Key Takeaways:
- The BBC has announced its full Christmas and New Year television schedule for 2025, promising a lineup packed with festive specials and family entertainment.
- Major highlights include Christmas episodes for beloved dramas like Call The Midwife, EastEnders, Death in Paradise, and Beyond Paradise.
- A new animated special, The Scarecrows’ Wedding, based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, leads the family programming.
- The highly anticipated second series of The Night Manager, starring Tom Hiddleston, is also set to feature in the holiday schedule.
The BBC is set to bring festive cheer into living rooms across the nation, today unveiling a star-studded TV and iPlayer lineup for Christmas 2025 designed to entertain the whole family. The schedule is brimming with exclusive specials from the UK’s most popular shows, brand-new animations, and gripping drama.
Enchanting Family Animation
The Scarecrows’ Wedding
Leading the charge for family viewing is The Scarecrows’ Wedding, a new half-hour animated special adapted from the much-loved picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. The story follows scarecrows Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay as their wedding plans are thrown into chaos by a smooth-talking rival.
The special features an all-star voice cast, including Jessie Buckley (Wicked Little Letters), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), and Rob Brydon (Gavin and Stacey), with narration by Sophie Okonedo (Slow Horses).
Dramatic Festive Specials
Holiday Drama from Poplar to the Caribbean
Fans of popular dramas have plenty to look forward to. Call The Midwife will air a dramatic two-part special that sees the Nonnatus House team embark on an emergency rescue mission to Hong Kong after a local disaster.
Meanwhile, EastEnders promises a typically eventful Christmas in Walford, with storylines involving shocking secrets, the return of past faces, and a tantalizing flashforward episode that will give viewers a glimpse into 2026.
Crime-solving continues in warmer climes with festive mysteries in both Death in Paradise and its spin-off, Beyond Paradise. Both specials will see their respective detective inspectors tackle holiday-themed cases while navigating personal challenges.
Star-Studded Thrills and Comedy
The Return of The Night Manager
One of the most anticipated returns of the season is the second series of The Night Manager. Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as Jonathan Pine, who is drawn back into a perilous world of arms dealing, this time taking him deep into a deadly plot in Colombia.
For those in need of a laugh, the BBC has scheduled Christmas specials for comedies Amandaland, Two Doors Down, and Here We Go, ensuring the festive fortnight is filled with plenty of humour alongside the drama. The entire collection of shows will be available to watch live and on-demand on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Image Referance: https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/bbc-christmas-tv-iplayer-2025/