The BBC unwrap their 2025 Christmas telly line-up

Here's EVERYTHING you need to know about what the BBC are showing this Christmas!

The BBC has unveiled their schedule for the festive fortnight, which includes a range of specials, family favourites, thrilling drama, hilarious comedy and blockbuster movies alongside arts, documentary, music and religious programming to satisfy everyone.

Christmas Day on the BBC wouldn’t be the same without an animated adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved picture books. The Scarecrows' Wedding is an enchanting new story, adapted from the much-loved picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, about two devoted scarecrows, Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay, who are planning a wedding to remember.

When Harry insists on leaving the farm to collect one last thing for their big day, a smooth-talking scarecrow named Reginald Rake swoops in with plans of his own. Chaos ensues, and soon Betty’s in danger and everything’s at risk. Can Harry get back in time and save the day? Full of heart, humour and adventure, this is the joyful tale about loyalty, love and learning that the most important thing isn’t a grand gesture, it’s simply being together.

The half-hour animated special features an all-star voice cast with returning favourite Rob Brydon voicing Reginald Rake, Jessie Buckley as Betty O’Barley, Domhnall Gleeson as Harry O’Hay, all led by Sophie Okonedo as the Narrator.

Full of heart and humour, it’s a joyful story of loyalty, love, and learning that the most important thing isn’t a grand gesture, it’s simply being together.

On New Year's Day, Tom Hiddleston returns in the hotly anticipated return of The Night Manager as Jonathan Pine, who, having thought he'd buried his past, now lives as Alex Goodwin, a low-level MI6 officer running a quiet surveillance unit in London.

His life is comfortingly uneventful. Then one night, a chance sighting of an old Roper mercenary prompts a call to action, leading Pine to a violent encounter with a new player: Colombian businessman Teddy Dos Santos.

On this perilous new journey, Pine meets Roxana Bolaños, a businesswoman who reluctantly helps him infiltrate Teddy’s Colombian arms operation. Once in Colombia, Pine is plunged deep into a deadly plot involving arms and the training of a guerrilla army.

As allegiances splinter, Pine races to expose a conspiracy designed to destabilise a nation. And with betrayal at every turn, he must decide whose trust he needs to earn and how far he’s willing to go before it’s too late.

This year’s festive trip to Poplar sees Call the Midwife celebrate Christmas with two episodes again. In the first part, the residents of Poplar are preparing for Christmas while Fred and Violet get ready to fly to Hong Kong to visit her son.

On arrival and carrying parcels for the sisters, they head to the Branch House in Kowloon, but discover that it has collapsed and there are many fatalities. A rescue mission is hastily organised, and a team from Nonnatus make emergency plans to head out to Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Cyril receives an unexpected request from a Mr Fischer who wants to rent his flat for an unspecified amount of time and at any price.

In the second part, Trixie and Geoffrey find Mr Fischer fallen in the snow and learn he has a terminal blood disorder. Rosalind and Joyce host a Christmas gathering while Sister Catherine determines to find out what happened to Queenie’s baby.

Back in Hong Kong, Sister Julienne and Sister Hilda face down a gangster who demands the keys to the Order’s new property. Dr Turner and Shelagh arrive at the Walled City to finally find Esther and her very unwell son.

Get ready to spend Christmas in Paradise with specials from both Beyond Paradise and Death in Paradise.

In Shipton Abbott, Humphrey has his hands full with a flurry of festive cases, while Martha is busy with a task of her own. Enlisting the help of Anne, Zoe and a special guest, she races to pull off her secret plan.

But with an influx of unexpected visitors, a slew of holiday crimes to crack, and a heartwarming reunion on the line, can the team juggle it all and still be ready for a life-changing reveal?

We head to Saint Marie and Swindon with Don Gilet for an office Christmas party of a lifetime that takes a dark turn when four co-workers wake up to find a stranger dead in the pool of their villa.

