BBC Christmas 2024 TV and iPlayer line-up brings the festive spirit to the UK

The BBC is proud to present an unmissable line-up on TV and iPlayer that will bring people together this Christmas in a way that only the BBC can.

2024’s spectacular range of festive content celebrates the very best of British storytelling and creativity.

There are a feast of programmes to entertain all the family over the festive fortnight, from a range of specials, blockbuster movies, thrilling drama and hilarious comedy alongside the very best arts, documentary, music and religious programming.

Charlotte Moore, BBC’s Chief Content Officer says: “No one does Christmas quite like the BBC, and this year we have raised the bar even higher with a cracking line-up that will bring people together across the UK.

“I’m incredibly excited to be showcasing the finest British creativity and welcoming back some of the nation’s favourite characters in the last ever episode of Gavin and Stacey and the premiere of Wallace & Gromit’s new feature length adventure. Alongside a magical mix of new festive shows from the world of comedy, drama, entertainment and factual across the holiday season that viewers can rejoice in. Join us live or on iPlayer – there really is something for everyone!”

Christmas 2024 on TV and BBC iPlayer

At the heart of this year’s Christmas schedule are some of the most hotly anticipated programmes of the year.

We have the very best in family entertainment, kicking off with Vengeance Most Fowl, Wallace & Gromit’s first new film since the 2008 BAFTA-winning and Oscar nominated A Matter of Loaf and Death from Aardman. Making their long-awaited return with a brand new feature-length adventure, after a recent crime wave of stolen garden goods from across the region, Wallace and his pre-programmed smart gnome, Norbot, are the main suspects. While Wallace proclaims his innocence, it’s up to Gromit once again to battle sinister forces, or Wallace will never invent again!

It’s been five years since we left Nessa down on one knee declaring her love for Smithy and asking him to marry her. And a lot has happened in those five years. What will Gavin & Stacey The Finale bring? Ruth Jones and James Corden have reunited the cast for this unmissable event! And if the finale leaves you wanting more, then there’s a special, uplifting and touching documentary which tells the story of one of Britain’s best loved sitcoms as it comes to an end after 17 years.

The Brockmans are back! The Outnumbered Christmas Special 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.

Did someone call the Doctor? Doctor Who returns this Christmas with Joy To The World, a time-hopping trip through the history of Earth written by Steven Moffat and starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Nicola Coughlan as Joy.

Adapted for the BBC from the hugely successful picture book, a new magical animation from the UK’s number one picture book creators Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Tiddler is 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, voiced by an all-star cast including, Hannah Waddingham as the narrator, Lolly Adefope  as Miss Skate, Jayde Adams as Plaice and other characters, plus Rob Brydon.

And if murder mystery is what you’re craving then we can surely deliver. Strike – The Ink Black Heart sees Tom Burke and Holiday Grainger return in the hit crime series based on J.K. Rowling’s best-selling novels. Abi Morgan’s hit legal drama The Split also returns with a two-part special for a very Spanish extravaganza set over one sun-soaked weekend.

Sticking with drama, Steven Knight’s hit SAS Rogue Heroes returns for a second series. For the first time ever, this year Call The Midwife will deliver not one but two Christmas specials – complete with a Christmas cliffhanger! Secrets and lies are set to throw a wrecking ball into the Beale family festivities this year as the shocking truth about Cindy is revealed in spectacular fashion in Eastenders on Christmas Day. And there is also a thrilling new Casualty Christmas special.

If it’s some winter sun you’re after from the comfort of your own home, we’re returning to sun-drenched Saint Marie, joining the police team and a new Detective Inspector for a festive feature-length Death in Paradise Christmas special. And if you can’t get enough of the sun, sea and drama, then do not fear Beyond Paradise returns to Shipton Abbott for two festive cases.

And it wouldn’t be Christmas without some celebrities trying their hands…and feet at something different. The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special is back with comedian Josh Widdicombe, Drag superstar Tayce, presenter and podcaster Vogue Williams, Gladiator Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, actress Tamzin Outhwaite and racing driver Billy Monger! The Ballroom will once again be transformed into a magical winter wonderland. In our first Gladiators Celebrity special, four famous faces nervously lace up their trainers as they compete in one of the toughest gameshows on Earth, how will Rob Beckett, Louise Minchin, Joel Dommet and Ellie Taylor fair… Celebrities ready?

Mrs Brown’s Boys has not one but two specials for Christmas and New Year, and BBC One will showcase The Young Offenders Christmas special.

Esme Young and Patrick Grant put four celebrities’ sewing skills to the test in The Great Christmas Sewing Bee. Host Sara Pascoe will be joined in Yorkshire by singer and actor Ian ‘H’ Watkins, EastEnders actor Kellie Bright, comedian Fatiha El Ghorri and TV personality and businesswoman, Charlotte Crosby as they put their twist on a pattern for an advent calendar.. MasterChef will be serving up two specials, a celebrity Cook Off and a Strictly Festive Extravaganza.

And if the family games have been causing havoc at home, then take a break and play along with the nation as there’s a plethora of festive quiz specials for all including, University Challenge, The Weakest Link, Would I Lie To You, Blankety Blank, Only Connect, Richard Osman’s Festive House of Games and Celebrity Mastermind to name a few. There is also the brand new Have I Got Sport for You? Jason Manford hosts this one off special that will look back at a spectacular year of sport. The Team Captains will be joined by a gaggle of panellists including top comedians and sporting stars as they reflect on 2024.

And to celebrate a fantastic year of sport, don’t miss BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year awards show hosted by Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott.

The BBC has also added a touch of cinematic sparkle to the schedules this year with the network premieres of films including, Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, Black Panther, Minions: Rise of Gru, Incredibles 2 and King Richard.

The door may have also closed on Inside No.9, but there’s still time to venture behind the scenes with Inside No.9 The Party’s Over. Following the global success of Cunk on Earth, pioneering documentary-maker Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan) returns with her most ambitious quest to date; venturing right up the universe and everything, to examine life itself in Cunk on Life.

There will be a vibrant range of religious programming this year including live worship, musical celebration, traditional carols and spiritual contemplation including Midnight Mass, broadcast live from St Mary’s Church, Warwick, Christmas Morning from Halifax Minster, and the candlelit splendour of Carols From King’s.

For music fans, there is a whole host of programming across the BBC and iPlayer. Country Music Christmas brings Country Music’s biggest stars together for a night full of festive classics, celebrating the joy of the holidays in true Nashville style. All we want for Christmas is Mariah Meets Rylan, a world exclusive special for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. Audiences can take a nostalgic look back at some of the UK’s biggest bands with specials like WHAM!: Last Christmas Unwrapped, The Making of Do They Know It’s Christmas? and Eurythmics at the BBC.

If classical music is more of your thing, then you can channel hop your way through programmes to soothe you into the holiday spirit. Doctor Who at the Proms 2024, hosted by Doctor Who fan favourite Catherine Tate in this concert of music, monsters and mayhem featuring soundtracks from the iconic series; a brand new, specially shot feature for the new Doctor and a host of scary aliens as they thrill a packed audience at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Swan Lake from English National Ballet sees more than one hundred dancers take part in this spellbinding production of Swan Lake, filmed on a grand scale at London’s Royal Albert Hall in front of a packed audience. BBC Four features Hallelujah: The Gospel Messiah with world-renowned conductor Marin Alsop as he leads the BBC Concert Orchestra in an uplifting reinterpretation of this seasonal favourite, as Handel’s masterpiece is infused with gospel, jazz and R&B. There is also The Merry Widow from Glyndebourne which is Franz Lehár’s laugh-out-loud operetta, a work of pure theatrical pleasure – a cocktail of ravishing music, touching romance and madcap comedy, and not to be missed A Christmas Carol: The Read with Anne Marie Duff.

If you’re staying in this New Year’s Eve then why not celebrate with Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s New Year’s Eve Disco. It sees the Queen of the dancefloor herself bringing all the disco fun and energy to New Year’s Eve as the nation gets ready to welcome in 2025. The Graham Norton Show returns for its traditional New Year’s Eve edition on BBC One, with sparkling chat, jokes and music as Graham and a sofa of star guests take a look back at the events of 2024. Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra welcome in the New Year with Jools’ Annual Hootenanny. And the Top of The Pops: Review of The Year 2024 takes us back through this year’s music hits.

If you’re still seeking inspiration for food over the holidays, then Dame Mary Berry has you covered as she heads to the scenic Kent Coast to inspire us with beautiful, tasty treats that are perfect for gifting in Mary Makes Christmas. Last minute gift ideas? Stacey Solomon has your back, with Stacey’s Crafty Christmas. Still feeling crafty, then join the experts for the festive season at The Repair Shop at Christmas, this year the team of experts are back, spreading joy and creating more Christmas magic. And if you’re interested in how things are made then look no further as Inside the Factory also returns for series nine. Paddy McGuinness gets well and truly in the festive spirit in a factory in Belgium that makes four million chocolate seashells every day.

Start your days with Morning Live at Christmas as the programme will bring together the BBC’s most trusted experts to serve up the best money, health, food and time saving tips and advice to help get you through the festive season. The One Show is pulling out all the stops with a festive One Big Thank You special – a whole show dedicated to shining a light on the incredible people who make a real difference at Christmas.

Deck the halls with sloths and wallabies because Ben Fogle and Kate Humble are racing back to Longleat Safari Park for a magical series of Animal Park at Christmas. For the first time ever, the Coronation Pavilion at Highgrove is being turned into a festive Christmas grotto, so don’t miss A Countryfile Christmas at Highgrove, as the presenters join in the festivities. The Antiques Roadshow team look back at some of the most memorable items from recent shows and find out what happened next. Gardeners’ World has a series of festive specials including guest, comedian Tom Allen who joins Arit Anderson talking about his ‘mini farm’ and how he even makes his own garlic cordial to keep slugs at bay.

The man himself, Father Christmas joins Eric Knowles for two fun-filled festive episodes of Bargain Hunt. Celebrity Escape to the Country sees a return for series two with Olympic champion Linford Christie OBE, musical legend Alfie Boe OBE, broadcaster & author Anita Rani, pop sensation H from Steps, renowned journalist Kaye Adams and The Apprentice winner and entrepreneur Tim Campbell MBE, all in search of their perfect country homes.

If further escapism is what you need, then the festive edition of Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby, is just for you as Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti visit an adventure hotel above the Arctic Circle in Lapland. And of course audiences can tune into the laughter and tranquil sounds of Gone Christmas Fishing, as Paul and Bob travel to Cahors in the South-West of France where they celebrate another eventful year of fishing together.

My Life At Christmas with Anita Rani, sees her speak to Dame Sheila Hancock, Rudolph Walker, familiar to millions as Patrick Trueman in EastEnders; and also TV personality and podcaster Spencer Matthews, in a three-part special, to discover what makes Christmas special for them, and how it’s been a marker for memorable moments in their careers, family life and faith. And we have some heart-warming documentaries and biopics this season including a special one-off BBC documentary with Si King as he celebrates the life of fellow Hairy Biker and best friend Dave Myers.

But there’s more… audiences have a choice from My Epic Camel Adventure with Gordon Buchanan, Expedition Killer Whale, Lucy Worsley Investigates, The 2024 Christmas Lectures from The Royal Institution with Dr Chris van Tulleken, Strictly at 20, Renaissance: The Blood and The Beauty, Alan Bennett: 90 Years On and From Roger Moore, With Love.

Our Children’s content will bring families together to enjoy the best of homegrown storytelling this Christmas – with something for all of the family to enjoy across drama, animation and live action! The Primrose Railway Children is a new adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s novel inspired by E. Nesbit’s timeless classic featuring Kevin McKidd (Grey’s Anatomy, Trainspotting). The Famous Five, based on Enid Blyton’s iconic stories, returns and follows the daring young explorers as they encounter treacherous, action-packed adventures, remarkable mysteries, unparalleled danger and astounding secrets. Angel Pavement and Loveykins are the latest whimsical and vibrant animated specials in Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures, inspired by the beloved British children’s author and illustrator, Sir Quentin Blake.

