competitors are: Tim Anderson – Champion 2011, Ping Coombes – Champion 2014, Saliha Mahmood-Ahmed – Champion 2017, Kenny Tutt – Champion 2018, and Irini Tzortzoglou – Champion 2019. Each of them is back to show how far their food and careers have progressed and to compete for the title of MasterChef Champion of Champions 2021.

Their first challenge has been set by a very special guest judge - singer and host of the award-winning food podcast, Table Manners, Jessie Ware. Finally, each of the five must pull out all the stops to deliver a two-course show stopping feast for judges - John Torode and Gregg Wallace - that is not only MasterChef champion quality food, but also represents their journey since winning the competition.

The chef who produces the most creative, inventive and delicious menu will be crowned the MasterChef Champion of Champions 2021.

MasterChef Champions Special, a 1x60’ for BBC One and iPlayer, is made by Shine TV. It was commissioned by Kate Phillips and Sarah Clay. The Commissioning Editor is Sarah Clay and the Executive Producer is David Ambler and Series Editor Katie Attwood.

MasterChef: The Professionals Rematch Special 

Returning to BBC One MasterChef: The Professionals Rematch Special is a festive food battle like no other. Four of the most memorable chefs from past series return to show how far their food and careers have progressed and face demanding challenges set by the MasterChef judges Monica Galetti, Marcus Wareing and Gregg Wallace. Competing this year are: Philli Armitage-Mattin - Finalist 2020; Jamie Park - Finalist 2017; Santosh Shah - Finalist 2020 and Bart van der Lee – Finalist 2020. The gloves are off as they pull out all the stops to deliver a show stopping seasonal feast that is creative, delicious and spectacular enough see them crowned champion. One thing is for certain - the competing chefs go all out cooking extraordinary food that sings celebration.

MasterChef: The Professionals Rematch Special, a 1x60’ for BBC One and iPlayer, is made by Shine TV. It was commissioned by Kate Phillips and Sarah Clay. The Commissioning Editor is Sarah Clay and the Executive Producer is David Ambler and Series Producer Rachel Palin.

Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off

Deck the halls, stuff the turkey and break out the Christmas fizz, as ten of the most memorable celebrities from past series come back to compete in two festive themed specials. Hosted by MasterChef Judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode, reality star Gemma Collins, actor and TV Presenter Joe Swash, actor and entertainer Les Dennis, singer Mica Paris, broadcaster the Reverend Richard Coles, Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse, reality star Joey Essex, former professional football player Neil Ruddock, comedian Judi Love, and actor and national treasure Su Pollard compete to see who can take home the title of Christmas champion and the all-new Celebrity MasterChef Golden Whisk trophy. Expect plenty of laughs, some great Christmas banter, a bit of sing song and some surprisingly good food as the celebrities all do their best to be crowned the Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Champion.

Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off, a 2x60’ for BBC One and iPlayer, is made by Shine TV. It was commissioned by Kate Phillips and Sarah Clay. The Commissioning Editor is Sarah Clay and the Executive Producer is David Ambler and Series Editor Katie Attwood.

Sports Personality Of The Year

BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2021 will take place on the evening of 19 December live on BBC One and iPlayer from Media City in Salford.

Presenters Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott will celebrate a sensational 12 months of incredible sporting action as well as champion the unsung heroes in our communities who do so much inspiring work at grassroots level.

Full of emotion and inspiration, the awards will also have live music performances and will end with the crowning of the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year, voted for by the public.

BBC Sports Personality of the Year is made by BBC Sport in house. Creative Director: Gabby Cook; Head Of Production: Debbie Dubois; Editor: Alastair McIntyre.

The Graham Norton Show

The Bafta award-winning chat show, featuring the biggest celebrities and the brightest conversation on television. Graham Norton presents his traditional end of year show with very special guests who are guaranteed to bring plenty of great conversation and lots of laughter to New Year’s Eve on BBC One.

The Graham Norton Show, a 1 x 60’ is made by So Television for BBC One and iPlayer. Commissioned by Kate Phillips, Director of Entertainment Commissioning the show is produced by Series Producer is Jon Magnusson and the Executive Producer is Graham Stuart. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Dwayne Eaton.

New’s Year’s Eve Concert

BBC One promises to see 2021 out in style with a music extravaganza for the whole family to enjoy. This special concert will count viewers down to 2022 and will feature a major artist plus big surprises too as BBC One plays host to a late night New Year’s Eve party that the entire nation is invited to.

Further details will be announced in due course.

New Year’s Eve Concert (w/t), a 2x30' is made by BBC Studios for BBC One and iPlayer and was commissioned by Lorna Clarke, Controller of Popular Music. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios is Mel Balac and the Series Producer is Cerrie Frost. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Rachel Davies.

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BBC Two

Beauty and the Beast: A Comic Relief Pantomime for Christmas

“Oh no it isn’t”, “Oh, yes, it is.” The world’s funniest AND most star-studded pantomime is back! The return of the popular Comic Relief Pantomime written by Ben Crocker and The Dawson Bros.