DI Mervin Wilson and the team identify the murder weapon, but they’re left baffled when they find that it was locked in a drawer when the murder took place... thousands of miles away from the crime scene, in Swindon!

Meanwhile, Mervin’s anxiously waiting to hear back from his newly discovered brother, which prevents him from embracing Saint Marie's Christmas celebrations. Can Mervin resolve his family situation and get into the festive spirit, for the sake of his team and the island?

Elsewhere, Dame Joanna Lumley and Tobias Menzies star in The Room in the Tower by E.F. Benson, this year’s Ghost Story for Christmas from Mark Gatiss, plus Christmas specials of Bump and Sister Boniface Mysteries.

And this year's blockbuster films includ Elvis, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Robin Robin, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Oppenheimer, Operation Mincemeat, Challengers and Back to Black.

This Christmas, there is a bumper selection of comedy to spread the joy including the Amandaland Christmas Special, which spreads the festive cheer and welcomes the absolutely fabulous Jennifer Saunders, who plays Joanna Lumley’s on-screen sister in a cracker set to guarantee the laughs.

It sees Amanda and the family head to Aunt Joan’s country house for Christmas, but the plans change when Mal and Anne tag along, and she struggles to recreate the magical Christmases she spent there as a child.

Meanwhile, Anne’s in despair at being separated from her family, and Felicity is increasingly irritated by her sister’s constant high spirits. And Mal sees a hidden photo that seems to reveal a deep family secret.

In the Two Doors Down Christmas Special, Eric and Beth put their tree up earlier than usual, unwittingly kicking off the Christmas season in Latimer Crescent. What starts as a labour-saving convenience quickly turns into a flurry of festive activity, as neighbours start to gear up for the holidays in their own unique ways.

Colin and Cathy find themselves pondering the perfect gift for each other, while Ian and Gordon plan for a quieter, scaled-back Christmas. Meanwhile, Alan and Michelle wrestle with transport issues that threaten to derail their festive plans, and Christine is busy arranging a very special trip, ensuring that the season is full of surprises, laughter, and the kind of neighbourly chaos that only Latimer Crescent can provide.

In Here We Go: Our New Year’s Fireworks Fantasaganza, it’s a typically chaotic Jessop family holiday, featuring a road trip, a missing dummy, and a large crate of unlicensed fireworks!

With New Year’s Eve fast approaching, this year Rachel is very keen to throw a massive party. Paul, less so: he’d much prefer a nice quiet holiday cottage with a sauna so he can sweat out the massive boil that’s recently appeared on his cheek; two quite different visions for seeing in the new year.

So begins a typically chaotic Jessop Family holiday, featuring a road trip, a missing dummy, and a large crate of unlicensed fireworks Paul picked up from a police auction.

Stuffed is a modern-day Christmas caper for the whole family to enjoy, which sees Arslan Farooqi, played by Guz Khan, and his multi-faith family set off on the trip of a lifetime as they swap Coventry for the magic of Lapland.

After he receives an unexpected £8,000 Christmas bonus at work, Arslan, his wife Hannah, played by Morgana Robinson, his two daughters and brother-in-law Jamie, played by Theo Barklem-Biggs, are all set for the ultimate festive adventure. However, when office worker Arslan discovers the bonus was a mistake and must be repaid immediately, Christmas chaos ensues, and disaster follows the family at every turn.

Together with new holiday friend Lily, played by Sue Johnston, they must find a way out of this predicament and hope for a Christmas miracle that can save Arslan’s job and the family’s livelihood. Stuffed is a modern-day Christmas caper for the whole family to enjoy this yuletide season.

In The Mandy Who Knew Too Much, we join Mandy as she has what can only be described as one of the worst Christmases ever. Apart from the one you’re having right now.

Mandy rarely dabbles in global diplomacy, especially over Christmas when it’s so cold out and there’s good telly on, but when she does, you can bet that she makes a real difference to the balance of power in the world.

