Strictly Come Dancing: The Final, Call the Midwife and Finding Father Christmas: TV highlights this week

Strictly Come Dancing: The Final (Saturday 20/12/25, BBC One, 7pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

By any standards, it’s been an eventful series of Strictly Come Dancing. The drama started before the first show, when Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn had to pull out on medical grounds and was replaced by Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope.

Then Dani Dyer fractured her ankle ahead of the first live show, with West End star and former Love Islander Amber Davies stepping in at the last minute.

Then during the series, Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis and drag queen La Voix also had to make early exits due to injuries.

However, the Strictly exit that made the most headlines was the announcement that this would be presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s last series.

In a joint statement, the pair said: “We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time. We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show.

“They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day. We will cry when we say the last “keep dancing” but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”

Amid all the big announcements though, there have also been some terrific dances.

Some of them have been provided by Amber and Lewis, which led to shock when they unexpectedly found themselves in the bottom two during Musicals Week.

The judges unanimously opted to save Amber, who had received a perfect score for her Charleston, but Anton du Beke suggested that Lewis may be the best dancer in Strictly history to not make the semi-final.

But are we in for any more upsets as we reach the final?

We’re about to find out as the remaining couples take to the floor to perform three routines – their own favourite, one picked by the judges and a showdance.

Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke will be judging their efforts but the final say will rest with the viewers, as the scores are just for guidance.

If that isn’t enough Strictly action, the judges will be back on December 25, when celebrities Scarlett Moffatt, Melanie Blatt, Babatunde Aléshé, Nicholas Bailey and Jodie Ounsley – aka Gladiator Fury – take to the floor for the annual Christmas special.

That will also be Claudia and Tess’s final appearance as hosts, but maybe we should expect them to get a little emotional tonight.

Tess has been with the show since the first episode, while Claudia joined in 2014, having hosted Strictly’s sister show It Takes Two since 2004. They will be leaving some big, glittery shoes for the next presenters to fill.

Beyond Paradise Christmas Special (Sunday 21/12/25, BBC1, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

What do actors want for Christmas? Well, for Kris Marshall, the chance to star in a seasonal special is definitely high on the list.

He says: “What’s brilliant about Christmas for shows is that it’s like all the best episodes are rolled into one. The writers, the producers, the actors, and the stories are all going for gold. They’re often also standalone stories, nicely wrapped up in a heartwarming bow designed to make everyone watching feel good. It’s just what you want at Christmas when you’re stuffed.”

He adds: “The Christmas special is a wonderful tradition. I think it’s unique to the UK as well; I normally spend my Christmas in France, and they don’t have anything like that there or elsewhere in Europe. It’s uniquely British thing and I think that’s lovely.”

So, he’s understandably pleased to be back as DI Humphrey Goodman in the festive episode of the Death in Paradise spin-off Beyond Paradise. It also helps that he has a touching storyline, which begins when Esther (Zahra Ahmadi) discovers a man on the steps of the Shipton Abbott police station with no memory, holding a photo of Humphrey.

Kris says: “It’s such a personal story for Humphrey. A man turns up on his doorstep with a picture and we’re not sure why, but it soon becomes a deeply touching story. I find it becomes especially personal because of the eventual reason as to why he has Humphrey’s photography – it’s a very Christmassy story that warms the cockles.”

The team have another mystery man to deal with when Kelby (Dylan Llewellyn) comes to the aid of someone stuck in a snowman suit.

Meanwhile, Humphrey’s other half, Martha (Sally Bretton), is planning a surprise. Although she faces a race against time, she can at least be reasonably confident that the detective won’t deduce what she is up to.

Kris says: “There’s an irony in that a man like Humphrey can be acutely aware of the smallest minutiae of things while missing the bigger picture in his own personal life. He’s a paradox of a man because he can see the smallest detail that many would miss and then end up walking into a lamppost soon after.”

But that’s one of the reasons viewers have taken the show – and Humphrey and Martha – to their hearts.

Kris says about his on-screen relationship: “[It’s] fun, honest, and truthful. The audience has seen them grow from the time they met to how they are now. Initially, you think they’re a bit of an odd couple, but you realise they’re perfect for each other. They’re great fun – and they have a duck! That’s really the cherry on the cake.”

