Drama
BBC
Episode | Year | Description |
Merry Gentlemen | 1978 | |
Brotherly Love | 1990 | |
Episode | Year | Description |
Christmas Special 1 | 2012 | |
Christmas Special 2 | 2013 | |
Christmas Special 3 | 2014 | |
Christmas Special 4 | 2015 | |
Christmas Special 5 | 2016 | |
Christmas Special 6 | 2017 | |
Series | Episode | Year | Description |
Casualty | Survival | 1986 | |
Closure | 1986 | |
These Things Happen | 1987 | |
Silent Night | 1992 | |
Comfort and Joy | 1993 | |
Talking Turkey | 1994 | |
Lost Boys | 1995 | |
Do You Believe in Fairies? | 1996 | |
The Golden Hour | 1997 | |
New Year and All That | 1998 | |
Peace on Earth | 1999 | |
Holby City | Tidings of Comfort and Joy | 1999 | |
Casualty | Merry Christmas Dr Spiller | 2000 | |
Holby City | A Christmas Carol, Part I | |
A Christmas Carol, Part II | |
Casualty | Life and Soul | 2001 | |
Holby City | 'Twas the Night | |
Casualty | Some Comfort, No Joy, Little Peace, Bit Too Much Love | 2002 | |
Holby City | Sinners And Saints | |
Casualty | Eat, Drink and Be Merry | 2003 | |
Holby City | In The Bleak Midwinter | |
Casualty@Holby City | Casualty@Holby City at Christmas (Part One) | 2004 | |
Casualty@Holby City at Christmas (Part Two) | |
Casualty | Do They Know It's Christmas? | 2005 | |
Casualty@Holby City | Deny Thy Father (Part 1) | |
Deny Thy Father (Part 2) | |
Casualty | Silent Night | 2006 | |
Holby City | The Good Fight | |
Casualty | What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love and Understanding | 2007 | |
Holby City | Elliot's Wonderful Life | |
Casualty | This Will Be Our Year | 2008 | |
Took a Long Time to Come | |
Holby City | Maria's Christmas Carol | |
Casualty | All I Want for Christmas | 2009 | |
Tidings of Comfort and Joy | |
Holby City | Stand By Me | |
Casualty | Season of Goodwill | 2010 | |
Winter Wonderland | |
Holby City | The Most Wonderful Time of the Year | |
Casualty | Next of Kin | 2011 | |
Holby City | Wise Men | |
Casualty | I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus | 2012 | |
Holby City | Through the Darkness | |
And We Banish Shade | |
Casualty | Away in a Manger | 2013 | |
Holby City | All I Want for Christmas Is You | |
Casualty | Solomon's Song | 2014 | |
Holby City | Star of Wonder | |
I Will Honour Christmas in My Heart | |
Casualty | Maybe This Year | 2015 | |
Home for Christmas | |
Holby City | Bad Blood, Fake Snow | |
Blue Christmas | |
Casualty | All I Want for Christmas Is You | 2016 | |
Bah Humbug | |
Holby City | Hallelujah | |
The Nightmare Before Christmas | |
Episode | Year | Description |
"The Star of Jacob" | 2016 | |
"The Tree of Truth" | 2017 | |
Special | Year | Description |
Christmas Special | 1981 | |
1985 | |
Episode | Year | Description |
Black Canary | 1998 | |
Satan's Chimney | 2001 | |
The Grinning Man | 2009 | |
Daemons' Roost | 2016 | |
ITV
Special | Year | Description |
Christmas Special | 2005 | |
2006 | |
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
Christmas at Downton Abbey | 2011 | |
A Journey to the Highlands | 2012 | |
The London Season | 2013 | |
A Moorland Holiday | 2014 | |
The Finale | 2015 | |
Episode | Year | Description |
Twanky | 1997 | |
Christmas Star | 1998 | |
When the Snow Lay Round About | 1999 | |
The Night Before | 2000 | |
Santa's Little Helper | 2008 | |
Series | Episode/Special | Year | Description |
Heartbeat | A Winter's Tale | 1994 | |
The Queen's Message | 1997 | |
Echoes of the Past | 1998 | |
Cold Turkey | 2000 | |
No Hiding Place | 2001 | |
Many Splendoured Thing | 2002 | |
The Royal | Famous for a Day | 2003 | |
Heartbeat | In the Bleak Midwinter | 2004 | |
Christmas Album | 2005 | |
Auld Acquaintance | |
Episode | Year | Description |
Ghosts of Christmas Past | 2004 | |
Days of Misrule | 2008 | |
The Christmas Haunting | 2013 | |
Episode | Year | Description |
Whom God Hath Joined | 1972 | |
Goodwill to All Men | 1973 | |
Comedies
BBC
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Misery | 1992 | |
Babes in the Wood | 1993 | |
Relax-ay-voo | 1994 | |
Porky's | 1995 | |
Two Years Before the Mast | 1996 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
And So This Is Christmas | 2007 | |
