All The Christmas TV You Need To Know About This Year

Harry Potter and Foundation star Alfred Enoch plays Adam in This is Christmas, a festive rom-com that sees him invite the commuters he regularly travels with to a Christmas Party. Kaya Scodelario stars as Adam’s love interest Emma, and is joined by the likes of Ben Miller, Joanna Scanlan, Sarah Niles, and Timothy Spall.

This Is Christmas is available to watch on Sky Cinema and NOW.

The final season of His Dark Materials lands in December, just in time for Christmas. The third season consists of eight episodes and will run throughout the festive month into the New Year, with its finale scheduled to air on Feb. 5, 2023. As for what you can expect from BBC and HBO’s hit fantasy series, actor James McAvoy has teased that it will involve “a lot of fisticuffs and a lot of explosions.”

The final season of His Dark Materials begins Dec. 18, and will air weekly on BBC One, and will be available to watch in its entirety on BBC iPlayer.

Celebrating the 110th anniversary of the Royal Variety Performance, Lee Mack will host this year’s special occasion attended by Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. The first Royal Variety Performance since Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, the show will feature performances from Nile Rodgers & Chic, George Ezra, Ellie Goulding, and Sam Ryder, among others. There will also be a special celebration from Andrew Lloyd Webber and a new rendition of “Three Lions” by Frank Skinner, David Baddiel, and The Lightning Seeds.

The Royal Variety Performance 2022 will air Dec. 20 on ITV1.

After long last, Billie Piper is back as Suzie Pickles for the second instalment of I Hate Suzie. Aptly titled I Hate Suzie Too, the second season sees the former child star attempt to win back the public by starring on a popular Saturday night TV competition while she deals with the ongoing drama in her life off screen. Joker’s Douglas Hodge, The Inbetweeners Blake Harrison, and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’s Layton Williams star in the new series, among others.

I Hate Suzie Too will air Dec. 20 on Sky Max and NOW.

If you didn’t get enough of the “WAGatha Christie” drama over the summer, Channel 4 have made this year’s biggest story into a two-part drama. Written by Chris Atkins, and starring Harry Potter’s Natalia Tena as Rebekah Vardy, This Is England’s Chanel Cresswell as Coleen Rooney, and Good Omens’ Michael Sheen as barrister David Sherborne, Vardy V Rooney: A Courtroom Drama is certainly not one to miss.

Vardy V Rooney: A Courtroom Drama airs Dec. 21 and Dec. 22 on Channel 4.

Riches, ITV’s answer to Succession, will finally air this festive season. The six-part series chronicles the empire of Stephen Richards (Hugh Quarshie), who happens to be one of the UK’s most successful Black businessmen. But following a medical emergency, the family business falls into the hands of his three children, played by Adeyinka Akinrinade, Ola Orebiyi, and Nneka Okoye. The series also stars British model Jourdan Dunn in her breakthrough role.

Riches airs Dec. 22 on ITVX.

There’s nothing like being inspired over the festive period, and The Great British Sewing Bee has returned just at the right time. Strictly’s Johannes Radebe, EastEnders’ Natalie Cassidy, podcaster Rosie Ramsey, and TV personality Penny Lancaster will be challenged to show off their sewing skills to judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant by making a novelty baby outfit and a pop-star-inspired outfit for its Christmas special.

The Great British Sewing Bee: Celebrity Christmas Special airs Dec. 22 on BBC One.

Back with another festive special, Motherland: The Last Christmas sees Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin) try to keep the stress at bay as she deals with the inevitable drama that a family Christmas creates – particularly since Kevin (Paul Ready) has decided that 2022 is the year to try out his culinary skills. Expect even more drama from the likes of Liz (Diane Morgan), Amanda (Lucy Punch), and Anne (Philippa Dunne).

Motherland: The Last Christmas airs Dec. 23 on BBC One.