As well as the duck, this episode also features guest appearances from Adrian Edmondson, James Lance and Jonny Weldon. Perhaps most intriguingly of all, viewers are also promised a potentially life-changing reveal…

Amanda & Alan’s Spanish Christmas (Monday 22/12/25, BBC1, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

During his hugely entertaining stint on Celebrity Traitors, Alan Carr joked that his Christmas card list would be significantly reduced this year after he stabbed some of his fellow celebs in the back (and, on a couple of memorable occasions, ‘murdered’ them to their faces).

Luckily, Amanda Holden didn’t take part in the hit reality show so not only is she still his friend, she’s jetting off to Spain with him for a festive trip. They are returning to the village of Moclin, where they spent a long, hot summer turning a dilapidated property into a dreamy B&B.

The building is about to be put on the market, but first the pals want to throw an Anglo-Spanish Christmas party to thank everyone who helped them.

However, while they may be in agreement about the theme, the decorations could be a different matter. Alan is all for maximalism, while Amanda wants to keep it classy. Unfortunately for her, it’s Alan who heads to buy the tree decorations, and he ends up getting carried away in the tinsel department.

Amanda does take charge of desserts though as she visits one of Granada’s oldest bakeries to learn about Spain’s famous three kings’ cake, where gifts are hidden and the finder of the king is rewarded with special treatment for the day. She also puts a Spanish twist on her nan’s trifle with the help of her favourite sherry man, Juan.

When they are not working on the party planning and researching local traditions, Amanda and Alan find time to sample some of the delights of Andalusia, including a light show in Malaga. They even head back to their favourite nudist beach for a festive dip in the sea – but they keep their Santa hats on.

The pair later slip into their Christmas jumpers for a special cava tasting in Granada and get a lesson in making the perfect seasonal cocktail, all ready to serve up at their shindig.

Then it’s time for Alan and Amanda to bid goodbye to Spain, but the good news is they are taking on a new project in a new country, as their series Amanda & Alan’s Greek Job begins on BBC1 on January 2.

The mates are certainly excited to be bringing a little sunshine into the post-Christmas gloom. Speaking about their new series, Amanda said “We’re so excited to be spending another summer together bashing down walls in one of our favourite places ever!”

Alan added: “Greece is always my ‘Go To’ place for holiday fun, so it will be strange for me to be packing a hard hat, drill and paint roller in my suitcase instead of my usual suntan lotion and budgie smugglers.

“After the success of Sicily, Tuscany and Andalusia I think Greece is the perfect next step for some Alamanda magic, with its rich history and culture and let’s not forget the delicious food and drink, it feels like its already gearing up to be an unforgettable summer”.

Stuffed (Tuesday 23/12/25, BBC1, 9pm)

Words by Rachael Popow

When it was announced that Guz Khan was starring in the BBC’s new Christmas caper Stuffed, he revealed how he’d been sharing his own memories of the festive season with his children.

He says: “I remember telling my kids that when I was their age at Christmas, my neighbour would give me a card and tape three quid on this inside. They asked me if I’d do the same for them…I said absolutely not, you’ve got a PS5 and we celebrate Eid, do one lads…RIP Mrs Sadler. Merry Christmas.”

He added: “P.S Stuffed is alright ‘n’ all, watch it if you got time. Safe.”

However, Stuffed definitely isn’t Khan’s first experience of festive family entertainment. Last year, the stand-up comedian and star of sitcom Man Like Mobeen turned up in animated film That Christmas as the voice of Santa’s sidekick, reindeer Dasher.

In Stuffed though, he’s taking the lead role as office worker Arslan Farooqi, who is delighted when he gets an unexpected Christmas bonus of £8,000. He decides to spend it on taking his multi-faith family, which includes his wife Hannah (Morgana Robinson), his two daughters and brother-in-law Jamie (Theo Barklem-Biggs) on the festive trip of a lifetime.

The plan is to swap Coventry for the magic of Lapland, but it turns out there’s a problem. The reason the Christmas bonus was so unexpectedly generous is that it was paid to him by mistake.

So, he needs to return the cash – but it’s already been spent. As chaos ensues and disaster seems to follow the family at every turn, it looks like the family are going to need a miracle to save not just Christmas but Arslan’s job.