There Will Be Pud | 2008 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas Crackers | (1975) |
The Father Christmas Affair | 1976 | |
Happy Returns | 1978 | |
The Punch and Judy Affair | 1979 | |
Roots? | 1981 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Sailing | 1989 | |
Falling in Love Again | 1990 | |
We'll Always Have Majorca | 1991 | |
The Chigwell Connection | 1992 | |
It Happened in Hollywood | 1993 | |
Christmas in Dreamland | 1994 | |
Reservoir Birds | 1997 | |
Holy Ground | 1998 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas with the Boswells | 1988 | |
A Quiet Christmas | 1989 | |
Another Christmas with the Boswells | 1990 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
In the Beginning | 1994 | |
Surviving Christmas | 1996 | |
Series | Episode | Year(s) | Description |
The Catherine Tate Show | Christmas Special | 2005 | |
Nans Christmas Carol | 2009 | |
Catherine Tate's Nan | 2013 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
A Khan Christmas | 2013 | |
A Khan Family Christmas | 2014 | |
Mr Khan's Christmas Wonderland | 2015 | |
It's a Khanderful Life | 2016 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
A Story for Christmas | 1977 | |
Buon Natale | 1980 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Thicker Than Water | 1995 | |
Go West, Young Man | 1997 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Gamble | 1999 | |
Christmas | 1999 | |
Series | Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Happy Ever After | Christmas | 1976 | |
Terry's Parents | 1977 | |
Terry and June | The Christmas Show | 1980 | |
Christmas | 1981 | |
Christmas with Terry and June | 1982 | |
Pantomania | 1985 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
The Father Christmas Suit | 1991 | |
Sea Fever | 1993 | |
Angel Gabriel Blue | 1994 | |
The Pageant | 1995 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Small Tune on a Penny Wassail | 1978 | |
And a Dewhurst Up a Fir Tree | 1979 | |
Whoops | 1981 | |
All Mod Conned | 1982 | |
Merry Christmas, Father Christmas | 1986 | |
Big Day at Dream Acres | 1987 | |
Crums | 1988 | |
What's Santa Brought for Nora Then? | 1989 | |
Barry's Christmas | 1990 | |
Situation Vacant | 1991 | |
Stop That Castle | 1992 | |
Welcome to Earth | 1993 | |
A Leg Up for Christmas | 1995 | |
Extra! Extra! | 1996 | |
There Goes the Groom | 1997 | |
Potts in Pole Position | 2001 | |
A Musical Passing for a Miserable Muscroft | 2002 | |
A Short Blast of Fred Astaire | 2003 | |
Variations on a Theme of the Widow Winstanley | 2004 | |
Merry Enthwhistle and Jackson Day | 2005 | |
A Tale of Two Sweaters | 2006 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
The Perfect Christmas | 2010 | |
It Was Panning | 2012 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas Special | 2008 | |
2009 | |
2010 | |
2011 | |
2012 | |
2013 | |
2014 | |
2015 | |
2016 | |
Special | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas Special | 1969 | |
1970 | |
1971 | |
1972 | |
1973 | |
1975 | |
1976 | |
1977 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Mammy's Ass | 2011 | |
Mammy Christmas / The Virgin Mammy | 2012 | |
Buckin' Mammy / Who's a Pretty Mammy? | 2013 | |
Mammy's Tickled Pink / Mammy's Gamble | 2014 | |
Mammy's Christmas Punch | 2015 | |
Mammy's Forest | 2016 | |
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Ding Dong Merrily | 2002 | |
Sixty Feet Under | 2003 | |
Glad Tidings We Bring | 2004 | |
... And I'll Cry If I Want To | 2005 | |
The Heart of Christmas | 2006 | |
Ho Ho No | 2007 | |
Have An Unhappy Christmas | 2008 | |
2039: A Christmas Oddity | 2009 | |
Mary Christmas | 2010 | |
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Murder at Christmas | 2007 | |
Absent Father Christmas | 2009 | |
The House | 2013 | |
The Wedding | 2014 | |
Christmas Shopping | 2015 | |
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Who's Listening? | 1990 | |
The Man In The Long Black Coat | 1991 | |
One Foot in the Algarve | 1993 | |
The Man Who Blew Away | 1994 | |
The Wisdom of the Witch | 1995 | |
Starbound | 1996 | |
Endgame | 1997 | |