Last year’s Cinderella starred Regé-Jean Page, Olivia Colman, Helena Bonham Carter, Guz Khan, Anya Taylor Joy and 007 himself, Daniel Craig as the horse Wheezy Jeff. And they raised nearly £900,000 for Comic Relief. Now it’s back as some of the original stars return alongside an exciting new stellar cast to light up BBC Two’s screens at Christmas.

But what will the cast do with the classic, Beauty And The Beast? There promises to be some clever cameras tricks, surprising moments of comedy and of course big guest stars popping up.

Beauty and the Beast: A Comic Relief Pantomime for Christmas ( 1 x 60’ ) is a Studio Crook production for BBC Two and was commissioned by Kate Phillips, Director of Entertainment Commissioning. The Executive Producers for Studio Crook are Matt Crook, Richard Curtis and Colin Hopkins. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Katie Taylor.

The Mezzotint

It’s 1922 and in the heart of an old English college, Edward Williams receives an engraving of an unknown country house. An imposing facade. A sweeping lawn. And, just perhaps, something else…? Laced with M. R. James' trademark terror, The Mezzotint will guarantee a chill in the air for viewers this Christmas. Rory Kinnear (Years & Years, No Time To Die) stars as Williams, alongside Robert Bathurst (Cold Feet, Downton Abbey) as Garwood, and Frances Barber (Doctor Who, Semi-Detached) as Mrs Ambrigail. The Mezzotint also stars John Hopkins (Poldark, Lucky Man), Emma Cunniffe (Roadkill, Unforgotten), Nikesh Patel (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Indian Summers), and Tommaso Di Vincenzo (Dracula).

The Mezzotint is made by Can Do Productions with Adorable Media. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Controller of BBC Two, and Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama. It is adapted and directed by Mark Gatiss, and produced by Isibeal Ballance. Ben Irving is executive producer for the BBC.

Mandy

What is the true essence of Christmas? Is it the glimmer in a schoolboy’s expectant eye as he opens his pillowcase on Christmas morning and tucks into a delicious walnut and a bruised tangerine? Is it the wide smile on a publican’s face as he welcomes merry revellers with a vat of warm mulled wine he’s made in a sort of electric keg he normally puts oxtail soup in? Is it the haunting harmony of a choir respecting the current Covid protocols? Or, is it a Christmas episode of a TV show that is slightly longer than usual to make it appear “special"? Find out the answer in this Christmas episode of Mandy, starring Diane Morgan as our eponymous heroine. It is slightly longer than usual.

Mandy: We Wish You a Mandy Christmas, a 1x16’ is a BBC Studios/Witchcraft Industries co-productio, written, directed by and starring Diane Morgan. It is produced by Michael Spicer and co-produced by Kenny Tanner, the Executive Producer is Ben Caudell. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Gregor Sharp.

Two Doors Down

Two Doors Down returns with another festive special of the hit comedy centred around a family and their insufferable neighbours.

Having been away in the Highlands last year, we’re back on home turf in Latimer Crescent. And it’s all merry and bright over at Michelle and Alan’s as they welcome the neighbours for a wee pre-Christmas get together… But the festive atmosphere soon turns a little fraught.

Beth and Eric sit themselves down on the sofa and are given on-the-spot invitation to spend Christmas with Gordon’s parents in Yorkshire, which in turn causes Christine to feel vulnerable. Gordon irritates Ian with all his fussing, and Cathy – as ever – is desperate to find the ‘real’ party, with poor Michelle then in turn struggling to keep the evening on track.

There are brief glimmers of harmony when the neighbours play a silly kazoo game and decide to do something special for Christine - but Alan’s attempt to de-stress Ian backfires when Gordon goes and ruins things for everyone.

Arabella Weir plays Beth, Alex Norton is her husband Eric, Jamie Quinn plays their son Ian with Kieran Hodgson as his boyfriend Gordon, with Elaine C Smith as Christine, Doon Mackichan as Cathy, Jonathan Watson as her husband Colin and Joy McAvoy as Michelle and Graeme ‘Grado’ Stevely as Alan.

Written by Simon Carlyle and Gregor Sharp, the director is Ben Gosling Fuller, the producer Jacqueline Sinclair and Executive Producer is Steven Canny. Two Doors Down is produced by BBC Studios Comedy in Scotland.

Frankie Boyle’s New World Order 2021

Frankie Boyle returns with his New World Order end of year special where, with the help of his guests, he’ll dissect the bewildering year that was 2021. The show features Frankie at his satirical best as he reviews and discusses all the big stories from the last 12 months along with a selection of unbelievable clips.

Frankie Boyle’s New World Order 2021, a 1x45’ is made by Zeppotron, a Banijay UK Company. The BBC Commissioning Editor is Katie Taylor. Christopher Barbour, Peter Holmes and Ruth Phillips are the Executive Producers for Zeppotron.

Live At The Apollo

This December, the BAFTA nominated Live At The Apollo returns with its sixth Christmas special, welcoming some of the biggest and best comedic talent to the stage for some festive funniness.

Live At The Apollo is back for a 16th series with seven all new episodes, welcoming an array of established and up-and-coming stand-ups to the world-famous Apollo stage. At the forefront of its genre, the roll call of stand-ups who have performed in front of the renowned Live At The Apollo lights plays out like a who’s who of comedic royalty and this series is no different.