In the first of two MasterChef Christmas specials, John Torode and Greg Wallace will be judging the dishes of Happy Monday’s Bez, Olympic sprinter Iwan Thomas, pop star Josh Cuthbert and opera singer Lesley Garnett as they compete under pressure for the Golden Whisk trophy. The four celebs are no strangers to the MasterChef kitchen either, having appeared on previous seasons of the competitive cooking show.

Celebrity MasterChef, Christmas Cook-Off airs Dec. 3 on BBC One.

Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe, and Alex Brooker are dressed in green for The Last Leg Christmas Bash this year, taking on the costumes of Kermit the Frog, The Grinch, and a festive Shrek. The trio will be joined by James Acaster in a Christmas pudding hat and the stunning AJ Odudu, in addition to the starts of 2022’s Great British Bake Off for some yuletide cheer.

The Last Leg Christmas Bash airs Dec. 23 on Channel 4.

Five celebrities will grace the festively decorated Bake Off tent this Christmas, including The Word’s Terry Christian, The Big Breakfast’s Gaby Roslin, Time Team’s Tony Robinson, Popworld’s Miquita Oliver, and Brookside’s Claire Sweeney. The pressure will be on for them to produce wonderful bakes for judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, under the watchful eyes of hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas.

The Great Christmas Bake Off airs Christmas Eve on Channel 4.

Hosted by Catherine, the Princess of Wales, this special Christmas Carol service at Westminster Abbey aims to “recognise the selfless efforts of individuals, families and communities across the UK,” per the ITV synopsis, to “celebrate and showcase the joy that human connection and togetherness can bring.” Attended by King Charles III, the Queen Consort Camilla, and William, the Prince of Wales, the service will also pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.

Royal Carols: Together At Christmas airs Christmas Eve on ITV1 and ITVX.

In support of ITV’s mental health campaign Britain Get Talking, Britain Get Singing will see five star-studded groups from some of the broadcaster's most beloved shows try and impress a judging panel consisting of will.i.am., Alesha Dixon, Adam Lambert, and Jason Manford. Hosted by Roman Kemp, the line-up includes groups from Love Island including Tasha Ghouri, Andrew Le Page, and Luca Bish in addition to celebs from Loose Women, Emmerdale, Coronation Street, and three of the chasers from The Chase.

Britain Get Singing airs Christmas Eve on ITV1 and ITVX.

As per Christmas tradition, six new celebrities will take to the Strictly dancefloor to strut their stuff in front of the judging panel. This year viewers will be treated to seeing Rosie Ramsey, Rickie Haywood-Williams, Alexandra Mardell, Larry Lamb, Nicola Roberts, and George Webster take part in the festive special, hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.

The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special airs Christmas Day on BBC One.

Presented by Derry Girls’ Siobhán Sweeney, four celebrities will try their hand at pottery in the first ever festive edition of The Great Pottery Throwdown. Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing, comedian Jenny Eclair, The Vicar of Dibley’s James Fleet, and Ackley Bridge’s Sunetra Sarker will test their pottery skills in front of judges Keith Brymer Jones and Richard Miller.

The Festive Pottery Throwdown airs Christmas Day on Channel 4.

It’s been a while since viewers last visited Nonnatus House, but the East End nurse midwives are returning for another Christmas special. This year’s will be a particularly emotional one, as two characters will reportedly be leaving the series. Set in December 1967, it follows the midwives as they return to normal following the devastating train crash in series 11. As noted in the BBC synopsis, the maternity ward is as busy as ever having moved into a new premises.

The Call The Midwife Christmas Special airs Christmas Day on BBC One.

Ghosts is back for another Christmas special, this time airing on the big day itself. This time around Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) and Alison (Charlotte Richie) decide to Button House to celebrate Christmas with Mike’s parents, but not before leaving gifts for each of the ghosts. In return, the ghosts try to think of something spectacular to say thanks. But can they get something special together before the couple come back?

The Ghosts Christmas Special airs Christmas Day on BBC One.