What to watch on Christmas Eve, Christmas and Boxing Day 2021

More on Christmas 2021

What to watch on Christmas Eve, Christmas and Boxing Day 2021

It’s finally the time of year to put your feet up, eat mince pies and watch a lot of telly.

This year’s festive offerings include all the usual Christmas editions of our favourite shows, brand new drama and plenty of belly laugh-inducing fresh comedy.

Merry Christmas everybody, and here’s our small screen highlights:


Christmas Eve

The Amazing Mr Blunden, Sky Max, 7pm

Festive family classic The Amazing Mr Blunden gets a 2021 remake for Sky, starring Simon Callow. Mark Gatiss provides the script, which sees two teenagers discover two time-travelling ghosts in need of urgent help.

*

The Greatest Snowman, Channel 4, 8pm

Sue Perkins hosts a new competition, in which celebrities Johnny Vegas, Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen, Dani Dyer, Liam Charles, and Cherry Healey go head to head to build impressive snow structures.

snowman

*

Bradley & Barney: Breaking Dad at Christmas, ITV, 9pm

The father and son duo return for a bumper Christmas special, which sees them visit Iceland. During their festive adventure they’ll explore volcanoes, glaciers, and stunning landscapes – all while learning the true meaning of Christmas.

bradley_and_barney_breaking_dad_at_christmas_01a

*

8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Christmas Special, Channel 4, 9.30pm

A festive edition of the comedy words and numbers game, hosted by Jimmy Carr. Jon Richardson and Sarah Millican will take on Lee Mack and Jason Manford in a holiday special that also features Nick Mohammed, Joe Wilkinson, Susie Dent and Rachel Riley.

8_out_of_10_cats_christmas_2021

*

All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special, Channel 5, 9pm

There’s a Christmas mix up in the new holiday special of All Creatures Great and Small, the heartwarming family series based on the memoirs of James Herriot. Also, romance is in the air for Tristan.


*

Christmas Comedy Club with Lost Voice Guy, ITV, 10.30pm

The brilliant Britain’s Got Talent winner hosts a new comedy showcase for Christmas, featuring big name acts such as Bill Bailey, Rosie Jones, Omid Djalili and Joel Dommett.

christmas_comedy_club_with_lost_voice_guy_01

*

The Last Leg Christmas Special, Channel 4, 10.30pm

The satirical entertainment show returns for a Christmas Eve special, which will recall the topical issues of the year 2021 with comedy, guests and general merriment.

last-leg-hosts-bd059b0


Christmas Day

The Masked Singalong, ITV, 6pm

The hit singing competition that made mask wearing cool is back for a new festive special, as some of our favourite costumed performers return. Fans of the show don’t have to wait long for a new series either – The Masked Singer will return for series three on New Year’s Day!

maskedsingalong

*

Terry Pratchett’s The Abominable Snow Baby, Channel 4, 7.30pm

Julie Walters and Hugh Dancy star in this festive family treat based on the magic of Terry Pratchett. It tells the story of a small town hit by the appearance of sudden mass snowfall and the birth of a huge abominable snow baby, which terrifies the townsfolk.

*

The Great Christmas Bake Off, Channel 4, 8pm

It wouldn’t be Christmas without baked goods and Bake Off. This year’s special features the cast of It’s A Sin, who didn’t spend a lot of time baking in the hit LGBTQ drama. The usual mayhem is sure to ensue.

GBBOchristmas

*

Call the Midwife, BBC One, 8pm

The Nuns at Nonnatus House are back for a new festive special, which sees Sister Frances deliver her first ever breech baby and the return of Miriam Margoyles as Mother Mildred.


*

Mrs Brown’s Boys, BBC One, 10.20pm

Will Agnes have yet another Christmas tree-related mishap? Or will it be an uneventful Christmas in the Brown household? One thing’s for sure, we can’t wait to see the first of two new festive episodes this holiday season.

mrsbrowns

*

The Larkins at Christmas, ITV, 9pm

ITV’s Christmas Day offering is a festive evening with the Larkins, which sees the village experience a spate of burglaries. PC Harness investigates, but the worst of the chaos is yet to come. Can the Larkins pull through?

thelarkins


Boxing Day

Around the World in 80 Days, BBC One 5.50pm

David Tennant stars in a new adaptation of Jules Verne’s work, Around the World in 80 Days will air two episodes at once on Boxing Day. Tennant plays Phileas Fogg, who sets off on an international adventure.

*

Death in Paradise Christmas Special, BBC One 7.30pm

Hot weather may be a distant dream in the UK, but you can still enjoy it on BBC One on Boxing Day. Whether Christmas on Saint Marie is really better than the cold UK is debatable however, as there’s a sudden murder of a billionaire under mysterious circumstances.

deathinparadise

*

All Star Musicals At Christmas, ITV, 8pm

John Barrowman hosts a star-studded musical extravaganza, which will see celebs
Fern Britton, Ben Miller, Gyles Brandreth, Anita Rani, Catherine Tyldesley and Radzi Chinyanganya embark on a singing masterclass. They’ll be aided by musical theatre heavyweights Elaine Paige, Samantha Barks and Trevor Dion Nicholas.

allstarmusicals

*

A Very British Scandal, BBC One, 9pm

A new fact-based period drama based on the highly publicised divorce of Ian and Margaret Campbell in the 1960s. Claire Foy and Paul Bettany star in the series, which explores the changing societal treatment of women.

*

The Big Fat Quiz Of The Year, Channel 4, 9pm

Jimmy Carr hosts this festive staple, poking fun out of the year where there’s not been a lot of fun. As usual, Mitchell Brook Primary School, Charles Dance and Jon Snow will appear to ask questions. Confirmed stars taking part are Sarah Millican, James Acaster, Jonathan Ross, Judi Love and Guz Khan.

thebigfat