Perhaps their new friend Lily (Sue Johnston) can also lend a hand…

While Arslan is making new pals, Stuffed reunited Guz with a couple of old ones. Taskmaster fans will remember that he and Morgana Robinson went up against each other on the 12th series – she won, but there’s clearly no hard feelings.

Meanwhile, the comedy was written and created by Andy Milligan, who also worked on Man Like Mobeen.

Andy says: “The starting point for Stuffed was ‘One man is on a mission to save a Christmas he doesn’t believe in’ – and who better to be that man than Guz Khan, who apparently, has to be in everything I ever write.

“Our ambition was to make a show that had the spirit of classic caper movies like National Lampoon’s Vacation, but with a modern, multi-faith family at the heart of it.”

The BBC believe he’s succeeded in his mission. Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy, says: “We jumped at the chance to bring Stuffed to the BBC: from the moment Andy shared this Christmas caper, we knew it was something special.

“With Guz Khan’s warm humour at its heart it’s an hour-long treat bursting with warmth and laughter.”

Finding Father Christmas (Wednesday 24/12/25, Channel 4, 7.30pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

The thought of celebrities getting older can, in some cases, be quite disturbing, mostly because it makes us confront the passing of time too.

Take, for instance, the cast of Harry Potter. They were all little kids when we first met them in the early 2000s, but now they’re all grown up and, in some cases, have children of their own.

Members of The Inbetweeners were, of course, older than that when they became famous, but it’s still hard to think of, say, James Buckley (who portrayed the crass and immature Jay Cartwright in the sitcom) as a bloke edging towards 40. Nevertheless, at the age of 38, that’s exactly what he is, and in Channel 4’s two-part headlining festive show, he plays his own age, and the father of a teenager to boot.

He appears alongside Lenny Rush in the feature-length show. Bafta-winner Rush takes the role of Chris, a lovable 16-year-old lad who, to his Dad’s concern, still wholeheartedly believes in Santa Claus. As a result, Dad thinks it’s high time they sat down and had a serious talk about the matter, but Chris won’t believe a word of what he says – Santa is most definitely real and he’s going to prove it.

To do so, Chris embarks on a festive journey of discovery, accompanied by his cousin Holly. Along the way they speak to a whole host of famous folk, deep thinkers who should know the truth. But do polymath Stephen Fry, The Sky At Night’s Maggie Aderin-Pocock, mathematician Hannah Fry and adventurer Jason Fox really know what they are talking about, or are they hiding something?

Viewers will find out during the programme, which has been written by Mark Chappell, whose CV also includes the movie See How They Run, as well as TV hits such as The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret and Cold Feet.

“At its heart, Finding Father Christmas is a joyful celebration of belief, family and the enduring magic of Christmas,” claims executive producer Kenton Allen. “Mark Chappell’s brilliant script brings together an extraordinary cast – from comedy icons to national treasures – who all share in telling a story that is both laugh-out-loud funny and genuinely moving. We can’t wait to share it with Channel 4 audiences this Christmas.”

Jonah Weston, who commissioned the show from Big Talk Productions for Channel 4, backs him up, saying: “(This) is Channel 4’s big festive treat for 2025. Mark Chappell weaves together family comedy, heartfelt drama and a playful look at the science of Santa, brought to life by a cast packed with some of Britain’s best-loved stars. It’s a film full of joy, adventure and wonder.”

Finding Father Christmas is certainly one of those good, old-fashioned family shows we don’t see too often these days. It has the potential to become an annual classic enjoyed by viewers for years to come – no matter what their age may be.

Call the Midwife (Thursday 25/12/25, BBC One, 8.15pm)

Words by Damon Smith

There’s no place like home at Christmas but in this year’s festive double helping of heartwarming drama with the Poplar midwives and medics, characters are displaced by catastrophic circumstances or simply seeking a safe place to rest their weary heads. Tidings of comfort and joy aren’t restricted to East London – the kindness and compassion that greets every visitor to Nonnatus House extends to the other side of the world.

On Christmas Day, Fred and Violet fly to Hong Kong to visit Derek and they notice a large building has collapsed. Orphans and mothers have nowhere to go and news of the disaster travels back to London where an emergency rescue mission to Kowloon is hastily launched. However, Derek warns the medics to take care as the densely populated city is home to merciless Triad gangs that don’t react well to outsiders on their turf.

