Miranda Hart, The Great Christmas Bake Off & Alan Carr amongst Channel 4's Christmas highlights


Christmas 2017 highlights

Jingle those Bells, Deck Those Halls, Trump That Donald. Okay maybe don’t do all those but hey, it’s been a pretty rough year. Rest assured though, we’re here to fill your boots (and your stockings) with a sackful of festive jollies.

We’ve got Christmas well and truly wrapped up with a merry schedule of programmes to keep you warm this winter. We’re back in the tent for a double portion of festive themed Great British Bake Off, Miranda Hart offers some much needed tips on surviving Christmas and Alan Carr utters the much loved catchphrase ‘Come On Down!”

Jamie’s in Italy, Richard’s back in the Maze, Kirstie’s being Crafty and there’s so much more. Take a look below at our Christmas highlights. A little something for everyone. Even that slightly strange cousin that doesn’t like anything.

We may well be adding even more programmes to our list as we draw ever closer to the 25th December so be like Santa and check that list twice… 

The Great Christmas Bake Off/The Great Festive Bake Off

It’s a time for spices, sweets and tasty baked treats as Prue Leith, Paul Hollywood, Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig bring some holiday cheer to The Great British Bake Off in two festive episodes. In each episode four former bakers from previous series will return to the tent to go head to head in three seasonal challenges to find out who will top the tree as Star Baker.

Some of the bakers may face the challenge that previously was their undoing but will a Christmas miracle help them to ace it this time round? Surprise musical guests and some very dodgy Christmas jumpers bring the spirit of Christmas to the tent with judges, hosts and bakers all joining in with a spot of singing (and dancing) themselves.

Miranda Does Christmas (w/t)

Miranda Hart hosts a raucous Christmas party with some very special guests and offers us all some tips for surviving the festive period.

The Price is Right

It’s the world’s longest running game show and it spawned one of TV’s most iconic catchphrases. Now Alan Carr is at the helm of a brand new pilot of The Price is Right full of those iconic ‘Come on Down’ moments. Packed with amazing prizes and hysterical pricing games, this is set to be a classic Christmas entertainment extravaganza.

Old Peoples Home for 4 Year Olds Christmas (w/t)

With social isolation being one of the biggest problems for the elderly, and never more so than during the Christmas period, we make a festive return to the Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds and reunite the residents including Hamish, Zina, Pat and David together with some of their young friends like Solomon, Nelson, Millie and Eva to find out how taking part in the series has impacted their lives.

Are the older group still showing signs of progress? Did the friendships with the children and their families continue? This one off special will see the older adults and children prepare for a Christmas Carol service and the three geriatric specialists – Professor Malcolm Johnson, Dr Zoe Wyrko and Dr Melrose Stewart –all return to give their insight into the continued progress of the older group as well as focussing on loneliness and its impact on the elderly paying particular attention to why Christmas is such a tough time for older people.

Jamie's Italian Christmas (w/t) 

This Christmas Jamie Oliver is travelling to the snow-capped Italian Alps, to cook up a Christmas dinner with a difference. Filmed in the stunning Winter Wonderland of Piedmont, he will show us how to give our classic Christmas dinner a very special Italian twist that is sure to impress the whole family.

In a cosy log cabin deep in the mountains, Jamie and his best friend and mentor Gennaro Contaldo, cook up an epic Christmas Day Feast guaranteed to bring the house down. On the menu: Our beloved turkey and all the trimmings with an outrageously tasty Italian twist; Jamie’s epic Christmas porchetta; balsamic roast potatoes; incredible cracker ravioli; pink peppercorn negroni; and to top it off a fabulously festive chocolate orange tiramisu. Happy Christmas or as they say in Italy - Buon Natale.

The Secret Life of 5 Year Olds Goes On Holiday 

Channel 4 and RDF Television’s award-winning documentary series, The Secret Life of 5 Year Olds is back for a one off special. And this time we’re going on holiday! The series that offers viewers a fascinating insight into the lives of our little ones has joined forces with Thomas Cook to send some familiar faces from the previous series to the Sunwing family resort in Cyprus, and we’re packing their families along too. Once more we’ll have the opportunity to observe how a group of 4, 5 and 6 year olds interact and play together but this time all against the back drop of sun, sea and Souvlaki.

