Best Christmas TV for 2024 – Your guide to what to watch

Fan-favourite series like Death in Paradise, Beyond Paradise, Sister Boniface Mysteries and The Good Ship Murder are all back for their Christmas specials, and all the soaps will of course be bringing us some typically dramatic end-of-year twists.

There are also new seasons of Squid Game, SAS Rogue Heroes and The Split: Barcelona to get excited about, as well as family favourites like Tiddler and Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

Read on for the ultimate guide to the best Christmas TV for this year from RadioTimes.com.

Best Christmas TV for 2024 – Your guide to what to watch

1. Gavin & Stacey: The Finale

It's the comedy special that fans have been waiting for since the last Gavin & Stacey Christmas special back in 2019. Now, the series is set to come to its end with one final hurrah as we check back in on the cast of beloved characters.

The 90-minute special will jump ahead in time so as to keep up with the real world, and will see how married life has fared for Gavin (Mathew Horne) and Stacey (Joanna Page), as well as what life has brought to their families in Billericay and Barry. Of course, most of us will be waiting to see what became of Nessa (Ruth Jones) and Smithy (James Corden) after the last episode's cliffhanger.

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale will air on BBC One and iPlayer on Christmas Day.

2. Outnumbered

The Brockmans are back for an anticipated Outnumbered return, marking the first new episode of the hit BBC comedy series since 2019. All the original cast are reprising their roles, meaning Hugh Dennis returns as dad Pete, Claire Skinner as mum Sue, Tyger Drew-Honey as eldest son Jake, Daniel Roche as middle child Ben, and Ramona Marquez as daughter Karen.

The new episode will follow the chaos in the downsized Brockman family home, as Pete and Sue grapple with the challenges of parenting kids who are now adults. Speaking earlier this year, Marquez revealed her hopes for Karen, saying: "She'll be doing something mad, I'm sure, and she'll be weaving her little webs. She'll just be the same Karen, I think."

Similarly, Roche said of Ben: "I'm hoping that he's successful or at least has managed to make those quirky characteristics of his work. I don't want him to be some adult weirdo, basically."

Outnumbered Christmas special will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

3. Doctor Who: Joy to the World

It wouldn't quite be Christmas Day without a fittingly perplexing sci-fi mystery to wrap our heads around, would it? Doctor Who returns for a special festive edition ahead of its brand new 15th season next year and this time, Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor will be joined by Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan as Joy.

Titled Joy to the World, the new episode's exact plot points remain under wraps but we do know that the episode has been penned by former showrunner Steven Moffat who has teased what's in store.

Previously speaking to BBC South East, Moffat said: "Imagine in the far, far future that a hotel chain got hold of the idea of time travel. What's the first thing a hotel chain would do if they had time travel? They'd realise they had an opportunity to sell all the unsold nights in their own hotels in history."

Doctor Who: Joy to the World will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

4. Sister Boniface Mysteries Christmas special

It's time to return to the close-knit town of Great Slaughter for another mystery that's set to get both Sister Boniface and viewers at home thinking. The new feature-length episode will centre on the Great Slaughter Amateur Dramatics Society (GSADS) and their upcoming production of Cinderella.

But when a cast member drops dead mysteriously, the hunt for the killer is on before they strike again. Will Sister Boniface and Sam (Max Brown) be able to crack the case before things take another dark turn?

Sister Boniface Mysteries Christmas special will air on UKTV's U&Drama on Friday 20th December at 8pm.

5. All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special

We return to Skeldale House for season 6 in the near future but until then, fans of the cosy Channel 5 drama have another Christmas special to look forward to!

While plot details for the episode haven't been revealed just yet, we can expect it will feature plenty of heartwarming moments and a dramatic veterinary case or two. Last Christmas was quite the highlight for the series as baby Jimmy was born, so we know that this time of year will takes on a whole new meaning for Helen (Rachel Shenton) and James (Nicholas Ralph) now.

