Everything confirmed so far for Christmas TV 2026 in the UK: the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 specials, the festive films and series coming to Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney+ and Sky, the new Christmas films in cinemas, and the classic Christmas films you can stream right now.
Last updated: 1 November 2026. This guide is updated regularly through November and December as broadcasters and streamers announce their Christmas schedules. Bookmark it and check back for the latest.
We list programmes and films that have been officially announced, label anything only reported in the press as reported, not confirmed, and the outlets we rely on are listed under Sources at the end of this page. Anything not yet announced sits under Expected / to be confirmed, clearly labelled. Christmas TV dates and times are not out yet; channels usually publish them in early December, and we will add them here as soon as they appear.
Jump to: Key dates · BBC · ITV · Channel 4 and Channel 5 · Streaming · In cinemas · Classics to stream · Expected / to be confirmed · Not on this year · FAQ · Sources
Christmas 2026 key dates
- Saturday 19 December: the Strictly Come Dancing final on BBC One.
- Thursday 24 December: Christmas Eve.
- Friday 25 December: Christmas Day.
- Saturday 26 December: Boxing Day.
- Monday 28 December: substitute bank holiday, because Boxing Day falls on a Saturday.
- Thursday 31 December: New Year’s Eve.
BBC One, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer at Christmas 2026
The BBC has announced more Christmas specials than any other channel so far. All of these will be on BBC iPlayer as well as on broadcast TV; the BBC has not yet given dates or times unless we say so.
| Programme | Channel | What we know |
|---|---|---|
| Ludwig Christmas special | BBC One and iPlayer | David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin return for an hour-long locked-room murder mystery at a snowbound Christmas hotel in Yorkshire, with Sir David Suchet among the suspects. |
| Amandaland Christmas special | BBC One and iPlayer | Lucy Punch’s Amanda ditches a quiet Christmas Eve to throw a last-minute party, with Daisy Haggard joining as old friend Millie. One hour. |
| The Cleaner In Italy (working title) | BBC One and iPlayer | Greg Davies’s first hour-long special sends Wicky on a hiking holiday in the Dolomites, with Robert Webb and Peter Serafinowicz. Billed for “the festive period”. |
| The Other Bennet Sister: three-part Christmas special | BBC One and iPlayer | Three half-hour episodes following Mary Bennet into married life, written by Sarah Quintrell. |
| Call the Midwife: Sisters in Arms | BBC One and iPlayer | A three-part prequel set in Poplar in 1939, written by Heidi Thomas. Filming has wrapped and the BBC says it airs this Christmas. |
| The Baddies | BBC One and iPlayer | The new half-hour Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler animation from Magic Light Pictures, narrated by Sheridan Smith, with Rob Brydon and Alison Steadman. |
| Death in Paradise Christmas special | BBC One and iPlayer | The BBC ordered two more series plus Christmas specials when it recommissioned the show in April. |
| A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Bride’s Chamber | BBC Two and iPlayer | Mark Gatiss adapts and directs a Charles Dickens tale, starring Martin Freeman and Jim Broadbent. |
| Strictly Come Dancing: the final | BBC One and iPlayer | Saturday 19 December. |
Doctor Who fans, see Not on this year below, and catch up on every era with our Doctor Who watch order and where to stream in the UK.
ITV1 and ITVX at Christmas 2026
Three ITV festive entertainment specials have been reported so far, but ITV has not yet listed them in its own announcements, so treat them as reported, not confirmed. Its dramas and the rest of the schedule usually arrive with its Christmas brochure, which normally comes out between late October and mid November.
| Programme | What we know | Status |
|---|---|---|
| The Masked Singer Christmas special | Four famous faces in festive costumes, all unmasked in one episode, ahead of the new series. Joel Dommett hosts. | Reported, not confirmed |
| The Celebrity Chase Christmas special | Bradley Walsh’s festive celebrity edition. No line-up or date yet. | Reported, not confirmed |
| Bullseye Christmas special | Freddie Flintoff hosts a celebrity Christmas edition. | Reported, not confirmed |
Channel 4 and Channel 5 at Christmas 2026
| Programme | Channel | What we know |
|---|---|---|
| Mog’s Bad Thing | Channel 4 | A hand-drawn follow-up to Mog’s Christmas from Lupus Films, based on Judith Kerr’s book, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy returning as Mr and Mrs Thomas. |
Channel 5’s All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special and Channel 4’s annual festive favourites are listed under Expected / to be confirmed until the channels announce them.