And if it’s not a white Christmas then My Life: The Snowman and Me (w/t) is a must watch. Following two boys as they are cast to perform the lead role in Birmingham Rep’s The Snowman for its 27th year at Sadler’s Wells’ home in the West End, the Peacock Theatre. Join the gang for Blue Peter’s Christmas Spectacular, Abby, Joel, Shini and Henry the dog in an all-singing, all-dancing Christmas party to get you in the festive spirit!  They go behind the scenes on the exciting new Wallace and Gromit Christmas adventure, Shini stars in the CBeebies Christmas panto; and there’s a show stopping performance in the Blue Peter studio.

For the little ones, it’s time to meet young brothers Nikhil & Jay and their lovable dual-heritage family in a holiday adventure in Nikhil & Jay and the Christmas Wish.  With both Indian and English family, their life is a rich blend of customs, traditions, festivals, food and music. Join them as they celebrate Christmas with plenty of snow, their cat Max and a Christmas dosa pizza! CBeebies Presents: Beauty and the Beast, filmed in Edinburgh at the Festival Theatre, taking the well-known story and bringing it to life for a CBeebies audience with a toe-tapping soundtrack from Banks & Wag. 

Before getting everyone in the kitchen to help this year, make sure they’ve watched Cooking Buddies Christmas special! Buddy Oliver returns and is joined by two-times world champion street dancer Meesha Garbett, also known as the famous ‘Red Beret girl’ in the film Matilda. And to get them ready for bed, children and their grown-ups are invited to snuggle up together to enjoy the magic of storytelling with a week of brand new CBeebies Bedtime Stories from some amazing readers in the run up to Christmas.

HD3

What’s on?

BBC One

Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

Wallace & Gromit make their long-awaited return with a brand new feature-length adventure on the BBC this Christmas.

After a recent crime wave of stolen garden goods from across the region, Wallace and his pre-programmed smart gnome, Norbot, are the main suspects. While Wallace proclaims his innocence, it’s up to Gromit once again to battle sinister forces, or Wallace will never invent again!

But who could possibly be behind such evil actions?! Rightfully behind bars for all this time, Feathers McGraw – last seen in 1993’s BAFTA and Academy Award winning short The Wrong Trousers – is back with vengeance.

Directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham and featuring the voices of Ben Whitehead as Wallace, Reece Shearsmith as Norbot, Peter Kay as Chief Inspector Macintosh and Lauren Patel as PC Mukherjee, alongside Diane Morgan, Adjoa Andoh, Muzz Khan, and Lenny Henry.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (1×79’) is made by Aardman Animations. It will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One this Christmas and, outside of the UK, will be available on Netflix from 3 January.

EJ

Tiddler

Adapted for the BBC from the hugely successful picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, Tiddler is 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.

Every day Tiddler tells a different story to his teacher and his friend Johnny Dory about why he’s late for school. His stories stretch from riding on seahorses or swimming around a shipwreck to being captured by a squid! His stories are so great that word of mouth helps them travel through the ocean and so, when Tiddler gets lost, he realises they may help him find a way home.

The film is an underwater adventure about the power of imagination and finding confidence in yourself – and how to be content as a little fish in a big ocean.

The half-hour animated special will be voiced by a stellar cast led by Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso, Game of Thrones) as the narrator, Lolly Adefope (Ghosts, Saltburn) as Miss Skate, Jayde Adams (Ruby Speaking, Alma’s Not Normal) as Plaice and other characters, plus Rob Brydon (Gavin and Stacey, The Trip) – returning for his twelfth Donaldson and Scheffler adaptation – in the multiple voice roles of Fisherman, Whale, Starfish and Anchovy. Tiddler will also feature the voices of child actors Reuben Kirby in the title role, and Theo Fraser as Johnny Dory.

Tiddler (1 x 30) is a Magic Light Pictures production for BBC iPlayer and BBC One.

TB

Doctor Who

Ham and cheese toastie and a pumpkin latte? The Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, returns this Christmas for a time-hopping trip through the history of Earth.

The episode introduces Joy, starring Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton, Derry Girls), who checks into a London hotel in 2024, only to discover that her quiet stay is anything but ordinary. When Joy opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel, she discovers danger, dinosaurs and the Doctor. But a deadly plan is unfolding across the Earth, just in time for Christmas.

Where has the Doctor been? What is going on in Joy’s hotel room? An old enemy of the Doctor’s is lurking in the wings and all of human history hangs in the balance. Can the Doctor save Christmas, everywhere, all at once?

Joining Ncuti Gatwa and Nicola Coughlan is a cast of exciting guest stars, including Steph de Whalley as Anita, Jonathan Aris as Melnak, Joel Fry as Trev, Peter Benedict as Basil, Julia Watson as Hilda, and Niamh Marie Smith as Sylvia.

The series is produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for the BBC and Disney Branded Television, and will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, and exclusively on Disney+ outside of the UK where available.

JA2

Call The Midwife Christmas Specials

For the first time ever, this year Call The Midwife will deliver not one but two Christmas specials – complete with a Christmas cliffhanger!

It’s Christmas 1969 and the Nonnatus midwives are in their element, all busy delivering babies and doing the job they are most dedicated and committed to. The funfair comes to Poplar, adding a burst of colour and excitement to the frosty landscape but there are other visitors to the borough – including influenza and the Hong Kong flu.

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.

The Turner children are caught up in the fever surrounding the Blue Peter Christmas appeal to collect dinky cars and scrap metal. Trixie makes a fleeting visit to Nonnatus House and is delighted to see her brother Geoffrey, and Miss Higgins has her grandson Harry stay for Christmas. Violet hosts a mince pie competition but the Buckles’ preparations for Reggie’s homecoming are thrown into turmoil.

Call The Midwife (2×60) is made by Neal Street Productions for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Executive producers are Pippa Harris, Heidi Thomas and Ann Tricklebank for Neal Street Productions, with Gaynor Holmes for the BBC.

JN

EastEnders

Secrets and lies are set to throw a wrecking ball into the Beale family festivities this year as the shocking truth about Cindy is revealed in spectacular fashion on Christmas Day.

The incriminating evidence captured on tape will expose Cindy’s true love for ex-husband George and her scandalous affair with his son, Junior. Cindy has nowhere to hide as all hell breaks loose in the Beale and Knight families, with fury and accusations flying on all sides.

Across the Square, Denise Fox will be getting an unexpected Christmas present courtesy of an unlikely gift-bearer and find herself enjoying a very different day from the one she had last year.

But, elsewhere as the yuletide warmth stokes up old feelings for some, for others, ghosts of Christmas past return…

EastEnders is a BBC Studios production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The Executive Producer for EastEnders is Chris Clenshaw and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Danielle Scott-Haughton.

JA2/CT3

The Split: Barcelona

Abi Morgan’s hit legal drama The Split returns to BBC iPlayer and BBC One for a very special Spanish extravaganza set over one sun-soaked weekend. The two-part special will explore the themes of love, legacy, and modern marriage, through a sparkling cast of characters that audiences know and love.

Two years on from the third and final series, formidable family lawyer Hannah Defoe (Nicola Walker) and her family are back and have gathered for a beautiful wedding at a magnificent vineyard, nestled in Catalonia’s wine region. The weekend will introduce audiences to a host of new characters, including Toby Stephens as Archie Moore, and glamorous hosts Alvaro (Manu Fullola) and Valentina (Romina Cocca).

Fans of The Split will also be reunited with returning cast including Nicola Walker, Stephen Mangan, Annabel Scholey, Fiona Button, Deborah Findlay, Ian McElhinney, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Elizabeth Roberts and Alex Guersman.

The Split: Barcelona (2×60’) is a SISTER production for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Executive producers are Jane Featherstone, Lucy Dyke, and Abi Morgan for SISTER, with Lucy Richer for the BBC.

frankie@wdmentertainment.com

Strike: The Ink Black Heart

Tom Burke and Holiday Grainger return in the hit crime series based on J.K. Rowling’s best-selling novels written under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.

When frantic, desperate Edie Ledwell appears in the office begging to speak to her, private detective Robin Ellacott doesn’t know quite what to make of the situation. The co-creator of a popular cartoon, The Ink Black Heart, Edie is being persecuted by a mysterious online figure who goes by the pseudonym of Anomie. Edie is desperate to uncover Anomie’s true identity.

Robin informs Edie that the agency is too busy to take on her case and thinks nothing more of it until a few weeks later, when she reads the shocking news that Edie has been murdered in Highgate Cemetery, the location of The Ink Black Heart.

Robin and her business partner Cormoran Strike become drawn into the quest to uncover Anomie’s true identity. But with a complex web of online aliases, business interests and family conflicts to navigate, Strike and Robin find themselves embroiled in a case that stretches them to their limit.

Strike – The Ink Black Heart (4×60’) is made by Brontë Film & TV for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Executive producers are Ruth Kenley-Letts, J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair and Nick Lambon for the BBC.

IT

Beyond Paradise Christmas Special

It’s Christmas time in Shipton Abbott, where Humphrey (Kris Marshall) and the team find themselves wrapped up in two festive cases.

When recently widowed Bob Holland (Mark Heap) is ordered to leave his home by a vision of his late wife Linda (Rosalind Adler), he is thrown into emotional turmoil, a vivid reminder of his harrowing grief. Deeply disturbed by this series of troubling events, he turns to his friend Anne (Barbara Flynn) for comfort, who shares his encounters with the Shipton Abbott police team. Unsure whether Bob’s ghostly visions are a manifestation of grief or something more sinister, Humphrey and Esther (Zahra Ahmadi) get to work unravelling the mystery. Bob’s daughter Fiona (Tamla Kari) and her husband, a maverick inventor Colin (Seann Walsh), appear stumped and concerned when deliberating who could be behind this ghostly apparition. Is Bob simply struggling with the pain of the first Christmas without his wife, or is there a darker force at play?

Meanwhile, Kelby (Dylan Llewellyn) and Margo (Felicity Montagu) are on the case after a break-in at the church leaves the nativity scene incomplete. With the Christmas service fast approaching, and CS Charlie Woods (Jade Harrison) due to attend, can Kelby solve the mystery of the missing Virgin Mary and impress the Chief Superintendent?

Away from the station, Humphrey and Martha’s (Sally Bretton) fostering journey continues as they open their home to introverted teenager Jaiden (Austin Taylor) over the festive period. Struggling to connect, and with Humphrey otherwise occupied at work, Martha feels out of her depth. Can she overcome her self-doubt and find a way to bond with Jaiden? And will he open up and let her in before the holidays arrive?

Beyond Paradise (1×60’) is a Red Planet Pictures production for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Executive producers for Red Planet Pictures are Tony Jordan, Tim Key and Belinda Campbell, with Danielle Scott-Haughton for the BBC.

beyondparadise@premiercomms.com

Death in Paradise Christmas Special

It’s the most wonderful time of the year as we return to sun-drenched Saint Marie, joining the police team and a new Detective Inspector for a festive feature-length Death in Paradise Christmas special.

When holiday maker Stuart Fullwell (Marcus Brigstocke), fresh from performing karaoke dressed as Santa, is found shot dead on the beach by a young boy Ollie – son of Jamie (Jim Howick) – the Saint Marie police team kick into action. But with no Detective Inspector in place of the recently departed Neville Parker, are they capable of tackling such a big case?

With the pressure mounting, Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington) is relieved to receive some encouraging news as he learns a British detective is holidaying on the island. Following a somewhat disappointing solo trip, DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) is aboard a flight back home to London ready to take off, though is informed by his boss that he’s to be seconded to Honoré, whether he likes it or not…

Death in Paradise (1×90) is a Red Planet Pictures production for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Executive producers for Red Planet Pictures are Tim Key and Amy Rodriguez, with Danielle Scott-Haughton for the BBC.

dip@premiercomms.com

Casualty Christmas Special

The BBC’s BAFTA award-winning medical drama Casualty return to screens for a new series, beginning with this innovative and format-breaking Christmas special that celebrates the gift of giving.

