WHAT TO WATCH Christmas Day

Lots of festive telly to enjoy!

This Christmas Day, the cast of Peep Show reunite for a special Christmas Bake Off, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman host their final episode of Strictly Come Dancing, and Amandaland reunites Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley for its first Christmas special and The Scarecrows' Wedding is sure to entertain the whole family!

Elsewhere, four more celebrities take on Gladiators and Call The Midwife airs the first part of this year's Christmas special.

Here are 6 TV shows you won't want to miss this Christmas Day...

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1

 BRAND NEW ANIMATION

THE SCARECROWS' WEDDING

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Christmas Day

3.10pm | BBC One

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.

 STREAM ON BBC IPLAYER 

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2

 CELEBRITY SPECIAL

GLADIATORS

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Christmas Day

3.35pm | BBC One

Celebrities ready? Four famous faces take on the Gladiators for the chance to be crowned Celebrity Champion. But who out of Joe Wicks MBE, Sam Thompson, Nicola Adams OBE and Vogue Williams will claim victory?

All four celebrity contenders will face the ultimate test of speed, strength and skill against the mighty Gladiators before going head-to-head in the iconic Eliminator, but who will emerge victorious? Let the battle begin!

 STREAM ON BBC IPLAYER 

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3

 CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

STRICTLY COME DANCING

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Christmas Day

5.30pm | BBC One

Strictly Come Dancing returns to the ballroom this Christmas, ready to captivate the nation with a celebration of dance and festive cheer, marking the final time the show will be hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

Six new celebrities will step into the spotlight, each hoping to impress the judges and become Christmas Champion 2025. Taking to the ballroom this year will be Babatunde Aléshé, Brian McFadden, Jodie Ounsley, Melanie Blatt, Nicholas Bailey and Scarlett Moffat, who have been partnered with Nancy Xu, Michelle Tsiakkas, Neil Jones, Kai Widdrington, Luba Mushtuk and Vito Coppola, respectively.

Boyband Blue deliver a special musical performance, and the Christmas cast takes to the floor for two spectacular group dances.

 STREAM ON BBC IPLAYER 

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4

 CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

THE GREAT CHRISTMAS BAKE OFF

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Christmas Day

8pm | Channel 4

For the first time since Peep Show wrapped in 2015, fan favourites David Mitchell, Olivia Colman, Isy Suttie, Matt King and Sophie Winkleman have reunited, and this time, they’re donning festive jumpers and rolling up their sleeves to tackle a series of seasonal baking challenges.

Under the watchful eyes of judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, and with plenty of mischief and charm from Bake Off hosts Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond, expect laughter and chaos in this Great Peep Show Christmas Bake Off special.

The group will attempt to whisk, knead and decorate their way to glory with challenges paying homage to Peep Show. But will their culinary creations rise to the occasion, or will they collapse like a poorly-proofed loaf?

 STREAM ON CHANNEL 4 

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5

 CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

CALL THE MIDWIFE

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Christmas Day

8.15pm | BBC One

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.

 2 EPISODES  CONTINUES BOXING DAY

 STREAM ON BBC IPLAYER 

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6

 CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

AMANDALAND

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Christmas Day

9.15pm | BBC One

Hoping to replicate the huge ratings success of Gavin & Stacey last Christmas, this year's big Christmas Day comedy is the Amandaland Christmas special in which Jennifer Saunders reunites with her Absolutely Fabulous co-star Joanna Lumley.

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

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

 STREAM ON BBC IPLAYER