Every Christmas special you can watch free this year

Christmas telly does not have to cost a penny. Every special below is free to stream in the UK this Christmas, from the Gavin & Stacey finale to a full shelf of Doctor Who, The Snowman and more Royle Family than one sofa can hold. We have sorted them by where you will find them, because the first question at nine o'clock on Boxing Day is always "which app is it on?"

Free here means no subscription. BBC iPlayer needs a TV licence, and ITVX, Channel 4 and U ask you to sign in with a free account. Every name links to its full listing, with the date we last checked it and a warning if it is about to leave. Streaming rights move about all through December, so if something has gone, tell us and we will fix it.

BBC iPlayer

Most of the free Christmas telly lives here, and nearly all of it stays put until well into the new year.

Sitcoms

Amandaland: Christmas Special (2025) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Amanda's perfect country Christmas, with two extra guests and zero chance of calm.

Detectorists: Christmas Special (2022) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Two mates, one field and a very good cup of tea.

Gavin & Stacey: Christmas Special (2008) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Two families, one Christmas, and not nearly enough chairs.

Gavin & Stacey: Christmas Special (2019) →Free on BBC iPlayer
The gang's all back, and nobody has changed a bit.

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale (2024) →Free on BBC iPlayer
One last Christmas with everyone you love, whether they like it or not.

Ghosts: The Ghost of Christmas (2020) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A haunted house, a very mixed ghostly crowd, and Christmas.

The Good Life: Silly, But It's Fun (1977) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Tom and Barbara host a home-grown Christmas. Margo smiles through gritted teeth.

Motherland: Christmas Special (2020) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Tinsel, tiaras and a thirty-foot tree: the school-gate Christmas party from hell.

Motherland: Last Christmas (2022) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Blended families, VR headsets and a Persian feast: Christmas is fine. Really fine.

Mrs Brown's Boys: Mammy's Bottles (2025) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Agnes Brown, one family meeting and absolutely nobody getting a word in.

Not Going Out: Driving Home for Christmas (2019) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Last-minute Christmas shopping: what could possibly go wrong for Lee and Lucy?

The Office: Christmas Specials (2003) →Free on BBC iPlayer
The cringiest office party ever, and quietly the most romantic.

One Foot in the Grave: The Wisdom of the Witch (1995) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Victor Meldrew, one tarot reading and the worst luck in the country.

Outnumbered: Christmas Special 2009 →Free on BBC iPlayer
Burglars, a missing hamster and a mechanical hand: Boxing Day at the Brockmans.

Outnumbered: Christmas Special 2016 →Free on BBC iPlayer
A Boxing Day mission for Grandad, with car trouble and a dash of history.

Porridge: No Way Out (1975) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Slade prison at Christmas: Fletch, Godber and one very big plan.

Porridge: The Desperate Hours (1976) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Fletch's home-brewed Christmas spirit could land him in solitary.

The Royle Family: Christmas with the Royle Family (1999) →Free on BBC iPlayer
The most honest Christmas on telly, mostly spent on the sofa.

The Royle Family: The New Sofa (2008) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Denise plays Nigella; Jim plays reluctant host with strangers at the table.

The Royle Family: The Golden Egg Cup (2009) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Barbara wants Bermuda; Jim wants a satellite box. Guess who's winning.

The Royle Family: Joe's Crackers (2010) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Cracker jokes, a family under one roof and not a lot of moving.

The Royle Family: Barbara's Old Ring (2012) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Scratch cards, pound-shop presents and a lonely hearts ad. It must be Christmas.

To the Manor Born: The First Noel (1979) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Audrey and Richard fall out over who provides the village crib.

Two Doors Down: 2025 Christmas Special →Free on BBC iPlayer
Two Doors Down: one early Christmas tree and a whole street stirred up. Leaves BBC iPlayer on 24 December, so watch it before then.

Yes Minister: Party Games (1984) →Free on BBC iPlayer
An hour of Hacker, Humphrey and a very political sausage.

Doctor Who

Christmas Day adventures from David Tennant's first in 2005 all the way to Ncuti Gatwa and Nicola Coughlan in 2024. Pick a Doctor, any Doctor.

Doctor Who: The Christmas Invasion (2005) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A new Doctor, killer Christmas trees and a big red button.

Doctor Who: The Runaway Bride (2006) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A bride in the TARDIS, robot Santas at the reception: classic Christmas chaos.

Doctor Who: Voyage of the Damned (2007) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A space-going Titanic at Christmas, with killer angels and a brave waitress.

Doctor Who: The Next Doctor (2008) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Two Doctors, a pile of Cybermen and one colossal CyberKing.

Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol (2010) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Dickens meets a flying shark, with a bittersweet love story at its heart.

Doctor Who: The Snowmen (2012) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A snowman is for life, not just for Christmas. Especially this one.

Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor (2013) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A Christmas farewell, with the tissues stationed next to the sprouts.

Doctor Who: Last Christmas (2014) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Santa, an Arctic base under siege. Not the usual Christmas Day plot.

Doctor Who: The Husbands of River Song (2015) →Free on BBC iPlayer
River Song, a crashed spaceship and the funniest 60 minutes of Christmas Day.

