The festive season is upon us and with it comes a plethora of television entertainment, ranging from thrilling dramas to hilarious comedies and insightful documentaries. The BBC has unveiled its highly anticipated Christmas schedule, featuring the return of some of the nation's most beloved characters.
Highlights include the final episode of Gavin and Stacey, an Outnumbered reunion, and a new feature-length Wallace and Gromit film. Viewers can also look forward to festive specials of popular shows such as Doctor Who, Strictly, Call The Midwife and The Masked Singer.
New dramas on the lineup include Playing Nice starring James Norton and Out There featuring Martin Clunes. Music fans will enjoy An Evening With Dua Lipa, while comedy enthusiasts can tune into Sky's Bad Tidings.
READ MORE - Meghan Markle's full statement as she makes appearances without Prince Harry
READ MORE -Barry McGuigan gives savage seven-word verdict on Dean McCullough after trial
Netflix's hit show Squid Game returns for a second series, and there's also a festive film about Wham! and a new Julia Donaldson animation called Tiddler. One of the standout offerings is the finale of Gavin and Stacey on BBC One/iPlayer on Christmas Day, reports the Mirror.
It's been five years since Nessa (Ruth Jones) proposed to Smithy (James Corden), and viewers are eagerly awaiting closure in this final episode. Also on the cards is a heartwarming documentary chronicling the journey of one of Britain's favourite sitcoms as it concludes after 17 years.
Squid Game Season 2 premieres on Netflix on Boxing Day.
A chilling new trailer has dropped, introducing a fresh group of contestants ready to risk it all for a cash prize, despite the deadly stakes. One contestant is heard exclaiming: "I have played these games before. We will all die if we keep playing."
It begs the question – why come back?
For some, the lure of the game is too strong.
Anticipate more sinister dolls, more gunshots, more tears, and an intensity that's off the charts.
Strike - The Ink Black Heart, airing on BBC One/iPlayer on December 16, 17, 23, and 24, promises to be the perfect accompaniment to your holiday cheer with a gripping murder mystery. Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger reprise their roles in this acclaimed detective series, adapted from J.K. Rowling's bestsellers, delving into the complex case of a cartoonist haunted by an enigmatic online presence.
The Great Christmas Bake Off, set to air on Channel 4 on Christmas Eve, brings festive fun to the tent. Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond host, while Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood judge the competition featuring five soap stars vying for the top baker title.
EastEnders' Dean Gaffney and Natalie Cassidy, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks' Sheree Murphy, Coronation Street's Shobna Gulati, and Emmerdale's Chris Bisson are among the contenders.
And don't miss Mariah Meets Rylan on BBC Two, December 7, for a festive treat.
In an exclusive interview, TV host Rylan Clark-Neal sits down with the legendary Mariah Carey. The chat will cover her life, music, pre-fame jobs, celebrity pals and of course, her Christmas classic 'All I Want For Christmas'.
Rylan even puts Mariah's British accent to the test with a mock EastEnders audition. .
Out There, a gripping drama about county lines drug dealing and the rising crime wave in rural Britain, is set to air on ITV1/X this December. Martin Clunes stars as a farmer grappling with these sinister forces infiltrating his community.
The show also features Louis Ashbourne Serkis.
The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special returns to BBC1 on Christmas Day. The star-studded line-up includes comedian Josh Widdicombe, drag queen Tayce, presenter Vogue Williams, Gladiator Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, actress Tamzin Outhwaite and racing driver Billy Monger.
The Ballroom will be transformed into a winter wonderland as the celebrities aim to impress judges Craig Revel-Horwood, Anton du Beke, Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse.
Playing Nice, another thrilling drama, is set to air on ITV1/X this December.
A gripping psychological thriller about two couples who discover their babies were switched at birth. Faced with life-changing decisions, one couple realises there's more to the other family than they initially thought.
The show boasts stellar performances from James Norton, Niamh Algar, James McArdle and Jessica Brown Findlay. .
The Masked Singer Christmas Special on ITV1 in December features four celebrities competing undercover - hidden in extravagant, festive costumes - singing while their identities remain concealed. As each celebrity performs, the panel of detectives, including Mo Gilligan, Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall and special guests, attempt to reveal their festive faces and uncover TV's best kept secret.
An Evening With Dua Lipa, airing on ITV1 in December, was recorded at London's iconic Royal Albert Hall. Global superstar Dua Lipa reimagined her hit pop songs for the occasion, accompanied by the 53-piece Heritage Orchestra, a 14-strong choir and her seven-piece band - and a surprise cameo from Elton John.
This special is interspersed with interviews as she reflects on the pivotal moments in her life and career.
