BBC Studios Set To Keep You Jolly This Festive Season

BBC Studios has your Festive Season TV lineup ready this December

BBC Studios has an exciting lineup of Christmas specials this December to keep you and your loved ones entertained for hours on end.

This holiday season, why not make the most of your time with your loved ones by settling in for an unforgettable lineup of festive entertainment with BBC Studios channels, available on DStv and DStv Catch Up? From laugh-out-loud comedies, suspicious mysteries, head-scratching game shows, and a lot of scrumptious food and banter, don’t miss the best entertainment for the whole family on BBC Brit (DStv 120), BBC Lifestyle (DStv 174), BBC UKTV (DStv 114), BBC Earth (DStv 184) and CBeebies (DStv 306).

What’s on BBC Lifestyle this festive season?

Jamie Oliver returns with Jamie Oliver: Seasons (Autumn & Winter Specials) (Autumn: Tuesday, 9 December at 20:00 and Winter: Tuesday, 16 December at 20:00) – these two beautiful seasonal episodes celebrating fresh, comforting, festive food. From warm autumn pastas to hearty winter roasts and desserts, Jamie’s easy approach to seasonal cooking makes him the perfect co-host in your kitchen. Build your own “seasonal spread” for Friendsmas using Jamie’s ingredients comforting, colourful, and surprisingly simple.

Beginning on a scenic journey to the tip of Cornwall, this picturesque World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys (from Thursday 11 December at 20:00) takes viewers on individual and stunning train journeys. The travels in this instalment include a Scottish rail odyssey from Glasgow to the Isle of Skye, an extraordinary trip across Sicily and a journey on the Mediterranean’s most spectacular coastline. On each route we meet the people who live and work along these special rail lines around the world and explore the natural wonders along the way.

The Great British Bake Off: New Year Special (on Monday 29 December at 20:00) returns for a Christmas special. In Soap-tacular style, Natalie Cassidy, Chris Bisson, Dean Gaffney, Shobna Gulati and Sheree Murphy take on three festive challenges. Who’ll cobble something together, and who’ll be Queen Vic-torious?

Siobhán McSweeney hosts a fabulously festive dollop of Christmas clay, as four celebs roll up their sleeves and take on two yuletide challenges in The Great Pottery Throw Down: Special: Christmas 2024 (on Monday 22 December at 20:00). Celebrities Babátúndé Aléshé, Martin Kemp, Rachel Riley, and Tom Rosenthal competed in a two-part challenge to build a winter wonderland and throw as many wine coolers as possible. Martin Kemp was crowned the winner.

What’s on BBC Brit this festive season?

We’re in December 1941. With wartime shortages, Mrs. Hall secures a goose for Christmas and debates cake choices for Jimmy’s first birthday. Tristan is assigned to a homing pigeon program and seeks help from Mr. Sykes, a wary expert – and soon a sick pigeon earns Tristan limited trust. Meanwhile, news breaks that Edward’s ship was bombed and sunk. As Skeldale awaits word, Mrs. Hall keeps up appearances but questions the taking of life, reflecting deeply on the season’s meaning. All Creatures Great and Small season 5 premieres on Monday, 22 December 2025 at 20:00.

In the middle of a busy festive period, Sister Boniface (Lorna Watson) and Inspector Gillespie (Max Brown) are stranded on a snowbound train when four carriages detach in Sister Boniface Mysteries: Christmas Special (on Tuesday 23 December at 20:00). Things quickly take a sinister turn when a cursed jewel, owned by Sir Swinton and destined for the British Museum, is stolen – and then a murder on board is discovered – leading Sister Boniface to investigate, incognito. Meanwhile, in Great Slaughter, a frozen naked man is found, and Reverend Mother Adrian cancels Christmas, prompting complete chaos, until a lone girl and a boy with a donkey add warmth and redemption to the holiday mystery.