Doctor Who: The Return of Doctor Mysterio (2016) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Caped crusaders, brain-swapping aliens and Christmas in Manhattan. Why not?

Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time (2017) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A soulful goodbye. Bring tissues and something warm to hold.

Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road (2023) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A new Doctor, a new friend and a goblin-filled Christmas Eve.

Doctor Who: Joy to the World (2024) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A hotel across time, a deadly plan and a very festive rescue.

Animation

The Christmas Day films, from Julia Donaldson's woodland lot to Wallace and Gromit. Just the thing for the post-dinner lull, whatever age you are.

The Gruffalo (2009) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A Christmas Day tradition: one clever mouse and one very real monster.

The Gruffalo's Child (2011) →Free on BBC iPlayer
The Gruffalo's daughter goes looking for the Big Bad Mouse. Big mistake.

The Highway Rat (2017) →Free on BBC iPlayer
He steals all the sweets, so basically your uncle at 3pm.

Room on the Broom (2012) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Room for everyone on the broom, and room for seconds at the table.

The Smeds and the Smoos (2022) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Romeo and Juliet in space, minus the tragic bit.

The Snail and the Whale (2019) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Tiny snail, enormous whale, and a very big lesson in friendship.

Stick Man (2015) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A very small stick, a very long journey home, one big red helper.

Tabby McTat (2023) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A singing cat in London and a busker's best friend.

Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers (1993) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A penguin, a pair of trousers, and the best toy train chase ever.

Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death (2008) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Cracking cheese-free comedy, crime and crumpets from Aardman's finest duo.

Zog (2018) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A dragon who keeps crashing: basically your dad on the ice rink.

Zog and the Flying Doctors (2020) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Dragons, doctors and a rescue mission: pure Christmas Day telly.

Drama

Call the Midwife: Christmas Special 2012 →Free on BBC iPlayer
Babies, nuns and bicycles: Christmas in 1950s East London, with tissues.

Call the Midwife: Christmas Special 2013 →Free on BBC iPlayer
A bomb, a convent and a Christmas Day weep. Typical Poplar, really.

Call the Midwife: Christmas Special 2025 (Hong Kong, Part 1) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Nonnatus heads to Hong Kong, and the tissues come along too.

Entertainment and sketch shows

Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge: Knowing Me, Knowing Yule (1995) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Alan Partridge's Christmas chat show goes spectacularly, wonderfully wrong.

Morecambe & Wise: The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show (1977) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Eric and Ernie's farewell to the BBC, with Elton John along for the ride.

The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Show 1971 →Free on BBC iPlayer
Eric, Ernie and a very patient pianist: the Christmas show everyone quotes.

The Mrs Merton Show: Christmas Special with Noddy Holder, Clive James and Daniel O'Donnell (1996) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Granny-style interrogation of Noddy Holder, served with a very sharp tongue.

The Two Ronnies: An Old-Fashioned Christmas Mystery (1973) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Two Ronnies, one Victorian Christmas Eve and a mystery to untangle.

Would I Lie to You?: At Christmas 2025 →Free on BBC iPlayer
Seven tall tales, one very suspicious David Mitchell and a Boxing Day slump.

Ghost stories

For after the little ones have gone up. Leave the big light on.

Inside No. 9: The Devil of Christmas (2016) →Free on BBC iPlayer
Seventies folk horror in a chalet: Krampus is not coming to dinner.

Inside No. 9: The Bones of St Nicholas (2022) →Free on BBC iPlayer
A haunted church, a Christmas Eve and a very suspicious professor.

ITVX

Free with adverts once you have signed in with a free ITVX account.

Downton Abbey: Christmas at Downton Abbey (2011) →Free on ITVX
Dowager zingers, a ouija board and plenty of love tangles.

Downton Abbey: A Journey to the Highlands (Christmas Special 2012) →Free on ITVX
Scottish castles, country fairs and a Christmas special that breaks hearts.

Downton Abbey: The Finale (Christmas Special 2015) →Free on ITVX
Weddings, farewells and one last Dowager Countess zinger on Christmas night.

Mr Bean: Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean (1992) →Free on ITVX
Rowan Atkinson, one turkey and the loudest cracker ever pulled.

Channel 4

Free on Channel 4's streaming service, again with a free account.

Father Christmas (1991) →Free on Channel 4
Santa with a sore head and a long list of complaints.

Father Ted: A Christmassy Ted (1996) →Free on Channel 4
Father Ted at Christmas: tinsel, trouble and a lot of tea.

The Great British Bake Off: The Great Christmas Bake Off 2025 →Free on Channel 4
Famous faces, festive bakes and Star Baker up for grabs.

The Snowman (1982) →Free on Channel 4
Wordless, wistful, and guaranteed to make the whole sofa sniffle.

U

U (from UKTV) has one free Christmas special in our library at the moment: To the Manor Born: The First Noel (1979), which is also on BBC iPlayer, so you will find it with the sitcoms above.

How we checked

Every special here was checked by hand on the service itself in November 2026, and we recheck the whole library every week through December. If you want something picked for you instead, the library has the rest of our Christmas specials, and Telly's quiz will build you a whole December of them.