TV tonight: our highlights for Christmas Eve

Worzel Gummidge Christmas 2020
(Image credit: BBC/Leopard Pictures/Amanda Searle)

Worzel Gummidge is one of the festive gems on this Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve sees Worzel Gummidge on another adventure with his friends, while The Great Christmas Bake Off  crowns a festive baker, and Dawn French delights as Beatrix Potter in Roald and Beatrix. Here's what you shouldn’t miss tonight. 

  • Our hand-selected recommendations for what's on TV tonight include three TV shows, a film and the latest trending need-to-binge-on-now box set 
  • Keep up to date with the latest soap spoiler storylines on TV tonight with our daily soap synopsis 
  • For more information about what’s on TV tonight see our TV Guide 

What's on TV tonight 

Our expert TV journalists have picked the best things on TV tonight... 

Best TV shows on TV tonight

Worzel Gummidge: Saucy Nancy, 5.55pm, BBC1 

Worzel Gummidge 2020 Christmas special

Worzel is back for another adventure with his friends (Picture: BBC/Leopard Pictures/Amanda Searle/Matt Burlem) (Image credit: BBC/Leopard Pictures/Amanda Searle/Matt Burlem)

A welcome return for the talking scarecrow in a new adventure written by and starring Mackenzie Crook. This time, Worzel and friends find his old friend, ship’s figurehead Saucy Nancy, in a scrapyard. She longs to return to the ocean, so they set off on a mishap-filled journey to the coast. This third Worzel story has another stellar cast, with Brian Blessed, Vanessa Redgrave and Shirley Henderson as Saucy Nancy. It’s a real treat, and you can revisit the previous adventures earlier this week on Monday and Tuesday. ★★★★★ im

Birds of a Feather, 9.15pm, ITV

Three years after Tracey (Linda Robson) reluctantly sold her house to Dorien (Lesley Joseph), they’re back for this special, which sees them in lockdown. Dorien doesn’t think much of Tracey’s Christmas decorations – an inflatable Santa and singing  tree – but Tracey’s not keen on Dorien’s new man (Les Dennis) either. There’s no Sharon, as she’s stuck on board a cruise ship. Will she make it home for Christmas? ★★★★ VW

The Great Christmas Bake Off, 7.40pm, C4 

The Great British Bake Off Christmas Special

Bake Off is back, but who will be crowned Christmas baker? (Picture: Channel 4)

If the sight of Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith as Father and Mother Christmas and Matt Lucas and Tom Allen as elves doesn’t leave you feeling merry, nothing will! The four (Noel is on paternity leave) welcome back previous contestants to whip up festive classics, including mini panettones. But as 2017’s James, 2018’s Ruby and 2019’s Jamie and Rosie return, who will be Christmas Star Baker? To add to the wintry magic, Alexandra Burke gives a gorgeous rendition of Silent Night. CC

Roald & Beatrix, 8.15pm,  Sky One/NOW TV 

Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse

Roald & Beatrix is a festive delight not to be missed (Picture: Sky)

The extraordinary, little-known story of the real-life meeting between a young Roald Dahl and famous author Beatrix Potter inspires this magical comedy-drama. Christmas is approaching, and a curmudgeonly Beatrix (Dawn French) is struggling to finish her tale about the Three Blind Mice while chasing animals and unwanted carol singers around her frosty Cumbrian farm. But when six-year-old Roald (Harry Tayler) arrives, hoping to meet his hero, Beatrix is unexpectedly inspired by the young lad who’s grieving for his late father, and the encounter changes both their lives… With snowy scenes and a heartwarming message, it’s a festive feast not to be missed. ★★★★★ RM

Would I Lie to You?, 7.45pm, BBC1

In this festive edition, Joe Lycett’s claim that his family had a row about the number of ‘doof doof’s at the end of EastEnders leads to an argument in the studio and Rob Brydon doing an impression of Dot Cotton by way of Sir Mick Jagger. But the real takeaway is that David Mitchell watches EastEnders… Later, another argument erupts about whether Yorkshire pudding belongs with a Christmas dinner and there’s a game which ends with Jo Brand throwing a glass of water over someone. So, just like Christmas in your own house, really.  ★★★★ JP

Best box set to watch on TV tonight

Call the Midwife, BBC iPlayer, series 1 to 9

TV Tonight, Call the Midwife

Catch up on all the drama from Poplar before the Christmas special (Picture: BBC/Neal Street Productions/Soph) (Image credit: BBC/Neal Street Productions/Soph)

Call the Midwife is back on BBC1 for a Christmas special, so why not binge watch the entire nine series before tuning in on Christmas Day? Or, if you're new to Call the Midwife, now is your chance to catch up on all the drama from Poplar. Based on the best-selling memoirs of Jennifer Worth, Call the Midwife follows a group of midwifes in the poverty-stricken East End of London in the 1950s. 

Best film to watch on TV tonight

Moana, BBC1, 12.35pm

best Christmas films 2020 on TV includes Moana

Moana is a Disney delight for all the family (Picture: ©2016 Disney. All Rights Reserved) (Image credit: ©2016 Disney. All Rights Reserv)

This splendid Disney animated musical takes inspiration from Polynesian myth for its tale of a feisty young heroine who sets off an ocean-going quest to save her dying island, helped by a rascally demigod. ★★★★★

Soaps on TV tonight

  • Emmerdale, 6.45pm
  • EastEnders, 8.15pm
  • Coronation Street, 7.45pm 

If you watch just one thing on TV tonight… 

Don't miss The Great Christmas Bake Off - bring on those festive treats.

Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide. 

Happy viewing!

Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 

After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off

She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 

As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book.