The much treasured family holiday abroad presents the perfect prism through which to observe childhood and child development and as with the main series, our experts will be commentating on the developmental implications of all the activity. They’ll hope to reveal the science behind the children’s actions and reactions as they experience those special holiday moments, some for the very first time. Whether building sand castles, taking that first dip in the sea, or tasting the local cuisine, The Secret Life On Holiday promises a sun filled adventure to beat the winter blues!

The Crystal Maze Christmas Special

Maze Master Richard Ayoade will welcome a team of five intrepid celebrity adventures for a Christmas themed adventure around the Crystal Maze in aid of Stand Up To Cancer. Aztec, Medieval, Industrial and Futuristic zones will be transformed for the festive season, with the team of stars hoping to earn crystals to buy them time in The Crystal Dome.

Alan Carr's Chatty Man Christmas Special 

Turn on the fairy lights, get the mistletoe ready and pour yourself a large glass of eggnog as Alan Carr kicks off his Chatty Man Christmas special with a whole host of fabulous guests. Viewers can expect an evening packed with celebrity guests, fun, frolics, festive chat and top musical performances.

Alan Carr's NYE Spectacular

Alan Carr welcomes in 2018 with his inimitable brand of unpredictable madness, hysterical sketches, riotous party games and a dazzling guest list. Viewers can expect Alan’s special guests to appear in various guises including a raft of VT sketches, entertaining games and stunning musical performances along with his raucous studio audience participating in the New Year festivities.

Big Fat Quiz of Everything 2018

To celebrate the dawn of another year, Jimmy Carr puts a panel of top celebrity teams to test as he presents his big, fat and fiendishly difficult quiz on all the goings on from 2017. As always, Jimmy will be ably assisted by a series of superstar question setters including Mitchell Brook Primary School and Jon Snow.

Gogglebox Best of 2017

Britain’s favourite opinionated TV viewers share their sharp, insightful, passionate and sometimes emotional critiques of the year’s biggest and best shows. This is a chance to see some of the best moments of the past year of Gogglebox: 2017 in review from the the country’s best loved households including: Leon & June, The Siddiquis, Giles & Mary, Ellie & Izzi, Mary & Marina and The Tappers.

Child Genius V Celebrities Christmas Special

Led by quizmaster Richard Osman, this Child Genius V Celebrities Christmas Special sees 4 amazing Child Genius competitors take on 4 of the country's finest celebrity minds. The celebrities’ team captain is comedian, writer and actor Rob Delaney who’s hoping his degree in musical theatre will lead his team to victory. He’s joined by journalist and news presenter Cathy Newman, a self-confessed swot who graduated with a 1st in English from Oxford, bilingual comedian, Dom Joly, who brings with him a degree in politics and journalist and former newspaper editor, Janet Street-Porter.

They face fierce opposition, from past Child Genius veterans, team captain is 11yr old Rhea, Child Genius’ youngest ever champion who scooped the trophy at just 10 years old. Joining her are Mog, a member of Youth Parliament who has astonishing memory skills, 12yr old math’s prodigy, Christopher, who gained grade A in his Math’s A-level aged 12 and 9 year old, past quarter-finalist Fabio, known for his impressive performances across all topics.

Battling it out in a series of demanding rounds, only one team can be crowned champions.

Kirsties Handmade Christmas 2017 (Peak)

This Christmas, to get us ready for the festive season, Kirstie is bringing her ultimate Handmade Christmas to our screens. One great big Christmassy episode of festive cheer will be packed to the rafters with wall-to-wall craft. Kirstie believes that the ultimate Christmas is all about crafting and this year she’s learning the coolest crafts for Christmas. Out and about Kirstie will discover a hidden lane of creatives and makers, where she’ll learn about ceramic slip casting and get a crash course in the dying art of letterpress. Back at Kirstie’s Christmas HQ, we’ll learn how to make a Scandi sweet that’s set to take the UK by storm; one of London’s top bartenders will teach us the secrets of festive gin infusions; and some magical elves will drop by to help Kirstie print some practically perfect gift-wrap. We’ll also learn the secrets of decorations that are thrifty and kitsch, a nifty hack for cool Washi tape Christmas cards, and Kirstie will try her hand at a spot of metal work to make the ultimate topper for the tree. Every scene is filled with Christmassy sparkle, with plenty of Kirstie enthusiasm to boot. The programme will be the ultimate Christmas craft show bringing us a magical cornucopia of festive makes.

