How to watch British Christmas TV 2025 from anywhere – UK Xmas TV schedule, free streams

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How to watch British Christmas TV 2025 from anywhere – UK Xmas TV schedule, free streams News By Aatif Sulleyman published 22 November 2025

Don't let geo-blocks come between you and Joanna Lumley this festive season

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• Watch British Christmas TV from abroad
• British Christmas TV listings

• Watch FREE on BBC iPlayer / ITVX / Channel 4 / 5
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Unlike your grand visions for snowman and snowdog perfection, the British Christmas TV lineup for 2025 is beginning to take shape. And they're bringing in the big guns – not just Joanna Lumley, Russell T Davies and Mark Gatiss, but the iconic Pat Butcher, back at Albert Square and The Queen Vic for the first time in a decade (and the second time since being killed off).

Lumley leads the marquee production, an adaptation of E. F. Benson's 1912 short story The Room in the Tower, which becomes the 18th instalment in the BBC's long-running A Ghost Story for Christmas anthology series. Roger Winstanley accepts an invitation to his friend's family's country house, to be confronted by the very thing that for years has haunted his nightmares.

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Slightly more upbeat is Dear Father Christmas, which sees 16-year-old Chris (Lenny Rush) set out to prove that the big jolly guy with the red costume and flying reindeers is real. Why his father (James Buckley) waited so long to have The Talk is anybody's guess, but on his quest Chris runs into academics including Stephen Fry and Hannah Fry who, we pray, don't sap all the fun out of Channel 4's flagship festive special.

The BBC's latest Julia Donaldson adaptation The Scarecrows’ Wedding stands to be the big animated special of the season, starring Jessie Buckley and Domhnall Gleeson as loved-up effigies Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay, whose wedding plans are derailed by smooth-talking Reginald Rake (Rob Brydon).

As one of British TV's most iconic characters of all time, Pat Butcher's EastEnders return, albeit brief, will take some topping, but you can count on Coronation Street to pull out the stops in its 65th year. Something tells us Debbie Webster's (Sue Devaney) white wedding might end in tears.

While it might not strictly have a festive theme, it wouldn't be Christmas without a Doctor Who special. These are real troubled times for the show, which won't return until next year, but five-part spinoff The War Between the Land and the Sea sounds like a real breath of fresh air, with Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in the leading roles.

There's the small matter of the long-awaited second run of The Night Manager too, though that'll be closer to New Year.

Although the likes of BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4 only work in the UK, a good VPN will let you stream the best of British Christmas TV from abroad. Scroll down for a list of confirmed specials, which we'll update as more are announced.

Can I stream British Christmas TV for free?

The vast majority of British Christmas TV specials are available to watch for free courtesy of BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4 and 5.

Traveling outside the UK for Christmas? You can use a VPN to tune in free of charge as if you were right at home. NordVPN is our top pick of the options.

Use a VPN to stream British Christmas TV from abroad

Why is a VPN a good option to stream British Christmas TV from abroad?

If you're leaving the UK for Christmas, whether for work, a holiday, or visiting family and friends, geo-restrictions will prevent you from watching British Christmas TV.

That’s where a VPN comes in handy – not only does it let you access your home streaming services from anywhere, but it also protects you from potential online threats.

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What devices and platforms are supported by NordVPN?

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Although you can't run NordVPN directly on other devices, such as PlayStation and Xbox consoles, TVs running Apple TV and various other smart TV systems, and VR headsets, an easy workaround is running NordVPN on your smartphone or computer and setting up a hotspot.

British Christmas TV 2025

BBC One

Amanda and Alan's Spanish Job

​Amandaland Christmas Special

Beyond Paradise Christmas Special

Call the Midwife Christmas Special

Celebrity Apprentice

Death in Paradise Christmas Special

​DIY SOS Christmas Special

​EastEnders

Here We Go Christmas Special

Michael McIntyre's The Wheel Christmas SPecial

Mrs Brown's Boys

Pudsey and the Thread of Hope

​Songs of Praise

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special

Strictly Come Dancing Final

​Stuffed

The Finish Line Celebrity Christmas Specials

The Great British Sewing Bee Christmas Special

The Night Manager

​The Scarecrow's Wedding

The War Between the Land and the Sea

​Two Doors Down Christmas Special

Weakest Link Christmas & New Year Specials

Would I Lie to You? at Christmas

BBC Two

A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Room in the Tower

Live at the Apollo Christmas Special

Mammoth Christmas Special

Richard Osman's Festive House of Games

BBC Four

Royal Institution Christmas Lectures

ITV1

Ant & Dec's Limitless Win Christmas Special

​Bullseye Christmas Special

Capital's Jingle Bell Ball

Celebrity Catchphrase Christmas Special

​Christmas Craft-Off

Coronation Street

​Emmerdale

​John & Lisa's Christmas Kitchen

Romesh Ranganathan’s Parents’ Evening

Steve Backshall's Royal Arctic Challenge

The 1% Club Christmas Special

The Chase Christmas Special

The Martin Lewis Money Show

The Masked Singer Christmas Special

Wheel of Fortune Celebrity Christmas Special

You Bet Christmas Special

Channel 4

8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Christmas Special

A Very Taskmaster Christmas

Batch from Scratch: Cooking for Less Christmas Special

​Dear Father Christmas

Taskmaster Champion of Champions

​Taskmaster New Year Treat

The Big Fat Quiz of the Year

The Last Leg Christmas and New Year Specials

5

All Creatures Great and Small: Behind the Magic

All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special

​The Madame Blanc Mysteries Christmas Special

​Sally Lindsay's Christmas Quiz

U&W

For Dog's Sake Christmas Special

CBeebies

Christmas Panto: Cinderella

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Aatif SulleymanSocial Links Navigation

Aatif is a freelance copywriter and journalist based in the UK. He’s written about technology, science and politics for publications including Gizmodo, The Independent, Trusted Reviews and Newsweek, but focuses on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: sport and penny-pinching.

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