It’s Christmas Day in the ED and the team are faced with an emergency blood shortage. Whilst Stevie (Elinor Lawless) fights to save lives, Iain (Michael Stevenson) risks his own to ensure the hospital doesn’t go without.

All I Want for Christmas will also feature real-life testimonies from contributors who’ve been directly impacted by UK blood donation, as well as interviews with key workers who form the country’s blood service.

Casualty’s Christmas special (1×60’) is made by BBC Studios for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Executive producers are Roxanne Harvey for BBC Studios and Rebecca Ferguson for the BBC.

casualty@premiercomms.com

SAS Rogue Heroes

Steven Knight’s hit BBC drama SAS Rogue Heroes returns for a second series.

Spring, 1943. Paddy Mayne (Jack O’Connell) takes control of the SAS following David Stirling’s (Connor Swindells) capture, as attention turns from the conflict in North Africa to mainland Europe. But GHQ have cast doubt over the future of the regiment, while the creation of a second unit and an influx of new arrivals make things even more difficult for the men. Can they prove that the SAS remains essential to the war, wherever it may lead them?

Based on Ben McIntyre’s book of the same name, series two also stars Sofia Boutella, Gwilym Lee, Dominic West, and Theo Barklem Biggs.

SAS Rogue Heroes series two (6×60’) is a Kudos and Nebulastar production for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. It is executive produced by Karen Wilson, Emma Kingsman-Lloyd and Martin Haines for Kudos, Steven Knight for Nebulastar, and Nick Lambon for the BBC.

SH2

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale

It’s five years since we left Nessa down on one knee declaring her love for Smithy and asking him to marry her. And a lot has happened in those five years.

In Barry, Bryn’s packing the Picasso in readiness for a trip to Essex; Stacey and Gavin are looking for new ways to spice up their seventeen year marriage and Gwen is behaving most strangely. Nessa’s started a new business venture and Neil the Baby’s about to begin an apprenticeship with his dad.

Over in Billericay Pam is stressing out at the prospect of playing hostess, not helped by a newly retired Mick practicing his golf swings in the living room and there have been more ups and downs in Pete and Dawn’s relationship. Join us on the journey to Barry and Billericay as we catch up with the Shipmans and the Wests for the very last time and maybe find out what exactly did happen on that fishing trip.

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale is a Tidy and Fulwell73 production for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. It was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer, and Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy Commissioning. Gavin & Stacey is created, written and executive produced by Ruth Jones and James Corden. The director is Christine Gernon and the producer is Sarah Fraser. The Executive Producers are David Peet, Rhys John and Ruth Jones for Tidy Productions, and James Corden, Leo Pearlman and Ben Winston for Fulwell73 Productions. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Emma Lawson.

HM2/LW

Gavin & Stacey : A Fond Farewell

An uplifting and touching documentary special which tells the story of one of Britain’s best loved sitcoms as it comes to an end after 17 years. It charts the journey of a little-known sitcom that started life on BBC Three which, with its blend of relatable characters and infectious catchphrases, grew into a must watch show that captivated the hearts of the nation.

Featuring unprecedented access to creators James Corden and Ruth Jones as well as the cast and crew as they film the final episodes together as they all say goodbye to this much cherished show. We’ll also hear from an array of celebrity fans who have their say on the show’s influence on British society and why they believe Gavin & Stacey is the best show on TV.

LW

Outnumbered Christmas Special

The Brockmans are back! Written and directed by the show’s creators, Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton, the Outnumbered Christmas Special 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.

The stars of the original much-loved series are returning, including Hugh Dennis as dad Pete, Claire Skinner as mum Sue, Tyger Drew-Honey as eldest son Jake, Daniel Roche as the middle child Ben, and Ramona Marquez as daughter, Karen.

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.

Outnumbered (1 x 40) is a Hat Trick Production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The show was commissioned by Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC. The co-creators, writers and directors are Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, the executive producer is Jimmy Mulville and the BBC commissioning editor is Emma Lawson.

MJ

Mrs Brown’s Boys (Christmas and New Year’s Specials)

Mrs Brown’s Boys (Christmas Special)

It’s Christmas in Finglas again and Agnes is failing to convince the gang she’s not grumpy! Meanwhile Cathy pulls the Finglas community together in support of a festive good cause and Buster sources a sustainable tree.

Mrs Brown’s Boys (New Year’s Special)

Agnes turns her spare room into a bed and breakfast but there’s an escaped dangerous criminal on the loose in Finglas – what could possibly go wrong in this action-packed festive special? Featuring special guest Steve Spiers.

The Mrs Brown’s Boys festive specials are made by BBC Studios Comedy Productions (2 X 30) in partnership with BOC-PIX and RTE for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. They were commissioned by Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy. The Executive Producers for BBC Studios Comedy are Steven Canny and Josh Cole, Brendan O’Carroll and Fiona Gibney for BOC-PIX and Justin Healy for RTE. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Gregor Sharp.

CK

The Young Offenders Christmas Special

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Mairéad (Hilary Rose), Sgt. Healy (Dominic MacHale) and Conor (Alex Murphy) are preparing for the imminent new arrival, with Conor wanting only the best for his mother.

Conor is still a novice at domestic housework, including washing, so Mairéad decides to give him lessons, clearing out his wash basket thoroughly – only to discover a handgun in the basket. Conor is holding the gun for a friend for a few days in exchange for cash. 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 has been commissioned for BBC One and BBC iPlayer by Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy Commissioning. The Series Producers for Vico Films are Peter Foott and Cormac Fox, Executive Producers Abby Singer, Lotte Beasley and Michael Doherty. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Ben Caudell. The Commissioning Editor for RTÉ Comedy is Justin Healy. The Director for series 4 is Jamie Jay Johnson. BBC Studios internationally distributes all series of The Young Offenders.

MJ

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special

The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special is back! The Ballroom will once again be transformed into a magical winter wonderland, so expect festive cheer, jingle bells, mistletoe madness, bedazzling baubles and six celebrities all sleighing their way to Elstree in a bid to be crowned the Strictly Christmas Champion 2024.

In the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, produced by BBC Studios, each of the six couples will perform a festive fuelled routine in the hope of impressing the judges, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Head Judge Shirley Ballas, and the voting studio audience. But who will emerge the Christmas star of the evening, and lift the sought after Christmas trophy?

Strictly Come Dancing is a BBC Studios Entertainment Production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer, commissioned by Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios is Sarah James, the Christmas Series Editor is Kim Allinson and the Series Editors are Nicola Fitzgerald and Jack Gledhill and the Series Producers are Ciara Murray and Joe Turner. The Senior Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Jo Wallace.

GC2

Strictly Come Dancing: 20 Fabulous Years

Strictly Come Dancing: 20 Fabulous Years is a sparkling celebration of two decades of Strictly Come Dancing, the iconic dance competition that has captured the hearts of millions since its debut in 2004.

With exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with past contestants, judges, and production teams, the film delves into the evolution of the show, its cultural impact, and the unforgettable moments that have made Strictly a beloved institution in television. Marking 20 years of glitz, glamour and dancing, this celebratory programme reflects on how the show has transformed into a global phenomenon while maintaining its core charm and appeal.

GC2

Gladiators: Celebrity Special

Celebrities ready? Four famous faces nervously lace up their trainers as they compete in one of the toughest gameshows on Earth, Gladiators.

Hosted by Bradley and Barney Walsh, this one-hour special sees comedian Rob Beckett versus TV presenter and comedian Joel Dommett, and Breakfast TV presenter Louise Minchin versus comedian and Ted Lasso star Ellie Taylor, as they face the ultimate test of speed and strength up against the power of the Gladiators, before going head to head in the iconic Eliminator.

Gladiators: Celebrity Special (1 x 60’) is a Hungry Bear and MGM Alternative UK, a division of Amazon MGM Studios, for BBC One and BBC iPlayer and was commissioned by Kalpna Patel-Knight, BBC Head of Entertainment Commissioning. The Executive Producers are Dan Baldwin and Lou Brown for Hungry Bear, and Dom Bird and Barry Poznick for MGM Alternative UK, a division of Amazon MGM Studios. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Clodagh O’Donoghue.

The original American Gladiators series was created by Johnny C. Ferraro and Dan Carr and developed by Johnny C. Ferraro.

MJ

The Graham Norton Show New Year’s Eve

The Bafta Award-winning chat show returns for its traditional New Year’s Eve edition on BBC One. Sparkling chat, jokes and music as Graham and a sofa of star guests take a look back at the events of 2024. Plus, end-of-year stories from members of the audience in the world-famous Big Red Chair.

The Graham Norton Show is a So TV production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment Commissioning at the BBC. The Executive Producer for So Television is Graham Stuart, and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Neil McCallum.

MC

Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s New Year’s Eve Disco

Queen of the dancefloor Sophie Ellis-Bextor brings all the disco fun and energy to New Year’s Eve in this dazzling TV event, as the nation gets ready to welcome in 2025.

Performing her global hits and some surprise numbers, Sophie and her all-star guests will party right into 2025 with plenty of glamour and glitz. This one-off TV recording of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s New Year’s Eve Disco for BBC One and iPlayer promises to be a night to remember. The festivities will continue after BBC One goes live to London for the traditional epic fireworks display.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s New Year’s Eve Disco (2 x 30) is a BBC Studios Music Production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer and was commissioned by Jonathan Rothery, Head of Popular Music, TV and Rachel Davies, Commissioning Editor, BBC Pop Music TV. The Executive Producer is Alison Howe and the Director is Liz Clare.

GJ

Blankety Blank

The iconic gameshow Blankety Blank returns for a festive special on BBC One. Bradley Walsh is joined by six big name celebrities who will help four contestants to try and win some of telly’s most ‘unique’ prizes by filling in the missing BLANKS.

In this festive addition, joining the panel this week are Jane McDonald, Joel Dommett, Jonathan Ross, Oti Mabuse, Sara Pascoe, The Vivienne.

Blankety Blank is a Thames (a Fremantle label) production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment. The Executive Producer for Thames is Christopher Barbour and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC Is Clodagh O’Donoghue.

Naomi.Hicks@fremantle.com/Ant.Fragnito@fremantle.com

The Weakest Link

Strictly Special

Romesh Ranganathan hosts a Strictly Come Dancing Special episode of The Weakest Link. Eight Strictly stars quick step off the dancefloor to test their general knowledge to try and win up to £50,000 for their chosen charity. Each round, one player will be voted The Weakest Link by their fellow contestants and will leave with nothing. Only one can be crowned champion and win the cash prize.

Contestants in this episode are James Bye, Zara McDermott, Carlos Gu, Michelle Tsiakkas, Lauren Oakley, Kai Widdrington, Joanne Clifton and Kelvin Fletcher.

Christmas Special

Romesh Ranganathan brings his festive cheer to a star-studded Christmas Special of The Weakest Link. Eight celebrities will all be trying to win up to £50,000 for their chosen charity, in one of the world’s most iconic quizzes. Each round, one player will be voted The Weakest Link by their fellow contestants and will leave with nothing. Who will be crowned The Strongest Link and take the prize ho-ho-home!

The festive line up is Shaun Ryder, Kerry Katona, Phil Tufnell, Sally Lindsay, Big Has, Tim Vine, Heather Peace and Indiyah Polack.

Party Special

Romesh Ranganathan is the host with the most in this party special of one of the world’s most iconic quizzes. Eight celebrities hope to show off their general knowledge and bank as much money as possible for charity. Only one will eventually win through to be crowned the Strongest Link and take the spoils.

Celebrity contestants in this episode are Scarlett Moffatt, Richie Anderson, Christine McGuinness, Louisa Lytton, David Potts, Babatunde Aleshe, Seann Walsh and Janette Manrara.

The Weakest Link is a BBC Studios Entertainment Productions (14 x 45) for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC. The Executive Producers for BBC Studios are Pete Ogden and Gareth Edwards and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Neil McCallum.