In this special festive edition of the award-winning Live at the Apollo, the fabulous Jason Manford is your host as he introduces Maisie Adam and Nabil Abdulrashid to the stage.

Live at The Apollo is made by Open Mike Productions. The Commissioning Editor is Pinki Chambers for the BBC with Andrew Beint as Exec Producer and Anthony Caveney as Producer, for Open Mike. The director is Paul Wheeler.

QI Christmas Special

Comedy panel quiz QI returns for a fun-filled festive special, hosted by Sandi Toksvig, with panellists Bonnie Langford, Joe Lycett, Sally Phillips, and regular guest Alan Davies.

Sandi’s smorgasbord of seasonal subjects starting with ‘S’ includes School Nativity Success Statistics and the secrets of Shiraz and Sprouts. Plus, a candlelit General Ignorance. Unanswerable questions, questionable answers, and a scoring system even the Three Wise Men couldn’t fathom.

QI Christmas Special, 1 x 30', is made by Talkback (a Fremantle label). It was commissioned by Patrick Holland and Kate Phillips. The Commissioning Editor is Sarah Clay and the Executive Producer is John Lloyd.

Christmas University Challenge

Our Christmas present to the UK’s student population is a brief let-up in the weekly grilling they’re getting from Jeremy Paxman. Instead, they can join the rest of us as we watch this special festive season of ten episodes, for which we invite distinguished graduates to compete on behalf of their university or university college.

There are only two criteria to be eligible to compete; we ask that team members should have graduated from the institution they’re playing for, without having been thrown out before taking their degrees; and that since graduating, they’ve gone on to make their mark in their chosen field. As a result, we can expect to see some familiar names from various worlds including those of journalism and broadcasting, comedy and politics, acting and writing, all competing to uphold the honour of the institution that fine-polished their minds.

We’ve softened the edges of our studio with tinsel and twinkly lights, but there’s no softening of the questions we’ll be throwing at our brave teams, which will be of the same demanding standard that we use to test the UK’s brainiest students. Fourteen teams will be taking part in seven first-round matches, from which the four with the highest winning scores will return to compete in the semi-finals. From there, the best two teams will compete for the title of University Challenge Christmas Series Champions.

University Challenge, a 10x30’, is produced by Lifted Entertainment, part of IT Studios. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland and Kate Phillips. The BBC Commissioning Editor is Pinki Chambers. Peter Gwyn is the Executive Producer for Lifted Entertainment.

Mortimer And Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing

Paul Whitehouse’s Christmas gift to Bob Mortimer this year is to take him on a quest to catch an elusive English Salmon. So the pair head to the beautiful rivers Eden and Tyne around Newcastle to start their Gone Christmas Fishing seasonal adventure.

They are accompanied as always by fishing dog Ted and are joined along the way by some very special guests. Together they discover and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, to spend quality time with those you love, both on and off the riverbank. There are plenty of laughs, a few tears and some big surprises in this hour-long special episode, which will leave you well and truly immersed in the Christmas spirit.

Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Christmas Fishing, a 1x60’, is made by Owl Power. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland and Catherine Catton, and the Commissioning Editor is Max Gogarty.  The Executive Producer is Lisa Clark, and the director is Rob Gill.

The Morecambe and Wise Show 1970 - The Lost Tape

As a Christmas treat for comedy fans, this is a complete episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show, that had been considered ‘lost’ for over 50 years. Eric’s son Gary Morecambe discovered the programme in an unmarked film can in 2020, and now it has been lovingly restored and can be enjoyed in full for the first time since being first broadcast on October 8th 1970.

The show, written by the legendary Eddie Braben, was episode one of Eric and Ernie’s first series to appear on BBC One, and was originally watched by over 14 million viewers. As well as some classic sketches from Eric and Ernie, the show also features songs and music from Paul Anka, Patricia Lambert, Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen, and the boys themselves rounding things off with a burst of “Bring Me Sunshine.”

The original version of this episode of The Morecombe and Wise Show a 1 x 45’  was produced by John Ammonds. The writer was Eddie Braden and the Orchestra was directed by Peter Knight. The  Commissioning Editor for this specially restored version for 2021 is Rachel Ashdown and the Executive Producer for BBC TV & Media Operations is Simon Goretzki. Richard Russell was responsible for Colour Recovery, Peter Crocker managed the Video Restoration and the Audio Restoration was overseen by Mark Ayres.

The Ranganation Christmas Special

Romesh Ranganathan, winner of the 2021 BAFTA TV Award for Comedy Entertainment Performance, returns alongside his celebrity guests, the Ranganation themselves and of course his mum Shanthi to take a festively funny and topical look at modern Britain in a special Yuletide edition of The Ranganation.

Joining Romesh in the studio are presenter and TV personality Scarlett Moffatt and comedian Josh Widdicombe. Viewers can expect lively festive chat and of course a dose of optimistic entertainment on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer this Christmas.