Santa becomes the only credible suspect when a string of reverse burglaries results in items being left rather than stolen! The popular Death in Paradise spin-off, Beyond Paradise – Christmas Special (on Wednesday 24 December at 20:00) returns as DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall), and his fiancée Martha (Sally Bretton) settle into their new life by the Devon coast for this Christmas Special. The Vicar of Dibley’s James Fleet and Benidorm icon Sheila Reid guest star as the team face a race against time to catch the real culprit in time for Christmas.

Jingle those bells, the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas 2024 Special returns on Thursday, 25 December at 18:30! Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are our hosts with the most as six celebrities look to wow the judging panel of Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton du Beke. Hitting the dancefloor in this Christmas extravaganza are Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, stage and screen actress Tamzin Outhwaite, model and media personality Vogue Williams, racing driver Billy Monger, comedian and presenter Josh Widdicombe and drag artist Tayce. Whose toes will twinkle them to taking home the coveted trophy? Plus, there’s a very special performance by Emma Bunton

What’s on BBC Earth this festive season?

Martin Clunes explores the many island cultures and creatures of the Atlantic in Martin Clunes: Islands of the Atlantic (from Friday 5 December at 19:00). From sea turtles, giant snails and eccentric village theatre in tropical São Tomé and Príncipe, to fearsome predators and ancient rituals on the remote Bijagos islands. He also experiences colourful festivals, historic wines, mad eccentrics and hair-raising car rallies in Madeira, as well as volcanic cooking, panoramic tea picking and some thrilling whale spotting in the Azores. To finish, Martin embarks upon a trek on Greenland’s permanent ice sheet, with a climate change scientist and a jaw-dropping vista.

In the vast, harsh Gobi Desert, Gordon discovers that his survival depends on winning the trust of the traditional method of travel: his camel in Gordon Buchanan: My Epic Camel Adventure (on Friday 26 December at 20:00). At the mercy of a silent land, Gordon must rely on his camel for transport and survival. If he wins its trust, it will carry him across the varying landscapes towards the home of the elusive Gobi bear. Finding food and water for his camel, building a fire from its dung and being warmed by its fur, he discovers how climate change and desertification are threatening not only the nomadic way of life, but all life in the land that this remarkable animal calls home.

Two friends, beautiful places and a good natter in Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing (from Saturday 27 December at 18:00). Comedians Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse go on a life-affirming, funny journey, sharing their changed outlooks and trying to land a catch. The adventures in the first series see the pair fish for tench in Norfolk and reminisce about their childhood days, travel to the beautiful Monsal Valley, and try to catch sea trout at the Bridge Pool near Christchurch in Dorset.

What’s on BBC UKtv this festive season?

John Watson: doctor, soldier, war hero, lost soul. Fresh from fighting the war in Afghanistan, a chance encounter brings him into the world of Sherlock Holmes. Holmes: loner, detective, genius. Sherlock can tell a software designer by his tie, an airline pilot by his thumb. He has a unique analytical brain unlike anyone else in the world, and earns his living and staves off boredom by solving crimes. The weirder and more baffling, the better. The two men couldn’t be more different, but Sherlock’s inspired leaps of intellect coupled with John’s pragmatism soon forge an unbreakable alliance. Across three thrilling, scary, action-packed and highly entertaining television movies, Sherlock and John navigate a maze of cryptic clues and lethal killers to get at the truth. The world’s favourite detective has come out of the fog. With sparkling scripts and unforgettable performances from the two leads, this is Sherlock Holmes for a new generation. Sherlock airs from Friday, 5 December at 21:05.

The latest season of Come Dine With Me South Africa series 10 (from Monday 22 December at 19:00) joins BBC UKTV! Dave Lamb returns as narrator – adding fun, flair and a smattering of sass as four strangers visit one another’s homes for dinner and attempt to outwit and impress fellow guests with their culinary and hospitality skills in a bid to win a cash prize.