FM/GS

Would I Lie To You?

Rob Brydon is back in the host’s chair for a festive edition of the award-winning comedy panel show Would I Lie To You?. And as ever, David Mitchell and Lee Mack are the lightning-quick team captains. Over the course of the show, a stellar cast of celebrity guests reveal amazing stories about themselves. But are they telling the truth, or are they making it all up? David Mitchell is joined by Jimmy Carr and Laura Smyth, while Lee Mack is joined by Rustie Lee and Lenny Rush.

Would I Lie To You? is a Zeppotron Production (12 x 29) for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Kate Phillips and Kalpna Patel-Knight. The Executive Producers for Zeppotron are Peter Holmes & Rachel Ablett and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Pinki Chambers.

AF

Have I Got Sport For You

Hosted by Jason Manford, Have I Got Sport For You is a one off special that will look back at a spectacular year of sport. Joining the Team Captains will be a gaggle of panellists including top comedians and sporting stars as they reflect on 2024.

Have I Got Sport For You is a Hat Trick Production (1×30) for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Kalpna Patel Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC. The Executive Producer for Hat Trick is Richard Wilson and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Sarah Clay.

SVDG

Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off

Time to take a break from peeling spuds and stuffing the turkey, and watch some celebrities do it instead, as Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off delivers a delicious dose of festive cheer – hosted by MasterChef judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode.

Emmerdale actor Amy Walsh; comedian Shazia Mirza; reality star Luca Bish and popstar and lead singer of The Wanted, Max George did themselves proud in 2023, but are now back with their sights set on the glittery Golden Whisk Trophy!

Their first challenge is the Secret Santa Mystery Box, each containing the recipe for a sensational seasonal treat. The stars must all crise to the occasion for a special Christmas guest judge – their fellow 2023 contestant and champion, Duncan James – who won’t want to leave feeling blue! Next, the four must cook their ultimate Christmas dinner.

Expect fireworks, great Christmas banter and good food as the celebrities cook for the title of Celebrity MasterChef 2024 Christmas Champion.

CQ

MasterChef Meets Strictly Festive Extravaganza

They can waltz, they can foxtrot, they can jive, but can they cook? This one-off special opens the floor to four of Strictly Come Dancing’s much-loved professionals.

Adding an extra sprinkling of glitz and glamour to the stoves and competing to be crowned MasterChef Festive Cha-Cha-Champion are Amy Dowden MBE, Gorka Marquez, Kai Widdrington and Nancy Xu.

John and Gregg reveal that a mystery guest has set the first challenge – unbeknownst to the dancers, it’s Strictly judge, Motsi Mabuse! Instead of judging their moves, she will be critiquing their cooking as they create some of her favourite festive dishes. Next, they must dazzle John and Gregg with their best two-course menu worthy of a great celebration.

As the Strictly pros switch from dance-off to cook-off, expect glitter, fabulous food, and culinary moves. Eat your heart out, glitterball, these dancers are aiming for the MasterChef Festive Champion Glittery Whisk!

Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off and MasterChef Meets Strictly Festive Extravaganza are made by Shine Television (1 x 60” each) for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. They were commissioned by Kalpna Patel-Knight. The Executive Producer for Shine Television is David Ambler and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Sarah Clay.

CQ

My Life at Christmas with Anita Rani

• Ep 1 – Dame Sheila Hancock – Sunday 1 December
• Ep 2 – Rudolph Walker – Sunday 8 December
• Ep 3 – Spencer Matthews – Sunday 15 December

My Life at Christmas is back for a third year running with a new presenter for 2024 – Countryfile and Woman’s Hour presenter Anita Rani.

In each episode of this three part series, Anita will talk to a well-known guest to discover what makes Christmas special for them, and how it’s been a marker for memorable moments in their careers, family life and faith. This year her guests include two of Britain’s best-loved actors – Dame Sheila Hancock and Rudolph Walker, familiar to millions as Patrick Trueman in EastEnders; and also TV personality and podcaster Spencer Matthews.

Over the course of each programme we’ll see how Christmas is a time to reflect as each guest shares what brings them joy, meaning and purpose. And we might even find out what’s on their Christmas wish lists this year…

As always, there’ll be surprise messages and moments of fun, making My Life at Christmas the perfect countdown to Christmas 2024.

My Life at Christmas is a Big Circus Production (3 x 60 mins) for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Rob Unsworth as Head of Daytime. The Executive Producers for Big Circus are Gareth Collett, Matt Baker and Elliot Falk and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Daisy Scalchi, Head of Commissioning, Religion and Ethics.

SF

Stacey Solomon’s Crafty Christmas

Stacey Solomon returns for this Crafty Christmas special where friends and family join her to create a new batch of ingenious home-made gifts and decorations that she hopes will bring festive joy without blowing the budget.

This year Stacey will be throwing a special Christmas party at her Grandma Gwen’s residential home, to give all the residents and the amazing carers a magical evening to remember.

Together with husband Joe and their children, Stacey’s sister Jemma and Sort Your Life Out co-star Dilly Carter, Stacey puts everyone to work to transform a space inside the home into a Christmas wonderland, and the pressure is on Joe to get all Stacey’s decorations delivered on time and unscathed!

There will be homemade treats for the carers, a singing performance from Stacey and a special surprise in store for Grandma Gwen.

Crafting a range of money-saving makes from angel tree-toppers and a space saving Christmas tree, to personalised presents such as gingerbread body butter and no sew cushions, can Stacey give the residents a glittering night to remember?

Crafty Christmas is made by Optomen (1×60’) for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries. The Executive Producer is Charlotte Brookes and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Beejal-Maya Patel.

TD

Inside The Factory

New presenter Paddy McGuinness gets well and truly in the festive spirit in a factory in Belgium that makes four million chocolate seashells every day. Enjoying many taste tests, he discovers how hazelnuts are roasted with sugar to create a sweet praline filling, which is then pumped into chocolate seashell shaped moulds.

Elsewhere in the episode, Cherry is also in Belgium, at another massive chocolate factory, learning how they produce the white chocolate used in Paddy’s chocolate seashells. And she enlists the help of mathematician Bobby Seagull to explore the art, or rather the maths, of Christmas Tree decoration. Historian, Ruth Goodman is in Belgium too, exploring how Belgian chocolate has become world-famous, and she delves into the European origins of Santa Claus.

Inside the Factory is made by Voltage TV (6 x 60’) for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual. The Executive Producers are Lucy Carter, Michael Rees and Sanjay Singhal and the Commissioning Editors are Siobhan Mulholland and Denise Mather.

VC

Mary Makes Christmas

In this enchanting Christmas special, Mary Makes Christmas, Dame Mary Berry heads to the scenic Kent Coast to inspire us with beautiful, tasty treats that are perfect for gifting. From clever mini Christmas cakes to rich and delicious chutney, Mary reminds us of the joy that homemade treats can bring.

Joined on the coast by celebrity friends Amanda Holden, Oti Mabuse and Nick Grimshaw, Mary helps them throw their heart and soul into creating something special, along the way joining local Shanty singers, wild sea swimmers and RNLI volunteers to share their foodie treats.

Mary also cooks up some of her favourite new winter dishes with a festive twist, from delicious turkey pasties to an indulgent clementine brulee and Amanda Holden has a special Christmas treat of her own in store for Mary.

Mary Makes Christmas is a Banijay UK Productions trading as Sidney Street and Appeal TV Production, (1×60′) for BBC One and iPlayer. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. The Executive Producers are Karen Ross for Sidney Street and Kelly Sparks for Appeal TV, and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Ricky Cooper.

LP

The Repair Shop at Christmas

It’s festive season at The Repair Shop and this year the team of experts are back, spreading joy and creating more Christmas magic.

Through the barn doors this year are two giant Puffins gifted to a very special children’s bookshop. These Puffins have welcomed generations of children and have been at the centre of the Christmas celebrations for over 50 years. Dominic Chinea and Brenton West have been tasked with returning these beloved birds back to the bookshop in time for Christmas, so they can continue to bring festive joy.

Will Kirk, Kirsten Ramsey and Mark Stuckey are facing their own festive challenge of reviving an enchanting miniature Christmas Village that lights up a family home where over 30 foster children have been looked after.

Meanwhile, clever with leather Suzie Fletcher is restoring a donkey saddle that’s been handed down through four generations of farmers. This saddle has been used by its owner since he was seven to ride his donkey into town, continuing the family tradition of delivering presents and spreading happiness to the local community in Northern Ireland.

Finally, a magic lantern projector that’s over 100 years old and has been at the centre of a family’s Christmas Eve tradition. The three sisters are hoping electrical whizz Mark Stuckey can restore the projector and with it the childhood wonder and memories it holds.

The Repair Shop At Christmas is a Ricochet production (1 x 60’) for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. The Executive Producers for Ricochet are Emma Walsh and Hannah Lamb and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Julie Shaw.

LP

Antiques Roadshow Christmas Special

In a special festive episode, the Antiques Roadshow team look back at some of the most memorable items from recent shows and find out what happened next.

From a beautiful brooch with a link to a renowned Parisian jeweller to a medal awarded for the ultimate sacrifice, Fiona and the team present a heartwarming and often moving look back at poignant items and mysterious treasures that have appeared on the show.

Antiques Roadshow is a BBC Studios Production for BBC ONE and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. The Series Editor for BBC Studios is Robert Murphy, and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Ricky Cooper.

GS

The Great Christmas Sewing Bee

Esme Young and Patrick Grant put four celebrities’ sewing skills to the test in The Great Christmas Sewing Bee.

Host Sara Pascoe will be joined in Yorkshire by singer and actor Ian ‘H’ Watkins, EastEnder’s actor Kellie Bright, comedian Fatiha El Ghorri and TV personality and businesswoman, Charlotte Crosby as they put their twist on a pattern for an advent calendar. They then turn onesies into a fun Christmas costume for a child in the transformation. Finally, they create an outfit for their models, inspired by their favourite Christmas number one.

The Great Christmas Sewing Bee is a Love Productions programme (1×60’) for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. The Executive Producers for Love Productions are Richard McKerrow and Tom Davies and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Cal Turner.

AC

A Countryfile Christmas at Highgrove

For the first time ever, the Coronation Pavilion at Highgrove is being turned into a festive Christmas grotto complete with magical fairy lights, willow sculptures, festive wreaths and a pair of huge nutcrackers! Our presenters join in the festivities – adding the final touches to the Christmas tree, gathering mistletoe from the gardens, and helping trim the giant topiary Christmas pudding!

We go behind the scenes to discover not only what is visible to the public, but also the workings of the estate, and the brilliant people ensuring that Highgrove exists as an exemplar of all things sustainable, organic, and the very best of British.

GS

Songs of Praise Christmas Special

Songs of Praise: BBC Young Chorister Of The Year

Sunday 1 December

On the first Sunday of Advent, Aled Jones and the Rev. Kate Bottley host the final of BBC Young Chorister Of The Year with judges Katherine Jenkins, Bob Chilcott and Yolanda Brown, with the previous two programmes available on iPlayer.

Songs of Praise: A Christmas Celebration from Huddersfield Town Hall

Sunday 15 December

Aled Jones hosts a spectacular celebration of carols from the historic Huddersfield Town Hall with guests including West End star Marisha Wallace and Huddersfield Choral Society.

Songs of Praise: Candlelit Christmas

Sunday 22 December

Aled Jones is back to welcome you to an intimate candlelit celebration of favourite carols with guests Katherine Jenkins, and the BBC Young Choristers of the Year, from the village church of Croston.

Midnight Mass From St Mary’s Church, Warwick

The traditional Christmas Eve service and Blessing of the Crib live from the Collegiate Church of St Mary’s, Warwick.