All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special will air on Channel 5.

6. Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The brand new Aardman feature serves as a sequel of sorts to Wallace & Gromit adventure The Wrong Trousers, where we all met the infamous Feathers McGraw. Well, Feathers is most certainly back and looking to exact revenge on the titular pair, who previously foiled his evil plans.

The beloved stop-motion duo are better than ever with Peter Kay returning as Chief Inspector Macintosh, as well as cameos from Diane Morgan (Motherland), Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton), Muzz Khan (Brassic) and Sir Lenny Henry (Three Little Birds).

According to our very own RadioTimes.com five-star review for the upcoming film: "Wallace and Gromit are just as loveable as ever, despite all the time that's passed since we saw them last, and on the flip side of that, Feathers McGraw has lost none of his unpleasantness either, reminding us exactly why he was so scary to kids back in the day."

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl will air on BBC One and iPlayer on Christmas Day.

7. Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special

It wouldn't quite be Christmas without an episode of Strictly Come Dancing and a one-episode battle for the Silver Star trophy. While last year saw the triumph of EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick and professional dancer Nancy Xu, all eyes are on the dancefloor this time round to see who will know their Paso Doble from their Cha Cha.

The full line-up for this year's Christmas special has now been revealed and includes the likes of comedian Josh Widdicombe, EastEnders legend Tazmin Outhwaite, presenter Vogue Williams, drag artist Tayce, Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Formula 3 racing driver Billy Monger. So, we'll just have to see who's got what it takes!

The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

8. Strike: The Ink Black Heart

Having aired its last instalment two years ago, fans of Strike will be pleased to know that it's returning to our screens this December with a brand new season. Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger reprise their roles as Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott, with some first-look pictures of the series hinting that there are Christmas festivities in store for our detective duo.

The new season centres on Edie Ledwell, the co-creator of a cult TV cartoon, The Ink Black Heart, who is being harassed by an online figure, Anomie. She asks Robin to uncover Anomie’s true identity but soon, a complicated web starts to unfold when Robin finds out Edie has been murdered.

Strike: The Ink Black Heart premieres on Monday 16th December at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

9. Tiddler

Another year, another brilliant Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler animation coming to our screens that's fit for all of the family. This new half-hour animated special is based on the successful picture book of the same name and tells the story of "a little fish with a big imagination who gets lost in the deep wide ocean until he’s saved by his own storytelling".

It will be narrated by Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, while the rest of the star-studded cast includes Lolly Adefope (Ghosts) as Miss Skate, Jayde Adams (Ruby Speaking) as Plaice and other characters, plus Rob Brydon (Gavin & Stacey) - returning for his 12th Donaldson and Scheffler adaptation - who will actually voice multiple characters, like Fisherman, Whale, Starfish and Anchovy.

Tiddler will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

10. EastEnders

Everyone knows that an EastEnders Christmas special usually brings its fair share of explosive storylines and this year appears to be no different. While 2023 focused on The Six, this year continues to see the fallout of that whole debacle with Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) continuing on her downward spiral and the ominous teaser that some ghosts from the past will reappear.

The major plot for this Christmas revolves around Junior Knight (Micah Balfour) and Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), whose affair is set to be exposed in a dramatic tape recording reveal – causing complete havoc for the Beales and the Knights.

Elsewhere, Denise Fox (Diane Parish) could give into temptation when it comes to Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) and there's also set to be a heartbreaking storyline involving Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) as he continues to feel depressed and lonely, experiencing feelings of suicidal ideation.

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer. The Christmas special is scheduled to air on BBC One on Christmas Day.

11. The Good Ship Murder Christmas

Having been renewed for two more seasons and a Christmas special, fans of The Good Ship Murder will be pleased to know that the Channel 5 drama is not going anywhere any time soon after its season 1 success.

We're set to be reunited with Catherine Tyldesley and Shayne Ward as First Officer Kate Woods and detective Jack Grayling, who are set to tackle a new mystery involving a replacement Santa. But some further sparks continue to ignite between the leading pair too...