Other highlights include brand new comedy Shedites, by Paddy Houlihan, a Mammoth Christmas special and two specials from Mrs Brown’s Boys.

In EastEnders this December, Walford residents learn the consequences of their actions as they are visited by ghosts of their past, villains of the present, and visions of the future.

Kat remains fiercely protective of Zoe, who remains determined to reunite with her long-lost son. However, with a mystery tormentor hellbent on driving Zoe out of the Square, the search for answers unlocks shocking secrets that puts Kat’s motherly love to the test.

During a special episode looking at Nigel’s dementia, Nigel seeks advice from faces of the past in the form of Pat Evans and Barry Evans.

Across the Square, Max arrives hoping for a family truce, only to be hit by a series of bombshells that leave him full of rage and regret, and face-to-face with Cindy Beale. However, as 2026 dawns, everything changes in Max’s world as a shocking flashforward episode provides tantalising clues about what the future holds for Max.

The most talked about show of 2025, The Traitors is back as Claudia Winkleman returns for the ultimate game of trust and treachery from the Scottish Highlands with an all-new civilian series that is set to grip the nation.

With new twists and new players it's time to take to the edge of your seat once more as 22 people from across the UK descend on a Scottish castle to win up to £120k. Let the mind games begin.

And if that leaves you wanting more, you can stay faithful as Claudia will also present The Traitors at the Proms, a concert featuring melodramatic versions of pop tunes heard on The Traitors from Britney Spears’ Toxic to Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy.

Speaking of The Traitors, everyone’s favourite Traitor Alan Carr is also back as best friends Amanda Holden and Alan return to the sun-drenched village of Moclín in southern Spain for Amanda and Alan’s Spanish Christmas, the same spot where they rolled up their sleeves for their summer renovation, to throw a spectacular festive party as a heartfelt thank you to the locals who helped them along the way.

In this very special Christmas edition of Amanda & Alan’s Spanish Job, the pair dive headfirst into Spanish Christmas traditions, serving up their trademark mix of warmth, laughter, and delightful chaos. From baking seasonal treats and sampling traditional delicacies to embracing local customs with gusto, Amanda and Alan serve up the ultimate festive fiesta.

Strictly Come Dancing returns to the ballroom for a Christmas special as hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman oversee the festivities for their final time. And keep an eye out to see who will be joining Scarlett Moffatt, Melanie Blatt and Jodie Ounsley as they compete to take home the glitterball trophy.

The Celebrity Apprentice comes all the way from snowy Lapland where twelve famous faces step into Lord Sugar’s boardroom for two specials in aid of BBC Children in Need. Taking part are AJ Odudu, Angela Scanlon, Charlie Hedges, Eddie Kadi, Jake Wood, JB Gill, Kadeena Cox, Matt Morsia, Rob Rinder, Sarah Hadland, Shazia Mirza and Tom Skinner.

In the Gladiators Celebrity Special hosted by Bradley and Barney Walsh, four celebrities take on one of the toughest gameshows on telly as Joe Wicks MBE, Sam Thompson, Nicola Adams OBE and Vogue Williams battle against the mighty Gladiators.

To get you in the mood for the competitive Christmas gaming season, there’s a plethora of quizzes, cook offs, races and nail-biting finishes to choose… from Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel, The Weakest Link, The Festive Finish Line and University Challenge. As well as The Great British Sewing Bee and MasterChef.

Dame Helen Mirren, Julia Donaldson and Rob Brydon stop by The Repair Shop this Christmas, hoping for some very special repairs from the barn's wonderful team of experts. Hollywood legend Dame Helen Mirren arrives, along with a beloved but badly broken cello. Julia tasks furniture restorer Will Kirk and ceramics expert Kirsten Ramsay with the repair of a toy farmhouse that once belonged to her granny.

This New Year’s Eve, Ronan Keating & Friends: New Year’s Eve Party sees in 2026, as well as Jools' Annual Hootenanny and The Graham Norton New Year's Eve Show as Graham and a sofa of star guests mark the end of 2025.