The service will be introduced and led by the Rector of St Mary’s, the Revd Canon Angus Aagaard, with a sermon from the Rt Revd Martin Gordon, the Bishop of Goma, who is visiting from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Director of Music, Oliver Hancock, will lead the St Mary’s Choir. Music will include the well-loved carols O Little Town of Bethlehem, It Came Upon The Midnight Clear and O Come All Ye Faithful.

Christmas Morning Service From Halifax Minster

A traditional Yorkshire Christmas, celebrating the wonder and joy of the Nativity, live from the historic splendour of Halifax Minster.

The minster choir, accompanied by the famous Hammonds Brass Band, will lead the congregation with a host of well-loved carols, including a special arrangement of While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks to the old Yorkshire folk tune – On Ilkley Moor Baht’at – one of the earliest tunes for this carol.

The service will be led by the Vicar of Halifax Minster, the Revd Canon Hilary Barber, who will bless a ‘live crib’ of animals, mother and child. The Bishop of Huddersfield, the Rt Revd Smitha Prasadam, will tell of the hope of the Christmas story in her sermon.

EDA

On Christmas Night

As Christmas Day draws to a close, Kate Garraway narrates the story of the first Christmas from Luke’s Gospel, when angels appeared to shepherds to proclaim the news of Jesus’s birth followed by a choral musical performance.

EDA

Animal Park

Deck the halls with sloths and wallabies because Ben Fogle and Kate Humble are racing back to Longleat Safari Park for a magical series of Animal Park at Christmas. An army of keepers have been deployed to bring yuletide cheer to every single one of their wonderful creatures from meerkats to monkeys and lions to lemurs. Everyone’s joining the party as wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin and zoologist Megan McCubbin are teaming up to ensure we don’t miss a moment of animal magic as the big day draws closer.

Ben Fogle and Kate Humble are racing to Longleat to bring us a magical week Christmas programmes as they help the keepers ensure their animals have the best festive season ever.

AF

Bargain Hunt

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… for Bargain Hunting! Eric Knowles and Father Christmas host two action-packed Christmas programmes from one of the UK’s largest antique and collectors fairs in Newark, Nottinghamshire. The red and blue teams are both hoping for a sackful of profits and some glittering golden gavels. They’ll be helped by two Christmas crackers, Raj Bisram and Izzie Balmer, as they gift their expert knowledge to the teams.

Each team has just one hour and £300 to spend on their Christmas shopping. One item must cost £75 or more and they’ll also have to meet a special festive challenge. Whoever makes the biggest profit or smallest loss at the auction will be crowned Bargain Hunt’s Christmas champions!

Father Christmas brings the mince pies, pulls a few crackers and tells some ho ho hilarious Christmas jokes. Whilst the teams are busy Christmas shopping, Eric visits a corner of Nottinghamshire where it really is Christmas every day. He meets Lee Gadsby, a professional Christmas decorator and her team of elves who create the magic and seasonal sparkle by decorating shops, pubs, offices and homes with thousands of baubles, bows and candy canes!

Eric also learns how the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree came about and visits Geoff Gilbert, who owns one the UK’s largest Christmas Tree farms. Each year he grows more than half a million trees of all shapes and sizes, ready to be transported all over the country. One 60ft tree takes pride of place in London’s Covent Garden, where it’s decorated with more than 30,000 lights and hundreds of giant baubles!

And the Christmas celebrations come to a head at the auction in Lichfield, where Richard Winterton is on the rostrum to sell the teams’ items to a room full of festive bidders in Christmas hats and jumpers. Will the experts’ bonus buys prove to be the icing on the Christmas cake?

PD

Sports Personality of The Year 2024

Join Gabby Logan, Clare Balding and Alex Scott for the annual star-studded celebration of sport, as BBC Sports Personality of the Year comes live from MediaCityUK in Salford.

Returning for its 71st show, the review of the sporting year celebrates 2024’s incredible athletes and breathtaking moments, from the Olympics and Paralympics to the men’s Euros, T20 Cricket World Cups and so much more.

It promises to be an eventful night with plenty of surprises in store, culminating in crowning the 2024 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

RM4

BBC Two

Carols from King’s

The candlelit Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge is the stunning setting for this much anticipated annual celebration of the Christmas story, told through music, readings and prayer with an invited congregation of college members and guests. This year marks the seventieth anniversary of the first carol service being broadcast.

Led by the Dean, the Revd Dr Stephen Cherry, the programme begins in the time-honoured way as a solo chorister sings the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City, just as it did in 1954. The world renowned choir, directed by Daniel Hyde, sings carols old and new, including O Holy Night (arr. John E West), Nativity Carol (arr. John Rutter), Nowell, Nowell, Nowell (Elizabeth Maconchy) and Ave Maris Stella (Edvard Grieg). The choir leads the congregation in popular carols, including O Come All Ye Faithful, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. The story of the Nativity is read by members of King’s College in the words of the King James Bible and in poems by Christina Rossetti, Edwin Muir and G K Chesterton.

EDA

Top of The Pops: Review of The Year 2024 (w/t)

Top Of The Pops returns for a special hosted by Clara Amfo.

The show will take a look back over the last 12 months delving into music’s biggest stories and showcasing performances from some of the most talked about artists of 2024.

Top of The Pops: Review of The Year 2024 is a BBC Studios (1 x 60) production for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jonathan Rothery, Head of Popular Music TV. The Commissioning Editor for BBC Popular Music TV is Rachel Davies. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios is Alison Howe.

FM2

Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped

This Christmas, in celebration of its 40th anniversary, BBC Two and BBC Music presents WHAM!: Last Christmas Unwrapped – an hour-long celebration from Blink Films and Sony Music Entertainment, in association with Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael Entertainment, of a latter-day Christmas classic, telling the story of how George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s WHAM! turned one song into a cultural phenomenon.

A nostalgic film brimming with memories, this special reunites a cast of characters from the song’s illustrious history. Featuring prominent artists, music producers and industry experts, the Christmas TV special delves into the compelling inside story of Last Christmas’ creation and its enduring appeal.

From George Michael’s creative brilliance to the long-held secrets behind the much-loved magical music video, Last Christmas explores what these achievements meant to George and Andrew during this pivotal year for WHAM! Pop fans will see new interviews from Andrew Ridgeley, Pepsi DeMacque-Crockett and Shirlie Kemp, and we hear from George, who passed away on Christmas Day in 2016, via archive radio and video footage.

The charming film features a once in a lifetime reunion with some of the genuine group of close friends from the original music video, set against the stunning snow-covered backdrop of Saas-Fee in Switzerland. We’ll see Andrew, Pepsi, Shirlie, and friends revisit the video locations (including the ski lift and instantly recognisable alpine chalet), revealing exclusive, never-before-heard stories from the video that have remained a group secret – until now. We hear from the Mayor of Saas-Fee, who 40 years ago, was the band’s driver during the shoot and discover what happened to the iconic diamanté brooch which featured in the video.

Pop fans will delight in a musical and lyrical analysis of Last Christmas, as well as new interviews with WHAM! fans and friends, including Mary J Blige, Sir Bob Geldof, Neil Tennant and Sam Smith, who give their views on the song’s themes of unrequited love and loss.

The show includes rare and exclusive archive footage, including a world exclusive first broadcast of George Michael performing Last Christmas at Wembley Arena in December 2006, never seen before outtakes from the original 35mm music video footage, and George and Andrew’s personal photographs.

Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped is a Blink Films production (1 x 60”) for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jonathan Rothery, Head of BBC Pop Music TV. The producers for Blink Films are Justine Kershaw and Laura Jones and the director is Nigel Cole. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Rachel Davies.

SH8

Mariah Meets Rylan

Filmed on location in Los Angeles, the multi-platinum record selling, Grammy Award-winning artist Mariah Carey meets Rylan for the first time. Rylan will be quizzing Mariah about life, music, and of course, the festive season as her classic hit All I Want For Christmas Is You celebrates its 30th anniversary.

During her extensive interview with Rylan, Mariah discusses how she came up with the melody for her smash hit Hero, the jobs she had before she was famous, her multiple appearances on Top of the Pops and her love for the show, her inspirations – including Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and George Michael; working with Jackie Chan and Westlife and her reflections on this year being the 30th anniversary of her single, All I Want For Christmas Is You and album, Merry Christmas. Plus, Rylan puts Mariah’s English accent to the test and pretends to audition her to be in the BBC’s leading continuing drama, EastEnders.

Mariah Meets Rylan is a BBC Studios Music production (1 x 55”) for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jonathan Rothery, Head of BBC Pop Music TV. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios Music is Alison Howe and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Rachel Davies.

SH8

Inside No. 9: The Party’s Over

The door may have closed on Inside No.9, but there’s still time to venture behind the scenes. This documentary tells the story of one of TV’s darkest and most celebrated comedies, featuring cast interviews and extensive candid moments with creators Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. Cameras are admitted everywhere throughout the making of the show’s final series, from the writers’ room to the makeup trailer, from prop store to set design, making this the perfect farewell to the multi-award winning series.

Inside No. 9: The Party’s Over is a BBC Studios Comedy Productions and Redwood Studios production (1 x 60) for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios Comedy Productions is Josh Cole and the Executive Producer for Redwood Studios is Ben Padfield. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Gregor Sharp.

CK

Cunk on Life

Following the global success of Cunk on Earth, pioneering documentary-maker Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan) returns with her most ambitious quest to date; venturing right up the universe and everything, to examine life itself.

“What’s the point of it all?” is a question humans have been asking themselves since the dawn of time. But as we cling to our dying planet, working round the clock while we’re slowly being replaced by machines, now more than ever, people are desperately looking to make sense of their lives – before someone invents a computer that makes sense of it for them.

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.

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’.

Along the way, she’ll meet leading experts and academics and not let them leave until she’s got to the bottom of such questions as: what is life, why are we bothering to find out and when’s lunch.

Cunk on Life (1 x 75’) is a Broke and Bones production for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. Created and written by Charlie Brooker, written with Diane Morgan, Ben Caudell, Erika Ehler, Charlie George, Eli Goldstone, Jason Hazeley, Lucia Keskin, Joel Morris, Michael Odewale. The series was ordered for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer by Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy. The director is Al Campbell, the series producer is Susie Hall, the line producer is Lizzie Search, and the executive producers are Charlie Brooker, Annabel Jones, Ali Marlow and Ben Cavey. The commissioning editor for the BBC is Tanya Qureshi.

MJ

Festive House of Games

Four famous faces go head-to-head testing their general knowledge skills in a variety of fun trivia-based games in Richard Osman’s Festive House of Games.

All week, the celebrity contestants – Jim Howick, Matt Morsia, Rebecca Lucy Taylor and Susan Wokoma – will take on a series of quiz rounds selected by the host, quiz legend, Richard Osman. A winner will be declared following a quick-fire round at the end of the show and they will be taking home a prize and the House of Games Festive trophy. Will the winning star opt for the much-coveted Festive House of Games suitcase, or will the festive fondue set prove irresistible?

Fun, witty, and full of surprises, Richard’s cross-examination of the celebs over the course of the week provides an entertaining watch for all the family as the level of competitiveness and camaraderie grows. And of course, this warm, feel-good festive quiz is perfect for playing along with at home.

QI

Variety

Join Sandi Toksvig for the QI Christmas Special with Gyles Brandreth, Lulu, Emmanuel Sonubi, and Alan Davies.

Live at The Apollo Christmas Special

Live At The Apollo is back with seven all new episodes welcoming an array of established and up-and-coming stand-ups to the world-famous Apollo stage. At the forefront of its genre, the roll call of stand-ups who have performed on the iconic Live at the Apollo set plays out like a who’s who of comedic royalty and this series is no different.

This first festive episode of the new series of the award-winning Live at the Apollo is hosted by the brilliant Judi Love who introduces comedians Dan Tiernan and John Kearns to the stage.

Other acts to appear throughout the series include: Babátúndé Aléshé, Chloe Petts, Lindsey Santoro, Paul Chowdhry, Ania Magliano, Ian Smith, Tim Renkow, Janine Harouni, Stuart Goldsmith, Sara Pascoe, Amy Gledhill, Eddie Kadi, Iain Stirling, Harriet Dyer, Maria Shehata, Joel Dommett, Fatiha El-Ghorrie, Jamie MacDonald.