Kirstie's Handmade Christmas 2017 (Daytime)

This year Kirstie will bring us ten fantastic episodes of Christmas joy from her magical Christmas HQ. Each programme will be jam-packed with inspiration, handy hints, tips and festive sparkle. Kirstie will oversee a daily Christmas craft competition, we’ll meet the makers getting crafty around the country and get the chance to see some of the best bits from Kirstie’s Christmas archives with each programme featuring two vintage Kirstie crafts. We’ll travel the UK to be wowed by some of the country’s most creative makers and doers, and take a trip to their studios and workshops where the magic happens. Each crafter will teach us how to create something wonderful for Christmas with lots of hints and tips so they can be recreated at home. Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas - Daytime will be a veritable explosion of Christmas cheer across our TV screens, with competitions, crafts, mini makes and vintage gems – and enough decorations, gifts, food and drink to tempt even the most hard hearted humbug.

Travel Man Xmas

In a faux festive Christmas special full of Chinese cheer, Richard Ayoade is joined by Hollywood phenomenon Jon Hamm for a multi-packed maxi mini-break in Hong Kong. Together they will rinse the city’s sights, taking the tram, ferry and cable car and embark on a turkey-free food tour. Unrecognisable dishes are sampled in the interests of research and award-winning television. As two famous suit wearers Richard and Jon take advantage of Hong Kong’s 24 hour tailors and pick up bespoke threads. They get involved with the ancient arts of Tai Chi and paper tearing, have feet massaged and fortunes told. After two days of cultural enrichment they deliver their verdict on their unseasonal stay in the Pearl of the Orient.

The Undateables at Christmas

In a world where first impressions are everything, finding love can be tricky – let alone when you have a disability, when it can sometimes seem impossible.

This festive episode of The Undateables catches up with extraordinary singletons from previous series. As they don their Christmas jumpers, pull crackers, buy presents and sing carols around the tree we also see how their love lives have progressed.

Scousers in a Manger (w/t)

For the past five years a group of tinsel-tastic Liverpudlians, The Christmas Decorators, have embarked on a trip to Bethlehem on a festive mission to decorate Manger Square in time for Christmas. This year in a one off festive treat we’re set to follow them – on a journey filled with joy, hope and laughter but also fraught with tension and potential danger. Leading the UK team is ambitious Operations Director Ged Comerford who takes great pride in lighting up the Holy Land but who knows in our increasingly volatile world this year’s trip to the West Bank could be his riskiest yet. The special will follow Ged and his team of Santa’s helpers as they design and plan the festive concept but in this age of austerity, budgets are cut and money is tight so Ged will be sharing decision making and decorating with his Palestinian counterpart and a local team. Expect cultural differences, language barriers and plenty of laughs as the team work against the clock to fulfil a spectacular switch on of the lights in Bethlehem’s Manger Square, known to millions as the birthplace of Jesus.

Made In Chelsea Christmas Special

Deck the halls with rounds of Bolly, as the cast of E4’s BAFTA-winning Made in Chelsea gather to toast the culmination of another series that’s charted the exciting new beginnings and tear-jerking break-ups in the loves lives of the poshest posse on telly. 

Expect the SW3 set to be roasted, rather than chestnuts, as Rick Edwards presides over a wry, fun-filled, festive look back at the very best moments of comedy, calamity and high drama from the past series, and grills cast members for the exclusive gossip, not just on the latest series, but what we can expect in the New Year.

November 6, 2017 8:01am ET by Channel 4  

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