Christmas TV in the time of you-know-what

[ThisCharmingPenisHaver]

Didn't want to put the C word in the title because nobody wants to see that when scrolling the Christmas board!

The usual raft of Christmas telly won't happen this year - lots of specials have been cancelled and production was halted (or never even began) for a lot of the planned 'showcase' dramas and so on.

So, if there's going to be lots of repeats, what do you hope to see? I think it'd be the perfect opportunity to give a few classics an airing, including:

Bernard and the Genie (so I don't have to watch a grainy YouTube version this year!)

A Child's Christmases in Wales (the one from a few years ago with Ruth Jones in it)

Crooked House (the Mark Gatiss one)

Dickensian

All the usual Two Ronnies/M&W

Some comedy Christmas specials from my formative years - Open All Hours, Birds of a Feather, Hi De Hi...

And I would give ANYTHING to see The Clifton House Mystery again, preferably on Sunday afternoons.

Also I wonder what will happen with things like midnight mass on Christmas Eve? Me and DH round the night off with a scotch and mm - we're not really religious but it's a tradition! And for a lot of people who can't get out to mass proper it's really important, isn't it.

Oh god I'd not even thought of this!! I love Christmas TV!
I'd love the greatest stir in the world (I think) with dervka kirwin in it

Store not stir!

The BBC serial of 'The Box of Delights'.

Was there a Christmas special of Hi-de-Hi? I ask because I thought they were all set over the summer season because the camp ran May to September. That aside, yes to the Christmas specials of all the old sit coms - the Only Fools and Horses ones were always good.

Yy to Box of Delights! And The Wolves of Willoughby Chase - I adored that.

I'm sure I recall a Christmas Hi De Hi! If not that then something else with that whole crew - You Rang M'Lord, maybe? Actually out YRML on the list too!

This is the site I get my Christmas TV news from - it's a lot busier by this time of the year usually No Call The Midwife this year but yes to Doctor Who and Mrs Brown's Boys. I would've been perfectly happy without the latter! The panel show format was getting tired anyway - socially distanced Christmas panel shows sound double awful.

Bring on the repeats!

@ThisCharmingPenisHaver I loved Bernard and the Genie, and look for it every Christmas, just in case it's repeated!

@sunnyday1976 it never is but it's Would much prefer to watch it 'live' though. Streaming is all very well but I miss the days of event TV, especially at Christmas because I'm old

Will have to try YouTube. Just worried it might not live up to my memory of it!! 'Live' would be great, I agree.

Gavin and stacy xmas specials woo lol.

Any of the classic films like home alone, miracle on 34th street, elf etc. Are always welcome to watch with the kids too.

I'm kind of sad and like documentaries. There was one last year about Tudor christmases which I enjoyed. And theres been ones in the past looking at the consumerism side like how people on benefits spend xmas vs those who fork out a fortune. Its interesting to see how different families, cultures etc. Celebrate so anything like that I find interesting x

Does anyone remember a tv film called “The Greatest Store in the World”? Think it was on BBC. Be nice to see that again. Tbh I don’t mind repeats on tv at Christmas. I never get bored of only fools and horses, the snowman, home alone etc at Christmas.

I loved Bernard and the Genie. Would love them to show the 1989 version of ‘The Woman in Black’.

The Flint Street Nativity - I've been wanting them to reshow that for years! It's on YouTube but it's not the same when it's all grainy and in six minute chunks!

Also The Selfish Giant. The cartoon version they made in the 70's (I think) with the King's singers. That was utterly beautiful and perfect for Christmas Eve

I wish they would show Quincy's Quest again. One of my earliest memories is seeing it listed in the Radio Times and hardly being able to wait for it and finally watching it on tv, back in the seventies...could have been Christmas '79. Don't think it has ever been repeated. I think i might be on YouTube but would love my children to see it scheduled for the telly and see if they like it a much as I did.

I would love to see a programme called Season's Greetings it was on BBC1 many years ago and me and my mum still talk about it today we loved it so much.

@CaptainCallisto

The Flint Street Nativity - I've been wanting them to reshow that for years! It's on YouTube but it's not the same when it's all grainy and in six minute chunks!

Also The Selfish Giant. The cartoon version they made in the 70's (I think) with the King's singers. That was utterly beautiful and perfect for Christmas Eve

I loved that cartoon of The Selfish Giant when I was a child. As well as The Happy Prince made by the same company (I believe).

And the cartoon of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, also from the 70’s.

Jesus of Nazareth (the tv mini series).

The Bishop’s Wife.

The Scarlet Pimpernel (with Anthony Andrews, Jane Seymour and Ian McKellen).

And everything that Audrey Hepburn was in!

@CaptainCallisto we bought a copy of Flint Street Nativity. We have to watch it over the Christmas period at some point with as many of the adult, now married family as we can get together at once. We have watched it so many times we can recite most of it off by heart.

Nine I used to love the cartoon of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. I remember watching it one Easter waaaaayyy back years ago. Could never watch poor Aslan being tortured.😭 And I liked Jesus of Nazareth too...felt weird to fancy Robert Powell as Jesus though.

@Biscuitorcake

I loved Bernard and the Genie. Would love them to show the 1989 version of ‘The Woman in Black’.

Yes, would love to see The Woman in Black again. It was quite the TV event at the time, IIRC. Didn't like the recent one with that treacherous rat Radcliffe.

I was talking about with this with my DP last night. It's sad we won't get any new specials but like you said there's plenty of classic TV that can be shown instead

Yes, would love to see The Woman in Black again. It was quite the TV event at the time, IIRC. Didn't like the recent one with that treacherous rat Radcliffe.

Yes I'd love to watch it again with my teenagers who are about the same age as I was. Agree completely with your second point.

People think I'm crazy when I say thjs, but there was a BBC version of A Christmas Carol with Ross Kemp as Scrooge, and it's really good!

Actually it was itv and it’s brilliant I’d love also the British version of A little princess made in 1986.

I've found my people! LOVE Bernard and the Genie though it feels like most have never heard of it. My DH managed to find it for me on dvd a couple of years ago. Literally one of my favourite ever presents!!

I am worried about Christmas adverts. I bloody love them, and may or may not watch my faves on youtube all year round... . The BBC one from 2017 is my all time favourite!

I love Christmas adverts too.....even the chauvinistic Asda one from 2012 where the woman did all the work and didn't even get a proper chair at the Christmas table. (hands in feminist badge)

@whydoesitalwayshappentome

I would love to see a programme called Season's Greetings it was on BBC1 many years ago and me and my mum still talk about it today we loved it so much.

Ah ha. My sister beat me to it. I just had to Google Geoffrey Palmer to find out its name.

'Pom, pom de pom!' I laughed like a drain at this. It seems to be a one-off, not a series, however!

Good choice of programme Fluffy. I love the fact out of all the Christmas programmes both of us choose the same one.