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BBC releases Christmas Day schedule

Photo credit: Walt Disney/Pixar - Sky
Photo credit: Walt Disney/Pixar - Sky

From Digital Spy

Christmas Day on BBC One will bring in the festive cheer with animated favourites and a whole host of traditional programming.

Revealed on the broadcaster's official social media, the schedule kicks off at 8.55am with a Gruffalo double-bill (the original plus The Gruffalo's Child) before moving on to the Christmas Day Service at 10am and a Top of the Pops: Christmas Special at 11.55am.

Sandwiched between the latter two are 55 minutes' worth of animation in The Snail and the Whale and Zog, narrated by Sir Lenny Henry.

Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

Related: The BBC's Christmas TV for 2020 – from Doctor Who to Call the Midwife

As well as the obligatory viewing of The Queen's Christmas Broadcast at 3pm – just don't expect any drama resembling scenes from The Crown – Christmas Day will also offer plenty of family films.

First up is Aardman's prehistoric adventure Early Man at 1.15pm, featuring the voices of Eddie Redmayne (Fantastic Beasts) and Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones), followed by a showing of Pixar's Coco at 3.10pm, before the broadcaster airs some of its highly-anticipated Christmas specials.

The Strictly Come Dancing: Christmas Special will air at 4.45pm, and seeing viewers into the early evening is Michael McIntyre's Christmas Wheel at 6pm. Later in the night, we'll also see a Blankety Blank: Christmas Special and seasonal regular Call the Midwife too.

Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

Related: This Morning fans left shocked over Kelly Hoppen's Christmas segment

Usually still stuck to the sofa at this point? There's EastEnders and the Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Special to look forward to as well.

Here is the day's line-up in full:

  • 8.55am - The Gruffalo

  • 9.25am - The Gruffalo's Child

  • 9.50am - Lou

  • 10am - Christmas Day Service

  • 11am - The Snail and the Whale

  • 11.25am - Zog

  • 11.55am - Top of the Pops: Christmas Special

  • 12.55pm - BBC News and Water

  • 1pm - Inner Workings

  • 1.15pm - Early Man

  • 2.35pm - Zog and the Flying Doctors

  • 3pm - The Queen's Christmas Broadcast

  • 3.10pm - Coco

  • 4.45pm - Strictly Come Dancing: Christmas Special

  • 6pm - Michael McIntyre's Christmas Wheel

  • 7pm - Blankety Blank: Christmas Special

  • 7.40pm - Call the Midwife

  • 9.10pm - EastEnders

  • 10.05pm - Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Special

You can see the BBC schedule for Christmas Eve and Boxing Day below:


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