Christmas on Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney+ and Sky in 2026
Dates below are UK release dates unless we say otherwise. For everything new on the streamers each week, see our Weekly Streaming Highlights.
| Title | Service | Release Date | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Dog’s Perfect Christmas | Netflix | 4 November | Family drama based on W. Bruce Cameron’s work, with Dennis Quaid and Mary Steenburgen. |
| Tyler Perry’s The Gospel of Christmas | Netflix | 11 November | A pastor fights to save his family’s church before Christmas. |
| The Christmas Switch | Netflix | 12 November (global) | Swedish romantic comedy about two sisters who swap lives before Christmas. |
| Guarding Stars | Netflix | 18 November | Holiday romcom with Leighton Meester as a bodyguard protecting Jared Padalecki’s film star. |
| In a Holidaze | Netflix | 2 December | Maddie Ziegler is stuck in a Christmas time loop, with Rob Lowe. |
| The Man with the Bag | Prime Video | 2 December (worldwide) | Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Santa teams up with Alan Ritchson’s thief to recover his stolen sack. |
| Snoopy Presents: 12 Days of Snoopy | Apple TV | Friday 13 November | New Peanuts special: Snoopy has landed on Santa’s naughty list. |
| Fraggle Rock: A Holiday Gift | Apple TV | Friday 4 December | New Jim Henson Company musical special. |
| A Charlie Brown Christmas (free window) | Apple TV | 12 to 13 December | The classic special streams free that weekend. |
| Mickey’s Home Alone | Disney+ | Holiday season (UK listings report 27 November) | New animated special in which Mickey and Pluto defend their Christmas dinner. |
| The Dyers’ Caravan Park: A Merry Elfing Christmas (working title) | Sky and NOW | December | Danny and Dani Dyer try to give their caravan park its biggest Christmas yet. |
Watch the trailers
Tap a title’s trailer to watch it here. We’ll add the rest as they are released.
- A Dog’s Perfect Christmas:
- Tyler Perry’s The Gospel of Christmas:
- Guarding Stars:
- In a Holidaze:
- The Man with the Bag:
BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4’s streaming service and 5 carry the broadcasters’ Christmas shows; see the channel sections above.
New Christmas films in UK cinemas
Festive films first, then the biggest new releases opening over the Christmas holidays. Our UK Release Calendar has every date.
| Film | Release Date | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint | 6 November | British Christmas comedy with John Bradley, Sophia Di Martino, Celia Imrie and Richard E. Grant. |
| Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol | 13 November | Ti West’s Dickens adaptation with Johnny Depp as Scrooge. |
| Arthur Christmas (15th anniversary re-release) | 20 November | Aardman’s festive favourite returns to cinemas. |
| Violent Night 2 | 4 December | David Harbour’s Santa returns in the action sequel. |
| The Holiday (20th anniversary re-release) | 4 December | Nancy Meyers’s house-swap romance back on the big screen. |
| Avengers: Doomsday | 16 December | Marvel’s next Avengers film. |
| Dune: Part Three | 18 December | Denis Villeneuve’s third Dune film. |
Watch the trailers
Tap a title’s trailer to watch it here.
- Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint:
- Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol:
- Violent Night 2:
More on the Christmas blockbusters: Avengers: Doomsday lines up its heroes and our UK cinema blockbusters exclusive.