The Good Ship Murder Christmas special will air on Wednesday 18th December at 9pm on Channel 5.

12. Coronation Street

All eyes are on Gail (Helen Worth) this Christmas as the Corrie legend is set to make her exit very soon, with producer Kate Brooks teasing: "Lots of bombshells are dropped. This is set against Gail's wedding, whether she goes through with that or not. I cannot say anything but it is a story [with] the Platts at the heart of it. It's really festive. It's a story about family and how secrets can impact and implode on a family."

There's also set to be some serious drama involving Daniel, Daisy and Bethany, then with Carla and Lisa's romance being revealed to the residents of Weatherfield. Brooks teased of the new couple: "They will inevitably get a lot of curveballs thrown their way – 2025 is not a quiet year for them two and there's a lot of hurdles that come their way."

Coronation Street airs weeknights on ITV. The Christmas special will air on Christmas Day.

13. Bad Tidings

Chris McCausland, Lee Mack and Rebekah Staton star in this Sky festive special that's been written by Laurence Rickard and Martha Howe-Douglas (Ghosts, Horrible Histories) along with McCausland himself.

It's the week before Christmas and neighbours Neil (Mack) and Scott (McCausland) are definitely not on friendly terms, but when their tit-for-tat row reaches new levels and blows the power on their entire street the day before Christmas, the local neighbourhood leaves the pair to guard everything.

What they don't gamble on happening is a local crime family arriving in the hopes of robbing the street, so will this pair of neighbours be able to put their differences aside to save the day?

Bad Tidings will air on Sky and NOW.

14. Squid Game season 2

While not exactly the most festive of things to stream this Christmas, there's no denying just how exciting a new instalment of Squid Game is. The new season picks up years after the events of season 1, with Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) seeking vengeance for those who have lost their lives in the titular games.

While he uses his prize money to fund his search for the larger powers at play behind the games, he soon realises that the only way to truly take the game down is to infiltrate it from the inside. You guessed it – he has to re-enter.

Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk already exclusively teased to RadioTimes.com that there will be new and returning games in season 2 – with Red Light, Green Light already confirmed. He said: "What I can say and promise you here is that these games are going to be greater in scale, more intriguing than ever, and they are going to just take you on a wild, emotional rollercoaster."

Squid Game season 2 will be available to stream on Netflix on Thursday 26th December.

15. Call the Midwife Christmas special

It's time to return to Nonnatus House for an annual dose of Call the Midwife but unlike previous years, the BBC drama will be giving fans a double-episode. That's right – instead of one 90-minute episode, we'll be treated to two 60-minute episodes.

The episodes will see Poplar preparing for a carol concert but the cheery festivities soon take a dark turn when the neighbourhood learns of the news of an escaped prisoner. Could he be the one to blame for the rise in local break-ins? There's also set to be some cases of influenza and the Hong Kong flu to contend with, but the cast promises that amidst the dark themes, there will be the show's signature humour also.

Jenny Agutter (who plays Sister Julienne) told RadioTimes.com and other press: "For me, when I read it, I was very touched by it. It’s quite Dickensian. It is quite dark, but in with that is a lot of humour and a lot of humanity, and that's what lightens it."

Call the Midwife's Christmas special episodes will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

16. Mariah Meets Rylan

If you're not humming, singing or trying to belt out All I Want for Christmas Is You at this time of the year, what are you doing? Well, it just so happens that the iconic Mariah Carey song is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and what better way to commemorate the occasion than with an exclusive interview.

This BBC Two special sees presenter Rylan Clark meet the Grammy award-winning songstress herself for an enlightening interview all about Carey's life, career, inspirations and most notable collaborations. Carey is of course the Queen of Christmas to many so this interview special will undoubtedly go down a treat with fans as she discusses the festivities, her music and much more.

Mariah Meets Rylan will air on BBC Two and iPlayer.

