On TV tonight, settle down for a cosy Christmas Eve as Channel 5 takes us to Yorkshire for All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special, there's oodles of festive cheer in The Repair Shop at Christmas on BBC1 and if you like a scare at this time of year then A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Mezzotint on BBC2 is for you. Have a wonderful Christmas Eve and here’s what you shouldn’t miss on TV 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
All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special, 9pm, Channel 5
Working out which loved ones to spend Christmas with is never easy, so we feel for newly engaged James (Nicholas Ralph) and Helen (Rachel Shenton) when they are torn in different directions in this gorgeous seasonal instalment, which is both heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure. As the residents of Skeldale House host a Christmas party for Darrowby’s finest, the mistletoe is working its magic for some, but when pooch Tricki Woo falls ill, it puts a dampener on the festivities...
★★★★★ CC
The Repair Shop at Christmas, 7pm, BBC1
This Christmas special is as sparkly as the fairy lights festooning the barn. Jay and his crafty elves bring four treasures back to life, including a mechanical walking doll that helped 71-year-old Maureen learn to walk after she contracted polio as a child. Have tissues at the ready. A traditional German decoration, an ageing harmonium and a toy train set from Kenya also receive the customary TLC. With a rousing singalong, expect a fab-yule-ous watch!
★★★★ RF
A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Mezzotint, 10.30pm, BBC2
There was a ghostly gap in 2020 with no supernatural offering from Mark Gatiss, but he’s back with a spooky tale that’s sure to send shivers down your spine. Adapted from MR James’ Edwardian yarn, this short film follows the turmoil of academic Edward Williams after he unlocks a door to his family’s disturbing past in a peculiar engraving. Rory Kinnear leads an impressive cast, as the tension builds slowly towards a terrifying finale of Gatiss’ own creation.
★★★★★ SMA
Best box set to watch on TV tonight
The Witcher, season 2, Netflix
The epic fantasy show returns for a second series, picking up following the devastating Battle of Sodden. With monster-hunter Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) grieving the loss of Yennefer, he’s forced to take Princess Cirilla (Freya Allan) to his childhood home of Kaer Morhen to protect her from the Continent’s kings, elves, humans and demons striving for supremacy, as well as from her own strange powers of foresight. Look out for a cracking new guest cast, including Simon Callow and Silent Witness star Liz Carr as eccentric legal team Codringher and Fenn, who may be able to reveal something about Cirilla’s mysterious bloodline.
Best film to watch on TV today
Abominable, 3pm, BBC1
Still mourning her recently deceased father, feisty teenager Yi (voiced by Chloe Bennet) finds a yeti on her rooftop who's escaped from wealthy collector Burnish (Eddie Izzard). Dubbing the creature Everest, she sets out to return him to his home in the Himalayas, accompanied by her rambunctious friends. But the irascible Burnish and his hirelings are hot on their trail… The youngsters' journey is full of the knockabout comedy and mild peril you would expect from an animated adventure of this type, although the sights and sites the movie takes in en route are more unusual. True, the story hits familiar beats, but the animation is always engaging and Everest the yeti is sure to charm young children.
Soaps on TV tonight
- EastEnders, 8pm, BBC1
- Emmerdale, 7pm, ITV
- Coronation Street, 8.30pm, ITV
If you watch just one thing on TV tonight…
Don't miss All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special on TV tonight — a beautiful festive episode from the glorious Yorkshire Dales.
Not found anything you want to watch on TV tonight? Check out our TV Guide.
Happy viewing!