Classic Christmas films to stream in the UK
Where the festive favourites are streaming in the UK right now. Availability was checked on 31 October 2026 and can change at short notice, so we will recheck this list every week.
| Film | Where to watch in the UK |
|---|---|
| Love Actually (2003) | ITVX (free with adverts) |
| Elf (2003) | Sky Cinema and NOW Cinema; HBO Max |
| Home Alone (1990) | Disney+ |
| The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) | Disney+ |
| Die Hard (1988) | Disney+ |
| Klaus (2019) | Netflix |
| A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) | Apple TV (free on 12 and 13 December) |
| The Holiday (2006) | Rent or buy digitally; back in cinemas from 4 December |
| It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) | Rent or buy digitally (not on a subscription service at the moment) |
Looking for something to watch tonight instead? Try our What to Watch page.
Expected / to be confirmed
These are not confirmed. Each item below is either a fixture that happens most years but has not been announced for 2026, or a press report that the channel has not confirmed. We will move them into the main lists only when there is an official announcement.
| Programme | Status | Why it is here |
|---|---|---|
| EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale Christmas Day episodes | Expected | Annual fixtures; no 2026 schedule yet. |
| The King’s Christmas message | Expected | Traditionally 3pm on Christmas Day on BBC One and ITV1; not yet announced for 2026. |
| Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special | Expected, no date | Normally on Christmas Day; no 2026 date announced. |
| All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special | Reported, no date | Reported as part of Channel 5’s series 7; Channel 5 has not given a date. |
| Changing Ends Christmas special | Reported, not confirmed by ITV | Reported in the press, not confirmed; ITV has not announced it. |
| Love Naturally (Richard Curtis wildlife special) | Reported | Press reports only; no BBC announcement yet. |
| Call the Midwife: Sisters in Arms on Christmas Day | Date reported | Some outlets say it starts on 25 December; the BBC has only said “this Christmas”. |
| The Great Christmas Bake Off and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year | Expected | Channel 4 staples most years; not yet announced for 2026. |
Not on this Christmas
- Doctor Who. The Christmas 2026 special announced in October 2025 will not go ahead. On 10 June 2026 the BBC said that it, Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf had decided not to make it, and that the show will go out to competitive tender Read more in our James Bond and Doctor Who feature.
Christmas TV 2026: frequently asked questions
Is there a Doctor Who Christmas special in 2026?
No. The BBC confirmed on 10 June 2026 that the previously announced Christmas episode will not go ahead while the show goes out to competitive tender.
When will the Christmas 2026 TV schedules be published?
The channels have not published dates or times yet. ITV usually releases its Christmas brochure between late October and mid November, the BBC its highlights in late November, and full schedules with times normally follow in early December. We update this page as each one arrives.
What day is Christmas Day 2026?
Friday 25 December. Boxing Day is Saturday 26 December and Monday 28 December is the substitute bank holiday.
Is there a Ludwig Christmas special?
Yes. The BBC announced an hour-long Ludwig Christmas special in September 2026 for BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with Sir David Suchet in the guest cast. No date yet.
Is Call the Midwife on at Christmas 2026?
Yes, in a new form: Call the Midwife: Sisters in Arms, a three-part prequel set in 1939, is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Christmas. The BBC has not confirmed the dates.
What Christmas films are coming to Netflix in 2026?
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas (4 November), Tyler Perry’s The Gospel of Christmas (11 November), The Christmas Switch (12 November), Guarding Stars (18 November) and In a Holidaze (2 December).
What new Christmas films are in UK cinemas?
Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint (6 November), Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol (13 November) and Violent Night 2 (4 December), plus re-releases of Arthur Christmas (20 November) and The Holiday (4 December).
When is the Strictly Come Dancing final?
Saturday 19 December on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Where can I stream Love Actually in the UK?
On ITVX, free with adverts, as of 31 October 2026. Streaming deals change, so check our classics list above, which we recheck weekly.
Sources
Programme and release details on this page come from: BBC Media Centre, ITV, Channel 4 Press, About Netflix, Netflix Tudum, What’s on Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV Press, Disney+ Press, Sky Group, Universal Pictures UK, Paramount, the BBFC, Park Circus, Disney UK, DCM, Signature Entertainment, Digital Spy, TV Zone UK and JustWatch UK.
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