Seven well-known celebrities, with differing faiths and beliefs, meet in northern Portugal to tackle a modern-day Catholic pilgrimage in Pilgrimage: The Road Through Portugal (from Monday 22 December at 21:00). Known as the Northern Way, their destination is the famous sanctuary in the city of Fatima, one of the biggest Catholic pilgrimage destinations in the world. Travelling by foot, road and train are actor Su Pollard, who was raised in the Church of England; Jewish actress Rita Simons; Pentecostal born-again Christian Shane Lynch of Boyzone fame; reality TV star and influencer Vicky Pattison, who is agnostic; Bobby Seagull, a practising Catholic, maths whizz and TV personality; Nabil Abdulrashid, a comedian and practising Muslim; and Paralympian skier Millie Knight, who is non-practising Church of England. Living as pilgrims, they begin their adventure in the border town of Valenca and over 14 days the celebrity pilgrims will follow the 364-kilometre path as it winds its way south through stunning landscapes, passing places of historical and cultural interest.

Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, the makers of Sherlock, bring you a fresh take on the most famous vampire of them all, Dracula (from Thursday 25 December at 21:00). Featuring Claes Bang as the titular character, these three feature-length episodes introduce the world to Dracula, the vampire who made evil sexy, set in Transylvania in 1897. The blood-drinking Count is drawing up his plans to get to Victorian London, and be warned: the dead travel fast. Dolly Wells, Morfydd Clark and Jonathan Aris are among the supporting cast.

What’s on CBeebies this festive season?

Celebrate Christmas with back-to-back episodes of Bluey each day throughout December with Bluey Series 1 to 3 (from Monday 1 December at 15:00). This funny and honest look at modern family life celebrates how imaginative play helps shape healthy children. Australian blue heeler puppy Bluey has a boundless imagination and loves to turn daily life into playful adventures. She and little sister Bingo throw themselves into exploring their world, using gameplay to conquer their fears and try out adult roles. And they like nothing more than pulling their parents – particularly Dad – into their fun and games. Mum Chilli’s gone back to work and Dad Bandit juggles childcare with working from home. But though he might think he’s in charge, the girls are definitely calling the shots when it comes to playtime – and pretty much everything else!

Hey Duggee Series 5 (from Monday 1 December at 17:00), the funny animated series for pre-school children that encourages physical activity, returns for series 5. This time, the Rabbits are busy preparing for the Carrot Solstice, Duggee paints his face to look like Enid, and an old friend of Duggee visits, but leaves his favourite hat behind when he goes.

Celebrate Christmas on CBeebies Poland with a set of very special extended episodes of Octonauts Specials (from Monday 1 December at 16:30), including: Octonauts and the Amazon Adventure in which the Octonauts travel deep down the Amazon River in search of a lost city, Octonauts and the Great Christmas Rescue in which the Octonauts travel to Professor Inkling’s childhood home, Octonauts and the Great Penguin Race in which Peso competes in an annual penguin triathlon, plus many more adventures!

In this special episode of Dog Squad Christmas (on Monday 1 December at 17:15), it’s time for a Christmas mission! Can super-doggy heroes Diesel, Kika, Toffee, Dan and Tinks help guide Santa to Woofton in time to get the Christmas party started?

Celebrate Hey Duggee’s 11th Birthday Party (on Wednesday 17th December from 06:00). The 11th birthday of popular children’s series Hey Duggee with 11 back-to-back favourite episodes! Duggee is a big lovable brown dog, who runs The Squirrel Club; a place where children take part in all sorts of exciting activities, have adventures and earn badges for their accomplishments.

Celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas (from Wednesday 24 December at 06:00) with back-to-back episodes of favourite shows such as Stan Can & Sarah and Duck each morning throughout the festive period. In Stan Can, Stanley is a hamster who’s always happy to help whenever a job needs doing, while in Sarah and Duck, a little girl and her duck friend embark on simple but exciting adventures.

Keep the festive times rolling with BBC Studios, the home of exceptional British entertainment that offers an eclectic mix of shows for the whole family, full of food, game shows, shiny floor, lifestyle, drama and so much more.

Catch all the fun on DStv or DStv Catch Up, in case you missed some of your favourites. Let BBC Studios bring the joy of Christmas to your home this festive season.

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