Live At The Apollo is an Open Mike Productions (7 x 45 mins) production for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. The Executive Producer for Open Mike is Andrew Beint, Series Producer is Anthony Caveney and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Pinki Chambers.

alison@alisonpeterspr.com

Jools’ Annual Hootenanny

Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra welcome in the New Year with Jools’ Annual Hootenanny. Jools counts down the seconds to midnight with a stellar line-up of artists and a celebrity audience to offer predictions and resolutions for the coming year, it’s set to be the best New Year’s Eve party for viewers to enjoy from the comfort of their homes.

This year’s show will see performances from a rich mix of legends, brand new stars and artists who have had huge success in 2024.

Jools’ Annual Hootenanny is a BBC Studios Music production (1 x 120”) for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jonathan Rothery, Head of BBC Pop Music TV. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios Music is Alison Howe and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Rachel Davies.

SH8

Doctor Who at The Proms 2024

Doctor Who fan favourite Catherine Tate presents a concert of music, monsters and mayhem featuring soundtracks from the iconic series; a brand new, specially shot feature for the new Doctor and a host of scary aliens as they thrill a packed audience at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

In a concert like no other in all of time and space, the much-loved music, performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, is accompanied by specially edited sequences from the series.

Monsters old and new make dramatic appearances in the hall with fans getting the fright of their lives as they confront them face to face.

Doctor Who at the Proms 2024 features a never-before-seen short film by the series’ showrunner Russell T Davies, Pantheon of Discord, featuring Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor, Nicholas Briggs as the voice of The Vlinx and Jinkx Monsoon as the god of music, Maestro. Mrs Flood, played by Anita Dobson, makes a surprise guest appearance, and everything is wrapped up in spectacular lighting and special effects.

The concert showcases Murray Gold’s epic music, including his new themes for the Fifteenth Doctor and companion Ruby Sunday played by Millie Gibson. Alongside the new music, fan favourites such as I am the Doctor, written for Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor and A Good Man, which perfectly captured Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor also feature. There are also stunning performances of Abigail’s Song and Vale Decem featuring acclaimed Soprano Aida Garifullina, and composer Segun Akinola’s The Thirteenth Doctor written for Jody Whitaker’s spin as the time-traveller.

No Doctor Who Prom would be complete without a special performance of the show’s iconic theme tune, heard in a new arrangement. Doctor Who makes its much-anticipated return to the Proms, the fourth time it’s delighted audiences as part of the eight-week festival of music.

Doctor Who at the Proms 2024 is co-production from BBC Studios and Livewire Pictures for BBC One Wales, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer (1×109’) It was commissioned by BBC Arts and BBC Wales. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios Wales is Paul Bullock and the Commissioning Editors for the BBC are Stephen James-Yeoman and Christina Macaulay.

CB

A Ghost Story for Christmas: Woman of Stone

Mark Gatiss brings E. Nesbit’s chilling short story Man-Size in Marble back to life in his seventh Ghost Story for Christmas.

In her final days, author Edith Nesbit recounts the chilling tale of newlywed Victorians Jack and Laura. The couple are settling into a small cottage in a quiet village when their idyll is overshadowed by the superstitious warnings of their housekeeper, Mrs Dorman, and the legend of the village church’s tomb effigies – a pair of marble knights who are said to rise from their slabs on Christmas Eve…

Jack dismisses this is as mere folklore. But as the fateful night draws near, he feels drawn to the church, leaving Laura at home, all alone.

Starring Éanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) as Jack Lorimer; Phoebe Horn (The Motive and the Cue) as Laura Lorimer; Celia Imrie (The Thursday Murder Club) as Edith Nesbit; Monica Dolan (Sherwood) as Mrs Dorman; and Mawaan Rizwan (Juice) as Dr. Zubin.

Written and directed by Mark Gatiss. Adapted from the short story Man-Size in Marble by E. Nesbit.

A Ghost Story for Christmas: Woman of Stone is an Adorable Media production (1×30) for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by BBC Arts. The Producer for Adorable Media is Isibeal Balance and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Mark Bell.

CB

Swan Lake from English National Ballet

More than one hundred dancers take part in this spellbinding production of Swan Lake, filmed on a grand scale at London’s Royal Albert Hall in front of a packed audience.

From the spectacle of 60 shimmering swans moving in unison to the captivating romance between Prince Siegfried (Principal Gareth Haw) and the Swan Queen Odette (Lead Principal Sangeun Lee), this is a magical performance celebrating the company’s 75th season.

With an aerial view of Derek Deane’s exquisite choreography, the performance combines exceptional artistry, gorgeous spectacle and compelling drama. Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score is played live by English National Ballet Philharmonic.

Swan Lake from English National Ballet is produced for English National Ballet by Ad Lib Productions (1×130) for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by BBC Arts. The Screen Director is Peter Jones. The Executive Producers for English National Ballet are Kamilah Downing, Lisa Leigh and Louise Shand-Brown and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Stephen James-Yeoman.

CB

Renaissance: The Blood and The Beauty

Starring Charles Dance as Michelangelo, this epic new drama-documentary series discovers how some of the greatest works of art in Western civilisation, from the Mona Lisa to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, emerge from an era of violence and bloodshed.

With contributions from contemporary artists such as Antony Gormley, Alison Lapper, and David LaChapelle, as well as historians and biographers, this thrilling three-part series explores the lives of three rival artists – Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael – who produced seductively beautiful works of art in the midst of violence and upheaval.

Renaissance: The Blood and The Beauty is a BBC Studios Specialist Factual production (3×60) for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by BBC Arts. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios Specialist Factual is Alexander Leith and the Commissioning Editors for the BBC are Alistair Pegg and Suzy Klein.

AM2

Alan Bennett 90 Years On

Alan Bennett turned 90 on 9 May 2024. A new Arena film from BAFTA and Emmy award winning director Adam Low celebrates the life and long career of one of our most loved playwrights. Part reflection on the ageing process, part remembrance of the joys of youth, Alan is aided by the films he has written and the documentaries he has presented in his quest to understand the person he has become.

Attitudes to (and laws about) homosexuality have been transformed in Alan’s lifetime, and his work has played a small but significant part in affecting this change. Prick Up Your Ears, The History Boys, and The Habit of Art have all dealt with it in different ways – as well as signalling his own gradual openness.

As a teenager Alan was sent to Cambridge where he was one of a small group of conscripts studying Russian as part of their military service. This led to a fascination with the Cambridge spies Philby, Burgess, Maclean and Blunt, and the hysteria and hypocrisy surrounding their discovery. An Englishman Abroad is based on the actress Coral Browne’s encounter with Guy Burgess in Moscow in 1958. In A Question of Attribution, his play about Anthony Blunt, who became the Keeper of the Queen’s Pictures, Elizabeth II as a character appeared on stage for the very first time.

No longer able to handle his ancient old bike, in the film Alan rides around his neighbourhood on a tricycle. He still goes for local strolls with Rupert to get the paper and sits outside his beloved Primrose Hill Community Library. Regular trips to their cottage in Yorkshire and writing on his old Corona portable typewriter also feature in this entertaining and intimate portrait.

Alan Bennett 90 Years On is a Lone Star Productions production (1×60) for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by BBC Arts. The Producer for Lone Star Productions is Martin Rosenbaum and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Mark Bell.

CB

From Roger Moore, With Love

“Bond is what every man would like to be and what every woman would like to have between her sheets” so said Raymond Chandler and it’s certainly true of Roger Moore. Friends, family and co-stars take part in this revealing and entertaining look at an iconic, stylish and very British actor.

With one eyebrow raised we follow his rollercoaster journey from shy London school boy to knitwear model to global TV heartthrob and his decade-defining role as James Bond. We reveal that the character of Roger Moore – the manner, the charisma, and self-deprecating humour – was his own creation and it took him to the height of fame and a jet-set lifestyle counting Frank Sinatra, Gregory Peck and David Niven amongst his close pals.

His three children from his thirty-year relationship with Italian actress and wife number three Luisa Mattioli share never before seen home movie footage of the family and showbiz friends enjoying life in Switzerland and the South of France. Interviewees include Joan Collins, Jane Seymour, Pierce Brosnan, David Walliams and Christopher Walken.

From Roger Moore with Love is a whynow studios production (1×80) for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by BBC Arts. The Executive Producers for whynow studios are Janet Lee and Gabriel Jagger, and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Mark Bell.

CB

Maria Callas: The Final Act

The great classical diva of modern times, known around the world for her beauty and fiery temper as much as her voice. She was a cover star with a thirst for the high-life and the looks of a supermodel. She dominated opera until disaster struck – she fell in love with Aristotle Onassis, and when he left her for Jackie Kennedy her life fell apart.

But this tragic legend of Maria Callas isn’t true: Callas was nobody’s victim. She was defiant, exacting – a woman who blazed a trail for female artists of today. But there was one thing that mattered more to her than anything – her astonishing, life-changing voice. It was gradually failing her. And she knew it.

At her peak in the 1950s Callas averaged 50 appearances a year. But between 1959 and 1963 she sang in public only 28 times. She cancelled performances, earning her an (undeserved) reputation as an erratic diva. This film is, in part, a detective story: what was it that made Maria Callas lose her voice?

This Arena film is also a celebration of Callas – her brilliance, originality and determination to be the greatest opera singer alive. A stellar cast of experts and admirers uncover the truth about her and the gift of her extraordinary voice. Her impact on classical music was revolutionary, bringing forgotten roles into the limelight and making them her own: magnificent, indomitable heroines. Callas is the artist who reminded the world what opera is for.

Maria Callas: The Final Act is a Swan Films production (1×60) for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by BBC Arts. The Executive Producers for Swan Films are Neil Crombie and Joe Evans, and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Mark Bell.

CB

New Year’s Day Concert: Live from Vienna 2025

Broadcast live from the ornate Musikverein concert hall in Vienna, the New Year’s Day Concert from the Vienna Philharmonic is one of the most anticipated and watched concerts of the year, reaching 40 million viewers worldwide.

Petroc Trelawny guides us through this year’s programme which, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Johann Strauss’ birth, will feature a selection of works by the celebrated composer whose music shaped Vienna and whose most famous work, The Blue Danube, remains an iconic symbol of the city.

The concert includes music from the vast repertoire of the Johann Strauss family and its contemporaries, this year under the baton of prestigious conductor Riccardo Muti.

New Year’s Day Concert will be shown live and in full on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer with highlights on BBC Four and iPlayer later in the evening.

New Year’s Day Concert: Live from Vienna 2025 is produced by Austrian broadcaster ORF for BBC Two (1×145) and BBC Four (1×120). The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Stephen James-Yeoman.

CB

Gone Christmas Fishing

Gone Christmas Fishing takes Paul and Bob to Cahors in the South-West of France where they celebrate another eventful year of fishing together. Under the warm Autumnal French sun, they fish the river Cele and the Lot in search of Mediterranean Bass and huge French Carp.

In this hour-long special programme, they reflect on the highs and lows of the year gone by while pondering what treats the New Year could bring, apart from more fishing of course.

The annual awards ceremony holds more unusual surprises including a very special guest and they stay in an old French Chateau which boasts its own vineyard… could it be any more perfect? Possibly, if fishing dog Ted makes it across the channel and through border control in time to join them for their annual party.

The show ends with a very special video message for Bob and Paul as they take the long way home.

Gone Christmas Fishing is an Owl Power Production (1×60’) for BBC Two and BBC inlayer. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. The Executive Producer for Owl Power is Lisa Clark and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Patrick McMahon.

LP

My Epic Camel Adventure with Gordon Buchanan

Gordon Buchanan takes an epic journey across the Gobi Desert on one of the world’s most iconic, yet least understood animals – camels. Starting in the west of Mongolia he’ll cross blistering sand dunes, endless rocky plains and the treacherous Bumbat Mountain with only his camels for company. If he’s to succeed he must befriend the camels, learn as much as he can about them, and try to win their trust and respect. Without that, the journey and his survival are in question.

