By Daniel Furn

Published: Saturday, 25 December 2021 at 12:00 am

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It’s finally here! After quite the year and several socially-distanced specials last year, Santa has finally arrived with a sackful of great festive telly.

Many of the usual suspects return in full force this year – Strictly Come Dancing, The Great British Bake Off, Call the Midwife and Mrs Brown’s Boys are all back with seasonal specials full of celebrities, laughs and all sorts of Christmas cheer.

However there are some new entrants to the Christmas Day ratings battle, with The Larkins airing a special following the conclusion of the first series in April, while Superworm is a new animation from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler sure to wriggle its way into our hearts.

See below for our picks of the best Christmas TV for 25th December 2021 – and Merry Christmas!

Superworm – 2:30pm, BBC One

It’s not Christmas Day without a star-studded adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s work, and this year is no different with Superworm getting the animated treatment. Superworm follows the titular insect who can help others by changing into useful shapes – but when he’s snatched by a villainous lizard, the garden creatures will have to be the ones who help him this time.

The Crown‘s Matt Smith and Olivia Colman lead the voice cast as Superworm and narrator respectively, with Rob Brydon, Patricia Allison and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith also lending their voices.

Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs at Christmas – 5:30pm, ITV

Paul O’Grady’s coverage of Battersea Dogs and Cats home has become a firm favourite among families, so it’s no surprise the heartwarming series is getting another Christmas special. Dogs aren’t just for Christmas of course – and this episode will see the hunt to get a loving home for a lonely beagle, while a cockapoo is in need of some table manners ahead of Christmas dinner.

Strictly Come Dancing – 5:10pm, BBC One

After last year’s COVID-conscious clip show, Strictly Come Dancing gets a full Christmas special this year as six new celebrities strap on their dancing shoes for a chance to impress the judges in this festive one-off. Newsreader Moira Stuart, popstar Anne-Marie, maître d’hôtel Fred Sirieix, furniture restorer Jay Blades and presenters Mel Giedroyc and Adrian Chiles are the celebs in question – but who will be twinkly-toed and who will be dad dancing?

Emmerdale, Coronation Street – 8pm, ITV, Eastenders – 9:35pm, BBC One

Yup, it’s never a quiet Christmas in soapland – but it looks like it will be particularly eventful this year in the Soaps Christmas 2021 TV schedule. Serial killers seem to be the focus of this special day as both Gray in Eastenders and Meena in Emmerdale are in danger of being exposed – but things are slightly more light-hearted on the Coronation Street cobbles as Emma prepares to marry con-man Curtis.

The Great Christmas Bake Off 2021 – 8pm, Channel 4

Two years after the Derry Girls special, Bake Off has turned to another Channel 4 hit for the Great British Bake Off 2021 Christmas special – the emotionally devastating Aids drama It’s A Sin. However this looks to be a much cheerier affair as four of the show’s stars swap the Pink Palace for the Bake Off Tent, with Olly Alexander, Lydia West, Nathaniel Curtis and Shaun Dooley all competing for the iconic Star Baker apron – and possibly even a Hollywood handshake.

Call The Midwife – 9pm, BBC One

A Call the Midwife special is almost as synonymous with Christmas as mince pies and drunk relatives, and this year’s edition is set to be the “busiest Christmas Day ever” for Helen George’s nurse Trixie Franklin and Leonie Elliott’s Lucille Anderson. However there’s still time to prepare for a wedding amongst all the work and festivities, until bride-to-be Lucille experiences quite the injury. Will there still be wedding bells as well as carol bells?

The Larkins Christmas Special – 9pm, ITV

The Larkins only ended its first series in November, but it’s already back for a primetime Christmas special – and the good-natured series couldn’t be more fitting in the festive TV schedules. As the season for family gatherings, the episode sees Charley introduce his straight-laced parents to the Larkins – which does not go particularly well even before the power cut and burglary.

It’s a good Christmas for Bradley Walsh fans – here’s also on-screen at 7:25pm hosting Blankety Blank.

Mrs Brown’s Boys – 10:20pm, BBC One

Already a pantomime in many ways, Mrs Brown’s Boys has not had a full series in years but remains immensely popular thanks to its annual seasonal specials. The 2021 edition is focused on a murder-mystery evening of all things (in aid of alcoholic greyhounds apparently) though Christmas spirit is present through Agnes’s shenanigans at the church choir. Look out for Brendan O’Carroll’s dancing and one of the show’s signature mistakes!

Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight. 

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