17. Missing You

It's become a bit of a tradition now that after the festivities of Christmas week, Netflix drops a gripping Harlan Coben thriller that makes for the perfect kind of New Year's binge-watch. Well, this year is no different and landing on 1st January 2025, Missing You is set to be your next series obsession.

Rosalind Eleazar (Slow Horses) takes the lead in the new series as Detective Kat Donovan, whose life is turned upside down when she spots her ex-fiancé Josh (Ashley Walters) on a dating app 11 years after he vanished without a trace. His reappearance sets off a domino effect of events that lead Kat to look into her father's murder and try to find out about other secrets from her past.

The new drama stars Ashley Walters, Sir Lenny Henry, Richard Armitage, Jessica Plummer, James Nesbitt and more.

Missing You will be available to stream on Netflix on 1st January 2025.

18. The Young Offenders Christmas special

The BBC sitcom is back and preparations for an imminent new arrival are well under way in the MacSweeney household – but of course, Conor only wants the best for his mother.

In a bid for domesticity, Mairéad tries to teach Conor how to clean up properly but in clearing out his things, she comes across a gun, one that Conor promises is only being held for a few days for a friend.

As per the synopsis: "It turns out that the friend is Jack Hammer, the only person in the world that Billy Murphy (Shane Casey) is terrified of. Mairéad insists that the handgun is returned to Hammer, even though it’s Christmas Eve."

The Young Offenders Christmas special will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

19. Inside No 9: The Party’s Over

While fans of Inside No. 9 may be a little sad to learn that it won't be returning for a 10th season, the hit comedy will be back in another way. Airing this Christmas, Inside No. 9: The Party's Over will take us all behind the scenes of the hit dark comedy series, featuring cast interviews and extensive candid moments with creators Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton.

Set to be a close-up, in-depth look into how the final season was crafted, the documentary special should serve as the perfect farewell to the series... at least until next year's stage production.

Inside No. 9: The Party's Over will air on BBC Two and iPlayer.

20. SAS Rogue Heroes season 2

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight certainly is busy these days but fans of this wartime drama will be pleased to know that season 2 is just around the corner.

Set to pick up in spring 1943, the action of the series will shift from Cairo to mainland Europe, following Paddy Mayne (Jack O'Connell) as he takes control of the SAS following David Stirling’s (Connor Swindells) capture.

With the future of the GHQ in jeopardy, the creation of a new unit and a surprise arrival, this season is set to be just as gripping as the first. The perfect action-packed series to while away the festive period, if you ask us.

SAS Rogue Heroes season 2 will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

21. Death in Paradise Christmas special

After the exit of Ralf Little as lead detective Neville Parker, things are set to get a bit of a shake-up in Saint Marie as Don Gilet's DI Mervin Wilson arrives on the island. It wouldn't quite be Death in Paradise without an English detective ruffling some of the locals' feathers, so we have that to look forward to – as well as one of the team's most puzzling cases yet.

Three men are all killed, seemingly unconnected but all joined by the fact that they were found in Santa Claus costumes. With evidence pointing at the three victims being killed at the same time with the same weapon, it sure is a tough case for DI Wilson's first on the island.

Death in Paradise's 2024 Christmas special will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

22. Casualty Christmas special

Casualty fans will want to prepare themselves for this upcoming festive special, which has been billed as an "emotionally epic" special. Set to unfold on Christmas Day, we'll see the ED team faced with an emergency blood shortage, with Stevie (Elinor Lawless) fighting to save lives.

Iain's (Michael Stevenson) own life is also put at risk in order to ensure the hospital doesn't go without, with the episode set to be "a tribute to the miracle of blood, brought to life with all the tension and emotional depth that Casualty delivers so well", according to the BBC.

As well as returning cast members, the guest stars for the episode include Lucy-Jo Hudson (Wild at Heart), Tristan Sturrock (Poldark), Joseph Charles (Breathtaking), Zoe Brough (Outrageous), Katy Carmichael (Malpractice) and Valerie Antwi (DI Ray).