Series | Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Open All Hours | Untitled short subject | 1982 | |
Still Open All Hours | Pilot | 2013 | |
Christmas Special | 2015 | |
2016 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
The Robbers | 2009 | |
The Broken Santa | 2011 | |
The Sick Party | 2012 | |
Christmas Special 2016 | 2016 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
No Way Out | 1975 | |
The Desperate Hours | 1976 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Advent | 2003 | |
Birth | 2004 | |
December | 2006 | |
Empire | 2007 | |
Elephants | 2007 | |
Fire and Freezing | 2008 | |
Groovy | 2009 | |
Hocus Pocus | 2010 | |
Icy | 2011 | |
Jingle Bells | 2012 | |
Kris Kringle | 2013 | |
No-L | 2014 | |
Merriment | 2015 | |
Noel | 2016 | |
O Christmas | 2017 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Seasonal Greet | 1988 | |
Clean | 2008 | |
Hoodie | 2013 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas with the Royle Family | 1999 | |
The Royle Family at Christmas | 2000 | |
The Queen Of Sheba | 2006 | |
The New Sofa | 2008 | |
The Golden Egg Cup | 2009 | |
Joe's Crackers | 2010 | |
Barbara's Old Ring | 2012 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Jessica's First Christmas | 1974 | |
Learning to Drive | 1975 | |
Learning to Fly | 1978 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
The Party | 1973 | |
A Perfect Christmas | 1974 | |
Series | Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas Special | Cold Turkey | 2005 | |
Hogmanay Special | The Party | 2006 | |
Christmas Special | Plum Number | 2007 | |
Hogmanay Special | Hootenanny | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas Party | 1975 | |
Sykes at Christmas | 1977 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
The Christmas Show (The Mink Coat) | 1980 | |
Festive Doldrums | 1981 | |
Christmas With Terry And June | 1982 | |
Pantomania | 1985 | |
Series | Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Till Death Us Do Part | Peace and Goodwill | 1966 | |
Christmas Special | 1972 | |
In Sickness and in Health | 1985 | |
1986 | |
1987 | |
1989 | |
1990 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas Special | 1979 | |
2007 | |
Series/Special | Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
The Two Ronnies | Old-Fashioned Christmas Mystery | 1973 | |
Christmas Special | 1980 | |
1981 | |
1982 | |
1984 | |
Christmas with the Ronnies | 1985 | |
The Two Ronnies: Christmas Special | 1987 | |
The Two Ronnies Sketchbook | The Christmas Sketchbook | 2005 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
A Christmassy Crow | 2017 | |
TBA | 2018 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas at Bayview | 1992 | |
Another Christmas at Bayview | 1993 | |
Episode | Year(s) | Guest panelists |
Christmas Special | 2013 | Miranda Hart, Stephen Mangan, Barry Cryer & Miles Jupp |
2014 | Josh Widdicombe, Ray Winstone, Rachel Riley & Ricky Tomlinson |
2015 | Bill Bailey, Ruth Jones, Jo Brand & Kelly Holmes |
2016 | Tom Courtenay, Richard Osman, Chris Kamara & Sara Pascoe |
2017 | Henry Blofeld, Richard Coles, Kerry Howard & Clive Myrie |
ITV
Series/Special | Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | Description |
Carry on Christmas | 1969 | |
Carry on Again Christmas | 1970 | |
Carry on Christmas | Carry on Stuffing | 1972 | |
Carry on Christmas | 1973 | |
Carry on Laughing's Christmas Classics | 1983 | |
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Merry Christmas | 2003 | |
Merry Christmas Everybody! | 2005 | |
(originally aired on BBC One from 1989-98)
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Birds on a Plane | 2014 | |
There's a Girl in My Souk | 2016 | |
TBA | 2017 | |
Series | Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | Description |
Fresh Fields | A Dickens of a Christmas | 1985 | |
French Fields | Noel, Noel | 1990 | |
Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | Description |
No Business Like Show Business | 1977 | |
On the Second Day of Christmas | 1978 | |
The Twenty Six Year Itch | 1979 | |
Specials | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas Special |
1978 | |
1979 | |
1980 | |
1981 | |