The Ranganation Christmas Special a 1 x 45’  is a Zeppotron (a Banijay UK company) production, commissioned by Kate Phillips, Director of Entertainment at the BBC. Ruth Phillips and Richard Cohen are Executive producers for Zeppotron, Mark Barrett is the Series Producer and Barbara Wiltshire is the Director. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Ruby Kuraishe.

The Hairy Bikers Go North For Christmas 

The Hairy Bikers are back on the road, and this time they’ve got their sights set on creating the most fabulous Northern festive feast for their nearest and dearest. 

Dave Myers and Si King hail from opposite sides of the North and feel it’s been far too long since their families have been together around one table for a proper celebration. So they’ve hatched a plan to ride the backbone of the North, the Pennines, from top to bottom, to meet, taste and be inspired by the best food artisans and producers around. They’ll then create a Christmas dinner using ingredients they find, to treat their families to the best Northern Xmas ever.

This is a Hairy Bikers’ Christmas dinner with a twist. From unusual starters - Turkey Doner Kebab – to gourmet marshmallows and award-winning Christmas Puds that contain an incredible 21 ingredients. This will be a fabulous festive feast, Hairy Bikers-style to suit three generations of both the King and Myers families.

The Hairy Bikers Go North for Christmas a 1 x 60’, is made by South Shore. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland and Catherine Catton. The Commissioning Editor is Max Gogarty and the Executive Producers are Andrew Mackenzie-Betty and Melanie Leach.

Mary Berry’s Festive Feasts

Dame Mary Berry is ready to teach three truly hapless cooks how to create a fantastic Christmas Feast to surprise someone special. 

The kitchen novices are invited to Mary's home to share their ambitions for the feast and tell her all about the deserving person they want to spoil. 

After selecting some recipes that are sure to impress, they will be trained up by Mary herself. She’ll demonstrate tricky techniques while giving her pupils helpful critique and pointers along the way.  But once they wave goodbye to Mary and head home, it's up to them to practice in their own kitchens... will they be able to replicate Mary's​ mouth watering dishes?

Luckily for them, keen to make sure the feast runs smoothly - and to add an extra sprinkle of Christmas magic - Mary’s enlisted the help of two celebrity Elves, Alex Jones and Patrick Grant, to help the trio. 

On the big day, while temperatures rise in the kitchen as the novices prepare their dishes, Mary and her Elves are on hand to assist in the hope that the guest of honour, along with their family and friends, are served up a truly fantastic Festive Feast, and one to make Dame Mary proud. 

Mary Berry’s Festive Feasts, a 1x60’, is made by Rumpus Media. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland and Catherine Catton. The Commissioning Editor is Ricky Cooper and Emily Hudd and Kelly Sparks are Executive Producers.

Andi Oliver Taste Of Home Christmas Special 

Andi Oliver is a chef and passionate foodie and she's eaten in some really amazing places - but what really excites her isn't fancy restaurants, it's the special meals and food celebrations people cook at home. Most of all at Christmas. 

Andi believes there’s no better way to get to know people - or truly understand the place where they live - than by cooking and sharing a meal with them. So in this joyful festive special, Andi is going to meet three very different families, all from the same great city of Glasgow, as they create celebratory feasts for their nearest and dearest.  

Across this warm-hearted and entertaining episode, the three households will proudly share their treasured family recipes and traditions with Andi, and demonstrate how a simple meal can help tell the story of a whole city - it’s culture, its spirit and its history. 

As Andi rolls up her sleeves to help the families shop and prep for the food that matters most to them at Christmas time, we’ll get a rich and varied picture of how different families celebrate the festive season. Some of the dishes will be the classics Andi knows and loves, others will be an entirely new experience - but all will give her and BBC Two viewers a real taste of Glasgow and of home.

Andi Oliver's A Taste of Home at Christmas, a 1x60’, is made by Outline Productions. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland and Catherine Catton. The Commissioning Editor is Patrick McMahon and the Executive Producers are Vicky Hamburger and Helen Veale.

Only Connect Christmas Special

Victoria Coren Mitchell is back in the host's chair for a one-off special of Only Connect: the series where knowledge will only take you so far. Patience and lateral thinking are also vital.

Two favourite teams from previous series return for an evening of cheese, wine and Christmas quizzing. It's a festive affair as the Turophiles take on the Corkscrews in a competition to draw together the connections between things which at first glance, seem utterly random. So raise a glass and join Victoria Coren Mitchell if you want to know what connects...

Ben | Phillip Schofield | The Ivy | Crickets

Quentin Blake: The Drawing Of My Life

BBC Two celebrates one of Britain’s best-loved artists: the illustrator and author Sir Quentin Blake. He tells the story of his creative life in his own words - and, of course, with his own pictures - by making a major new work exclusively for this film. Viewers will see him fill a thirty foot long canvas with classic characters and key moments from his career.

The programme features contributions from famous collaborators and admirers, among them, Michael Rosen, Lauren Child, Chris Riddell, Josie Long, David Walliams, Steven Appleby, Dapo Adeola and Emma Chichester Clark. In a rare new interview, Felicity Dahl gives fresh insights into Quentin’s famously fruitful collaboration with her late husband Roald. Joanna Lumley, Peter Capaldi and Ore Oduba read extracts from some of the 500 books Blake has illustrated.