Naming camels isn’t something that Nomads would do, but he as his relationship with them strengthens, he decides to name them Squeaks and Chewy. They’re lucky enough to meet some of the other inhabitants of this seemingly desolate landscape: wolves; saiga antelopes; and yaks. But will he be lucky enough to catch sight of the most endangered bear on the planet – the Gobi Bear?

Spending time with different nomads also gives him time to reflect on the appeal of the traditional nomadic way of life, and his own modern existence.

Ultimately, he’ll discover how these “odd looking creatures” have evolved in the most unusual ways to survive and prosper in one of the most hostile environments on the planet. And how they’ve helped humans to do so too.

My Epic Camel Adventure with Gordon Buchanan is a Hello Halo 1×60 for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Specialist Factual commissioning. The Executive Producer for Hello Halo is Wendy Rattray and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Sreya Biswas, Head of Natural History, BBC Commissioning.

CH

The Hairy Bikers: You’ll Never Ride Alone

Si King celebrates the life of fellow Hairy Biker and best friend Dave Myers in a special one-off BBC documentary.

During the programme, Si will pick out the key moments of the past 25 years of Dave and Si’s TV careers, commemorating a special friendship that would change cookery shows forever.

It follows the 45,000 bikes that joined Si on a memorial journey from London to Dave’s hometown of Barrow-in-Furness in April this year. In memory of the late TV star who died from cancer in February at the age of 66, motorcyclists from across the UK met up on to ride in a convoy to pay tribute to Dave.

The emotional ride was Si King’s last as a Hairy Biker as he closes the chapter on an incredible 25 years of memories with his biking brother.

The Hairy Bikers: You’ll Never Ride Alone (1×60) has been produced by South Shore for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events. Executive Producers are Andrew Mackenzie and Melanie Leach. The Commissioning Editor is Jasmyn McGuile.

NS

Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby

In this festive edition of Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby, Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti visit Wilderness Hotel Inari, an adventure hotel above the Arctic Circle in Lapland.

Wilderness Hotel Inari is the largest of a family-owned chain of five hotels, dotted around the beautiful Lake Inari and surrounding forest. Working in sub-zero conditions, Monica learns about the indigenous Sami culture before prepping some reindeer stew, while Rob gets hot and bothered during a spot of sauna maintenance before taking a cold-water plunge in a snow hole. But will he finally witness the wonder of the northern lights?

Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby is made by BBC Studios Entertainment Productions for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment. The Executive Producer is Dunk Barnes, the Creative Director is Adeline Ramage Rooney and the Commissioning Editors for the BBC are Patrick McMahon and Cal Turner.

GS

Expedition Killer Whale

In a remote corner of Antarctica, a group of killer whales capture their prey in the most extraordinary fashion. Swimming together to create powerful waves, they can wash their seal prey off pieces of floating ice. Hundreds of millions of people around the world have been gripped by one of the most sophisticated behaviours in the animal kingdom, when the whales became an overnight social media sensation, after featuring in Frozen Planet II. But we still know so little about them. Now a team of scientists and filmmakers are returning to these icy waters to advance our understanding of these compelling animals and how they conduct this unique behaviour. Follow one scientist in the search for one particular pack of killer whales, because for him, this mission is personal.

Expedition Killer Whale (1×60) was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual for BBC Two and iPlayer. It is a BBC Studios Natural History Unit production for BBC and PBS with The WNET Group. The Director /Producer is Vanessa Coates, and the Executive Producer is Orla Doherty. Production Manager is Katie Cuss. The BBC Commissioning Editor is Sreya Biswas, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Diana El-Osta is the executive in charge for PBS. For PBS ‘Nature’ produced by The WNET Group, the executive producer is Fred Kaufman, series producer is Bill Murphy and series editor is Janet Hess.

EC5

Lucy Worsley Investigates

Lucy Worsley returns to investigate some of the most dramatic and brutal chapters in British history, uncovering forgotten witnesses, re-examining evidence and following new clues.

In episode one, Lucy investigates how the Jack the Ripper case shaped the way we cover true crime today and looks at how the shocking killings created a world of entertainment based on murder. True crime might be thought of as a recent obsession, but in this episode, Lucy Worsley investigates the phenomenon through one of the world’s most infamous serial killers, Jack the Ripper. Lucy uncovers a story which goes beyond a single murderer and his five victims – Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine and Mary-Jane – to a burgeoning newspaper industry desperate for readers and a Victorian society that wasn’t designed to support the most vulnerable.  Lucy explores how this unsolved case fuelled a new sensationalist journalism, which set a template for many of the true crime stories that followed.

In future episodes Lucy will investigate The Gunpowder Plot, Bloody Mary and 1066.

Lucy Worsley Investigates is a BBC Studios Specialist Factual Production (4×60’) for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios is Lucie Ridout and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Simon Young, Head of Commissioning, History.

GJ

BBC Four

A Christmas Carol: The Read with Anne-Marie Duff

Anne-Marie Duff takes us on a spirited journey through Victorian London with Charles Dickens’ timeless seasonal classic.

Miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. But can their ghostly interventions transform Scrooge into a better man and make him fall in love with Christmas?

Filmed in Manchester, The Read: A Christmas Carol is an intimate narration of the much-loved short story as the Bafta-winning actor brings to life Bob Cratchet and his loving family along with party-loving Fezziwig and the well-meaning ghouls.

The Read is a series of outstanding performance readings of iconic British novels.

A Christmas Carol: The Read, with Anne-Marie Duff is produced by Rural Studios for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer (1×75). It was commissioned by BBC Arts. The Executive Producer for Rural Studios is Grant Black and the commissioner for BBC Arts is Stephen James-Yeoman.

CB

The Merry Widow from Glyndebourne

Franz Lehár’s laugh-out-loud operetta is a work of pure theatrical pleasure – a cocktail of ravishing music, touching romance and madcap comedy.

Glyndebourne’s lavish new staging from award-winning West End director Cal McCrystal boasts all the opulence of classic Hollywood, and stars Danielle de Niese as the glamorous, wealthy widow Hanna, who is on a search for true love. Baritone Sir Thomas Allen plays the scheming ambassador Baron Mirko Zeta, marking the 55th anniversary of his debut at the festival.

The Merry Widow from Glyndebourne is a Maestro Broadcasting production (1×150) for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by BBC Arts. The Director is Rhodri Huw, the Executive Producer for Maestro Broadcasting is Gemma Dixon and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Stephen James-Yeoman.

CB

The Making of Do They Know It’s Christmas?

Forty years ago, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure gathered together some of the biggest popstars in the UK and Ireland to form the charity supergroup, Band Aid, who would record and release the now legendary song, Do They Know It’s Christmas?, in aid of the 1983-1985 famine in Ethiopia.

The song, released in December 1984, became an instant Number 1 in the UK and retained the chart top spot over that Christmas and beyond. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video and was the fastest selling single of all time for over a decade.

The recording of Do They Know It’s Christmas? took place over the course of one day, Sunday 25 November 1984, at SARM Studios in Notting Hill, and was filmed by director Nigel Dick. Whilst some of the footage was used for the iconic music video, much of what was recorded has remained unseen for four decades and some of it never seen before… until now. 

The Making of Do They Know It’s Christmas? unearths 75 minutes of that original footage, shot on 16mm film and newly restored and digitised.

It features rare and unseen moments in which stars, including Bananarama, Bono, Boy George, Duran Duran, George Michael, Glenn Gregory of Heaven 17, Paul Young, Phil Collins, Spandau Ballet, Sting and more, rehearsed and recorded their parts and interacted with each other during that 24 hours which would make musical history.

The film also includes interviews which were shot on the day with Bono, Gary Kemp, George Michael, John Taylor, Simon Le Bon and Trevor Horn, plus an appearance from Nigel Planer, who played Neil in the BBC TV series, The Young Ones. 

The Making of Do They Know It’s Christmas? is produced by Jill S Sinclair for the Band Aid Trust (1 x 75”) for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jonathan Rothery, Head of BBC Pop Music TV and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Rachel Davies.

SH8

Country Music Christmas

Country Music’s biggest stars get together for a night full of festive classics, celebrating the joy of the holidays in true Nashville style.

Amy Grant and Trisha Yearwood co-host and perform some very special Christmas classics. In addition to music from the night’s hosts, the programme also includes performances from a range of country music’s most beloved artists.

Country Christmas is a Country Music Association production (1 x 40”) for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jonathan Rothery, Head of BBC Pop Music TV. The Executive Producer for Country Music Association is Robert Deaton, the Director is Milton Sneed and the writer is Jon Macks. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Rachel Davies.

Hallelujah: The Gospel Messiah

World-renowned conductor Marin Alsop leads the BBC Concert Orchestra in an uplifting reinterpretation of this seasonal favourite, as Handel’s masterpiece is infused with gospel, jazz and R&B.

Regularly performed as Too Hot to Handel across the United States since it premiered in New York in 1993, this marks its European premiere in front of a capacity audience in the splendour of London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Alsop, with arrangers Bob Christianson and Gary Anderson, capture the essential core of Handel’s work – with its famous Hallelujah chorus – while reimagining the arias, choruses and orchestration with a gospel twist. Alongside the orchestra, soloists Vanessa Haynes and Zwakele Tshabalala are joined by The BBC Symphony Chorus and The London Adventist Chorale.

The programme is introduced by the nation’s favourite Choirmaster, Gareth Malone.

Hallelujah: The Gospel Messiah is a BBC Studios Wales production (1×100) for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer. It was co-commissioned by BBC Arts and PBS. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios Wales is Paul Bullock and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Stephen James-Yeoman.

CB

The 2024 Christmas Lectures from The Royal Institution

In this year’s Christmas Lectures, Dr Chris van Tulleken delves deep into our guts – to reveal the revolutionary latest science around what happens inside our bodies when we eat. He investigates how food has fundamentally shaped human evolution, uncovers the importance of our microbiome – as the extra ‘organ’ we didn’t know we had – and asks how we can all eat better in future, for the sake of our own health and the health of the planet.

Chris will reveal how what we eat can have a massive effect on both our bodies and our brains. He’ll bring the science to life through a series of fact fuelled demos, special guest appearances, festive food hacks, and a healthy dose of self-experimentation.

The 2024 Christmas Lectures from The Royal Institution are made by Windfall Films (3×60’) for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer. They are commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual. The Executive Producer is David Dugan.

Doctor Who – The War Games

It’s time to step into the excitement of The War Games once again, as one of Doctor Who’s classic tales is to receive a spectacular new colourisation.

Originally aired in 1969, The War Games marked the end of an era for the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton), following him and his companions Zoe and Jamie as they land in a battlefield that appears to be a World War I military zone – but all is not as it seems. They soon discover that soldiers from different historical periods have been abducted and are being manipulated in a cruel game. As they work to uncover the mystery behind the War Lord and his twisted experiments, the Doctor faces one of his most difficult challenges.

For the first time, these original episodes have been meticulously colourised and enhanced with updated visual effects edited into a new, 90-minute feature-length experience to appeal to today’s modern audiences. With updated sound and a new score, this newly updated version of The War Games offers both fans and newcomers even more ways to watch the much-loved classic story.

In addition, the episode will also feature the Second Doctor’s never-before-seen regeneration into the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee), alongside recovered footage not seen since the original broadcast.

The War Games colourisation is produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for BBC. Executive Produced by Russell T Davies, Jane Tranter, Julie Gardner, Phil Collinson and Joel Collins. Lead Colourisation Artist is Richard Tipple and Edited by Benjamin Cook.

The War Games will air on 23 December 2024 on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer. The original episodes are available to watch in The Whoniverse on BBC iPlayer

JA2

CBBC and CBeebies

BBC Children’s and Education has a selection box of premium entertainment featuring fresh adaptations of timeless British classics, high quality dramas, heart-warming animations and live entertainment, celebrating home-grown storytelling that will bring families together this Christmas.