1982 | |
1983 | |
Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | Description |
The Ghost Of Picklers Past | 1969 | |
Cindernellie/All Star Comedy Carnival | 1972 | |
Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas Duty | 1970 | |
Boxing Day Social | 1971 | |
Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas at Robin's Nest | 1979 | |
No Room at the Inn | 1980 | |
Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas with Shelley | 1980 | |
Shelley: Cold Turkey | 1989 | |
Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | Description |
Cold Turkey | 1983 | |
Little Donkey | 1984 | |
Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | Description |
Seasoning | 1987 | |
Twitching | 1988 | |
Slipping | 1991 | |
Reverting | 1993 | |
Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | Description |
Christmas at Paradise Lodge | 1979 | |
Twas the Night Before Christmas | 1980 | |
Other channels
Series/Special | Episode(s)/(Special(s)) | Year(s) | Description |
Stella | Christmas in Pontyberry | 2014 | |
Christmas television plays
From the mid-1950s until the mid-1980s, the British Christmas television play was a popular television programming genre:
General entertainment shows
Music/Dancing
- Dancing on Ice at Christmas (2008)
- Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Specials (2004–present)
- Supersonic Christmas Show Special (1975, 1976 & 1983) – Mike Mansfield production.
- Top of the Pops Christmas Specials (1964–present) – There has been a Christmas edition of Top of the Pops every year since 1964 and even past the shows cancellation, showing the hits of the current year (sometimes shown in a New Years Special) and a countdown to the Christmas number one single.
Gameshows
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1971)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1972)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1973)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1974)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1975)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1976)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1977)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1978)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1979)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1980)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1981)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1990)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1991)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1992)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1993)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1994)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1995)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1996)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1997)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1998)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (1999)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (2000)
- The Generation Game: Christmas Special (2001)
Children's
BBC One/Two/CBBC
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
Murderer | 2013 | |
Santa | 2015 | |
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
Molly Christmas | 2002 | |
Basil's Christmas Turkey | 2003 | |
It's a Wonderful Brush | 2004 | |
Santa Brush | 2005 | |
There's No Business Like Snow Business | 2006 | |
Basil's Christmas Dinners | 2007 | |
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
Traditional Christmas | 1987 | |
Christmas Special | 1988 | |
Messy Xmas/Christmas | 2002 | |
The Mystery Of Little-Under-Standing | 2008 | |
Shown on BBC One, sometimes repeated on CBBC.
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
Christmas Download | 2011 | |
Christmas Download (with Olly Murs) | 2012 | |
Christmas Download (with Little Mix and Bobby Lockwood | 2013 | |
Christmas Download (with Echosmith, Bars and Melody & The Vamps) | 2014 | |
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
A Different Christmas | 2014 | |
'Craig Come Home | 2015 | |
Dream Christmas | 2016 | [3] |
Shown on BBC One, sometimes repeated on CBBC.