The documentary shows how Quentin, who turns 89 this December, is still exploring new creative outlets - in recent years moving beyond the pages of children's books to make larger pieces for galleries and hospitals. More than 70 years since he was first published, Blake's joyful art continues to delight people of all ages.

Quentin Blake: The Drawing of My Life is made by Wingspan. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Director, Factual, Arts and Classical Music Television and and Suzy Klein, Head of Arts and Classical Music Television. The Commissioning Editor is Mark Bell. The Director is Peter Sweasey and the Executive Producer is Archie Baron.

Gardeners’ World

In the second of three special programmes celebrating the gardening year, Adam Frost hosts the show from his garden.

Nick Bailey visits the winter garden at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Hampshire. He meets the head gardener and deconstructs the winter garden, which lies all but dormant during the summer months, before bursting into life and colour with a host of beautiful plants with the onset of winter.

Frances Tophill visits the great glasshouse at The National Botanic Garden of Wales, the largest single span glasshouse in the world; Carol Klein immerses herself in the exuberance of summer, at the gardens of Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire; and Arit Anderson explores Scape Lodge - a spectacular garden created in very challenging conditions on the steepest of slopes in the Pennines. Rachel de Thame finds joy in a plant which dazzles in the depths of winter – witch hazel.

In the third and final of three special Gardeners’ World episodes, celebrating the delights of the gardening year from winter to autumn, Monty Don creates a winter interest container filled with seasonal favourites including hellebores, cyclamens, violas, crocus and ferns. He also shares his tips on how to care for house plants over winter and plans for the growing season ahead by sorting seeds – a rewarding job at this time of year.

Carol Klein meets comedian Joe Lycett at his home in Birmingham and talks to him about his new found love of gardening.

Florist and gardener Arthur Parkinson joins Rachel de Thame to inject some floral fabulousness into Christmas. Rachel and Arthur spend a festive day making Christmas decorations; Rachel gathers fresh plant material from the garden to build a door posy filled with berries and evergreens. In contrast, Arthur uses cut flowers and grasses, such as hydrangeas, amaranthus and panicum that he has collected and dried throughout the year - giving a modern twist to the traditional Christmas door wreath.

Adam Frost looks at a beautiful range of plants that are the perfect backdrop to the border at the is time of year. We visit Sue Kent in her garden in South Wales as she gets into the Christmas spirit, preparing for the big day as she creates some festive gardening gifts and we visit a family nursery in Yorkshire, who specialise in growing one of the most popular plants we bring into our homes at Christmas - the poinsettia.

Garden historian Advolly Richmond heads to Cumbria and uncovers the fascinating history behind the gardens at Levens Hall.

Inside The Factory - Christmas Cards

In this new Inside the Factory Christmas Special Gregg Wallace visits the Woodmansterne card factory in in Watford, Hertfordshire. We Brits spend a staggering 1.7 billion pounds on cards annually, but we are really enthusiastic for greetings in the festive season! Spending a whopping 900million pounds on them every year. Gregg is following one of this factory’s bestselling cards, The Red Stag.

The process begins with a delivery of 1.2 million sheets of sustainable Italian paper or board. Gregg then makes the printing plates that he will use to transfer his design onto them using the Rolls Royce of printing presses! Loading this huge 23 tonne machine with rich vibrant inks is like spreading jam on toast and when it’s fired up, it prints a whopping 10 cards per second. Using blisteringly hot metal dyes, foil is then pressed onto the cards, before they are cut to size by a laser sharp guillotine that terrifies Gregg! The finished cards go to the factory’s giant Xmas card grotto which can hold 9 million of them, before they are shipped out to retailers across the UK and as far afield as Australia and Singapore!

Elsewhere in the episode Cherry Healy creates a Vegan Christmas feast and Historian Ruth Goodman unwraps the story of the year when Christmas was cancelled.

Madonna at the BBC

A look back at a selection of magical Madonna moments on a range of BBC shows - from her first ever Top of the Pops appearance with Holiday in 1984, right up to the present day. This collection covers Madge’s journey from Material Girl to Queen of Pop. It captures how, over the years, her ability to combine charisma, controversy and classic pop tunes has made her a female icon and a true global superstar.

Madonna at the BBC is made by BBC TV & Media Operations. It was commissioned by Jan Younghusband, Head of Commissioning, BBC Music TV. The Executive Producer is Simon Goretzki.

Madonna: Truth or Dare

A behind-the-scenes look at Madonna's 1990 Blonde Ambition tour, which saw the Queen of Pop perform to 800,000 people across Japan, the USA, Canada, Sweden, Spain, the UK, Italy and France. This intimate film, which was last broadcast on the BBC in 2003, explores Madonna’s relationships with her dancers, crew, family and friends - including her famous encounters with Warren Beatty, Sandra Bernhard and Kevin Costner. It features performances of songs including Express Yourself, Oh Father, Like A Virgin, Holiday, Live To Tell, Vogue, Causin' A Commotion, Keep It Together and Family Affair.