Casualty's Christmas special will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

23. Beyond Paradise Christmas special

It's time to return to Shipton Abbott as we find Humphrey (Kris Marshall) wrapped up in not one, but two cases at Christmas. As well as a church break-in that threatens to ruin the Christmas service, the team are also investigating a recently widowed Bob Holland (Mark Heap), who is struggling with the pain of his first Christmas without his wife.

He claims he's being visited by a vision of his late wife who orders him to leave his home and when he shares his encounters with the team, they're left to figure out whether it could just be Bob's grief or something larger at play here

As well as the usual crime-solving, the Christmas special will also see a major development in Humphrey and Martha’s (Sally Bretton) fostering journey as they take in introverted teenager Jaiden (Austin Taylor) over the festive period.

Beyond Paradise's Christmas 2024 special will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

24. Gladiators Christmas special

After its impressive return to our screens, Gladiators is back with a celebrity special for the festive period. Hosted once again by Bradley and Barney Walsh, the new one-hour special will see comedian Rob Beckett go up against TV presenter and comedian Joel Dommett, while BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin competes against comedian and Ted Lasso star Ellie Taylor.

Do they have what it takes to conquer the Eliminator? We'll just have to wait and see.

Gladiators: Celebrity Special will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

25. The Chelsea Detective Christmas special

The Chelsea Detective is back for Christmas with a new episode that will also serve as the premiere episode of season 3, due to air in 2025.

Adrian Scarborough reprises his leading role as DI Max Arnold, while Vanessa Emme returns as DS Layla Walsh. Together, they must investigate the death of former pop star Chloe Carmichael, who is found in her Chelsea apartment. While they first suspect a drug overdose, they soon find out that Chloe was drowned in the bath.

Along the way, they meet several people who could have killed Chloe including a Conservative MP, a manager and a journalist – but who did it and why?

The Chelsea Detective's Christmas 2024 special will air on Monday 16th December on Acorn TV.

26. Emmerdale

Not much is currently known about what's set to unfold in the upcoming Christmas episode of Emmerdale but we're sure it will be full of surprises, as usual.

It was recently reported that a character death could very well be on the horizon but we do know for a fact that Christmas will be a decidedly brighter period for Belle (Eden Taylor Draper) after her devastating storyline with abuser Tom (James Chase).

Speaking about where we'll find Belle this Christmas, producer Laura Shaw said: "We knew from the outset that Belle would need some sort of closure on Tom and we know our Emmerdale audience always look forward to our villains getting their comeuppance. We don't want to spoil the outcome of this story and reveal what will happen to Tom, but needless to say, Belle's going to be in a much better place by this Christmas."

Emmerdale airs on weekdays at 7:30pm on ITV1. The Christmas special will air on Christmas Day.

27. Vera season 14

It's time to bid farewell to Brenda Blethyn's iconic leading character as Vera fans gear up for the show's final two episodes, entitled Inside and The Dark Wives, which will "intertwine gripping murder mysteries with the heartfelt narrative of Vera’s personal journey".

Both episodes will be emotional for Vera, as they bring her back to familiar places and conjure up memories of the past. Joining Blethyn for the final episodes will be David Leon as DI Joe Ashworth, Jon Morrison as DC Kenny Lockhart and Riley Jones as DC Mark Edwards, as well as the usual flurry of guest stars that includes Amanda Root (Persuasion), William Houston (Wednesday), Shobna Gulati (Coronation Street) and Clinton Blake (Skins).

Vera season 14 will air on ITV1 and ITVX.

28. MasterChef Meets Strictly Festive Extravaganza

While there have been celebrity and professional iterations, and even a spin-off for young teenagers, MasterChef is set to get a little bit more glamorous for the festivities as it joins forces with Strictly Come Dancing.

This one-off special will see four of the show's beloved professional dancers – Amy Dowden, Gorka Marquez, Kai Widdrington and Nancy Xu – swap the dancefloor for the stoves in a bid to see who's got what it takes to reign supreme in the MasterChef kitchen.

MasterChef Meets Strictly Festive Extravaganza will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

29. The Madame Blanc Mysteries Christmas special

While fans of Madame Blanc have a fourth season to look forward to, they're also being treated to a Christmas special this year. The episode sees us go back to Sainte Victoire, with Sally Lindsay reprising her leading role as Jean White.

The new episodes will Jean navigating a blossoming romance with her sidekick Dom Hayes (Steve Edge), with returning stars including series co-writer Sue Vincent as Gloria Beaushaw, Robin Askwith and Sue Holderness as Jeremy and Judith Lloyd James, and Alex Gaumond as Chief of Police André Caron.

The Madame Blanc Mysteries Christmas special will air on Channel 5.

30. Cunk on Life

Motherland star Diane Morgan returns to the hit mockumentary once again, and this time round, Philomena Cunk is questioning life itself.

According to the synopsis: "This one-off special will see Philomena tackle some of the most complex concepts to have ever been discovered, including Quantum Physics, Existentialism, Nihilism, Hedonism – and at least four other isms – as well as exploring subjects from the Big Bang to biology, morals to meditation, and art to artificial intelligence.

The synopsis teases: "In her search for answers, she’ll also examine some of history’s foremost thinkers and ground-breaking creatives, from Dostoyevsky to Van Gogh, from Nietzsche to whoever came up with those signs in kitchens that say, ‘Live Laugh Love’."

Cunk on Life will air on BBC Two and iPlayer.

31. The Split: Barcelona

Abi Morgan's hit legal drama, The Split, returns to our screens for a sun-soaked two-part special that will see all the central cast returning, as well as some new faces.

Set across one weekend, the two-parter will no doubt feature everything from reunions to romance and maybe even break-ups, as Hannah (Nicola Walker) tries to work up the courage to find love again. With the Defoe family gathering for a fabulous destination wedding in Catalonia’s wine region, themes of love, marriage and legacy will all rear their heads.

The Split: Barcelona will air on BBC One and iPlayer.

32. The King's Speech

In his third ever King's Speech, King Charles III will be addressing the nation in his festive message.

While details of the speech won't be known until it airs, the King may choose to reflect on pressing UK and global matters, including the cost of living crisis and ongoing conflicts throughout the world, as well as mentioning the health problems that have impacted the royal family this year.

The King's Speech will air at 3pm on Christmas Day on BBC One, ITV1, BBC News, Sky News, and on accompanying streaming services.

33. The Great Christmas Bake Off

Things are set to take a soapy turn in this year's Great British Bake Off Christmas special on Channel 4. Hosted by Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond, and judged by Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, five soap stars will be taking to the tent to see if they have what it takes to become Star Baker.

As well as EastEnders' Dean Gaffney, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks star Sheree Murphy and Coronation Street's Shobna Gulati, EastEnders' Natalie Cassidy and Coronation Street and Emmerdale star Chris Bisson will all be battling it out to see who has the best baking skills.

The Great Christmas Bake Off will air on Channel 4.

34. Taskmaster's New Year's Eve Treat

The annual festive Taskmaster special has become a bit of a tradition since it first began four years ago and now, this year's is set to see another varied group of well-known faces battle it out in a series of bizarre challenges.

Confirmed for this year's New Year's Eve Treat are Money Saving Expert and ITV host Martin Lewis, Royle Family star Sue Johnston, former England and Liverpool goalkeeper David James, mathematician and academic Professor Hannah Fry, and singer-songwriter and All Saints star Melanie Blatt.

At the age of 80, Johnston is the oldest star in the show's history but we'll have to wait and see if that gives her the edge when it comes to taking home a bust of Greg Davies's head.

Taskmaster's New Year's Eve Treat will air on Channel 4.

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