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
A Slammer Christmas | 2010 | |
Slammer Claus | 2013 | |
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
Panto | 2002 | |
The Snowflake Fairy | 2003 | |
Seeking Santa | 2005 | |
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
Snow Business | 1988 | |
The Big Freeze | 2005 | |
Let it Snow | |
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
Monster Monster Day | 2014 | |
A Furchester Christmas | 2016 | |
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
All Wrapped Up | 2011 | |
Christmas Special | 2016 | |
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
Postman Pat Goes Sledging | 1982 | |
Letters on Ice | |
Postman Pat's Magic Christmas | 2003 | |
Postman Pat and the Ice Ladder | 2004 | |
The Rocket Rescue | |
Postman Pat's Christmas Eve | 2006 | |
The Flying Christmas Stocking | 2008 | |
Postman Pat and the Twinkly Lights | 2013 | |
Postman Pat and the Christmas Panto Horse | |
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
Petal Light Picking | 2013 | |
Seacow Snow Trail | 2014 | |
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
Teletubbies and the Snow | 1997 | |
Happy Christmas from the Teletubbies | |
Episode/Special | Year | Description |
The Fallen Star | 1999 | |
Christmas Fairy | |
Santa's Little Helper | |
Nativity | |
Christmas Eve | |
Christmas Morning | 2000 | |
White Christmas | 2001 | |
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Xmas special 1 | 1994 | |
Xmas special 2 | 1995 | |
Xmas special 3 | 1996 | |
Xmas special 4 | 1997 | |
Xmas special 5 | 2003 | |
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Horrid Henry's Christmas | 2006 | |
Horrid Henry and the Cracking Christmas | 2009 | |
Horrid Henry and the Early Christmas Present | 2011 | |
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
First Christmas: Part 1 | 2000 | |
First Christmas: Part 2 | |
The Naughty List Part 1 | 2004 | |
The Naughty List: Part 2 | |
Winter Blunderland | 2006 | |
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Thomas' Christmas Party | 1984 | |
Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree | 1986 | |
Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure | 1992 | |
It's Only Snow | 2002 | |
Not So Hasty Puddings | 2003 | |
Don't Tell Thomas | 2004 | |
Series | Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Toby's Travelling Circus | Momo's Christmas | 2016 | |
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Peppa's Christmas | 2007 | |
Santa's Grotto | 2010 | |
Santa's Visit | 2010 | |
Mr Potato's Christmas Show | 2011 | |
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Snow | 2009 | |
The North Pole | |
Ben & Holly's Christmas - Part 1 | 2012 | |
Ben & Holly's Christmas - Part 2 | |
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Santa Overboard | 2008 | |
Snow Floodlights | 2012 | |
Dashing through the Snow | 2016 | |
Episode/Special | Year(s) | Description |
Merry Winter Wish | 2010 | |
Thomas and the Snowman Party | |
Merry Misty Island | |
Salty's Surprise | 2012 | |
The Christmas Tree Express | |
Santa's Little Engine | 2013 | |
The Missing Christmas Decorations | 2014 | |
Last Train for Christmas | |
A Cranky Christmas | 2015 | |
Diesel's Ghostly Christmas | 2016 | |
The Christmas Coffeepot | |
Letters to Santa | |
Others
Sometimes repeated on BBC One, but was originally shown on ITV.
Usual shown on Channel 4.
Specials
- Ant & Dec Saturday Night Takeaway at Christmas (2005)
- Ant & Dec's Christmas Show (2009)
- The Funny Side of Christmas (1982)
- Greatest Christmas Comedy Moments (2008)
- Oz and Hugh Drink to Christmas (2009)
- The Real Hustle: The 12 Scams of Christmas (2006)
- Ruth Jones Christmas Cracker (2009–present)
- The Gadget Man Guide to Christmas (2014)
- A Christmas Cracker (2014)
Misc
- Channel 4's Alternative Christmas message (1993 – present)
- Midnight Mass (1960 – present) – Every year Christmas morning starts on BBC with Midnight Mass for Catholic faiths.
- The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures (1966 – present). Note: The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures have been going since 1825 but started being broadcast in 1966.
- The Queen's Royal Christmas Message (1957–1968, 1970 – present). Note: The Royal Christmas message has been read as far back as King George V in 1932 & 1935 over the radio, and then George VI in 1939, 1941–1942, 1945–1946, 1949 and 1951 up until Queen Elizabeth II read it on the radio from 1952 to 1956. It wasn't until 1957 that the event was televised.
- Songs of Praise (1961 – present) – Every year songs of Praise celebrates advent Sunday's leading up to Christmas.
- Text Santa (2011-2015)
- Star Over Bethlehem (1977, 1979, 1981) - A live satellite transmission that featured Christmas music from around the world. USA contributions included remotes from a shopping mall in Columbia, South Carolina and the CBN studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia.