Here’s When Every TV Christmas Special Will Air Over The Next Week

Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, yes, but really it’s all about selection boxes and good TV.

Most of the biggest shows of the last while have engineered some sort of Christmas special for your viewing pleasure over the festive season, and here’s where you can watch them all, from Bake Off to Benedict Cumberbatch…

Bridget & Eamon Christmas Special
Christmas Eve, 22.05, RTÉ2
Ireland’s crankiest couple Bridget and Eamon return for a Christmas one-off, which sees Bridget kill Eamon’s mammy with an electric carving knife. Just some cosy festive Christmas Eve viewing, y’know?

Father Ted Christmas Special
Christmas Eve, 21.00, RTÉ2
Only in Ireland would a gang of priests getting lost in the country’s largest lingerie section spell the start of Christmas.

Great Christmas Bake Off 
Part One: Christmas Day, 16.45, BBC One (repeated at 11am the next day)
Part Two: December 26th, 19.00, BBC One
This’ll be the last time we see Paul, Mary, Mel and Sue all together ahead of GBBO’s move to Channel 4 next year. Sob. Former contestants will compete to be crowned Star Baker yet again, so get ready for some soggy-bottomed mince pies.

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special
Christmas Day, 18.45, BBC One
Ore Oduba’s already been crowned this year’s winner, but join the dancers and some favourites old and new for an hour long Strictly special, always one of the Christmas Day TV highlights.

Doctor Who Christmas Special
Christmas Day, 17.45, BBC One
With brain-swapping aliens about to attack New York, the Doctor and Nardole link up with a reporter and a mysterious figure known as the Ghost. Can the Doc save Manhattan?

Big Fat Quiz Of The Year
December 26th, 21.00, Channel 4
Jimmy Carr tests a panel of A-list comics including GBBO’s Mel Giedroyc, Sarah Millican, David mitchell and Romesh Ranganthan on the happenings of the last 12 months. And there were a LOT of happenings.

Outnumbered
December 26th, 22.00, BBC One
The Outnumbered kids are all grown up now, but here’s hoping they’re just as funny as ever after a break from our tellies.

Sherlock
January 1st, 20.30, BBC One
Series four kicks off on New Years’ Day with the first of a three-parter, The Six Thatchers. Given how cryptic last year’s Christmas special was, it was surely leading up to an EPICALLY complex new series, right?

• Christmas TV
• christmas tv specials
• great british bake off