BBC repeats Christmas TV line-up as 29 percent of shows will be re-run
Call the Midwife: Stephen McGann teases Christmas special
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Every year, the nation looks forward to the seasonal specials that air around the Christmas period to watch with the family. Although there will be some fresh new episodes for viewers to enjoy, over half of the shows played across the BBC will be reruns.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for fans of popular TV shows as they’re often treated to a special festive episode.
However, with the BBC’s Christmas schedule recently being released, there could be some disappointment for viewers.
Compared to last year, there will only be one single change to BBC One’s Christmas Day schedule in the evening where Blankety Blank will be replaced by the sitcom Ghosts.
Shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel, Call The Midwife, EastEnders and Mrs Brown’s Boys will all take the same slots as 2021.
There will also be a rerun of Dawn French’s much-loved comedy Vicar of Dibley after Mrs Brown’s Boys.
The first show, which is the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, kicks off at 5:10pm before The Wheel takes over at 6:25pm.
The festive episode of the Michael McIntyre show will welcome celebrities Gino D’Acampo, Alesha Dixon and Bear Grylls to compete to win money for their chosen charity.
Call The Midwife fans will be treated to a 90-minute episode at 7:55pm before EastEnders at 9:20pm.
Recent analysis found that nearly 29 percent of BBC One’s festive schedule starting from December 24 and ending on January 6 is made up of repeated episodes.
BBC Two will follow a similar pattern with a higher 65 percent of shows being a rerun, averaging out at 45.8 percent.
Over 17 percent of ITV’s schedule across the same time frame will be repeated with Channel 4 having the most at 80 percent.
Along with the festive specials, there will also be many classics shown on BBC such as Dad’s Army, The Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise.
New shows such as The Boy, The Mole, and The Fox and The Horse, and the return of His Dark Materials will also air during the festive season.
Martin Compston’s new drama Mayflies will air in two parts, starting on Wednesday, December 28 and finishing on Thursday, December 29.
On ITV, fans will get to see Ant & Dec’s Christmas Limitless Win along with a new Doc Martin Christmas special.
Speaking about the seasonal line-up,m a BBC spokesperson said that last year the broadcaster took the top seven spots on Christmas Day.
Call The Midwife actor Stephen McGann gave fans a hint at what’s to expect in the upcoming special when appearing on Morning Live last week.
He said: “What we do in the Christmas special, is we go and see the Mullocks family again and see how young Susan is doing.”
Susan was a baby born on the show when the series covered the Thalidomide scandal which happened in 1961.
Stephen added: “She’s got different kinds of challenges because of her disability, because of the injury she’s had and that’s very interesting.”
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