Festive treats galore with Doctor Who, The Great Christmas Bake Off and a Call the Midwife Christmas special - Merry Christmas!
The Great Christmas Bake Off
Sunday Christmas Day, 4.45pm BBC1
For one final time before Bake Off moves to C4, the BBC reunite the gang. Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry, resplendent in Christmas jumpers, are joined in the festively adorned tent by Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, who go into innuendo overdrive for this two-part yuletide special.
Eight bakers from previous series return to have another crack at a Signature, Technical and Showstopper bake with a festive twist.
We can’t wait to see fan favourites ‘Stormin’ Norman’ and mild-mannered Howard (remember ‘custardgate’?) back in action.
Concludes tomorrow.
Doctor Who
Sunday Christmas Day, 5.45pm BBC1
With only one episode in 2016, there’s a lot of pressure on The Return of Doctor Mysterio (the title a nod to the show’s name in Mexico, where it’s hugely popular) to deliver the goods.
Thankfully, this is a Christmas present to savour – a classy comic-book caper featuring alien brain-swapping, some spooky science in a New York skyscraper and the Doctor (Peter Capaldi) joining forces with mysterious masked vigilante superhero The Ghost (Justin Chatwin) and investigative journalist Lucy (Charity Wakefield).
The return of Nardole (Matt Lucas) ensures that there are more laughs than scares in a cracker from the pen of Steven Moffat…
Call the Midwife
Sunday Christmas Day, 8.00pm BBC1
Just as we think we’re getting stuck into Christmas dinner at Nonnatus House, the nuns and midwives are packing their cases to ditch snowy Poplar for sweltering South Africa when they are sent to help a struggling mission hospital.
It’s a treat to see them shedding their traditional poise and really testing their resolve – new challenges range from a lack of clean water to a very unreliable hospital truck, as well as some emotive social problems.
There’s still time for a dramatic birth or two, though, while Sinéad Cusack gives a wonderful turn as dedicated but frosty Dr Myra Fitzsimmons, who runs the hospital, but may need a spot of medical treatment herself…
Maigret
Sunday Christmas Day, 9.00pm ITV
In Rowan Atkinson’s second outing as the French detective, Maigret is intrigued when he receives a series of phone calls from a man whose life is in danger, and goes undercover to solve a murder.
Rowan’s shifted easily from broad physical comedy to his understated performance as the taciturn, thoughtful Maigret, although the leisurely pace of his first investigation was not to everyone’s taste.
If you’re a fan of Rowan’s reinvention in this good-looking period crime drama, you’ll be pleased to hear that two more cases are being filmed.
Mrs Brown’s Boys
Sunday Christmas Day, 10.30pm BBC1
It wouldn’t be Christmas if some catastrophe didn’t befall Mrs Brown and her Christmas tree.
So this year Agnes is adamant she’s not going to have one. Fans will know it’s not as simple as that.
There are the obligatory fluffed lines, more than a few saucy jokes, and Dermot and Buster looking the cat’s whiskers in their latest costumes as they attempt to win a contract to promote Jack Rabbit Pets.