Madonna: Truth or Dare for BBC Two is produced by Boy Toy, Inc and Propaganda Films. It was acquired for the BBC by Jan Younghusband, Head of Commissioning, BBC Music Television. The producer is Tim Clawson.

Adele at the BBC

Adele has broken records, won numerous awards and has recently released her highly anticipated fourth album, 30. This programme takes a trip back into the BBC’s archives to look again at how it all started for one of the 21st century’s biggest music stars. This is a chance to enjoy all Adele’s  biggest hits and to relive her early performances on a selection of BBC programmes. These performances include her first ever TV appearance on Later…with Jools Holland, in 2007, on which she sang Daydreamer - a debut that announced a new star was born.

Adele at the BBC is made by BBC TV & Media Operations. It was commissioned by Jan Younghusband, Head of Commissioning, BBC Music TV. The Executive Producer is Simon Goretzki.

Lady Gaga at the BBC

From the moment her debut single Just Dance hit the top of the UK charts, Lady Gaga has captivated music fans across the world. This collection of her appearances on the BBC over the years underlines exactly why she’s considered one of the most creative, innovative stars of the 21st century. Whether she’s performing Poker Face solo, dressed like no-one before her or since, or duetting Anything Goes with Tony Bennett on Strictly Come Dancing, the range of performances demonstrate her versatility and her continuous ability to surprise her fans.

Lady Gaga at the BBC is made by BBC TV & Media Operations. It was commissioned by Jan Younghusband, Head of Commissioning, BBC Music TV. The Executive Producer is Simon Goretzki.

Jools’ Annual Hootenanny

Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra welcome in the New Year with Jools’ Annual Hootenanny 2021/2022. Joined by host of stellar guests, they’ll bring viewers a spectacular festive party, direct to their homes. This year’s show takes place at Riverside Studios in London and will see performances and interviews with a range of artists. There’ll be appearances from some of the musicians who have been making waves in 2021 as well as established household favourites.

Plus, as is tradition, Jools will be counting the seconds down to midnight, before the Pipes and Drums of the 1stBattalion Scots Guards play viewers into 2022.

Jools’ Annual Hootenanny is made by BBC Studios. It was commissioned by Lorna Clarke, Controller, BBC Pop and Rachel Davies, Commissioning Executive, BBC Music TV. The Executive Producer is Alison Howe.

A Musical Family Christmas with the Kanneh-Masons (w/t)

This Christmas,  BBC Two viewers are invited to join a very special festive celebration with the Kanneh-Mason family. The seven exceptionally-talented classical musical siblings will treat audiences to seasonal performances of their favourite Xmas music such as  ‘Mary’s Boy Child’, ‘We Three Kings’ and Tchaikovsky’s ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’ plus beautiful covers of ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’ and ‘Hallelujah'. In addition, the programme follows the family as they prepare for their traditional Anglo-Afro-Caribbean-style Christmas celebrations in their Nottingham home.

A Musical Family Christmas with the Kanneh-Masons is a Maclarty Brown Media production for BBC Two commissioned by Jan Younghusband for BBC Music and Aisling O’Connor for BBC England. The producer is Len Brown, the Executive Producer is Bridget Boseley, and the Executive Producer for BBC England is Diana Hare.

Gareth Malone’s Christmas Concert (w/t) 

In this seasonal special, choirmaster Gareth Malone heads to Blackburn – one of the areas of the country hardest hit by Covid-19 - to create a concert that celebrates the work of NHS staff and other keyworkers. In the Royal Blackburn Hospital, and surrounding town, Gareth comes across a wealth of amateur musical talent. Working with them to devise and rehearse musical performances that reflect their experiences over the last year, he uncovers a range of moving stories about how the town has pulled together through the pandemic. The final concert will be an emotional thank you to the local hospital, an uplifting celebration of community, and a chance to bring some festive joy to the nation.   

Gareth Malone’s Christmas Concert is a Swan Films production for BBC Two. Commissioned by Jan Younghusband and Patrick Holland, Director, Factual, Arts and Classical Music Television. The producer and director is Harry Beney and the executive producers are Neil Crombie and Joe Evans.

New Year’s Day Concert Live From Vienna 2022

Petroc Trelawny is host for the Vienna Philharmonic’s annual New Year’s Day Concert from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. In these uncertain times, the concert will look to send a   New Year's greeting of hope to the world, as it welcomes back an audience to the hall following last year’s edition, which was impacted by the ongoing global pandemic.  

The 2022 New Year's Concert is conducted by Daniel Barenboim, whose artistic collaboration with the Vienna Philharmonic began in 1989. He first appeared with the orchestra as pianist in 1956 and since then he has conducted many concerts with them, including the New Year's Concerts 2009 and 2014.

A much-loved appointment in the classical music schedules worldwide, this year’s concert will include traditional favourites such as Johann Strauss II’ The Beautiful Blue Danube, as well as At The Hunt, Overture to The Bat from Die Fledermaus, and Champagne Polka by the same composer. Also part of the programme, music by Josef Strauss, Eduard Strauss, Carl Michael Ziehrer, and for the first time Joseph Hellmesberger Jr.