Outnumbered Christmas Special, available on BBC One/iPlayer in December, sees the return of the Brockmans after a long hiatus. This special episode follows the chaos in the downsized home of Pete and Sue (Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner) as they navigate the challenges of parenting children who are now adults, with their own lives to lead.
It seems, parenting doesn't get any easier.
Tiddler, BBC1 and iPlayer, Christmas Day.
Now a staple of the Christmas Day TV schedule, this is the latest magical animation, adapted from children's book creators Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. It's about a little fish with a big imagination who gets lost in the ocean until he follows the trail of his own story to get home.
It stars Hannah Waddingham as the narrator, alongside Lolly Adefope, Jayde Adams and Rob Brydon.
Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, BBC One/iPlayer, Christmas Day.
Making their long-awaited return with a brand new feature-length adventure, Wallace and his best mate Gromit are faced with a crime wave of stolen garden goods. Wallace and his pre-programmed smart gnome, Norbot, are the main suspects.
It's up to Gromit to battle sinister forces or Wallace may never invent again.
Call The Midwife Christmas Specials, BBC One/iPlayer, December.
For the first time ever, the cosy period drama will deliver not one but two specials, complete with a Christmas cliffhanger. All the midwives are busy delivering babies at Nonnatus House in 1969 when the funfair arrives in Poplar, bringing two unwelcome visitors - influenza and the Hong Kong flu.
There's also an escaped prisoner on the loose.
Doctor Who: Joy To The World, BBC One/iPlayer, Christmas Day.
Starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan as Joy, audiences are in for a festive journey that weaves through Earth's history. The plot has been shrouded in mystery, but showrunner Steven Moffat offered a tantalising hint: "Imagine in the far, far future that a hotel chain got hold of the idea of time travel. What would they do? They'd realise they had an opportunity to sell all the unsold nights in their own hotels in history."
WHAM!: Last Christmas Unwrapped on BBC Two/iPlayer this December marks the 40th anniversary of the classic holiday track 'Last Christmas'. It's an hour-long homage tracing how George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley made it an iconic piece of Christmastime pop culture.
Expect heartfelt interviews with music insiders, fellow artists, and producers as they dissect why this song remains a yuletide staple.
That Christmas, which drops on Netflix come December 4, comes from Richard Curtis, the mind behind 'Love Actually. ' This heartwarming animated flick offers up an all-star voice cast including Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, and Bill Nighy.
In classic Curtis style, expect stories of love and solitude, of families and friendships, not forgetting a blizzard and Santa Claus flubbing big time. Oh, and there will be a throng of turkeys!
Finally, on BBC One/iPlayer this December, Gladiators Celebrity Special throws its contestants into the deep end. Celebs such as Rob Beckett, Louise Minchin, Joel Dommet and Ellie Taylor step nervously into their trainers to take on one of TV's most daunting challenge programs.
Will they prove triumphant in the arena?
It's time for these celebrities to brace themselves!
Rob enthuses: "I can't wait to be absolutely crushed by the Gladiators in front of my wife and children in spandex whilst I watch Joel Dommett and his six-pack sprint past me on the travelator."
This December, viewers can soak up some winter sun with a two-part special of 'The Split: Barcelona' on BBC One/iPlayer. The hit legal drama, featuring Nicola Walker and Stephen Mangan, picks up two years after the last series, centring around a captivating destination wedding in Spain.
For those looking for even more sunny escapism, the 'Death In Paradise Christmas Special' promises just that with a feature-length adventure on the Caribbean's Saint Marie. A new Detective Inspector joins the beloved police team, all ready to deliver holiday sleuthing on BBC One/iPlayer.
On Sky Max/NOW, festive entertainment arrives with 'The Night Before Christmas In Wonderland', airing December 13th. It features an impressive A-list cast including Gerard Butler and Emilia Clarke, in an animated mash-up of 'Alice In Wonderland' and the classic poem 'Twas The Night Before Christmas.'Santa Claus comes to the aid of the Princess Of Hearts in a Wonderland where the Queen despises Christmas festivities.
For a touch of spookiness this holiday season, 'A Ghost Story For Christmas: Woman Of Stone' is set to chill audiences on BBC Two/iPlayer.
Mark Gatiss takes on the roles of adapter and director in this eerie tale featuring newlyweds Jack and Laura, portrayed by Éanna Hardwicke and Phoebe Horn. As they make a home in a quaint cottage, their housekeeper fills their ears with superstitious tales about two marble tomb effigies believed to rise once every year.
Meanwhile, Chris McCausland pens and stars in Bad Tidings, available on Sky Max/NOW this December. He plays Scott, who finds himself at odds with his neighbour Neil, brought to life by Lee Mack.
In a bid to rescue Christmas, the pair must set aside their differences and become local heroes, taking on a local crime family to save the day.
