It is the time of year where one can be overwhelmed with viewing delights making it extremely difficult to prioritise what television to watch this Christmas. Luckily for you we have picked out six festive gems to satisfy your viewing needs.
6) Downton Abbey
It wouldn’t be Christmas without a Downton Abbey festive special, also airing Christmas Day at 8:30pm on ITV. Downton fans can look forward all kinds of excitement and drama from the return of Shirley MacLaine to the revelation of an on-going murder plot with housekeeper Mrs Hughes likely to hold the identity to the killer in her hands.
5) Big Fat Quiz of the Year
My favourite end of year television is the Big Fat Quiz of the year, hosted by the wonderfully sarcastic Jimmy Carr. Carr quizzes three teams on events which have occurred within the last year. Admittedly, not much academic or thoughtful answers are displayed despite the ferociously high levels of competition between contestants. This year's teams are Jack Whitehall with Jonathan Ross, Dara O’Briain with Kristen Schaal, and Noel Fielding with Richard Ayoade. Why not test yourself this Boxing day at 9pm on Channel 4?
4) Vicious
The camp comedy starring Sir’s Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi is back this Christmas. Expect lots of camp acting, misbehaving and praying on the innocent Iwan Rheon (originally of Misfits fame). Look out for the excellent stage actress Frances De La Tour. This is a light-hearted, easy going show, starring some very talented and well-established theatre actors.
3) Strictly Come Dancing
There is one vital programme which has obsessed Great British minds over the last few years that makes a grand return this Christmas Day, it can only be BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. Six celebrities set to take part in this festive addition: The Saturdays Rochelle Humes, West End singer Elaine Paige, and radio DJ Sara Cox. The gentlemen are: singer Matt Goss, EastEnders’ actor Ricky Norwood and comedian and West End performer Rufus Hound.
2) Dr Who
The much anticipated regeneration of the Doctor, played by Matt Smith flavours our screens Christmas Day on BBC1 at 7:30pm. You can expect Daleks, Cybermen, Weeping Angles and the Silence all in one episode to salute Smith goodbye. Despite the Time Lords handbook declaring there can only ever be thirteen time lords, I’m sure this cleverly pieced script will find a way around these technicalities. This is clearly not one to miss!
1) Sherlock
We are all desperate to know how Sherlock was able to fake his own death back in 2011, leading his loyal followers to believe this was the end of Cumberbatch’s Sherlock reign. However, Benedict is back, with fellow megastar and The Hobbit cohort Martin Freeman, and with the death of arch-enemy Jim Moriarty, I am desperate to see who writer Stephen Moffat will face Holmes and Watson.