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BBC Four

2021 Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution

In this year’s Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution - Going Viral: How Covid Changed Science Forever - Professor Jonathan Van-Tam takes a deep dive into the fascinating and varied world of viruses.

Joined by expert British scientists who all played vital roles in the Covid-19 pandemic, he’ll reveal why new discoveries and advances - from early detection techniques to new vaccines – are set to change the future of medicine.

With millions of lives at stake and no treatments or vaccines to hand, they accelerated their research to achieve the impossible, racing to understand the virus’s biology, to find treatments and create vaccines that could bring the pandemic under control. And they succeeded. Within 11 months the first vaccine was produced - a process that often takes 10 years.

During the three-lecture series, Prof. Van-Tam will show how public health measures, combined with ground-breaking science will have an impact far beyond Covid-19, including breakthroughs that could help fight other infectious diseases, genetic disorders and even cancer. Data has been shared across the world and rapid clinical trials have tested the efficacy of new drugs. Biological and epidemiological science will never be the same again.

Going Viral: How Covid Changed Science Forever, the 2021 Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution for BBC Four and iPlayer, is made by Windfall Films and co-produced by The Royal Institution. It was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Director, Factual, Arts and Classical Music Television and Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Science and Natural History. The Commissioning Editor is Tom Coveney and the Executive Producer is David Dugan.

Winter Journey (w/t)

Built at the 2,300m summit of the Julierpass in south-east Switzerland is a tower, an extraordinary 30 metre high red wooden structure which was unveiled in late 2017. Out of time and place, it stands in splendid and magisterial isolation – but will be dismantled in August 2023 – a tribute to the fleeting nature of theatre performance. Whilst it remains in use, this film uses its many evocative spaces to stage the ultimate musical portrait of isolation: Schubert’s song-cycle Winterreise (or Winter Journey), telling of a young man’s wintry self-isolation as he wanders in the open, wracked with emotional turmoil. Shot by iconic filmmaker John Bridcut both inside the tower, and outside in the snow this is a personal journey for German-British baritone Benjamin Appl who sings sections of the work accompanied by pianist James Baillieu.

Winter Journey (w/t) is a Crux Productions production for BBC Four and BBC Arts. The commissioner is Jan Younghusband. The producer and director is John Bridcut.

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CBeebies

The Night Before Christmas

CBeebies Christmas Show is back starring CBeebies favourites such as Justin Fletcher, Jennie Dale, Nigel Clarke and many more. The Night Before Christmas is an original theatre show based on the poem of the same name, created by a team of writers and scripted by Nathan Cockerill.

It tells the story of one Christmas Eve when the Wish Taker took all of the children’s wishes meant for Father Christmas, and how young Holly was determined to get them all back. The words from the original poem are woven into the tale, narrated by Moon. The show includes a delicious range of sing-along songs and toe-tapping dances for all the family to enjoy.

The Night Before Christmas is made by BBC Children’s Productions. Commissioned by BBC Children’s former Head of Content, Cheryl Taylor. Executive Producer is Vanessa Amberleigh.

Bluey

It’s Christmas and Bluey is very focused on being good to get more presents. But when a game of Verandah Santa leaves cousin Socks upset, Bluey must learn the virtue of kindness.

Bluey for CBeebies is made by Ludo Studio for ABC KIDS and is co-commissioned by ABC Children’s and BBC Studios. The series was acquired by Sarah Muller, Head of Commissions and Acquisitions 7-12, BBC Children’s. The Executive Producers are Charlie Aspinwall and Daley Pearson, Henrietta Hurford-Jones for BBC Studios and Michael Carrington for ABC.

Tish Tash

Tish is left in charge of the Christmas Tree decorations, but Bobby keeps getting in the way of her plans.

Tish Tash for CBeebies is produced by Studio Gale, August Media Holdings, Synergy88 Entertainment and Karrot Entertainment, distributed by CAKE. The series was acquired by Sarah Muller, Head of Commissions and Acquisitions 7-12, BBC Children’s. The Executive Producers are ChangHwan Shin, Jyotirmoy Saha, Jackeline Chua and Bernard Chong. Associate Producers for Karrot are Chris White and Jamie Badminton.

Numberblocks – The Twelve Days Of Christmas

The Numberblocks present a special numbery version of the festive favourite featuring a Christmas train that flings gifts into the air. What could possibly go wrong? Learn about counting, adding and number patterns in this animated Christmas special from the Numberblocks.

Numberblocks for CBeebies, are made by Alphablocks Ltd. They were commissioned by BBC Children’s former Head of Content, Cheryl Taylor. The Executive Producers are Joe Elliot and Oli Hyatt.

Alphablocks – Letters To Santa

Stan Elf is on a mission to deliver all the letters to Santa. Can the Alphablocks help him and save Christmas? This animated seasonal special has fun with letter teams and clusters, and includes magic words such as bells, elf, gifts, jolly and sled.

Alphablocks for CBeebies, are made by Alphablocks Ltd. They were commissioned by BBC Children’s former Head of Content, Cheryl Taylor. The Executive Producers are Joe Elliot and Oli Hyatt.