Natural history lovers are treated to a brand-new film from Sir David Attenborough, as he turns his attention closer to home to explore the wildlife of England’s iconic capital in Wild London.

Having lived in London for 75 years, Sir David’s intimate knowledge of the city’s natural history means there's no better guide to introduce audiences to London’s most spectacular wildlife secrets.

For those who want to be eased into Christmas, Bob Mortimer, Paul Whitehouse and terrier Ted head to Devon and Cornwall for Gone Christmas Fishing as they fish the stunning rivers Lyd and Camel in Devon and head out to sea in Cornwall, joined by local star Dawn French, their favourite doctor Anand Patel and visit top chef Paul Ainsworth in his Padstow restaurant.

Dame Mary Berry celebrates the magic of the season's traditions in A Mary Berry Christmas, Paddy McGuinness and Cherry Healey unwrap the festive secrets behind Britain’s beloved gingerbread biscuits for a special instalment of Inside the Factory: Christmas Gingerbread Special and Celebrity Escape to the Country sees Janet Street Porter, Gareth Malone, Chesney Hawkes, Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock, Angellica Bell and Neil Jones house-hunt across the UK. Also returning this year is My Life at Christmas with Anita Rani with guests Sir Rod Stewart, Penny Lancaster, Baroness Floella Benjamin and Ade Adepitan.

Christmas Treasures of the National Trust returns in time for Christmas, unwrapping the festive stories behind some of the country’s most beautiful historic homes and gardens at the most magical time of the year.

The 2025 Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution: Is There Life Beyond Earth? comes to BBC Four. Inside Classical: A Classical Christmas sees the BBC Concert Orchestra and the BBC Singers take centre stage in an evening of festive delights recorded live at Snape Maltings Concert Hall, in the heart of the Suffolk countryside.

And this year there are two special The Reads, as Monica Dolan gives a captivating performance reading of Jane Austen’s much-loved and last completed novel, Persuasion, while Steffan Rhodri gives an enchanting performance reading of C.S. Lewis’s timeless story of Narnia.

Morning Live at Christmas brings 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 and Alex Jones, Roman Kemp and JB Gill reflect on a year of acts of kindness for a special One Big Thank You Christmas edition of The One Show as they celebrate those who go above and beyond to bring festive cheer.

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

There will be also 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 OLEM Church, Cambridge, Christmas Morning Service from Bradford Cathedral, and Carols From King's, the traditional celebration of Christmas with music and readings, recorded in the candlelit Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, led by the dean, the Reverend Dr Stephen Cherry, and The Archbishop of Canterbury Elect's New Year's Day Message.

For music fans, there is a whole host of programmes including a sizzling new production of Cole Porter’s legendary musical comedy, Kiss Me, Kate starring Adrian Dunbar and Stephanie J. Block, Jason Manford hosts a celebration of the most memorable performances from Biggest Night of Musicals by the National Lottery, Top of The Pops: Review of The Year 2025 returns for its yearly special, hosted by Clara Amfo. And if music videos are your thing, then Christmas Hits: The Videos That Sleighed is a living room dance fest waiting to happen.

For Children it will feel like Christmas everyday over on CBeebies, CBBC and iPlayer with The Famous Five - Big Trouble on Billycock Hill and Blue Peter’s Christmas Cracker with Strictly, Dexter Procter: The 10-Year Old Doctor, Go Get Arty, CBeebies & Come Alive, Shaun the Sheep – Fleece Navidad, Pudsey and the Thread of Hope, Spidey and His Amazing Friends - A Snow Day for Aunt May / Hanukkah Heist, The Weasy Family – Mission Christmas, Dodge’s Pup School – The Christmas Show and an I Spy, You Spy Christmas Special and it wouldn’t be Christmas on CBeebies without the CBeebies Christmas Panto.