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11 Christmas TV specials you definitely have to watch in 2024
3 December 2024, 16:58
Gavin and Stacey, Call The Midwife, Mrs Brown's Boys and many more popular TV shows are bringing you a festive treat to watch this year.
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Christmas is a tiring time of year with plenty of parties and markets to attend and lots of presents and food to buy a prepare, so when it comes to a bit of downtime, it's all about tuning into those Christmas TV specials.
In 2024, there are some pretty amazing festive treats coming our way too as the likes of Gavin and Stacey, Call The Midwife, Outnumbered and Gogglebox have all pulled together a classic Christmas episode.
So if you've tried out all the new merry movies December has to offer this year, make sure you note down these TV specials that you will not want to miss.
Grab your tins of chocolates, some extra cheese for the board and check out these one-off Christmas episodes.
Gavin and Stacey
Channel: BBC1
Date: Christmas Day
Time: TBC
It's the Christmas special we've all been waiting for as Gavin, Stacey, Ness and Bryn all return for 90minutes of festive joy.
Five years since we saw Tessa down on one knee declaring her love for Smithy (James Corden), we catch up on what our favourite characters have been up to since. So what can we expect? Well Bryn is getting ready for a trip to Essex, Gavin and Stacey are attempting to spice up their 17year marriage and Gwen is a little off.
Elsewhere, Nessa has a new business venture and Neil the Baby is about to begin an apprenticeship. Pam is stressed about being the hostess and Pete and Dawn are facing some difficulties of their own.
In what is sure to be the last instalment from the cast, we're also hoping for some answers to those unanswered questions.
The Great Christmas Bake Off
Channel: Channel 4
Date: TBC
Time: TBC
Things are getting a bit soapy in the Bake Off tent as the Christmas edition only invites soap stars to compete. Dean Gaffney, Sheree Murphy, Shobna Galati, Natalie Cassidy and Chris Bisson all go head-to-head to be crowned Star Baker and overall winner.
Death In Paradise
Channel: BBC1
Date: Boxing Day
Time: TBC
It's one of the favourites around Christmas time and in 2024, Jim Howick, Angela Griffin, Marcus Brigstocke and Elizabeth Carling will be spending Christmas in the Caribbean.
With brand new detective Inspector Don Gilet (you'll recognise him from EastEnders or Shetland) joining the team, the Boxing Day special will see the detectives take on a very puzzling murder crime which sees three unconnected men all shot with the same gun at the same time. Their only connection? They were all dressed as Santa at the time.
Elsewhere, the police team are all struggling with their new colleague and Dwayne's Christmas with his dad doesn't go to plan.
The Christmas special will also be promptly followed by a new season in 2025 too.
Gladiators
Channel: BBC1
Date: TBC
Time: TBC
It was one of the most popular TV comebacks this year and for Christmas, Bradley and Barney Walsh have invited some celebrities to come along and take part. Rob Beckett, Joel Dommett, Louise Minching and Ellie Taylor all fancy their chances against the Gladiators this December.
Call The Midwife (two episode special)
Channel: BBC1
Date: TBC
Time: TBC
It's a very merry Christmas indeed from the Call The Midwife team who have confirmed TWO festive specials with season 15 airing almost immediately after.
Not too many spoilers have been revealed but they have released the synopsis: "As Poplar also prepares for a carol concert, the neighbourhood is gripped by the news of an escaped prisoner and fears grow that he may be in the local area after a spate of break-ins."
Set during the Christmas period, we know it will be happen in 1969 around Christmas time. We also know the specials will end on a cliffhanger.
Is It Cake? Holiday
Channel: Netflix
Available: Now
A great fun festive episode for all the family to enjoy is the very popular Is It Cake? Christmas special. Bringing back popular faces from previous series, the contestants need to bake the best seasonal dupe to trick the judges in to thinking it's real.
Outnumbered
Channel: BBC1
Date: TBC
Time: TBC
The Brockton family are returning to our screens in 2024 for a Christmas special and we can't wait. It's been eight years since we last saw the cast but this year, the hilarious and dysfunctional family are back for some of their best work yet.
We've been told: "It will follow the chaos in the downsized home of Pete and Sue Brockman, as they grapple with the challenges of parenting kids who are now adults, with their own lives to lead.
"In a moment of adversity, Sue and Pete gather all their offspring (including one grandchild) to try and celebrate a traditional family Christmas. But fate, neighbours, hyenas and bus replacement services get in their way."
Mrs Brown's Boys
Channel: BBC1
Date: Christmas Day and New Year's Day
Time: TBC
Confirmed in September, the BBC announced there would be two Christmas specials in 2024 as the 25th December instalment celebrates the show's 50th episode.
At this stage, no teasers or plot snippets have been released so we'll have to wait a little longer before we know what chaos is happening.
Work on the sitcom's Christmas special was paused earlier this year while the BBC investigated an incident after complaints from cast and crew members regarding Brendan O'Carroll's language during a read-through.
He told the Mirror: "During a read-through of the Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas specials, I made a clumsy attempt at a joke, where a racial term was implied.
"It backfired and caused offence, which I deeply regret and for which I have apologised."
The Good Ship Murder Christmas
Channel: Channel 5
Date: 18th December
Time: 9pm
They had a hit season one and now Catherine Tyldesley and Shayne Ward are back as Kate Woods and Jack Grayling for a murder mystery involving a replacement Santa. And just to add to the complicated workload, further sparks ignite between them too...
Tiddler
Channel: BBC1
Date: TBC
Time: TBC
Every year the BBC bring another classic Julia Donaldson story to life and for 2024, we see Tiddler brought to our TV screens. A 30-minute special, Hannah Waddingham will narrate the classic of the little fish with big tales.
Rob Brydon, Lolly Adefope and Jade Adams all lend their voices to this episode too as it is sure to be a hit your little ones will love to watch again and again.
Doctor Who: Joy to the World
Channel: BBC1
Date: TBC
Time: TBC
Doctor Who played by Ncuti Gatwa is joined by Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan as Joy for this amazing Christmas sci-fi mystery we've grown to love every December.
Spoilers and plot have been kept top secret thus far but show runner Steven Moffat has teased: "The show isn't really about the Doctor. It's about whoever he meets. Doctor Who does not begin with him stealing the TARDIS and running away. It begins with the schoolteachers following Susan home, and encountering him.
"We do go into that a bit in this one, as to what actually goes on in that weird man's head when he's got no one to be the Doctor for."