My World Kitchen

Join Dougie as he makes a delicious festive classic; a Christmas yule log! He has invited his friends to try it but will they like the taste of the redcurrants inside his yule log?

My World Kitchen is a Terrific Television production for CBeebies. Executive Producers are Driana Jones and Nic Ayling. It was commissioned by BBC Children’s former Head of Content, Cheryl Taylor.

Love Monster

Take a festive trip to Fluffytown for a bumper double length Love Monster special - A Very Merry Unicorn Day - with special guest star, the Emmy award winning Rosamund Pike as Glitterhorn. When for the first time ever, it doesn’t snow on Unicorn Day, everyone goes home convinced the day is ruined, because without snow Glitterhorn won’t be able to deliver her presents.

But our one-of-a-kind hero, Love Monster is determined to save the day and using snow bubbles covers Fluffytown in a deep layer of snow. Unfortunately, it is so deep everyone is snowed into their houses!

Can Love Monster and Glitterhorn save Unicorn Day for a second time?

Love Monster for CBeebies, is a co-production between BBC Children’s, Boat Rocker Media and UYoung and is made by Karrot Animation and A Productions Ltd.

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CBBC

Andy and The Band

Andy and his band are back with a mission to save Christmas! Santa has a major supply problem at Christmas HQ which only The Odd Socks can help with. Can they turn it round in time for the big day? Will their rusty - sorry, trusty - roadie Whiff manage to get himself off the naughty list and into Santa’s good books? And, most importantly of all, with the help of an A-lister pop celebrity, will the band’s cover version of a perennial Christmas favourite make it to Number 1 in the charts?

Andy & The Band is a Three Arrows/ Ninja Pig production for CBBC. Executive Producers are David Hallam and Tammy Skan. The Commissioning Editor for CBBC is Michael Towner. Rudolph is Chief Reindeer.

The Beaker Girls

It will be a Christmas to remember for the Beaker Girls. As a storm blows in there are some surprise re-appearances in Cooksea and an unexpected festive arrival as Jess and Tracy rediscover the meaning of family at Christmas time.

The Beaker Girls for BBC Children’s is made by BBC Children’s Productions. Commissioned by BBC Children’s Head of Commissioning and Acquisitions (7-12) Sarah Muller. Executive Producer is Gina Cronk.

Live Lessons

BBC Teach Live Lessons will be holding a Winter themed programme for 5-7 year olds (Key Stage 1/First Level), on 1 December online on BBC Teach and on CBBC as part of the Bitesize Learning Zone. The Winter Live Lesson will explore seasonal changes and winter weather and encourage children to make observations about their environment.

On 15 December, a Christmas Live Lesson will look at the story and history of the festive holiday period, go behind the scenes at a panto, and learn how to make an excellent Christmas bake to share with the family. The programme for primary schools, will link to curriculum objectives around citizenship and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

BBC Teach Live Lessons are made by BBC Children’s Productions in collaboration with BBC Teach. The Live Lessons Executive Producer is Putul Verma and the BBC Teach Editor is Rebekka Campbell.

Horrible Histories: Cracking Christmas

In Horrible Histories: Cracking Christmas, meet the 18th century man whose job was to walk a thousand turkeys from Norfolk to London – he set off in September, and yes, they did have shoes. Step aside Santa, we’ve got the other Christmas spirits, including Joulopukki, the Finnish Festive Goat. Don’t miss the stories behind the first ever Christmas tree, the first nativity scene, why Henry VIII thought Elizabeth’s gift was boring, and how the Romans celebrated Saturnalia by giving rubbish presents. And Charles Dickens sings us out, Slade stylie, revealing how the Victorians first introduced many of the Christmas traditions we enjoy today.

Horrible Histories: Cracking Christmas is made for CBBC by Lion TV. It was commissioned by BBC Children’s former Head of Content, Cheryl Taylor and Melissa Hardinge, Senior Commissioning Editor, BBC Children’s, Independents 7+. The Executive Producers are Richard Bradley and Simon Welton.

Blue Peter Christmas Special

The Blue Peter Christmas special is presented by Adam, Mwaksy and Richie and Henry the Dog. Featuring a studio packed with special guests, festive performance and post from kids who have been awarded their very own badge. Mwaksy takes us behind the scenes as she performs on stage as a singing reindeer in the CBeebies Christmas show and Richie is trying his hand at creating a neon version of the classic Blue Peter advent crown.

Blue Peter is made for CBBC by BBC Children’s Productions Commissioned by BBC Children’s Head of Commissioning and Acquisitions (7-12) Sarah Muller. Editor is Ellen Evans.

Jacqueline Wilson’s Wonderful World

In celebration of Tracy Beaker creator, Dame Jacqueline Wilson, BBC Children’s will be bringing the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s Jacqueline Wilson’s Wonderful World to BBC iPlayer this December as this multimedia orchestral adventure is filmed with a live audience at the Barbican. This unique and special event will also be broadcast on Radio 3 and Radio 4.

The iPlayer coverage was ordered by BBC Children’s Head of Commissioning and Acquisitions (7-12) Sarah Muller. Executive Producer is Vanessa Amberleigh and producer is Angela Young .