The story continues on Boxing Day with Sisters Julienne and Hilda facing down a demand for the keys to the Order’s new property. Back in Poplar, Trixie and Geoffrey learn mysterious newcomer Mr Fischer (played by guest star Henry Goodman) has a terminal blood disorder and they arrange for a rabbi to visit for the first night of Chanukah, the Jewish feast of lights.

Plus, Sister Catherine resolves to learn what happened to Queenie’s baby, while Rosalind and Joyce host a Christmas gathering with friends and medical colleagues.

Jenny Agutter, who plays Sister Julienne, has a special connection to Hong Kong. As a young child, her family was based in Singapore and visited the territory, though it is a very different place now as a special administrative region of China. “It’s extraordinary – great tall buildings, lots of lights, really built up, nothing from what I remembered at all as a child,” she reveals. “I sort of enjoyed it then, but it was just something one looked at. Going there to work gives you a completely different view.”

Filming in the intense heat was challenging, especially with the attire that is intrinsic to her character. “Many of us tried to cool down with fans and ice packs but of course, the more you do that, the hotter you’re going to get because your body is fighting it,” recalls Jenny. “I gave into it and just got really hot. By the end of the day my lovely white linen gown was completely soaking!”

Stephen McGann, who plays Dr Turner, fondly recalls filming a scene in Hong Kong in a rickshaw with a screaming director, who could barely be heard above the din of one of the most densely populated regions in the world. “One of the best days we did was in a crowded street with lots of shops and markets in,” he explains. “We were right in the middle of central Hong Kong and got all the atmosphere and the smells of the market and the place, it was just… visceral.”

Breathe in the excitement across both nights.

The Repair Shop at Christmas (Friday 26/12/25, BBC One, 7.30pm)

Words by Sarah Morgan

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, a period in which we give and receive items. However, it could be said that the Repair Shop experts offer up gifts all the time.

The show is rarely off our screens (not that we’re complaining), with a seemingly non-stop stream of much-loved items in need of some serious TLC coming through the doors at the barn at the Weald & Downland Living Museum in West Sussex. Their owners are both touched and moved by the work carried out, and go away blissfully happy.

So how do its makers go about creating a festive edition that is different to what we usually see? Add some fake snow and throw in a few celebrities, of course.

Thankfully, the high regard in which the show is held means that big names are only too pleased to be involved. As a result, Oscar-winning star Helen Mirren is taking time out of her busy schedule (she’s been spotted in London lately filming the new season of MobLand with Pierce Brosnan) to take part.

As well as being a busy actress, Mirren is also an ambassador for Denville Hall, a retirement home for professional performers in Northwood, West London. Among the property’s possessions is a cello left to it by theatre director Martin Landau. Born in Germany, he fled the country on the Kindertransport, but his beloved cello was broken by the Nazis before he even got on the train.

It’s been unplayable for 80 years, but Mirren is hoping that luthier Becky Houghton can breathe new life into it, so that the instrument can be used to play Christmas songs to entertain Denville’s elderly residents.

“Denville Hall is a very special place and we’ve long talked about repairing Martin’s cello,” says Mirren. “As you can imagine, to be able to restore the voice of his prized possession and hear it play once more will be the greatest Christmas gift for the community at Denville Hall.”

Also dropping by is children’s author Julia Donaldson, accompanied by her friend Rob Brydon, whose vocal talents have featured in every animated adaptation of her books, including The Scarecrow’s Wedding, which was due to air on Christmas Day.

She asks woodworker Will Kirk and ceramics expert Kirsten Ramsay to work their magic on the toy farmhouse given to her by her granny; her plan is to then gift it to children’s hospice Chestnut Tree House.

“My sister and I spent many happy hours making up stories around the farmyard and the thought of having it restored and shared and enjoyed once again with many more children means a lot to me,” explains Donaldson. “I am very grateful to Will and Kirsten and Rob and I can’t wait to see how it turns out.”

There are non-celeb items too, including a mechanical Rudolph owned by Leicestershire Fire Service, proving that there’s nothing cynical about the programme – it’s for everyone, whether they have won heaps of awards or not. It is, basically, the gift that keeps on giving.