Nikhil & Jay and the Christmas Wish

Meet Nikhil & Jay and their lovable family in a holiday adventure! On Christmas morning, Jay is thrilled when his Christmas wish for snow comes true, only to find it blocks the roads, meaning they can’t visit Nana and Jim as planned.

Disappointed, Jay feels it’s the “worst Christmas ever”… Determined to make things right, Jay imagines sending his cat Max to the North Pole to ask Santa to reverse the wish. Meanwhile, Appa improvises Christmas dinner with dosa batter and Brussels sprouts, calling it a “Christmas dosa pizza.” Will the family find a way to turn this Christmas disaster into the best worst Christmas ever?

Based on the books by Chitra Soundar, Nikhil & Jay is a King Banana TV, Paper Owl Films and CAKE production for CBeebies and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Kate Morton, Senior Head of Commissioning for CBeebies. Executive Producers are Chitra Soundar, Lotte Elwell, Katie Simmons and Chris Allen for King Banana TV, Gavin Halpin for Paper Owl Films and Edward Galton for Cake Entertainment and the Commissioning Executive for the BBC is Lucy Pryke.

EG

CBeebies Presents: Beauty and the Beast

CBeebies Presents: Beauty and the Beast, filmed in Edinburgh at the Festival Theatre, takes the well-known story and brings it to life for a CBeebies audience with a toe-tapping soundtrack from Banks & Wag. Bringing families together for a Christmas adventure with lots of singing, dancing and laughs, the story celebrates the message that beauty comes from within!

The panto takes place in a magical land inspired by Scottish landscapes and introduces such new characters such as garden gnomes, mischievous wolves and a sneaky Thorn Fairy.

Raven’s James Mackenzie narrates this year’s CBeebies panto alongside a star-studded cast of familiar faces including Justin Fletcher, George Webster, Tyler Collins, Jennie Dale, Evie Pickerill, Puja Panchkoty, Rhys Stephenson, Maddie Moate, Dodge T Dog, Blue Peter’s Shini Muthukrishnan and special guest star Gladiator Steel!

CBeebies Presents: Beauty and the Beast is made by BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions (1 x 58’) for CBeebies and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Kate Morton, Head of Commissioning 0-6 for BBC Children’s and Education. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios is Anna Perowne and the Commissioning Executive for the BBC is David Mercer.

HH

CBeebies Bedtime Story

Children and their grown-ups are invited to snuggle up together to enjoy the magic of storytelling with a week of brand new CBeebies Bedtime Stories from some amazing readers in the run up to Christmas. The stellar line-up of stars who will join CBeebies will be revealed closer to Christmas as they read beautifully-illustrated, fabulous, homegrown stories.

CBeebies Bedtime Story is on each weekday at 6.50pm on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer, bringing families together and has become a daily favourite. It continues to get the nation reading with its star-studded guests, meaningful partnerships and brilliant stories that inspire a passion for the shared experience of reading.

A digital library of over 300 archived episodes from Kylie Minogue to Tom Hardy, from Olivia Colman to Harry Styles is available on BBC iPlayer’s CBeebies channel.

CBeebies Bedtime Story is a BBC production for CBeebies and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Kate Morton, Head of Commissioning 0-6 for BBC Children’s and Education. The Executive Producer is John Harkins and the Series Produceris Claire Taylor.

HH

Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures

Quentin Blake’s Angel Pavement

Corky and Loopy are two ordinary girls, apart from also being secret angels! With the aid of a magic pencil that can draw in the air, they go on ‘angel patrol’ amazing people in their town with beautiful art and rescuing the odd animal too. One day they meet street artist Sid and decide to help him take part in a local drawing competition by lending him the special pencil. Sid creates incredible drawings in the sky, and ultimately scoops a top prize, bringing joy and wonder to all.

Angel Pavement is episode five in the landmark animated box set Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures, inspired by the whimsical and vibrant work of the beloved children’s author and illustrator Sir Quentin Blake. Adrian Lester returns as the narrator, Simon Pegg voices Sid and Corky and Loopy are played by local young Leeds talent Megan Griffits and Grace Wassell.

Quentin Blake’s Angel Pavement is an Eagle Eye production for CBBC, BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Patricia Hidalgo and Sarah Muller. Series Director and Co-Writer is Massimo Fenati and Executive Producer is Tess Cuming. Executive Producer for the BBC is Jo Allen.

Quentin Blake’s Loveykins

After a storm, Angela Bowling discovers a small helpless, abandoned bird which she lavishes with care and attention. She feeds Augustus (her little Loveykins) with the finest cakes and sweets, but as he grows bigger and bigger, he longs for more bird-style treats like worms and bugs. Eventually Augustus decides to ‘fly the nest’. Angela is sad, but it’s not the last she’s seen of her prize pet: when he finally returns along with a gift, Angela is delighted at a final proof of his love.

Loveykins is episode six in the landmark animated box set Quentin Blake’s Box of Treasures, inspired by the whimsical and vibrant work of the beloved Children’s author and illustrator, Sir Quentin Blake. Adrian Lester returns as the narrator, and Nina Sosanya stars as the voice of Angela Bowling in Loveykins.

Quentin Blake’s Loveykins is an Eagle Eye production for CBBC, BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Patricia Hidalgo and Sarah Muller. Series Director and Co-Writer is Massimo Fenati and Executive Producer is Tess Cuming. Executive Producer for the BBC is Jo Allen.

EG

Cooking Buddies Christmas Special

Buddy Oliver returns for a Cooking Buddies Christmas special and is joined by two-times world champion street dancer Meesha Garbett, also known as the famous ‘Red Beret girl’ in the film Matilda.

Meesha needs Buddy’s help with a dessert that she can make for her family this Christmas, and she’ll get him dancing.

Buddy knows exactly the right thing to make; a rocky road filled with all the favourite biscuits, fruit and nuts around at this time of year, all broken up into gorgeous molten chocolate. Set in a round bowl with melted white chocolate as the cream on top, it’s a real Christmas pudding showstopper! To make it really Christmassy, Buddy and Meesha make their very own ginger nut biscuits to go inside that can also be given as presents to their families.

Meesha teaches Buddy – and us – a special street-dance routine that will get us all rocking around the Christmas tree!

Buddy’s recipes are available at bbc.co.uk/food

This Cooking Buddies Christmas special is made by Jamie Oliver Productions (1 x 20’) for CBBC and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Sarah Muller, Senior Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning 7+. The Executive Producers are Fiona Piper for the BBC and Samantha Beddoes for Jamie Oliver Productions.

HH

My Life: The Snowman and Me (w/t)

My Life: The Snowman and Me (w/t) follows two boys as they are cast to perform the lead role in Birmingham Rep’s The Snowman for its 27th year at Sadler’s Wells’ home in the West End, the Peacock Theatre. Following the boys from their auditions, all the way through to the opening night at the West End, viewers see behind the scenes at the rehearsals and the opening night. The film closely follows all the highs and lows as the new boys learn the role, including grappling with the mechanics of flying with the snowman.

My Life: Walking in the Air is a Fresh Start Media production (1 x 28’) for CBBC and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Sarah Muller, Senior Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning 7+. The Executive Producer for Fresh Start Media is Marshall Corwin and the Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Kez Margrie.

Blue Peter’s Christmas Spectacular

Join Abby, Joel, Shini and Henry the dog for an all-singing, all-dancing Christmas party to get you in the festive spirit! We go behind the scenes on the exciting new Wallace and Gromit Christmas adventure, Shini stars in the CBeebies Christmas panto; and there’s a show stopping performance in the Blue Peter studio.

Blue Peter is made by BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions (52 x 30’) for CBBC and BBC iPlayer. It was commissioned by Sarah Muller, Senior Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning 7+. The Editor is Ellen Evans and Production Creative Director, BBC Studios Kids & Family is Yvonne Jennings.

HH

The Famous Five

The Famous Five is based on Enid Blyton’s iconic stories and follows the daring young explorers as they encounter treacherous, action-packed adventures, remarkable mysteries, unparalleled danger and astounding secrets.

In episode one, Mystery at the Prospect Hotel, it’s summer 1940 and the Five are reunited at a grand hotel on Cragstone Ridge. An old foe, Thomas Wentworth, awaits them as he needs their help.

Wentworth has seen into the future and foretells the murder of famous jazz singer Cab Vee, who is visiting the hotel. With a host of likely suspects, each with their own motive, can the Five figure out who is trying to kill him?

Joining the core cast in episode one are Jack Gleeson, Maria Pedraza, Amir Wilson, James Wilby, Rita Tushingham, Jonathan Aris, Jamie Andrew Cutler and Jemima Rooper. The first series of The Famous Five is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer and episode two will air in 2025.

The Famous Five is a Moonage Pictures and byNWR production (2 x 90’) for the BBC in the UK, in co-production with The Mediapro Studio. It was commissioned by Sarah Muller, Senior Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning 7+ and the commissioning editor for the BBC is Amy Buscombe. Executive Producers are Nicolas Winding Refn, Matthew Read, Will Gould, Frith Tiplady, Asim Abbasi, Tom Vaughan and Laura Fdez. Espeso. BBC Studios, who have a minority stake in Moonage, are distributing the series internationally outside Spain, Portugal and Latin America, where they have brokered a deal with The Mediapro Studio Distribution.

HH

The Primrose Railway Children

The Primrose Railway Children is a new adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s novel inspired by E. Nesbit’s timeless classic. Filmed in and around Glasgow, the dramatic Scottish Highlands and heritage railways, the story follows Phoebe, her older sister Becks, younger brother Perry and their mum Sarah (Nina Toussaint-White) who are living a comfortable life in Glasgow. When their Dad (Kevin McKidd) mysteriously disappears, the Robinson family are uprooted from their lives and find unexpected excitement, adventure and a new sense of belonging. It is a story about growing up, being displaced, and finding your way in a community that seems alien.

Adapted for CBBC, BBC One and BBC iPlayer by Tom Bidwell, The Primrose Railway Children (1 x 90’) is made by BBC Studios Kids & Family Productions with Tali Walters as Creative Lead, Alison Davis as Executive Producer and John McKay as producer. It was commissioned by Patricia Hidalgo and Sarah Muller. The Commissioning Executive for the BBC is Anita Burgess.

EG

Christmas Movies

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical

BBC iPlayer and BBC One

An all star cast including Emma Thompson bring to life an adaptation of Tim Minchin’s musical Matilda, based on Roald Dahl’s classic magical story of a girl who refuses to be put in her place.

Black Panther

BBC iPlayer and BBC One

When an old foe puts his homeland of Wakanda and the entire world at risk, young King T’Challa (played the late Chadwick Boseman) must release Black Panther’s full power to save them.

Minions: Rise of Gru

BBC iPlayer and BBC One

Join Gru in the 1970s, growing up in the suburbs and cultivating his evilness with some help from his loyal followers, the mayhem causing yellow peril that are The Minions.

Incredibles 2

BBC iPlayer and BBC One

Roles are reversed in this sequel when Helen is called on to lead a campaign to bring Supers back, and Bob juggles the day-to-day heroics of home life. But when a new villain emerges with a brilliant and dangerous plot, The Parrs meet the challenge together – with Frozone by their side.

King Richard

BBC iPlayer and BBC Two

Richard Williams is determined to write his daughters, Venus and Serena, into history. Training on Compton, California’s neglected tennis courts – rain or shine – the girls are shaped by their father’s unyielding commitment and their mother’s balanced perspective and keen intuition, defying the seemingly insurmountable odds and prevailing expectations laid before them.

Christmas 2024 on Radio and BBC Sounds

BBC Radio and BBC Sounds are bringing festive sparkle to audiences with musical treats and magical storytelling for Christmas 2024.

Enjoy special guest takeovers, music mixes, and a whole host of brilliant storytelling this Christmas.