23 must-watch Christmas TV shows this December, chosen by a TV editor

At long last, we have a delicious new Wallace & Gromit to enjoy this Christmas! For the first time since 2008's A Matter of Loaf and Death, Wallace and his pal Gromit are back after a recent crime wave of stolen garden goods leads Wallace to become the prime suspect. While Wallace proclaims his innocence, it’s up to Gromit to save the day!

Five years after the Christmas cliffhanger, we are finally going to find out if Smithy accepts Nessa's marriage proposal in the last-ever episode of the beloved sitcom Gavin and Stacey. 

The finale will see Pam in a tizz as she hosts Christmas, while falling out with Mick and dealing with their wayward pals, Dawn and Tim. Meanwhile, Gavin and Stacey are trying to find ways to spice up their marriage. Most importantly—we might actually finally find out what happened on that fishing trip.

We couldn't be happier for the Brockmans to be back! The Christmas Special follows Pete and Sue in their downsized house as the kids, now adults, come home for Christmas.

Bridgerton’s darling Nicola Coughlan makes a guest appearance in the highly anticipated Christmas episode of Doctor Who as Joy, in the episode titled Joy to the World. The time-hopping adventure has been penned by Doctor Who alumni Steven Moffat—so settle in because this should be good!

One for the kids! Settle in for an adaptation of the hugely successful picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. 

The story follows a little fish with a big imagination who gets lost in the deep, wide ocean until he’s saved by his own storytelling. With Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham on board as the narrator, have a festive family time with this sweet tale!

Cormoran and Robin are back for the latest instalment in the detective series, The Ink Black Heart. This holiday season, the detective duo investigate the murder of an animator who was killed weeks after coming to the agency for help with a stalker. So who murdered Edie? That's for Strike and Ellacott to find out—and for us to wait and see!

The beloved drama starring Nicola Walker, Stephen Mangan, and Annabel Scholey is back for a Spanish extravaganza set over one sun-soaked weekend.

Steven Knight’s hit SAS Rogue Heroes returns for a second series, bringing back stars Jack O'Connell, Connor Swindells, and Alfie Allen. The new series reveals how the war is starting to impact these brave soldiers.

This year, Call the Midwife will deliver not one but two Christmas specials! A funfair comes to town, but the residents of Poplar have no time to enjoy it—a prisoner has escaped and is on the loose near the town. Eek!

With the debut of Don Gilet as Detective Inspector Mervin Wilson, this is not an episode to miss if you love the murderous Caribbean show. The synopsis reads: "Londoner Mervin Wilson ruffles some feathers as he clashes with the island’s way of life. 

But he quickly sinks his teeth into one of the team's most puzzling murder cases yet: three men, all unconnected apart from the fact that they’re dressed as Santa Claus, and seemingly all shot with the exact same gun at the exact same time."

Not only is Death in Paradise back, so is its spin-off! We're back in Shipton Abbott for two festive cases. Bob Holland is ordered to leave his home by a vision of his late wife Linda. Disturbed by this, he turns to his friend Anne for comfort, who goes to the Shipton Abbott police team. Unsure whether Bob's ghostly visions stem from grief or something more sinister, Humphrey and Esther investigate.

The beloved dancing show is back for a festive special with stars including comedian Josh Widdicome, drag superstar Tayce, presenter Vogue Williams, and Gladiator Harry Aikines-Aryeetey taking to the dance floor.

The Young Offenders celebrates the most wonderful time of the year as Mairéad, Sgt. Healy, and Conor prepare for an imminent new arrival, with Conor wanting only the best for his mother. While Conor does his best with cleaning, Mairéad decides to give him lessons—only to discover a handgun in his laundry basket. 

Conor is holding the gun for cash for his friend Jack Hammer, the only person Billy Murphy is scared of. Mairéad insists the handgun is returned to Hammer on Christmas Eve—and chaos ensues.

For those who want something a little grittier this Christmas, look no further. Starring Martin Clunes, this crime drama follows a farmer "confronted with dark forces seeping into his rural community".

The synopsis reads: "The drama will depict the stealthy, surreptitious invasion of the land our farmer cherishes, with devastating consequences, as his livelihood, homestead, and family life are threatened by local county lines drugs dealers—urban gangs using the British countryside as a field of operations, moving drugs and money between their inner-city hubs and provincial areas."

James Norton plays Pete, a father devastated to learn his toddler was switched at birth and isn’t his biological son. Meeting the other parents who have their biological child, the two couples try to make things work for their sons’ sake—only for Pete and Maddie to discover the other couple have no plans to play fair.

We’ll be saying a final farewell to Vera this Christmas, after Brenda Blethyn, 78, decided it was time to hang up her detective handcuffs. The final episode has been described as "poignant" and brings Vera back to the legendary local stones, The Dark Wives, "for a compelling and emotional farewell".

There will also be a documentary—Vera... Farewell Pet—to celebrate the show’s legacy.

We're so excited to be back with Taskmaster Greg Davies and his "fiendish elf" Alex Horne as they ring in the new year by tormenting five celebrities—Martin Lewis, Sue Johnston, David James, Professor Hannah Fry, and Melanie Blatt—with a series of weird, wonderful one-off challenges.

Although plot details haven’t been shared about the Channel 5 show yet, we do know that the Christmas special will see the Yorkshire village of Grassington transform into the fictional village of Darrowby as they prepare for war. 

Army recruitment posters, horses, and tape across windows have all been spotted during filming. We can't wait to hear the context!

Based on the books by Love Actually creator Richard Curtis, this animation follows entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake—not to mention an enormous number of turkeys!

Keira Knightley stars in this thriller as Helen Webb, a professional spy who has been passing on information about her MP husband’s dealings for over a decade. When her secret lover is murdered, her spymaster (Sarah Lancashire) calls in Helen’s old friend Sam (Ben Whishaw) to keep her safe. The pair set off to investigate who killed Jason—and why.

Over a decade after Detective Kat Donovan’s fiancé Josh disappeared without a trace, she’s never heard from him—until she spots him on a dating app. Kat dives into the mystery of his sudden disappearance, wondering if it’s tied to her father’s murder and long-buried secrets from her past.

Voiced by Emilia Clarke, Gerard Butler, and Simone Ashley, enjoy this sweet tale for Christmas. The story follows St Nick, who receives a delayed letter on Christmas Eve from the Princess of Hearts.

The synopsis continues: "He and his dedicated team of reindeer set off to Wonderland, where they’re greeted by the mean and miserable Queen of Hearts, who hates all things Christmas... especially presents! Can St Nick, aided by Alice, the Mad Hatter, and the March Hare, show the Queen the true meaning of Christmas and save the day before it’s too late?"

Missing Chris McCausland from Strictly already? Never fear—he’ll be back on our screens alongside Lee Mack. In this new series, Lee plays a home security expert who doesn’t get on with his neighbour, Scott (played by Chris).

The synopsis reads: "Scott swaps their bins, complains about Neil’s ‘project’ car on his drive, and has had his Christmas lights up all year, shining into Neil’s home office. Basically, he’s a git. He’s also blind, and the rest of the street thinks he’s great."

One thing leads to another, and Neil accidentally blows the power, emptying the street on Christmas Eve and leaving Neil and Scott alone—just as a local crime family decide to burgle the neighbourhood. Only the warring neighbours can stop them.