BBC One's Christmas Day schedule revealed: Call the Midwife and Doctor Who lead line-up

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Other highlights include the final ever episode of Ghosts and a new festive animation

The Call the Midwife cast sitting round a dinner table for the 2023 Christmas special
(Image credit: BBC / Neal Street Productions)

The BBC One Christmas Day schedule has been revealed with the Call the Midwife and Doctor Who Christmas specials taking centre stage.

In a heavyweight Christmas Day line-up, the BBC will also broadcast the final ever episode of Ghosts, plus there's the traditional Strictly Come Dancing festive episode to enjoy.

The Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023 sees Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday team up for their first adventure. 

While this year's Call the Midwife special sees Christmas 1968 getting underway but while newlyweds Matthew (Olly Rix) and Trixie Franklin (Helen George) are looking forward to their first Christmas together as a married couple, they are soon sprung with an unexpected visitor - Trixie's brother Geoffrey (Christopher Harper)! 

Other highlights include a special of The Wheel and a Christmas Day outing to Albert Square in EastEnders. Plus there's a Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas special to enjoy. 

The Christmas Day movies on BBC One are the 2015 version of Cinderella, The Addams Family 2 and Toy Story 4. Younger audiences will no doubt enjoy Tabby McTat, the latest festive animation by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffer. While The King's Christmas broadcast will go out at 3 pm.

We have our Christmas TV Guide with all the best shows on over Christmas and the New Year.

Here's BBC1's Christmas Day afternoon and evening schedule:

12:55 The Addams Family 2

14:20 BBC News

14:30 Weather

14:35 Tabby McTat

15:00 The King's Christmas Broadcast

15:10 Toy Story 4

16:40 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special

17:55 Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road

18:50 Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel

19:45 Ghosts Christmas Special 2023

20:15 Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023

21:45 EastEnders

22:45 Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Special

Ncuti Gatwa as the Time Lord in Doctor Who Christmas special 2023 the

Ncuti Gatwa as the Time Lord in Doctor Who Christmas special (Image credit: BBC)

Meanwhile, ITV1's Christmas Day schedule features festive outings to Emmerdale and Coronation Street. Plus The Masked Singer Christmas special and a festive edition of the Lee Mack quiz The 1% Club. 

Here's ITV1's Christmas Day afternoon and evening schedule:

1200 JAMES MARTIN'S CHRISTMAS DAY

1400 AINSLEY'S FESTIVE FLAVOURS

1500 H M THE KING

1510 YOU'VE BEEN FRAMED! CHRISTMAS CRACKERS 

1540 ITV NEWS AND WEATHER

1545 IN FOR A PENNY: CHRISTMAS CRACKERS

1630 SING 2

1830 EMMERDALE

1900 CORONATION STREET

1930 THE MASKED SINGER: CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

2100 THE 1% CLUB CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

2200 BARRY HUMPHRIES: THE LAST LAUGH

Our TV Guide has full listings for the festive period.

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David Hollingsworth
David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.

Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 

David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.

Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!