25th December 2025

1000 - Channel 4

We’re here! Its the big day! And we’re starting it off with a sequel about Babe with a surprisingly dark plot about stray animals. A perfect backdrop to the present opening I’m sure we’ll all agree!

1140 - BBC1

Bringing back Feathers McGraw may have seemed cynical and and an attempt to rekindle past glories, and in a way it is but also they just about pull it off. It can’t hold a candle to the earlier shows but think its better than A Matter of Loaf and Death. And then the new Matilda which is good but, I don’t know, I think loses something from the original. Danny DeVito, thats what it loses, any film that loses Danny DeVito is always on the back foot.

1235 - Legend

Here’s a couple of mid-tier fantasy films; Journey is from the late fifties around the time of the classic Harryhausen period and then Land showing up just before Star Wars wiped this style of film from the map for the next several decades. They’re both worth a watch, especially with or after a big load of turkey

1300 - Rewind TV

Is this one of the worst films ever made? Sure is, so thats why its well worth watching on an actual Christmas Day so you can fully enjoy its daftness in all its splendor

1310 - Film4

Its not one of the top tier Muppet films but its still fun, its also what gave the world Muppet Babies!

1510 - BBC2

A bit of Poirot in the afternoon? Yes please! Ustinov gives good Poirot, arguably better than the recent Branagh take on the character. He’s borderline Ustinov rather than than Hercule but his charm is enough to mostly paper over that issue

1510 - ITV1

Oh this is the stuff, a perfect film for Christmas Day; Indiana Jones running about the place punching nazis and finding religious artefacts. Belter!

1510 - ITV3

ITV3 normally does at last one day over Christmas thats all Carry On films but not this year, today we just get two of them and two of the better ones; Camping is probably the most iconic as it has that scene with Barbara Windsor and her bikini top. However Cleo is the one to watch as its probably the best of the series with at least 3 jokes that worth their weight in gold

1510 - ITV4

War movies! A good one and a decent one, then we’re off with a wildly miscast Tom Cruise which is fine if you don’t care about that kind of stuff as the film is really good, well worth an extra star. And then some more Rocky only this time its old Rocky coming out of retirement one last time. At least I think it was one last time, its hard to tell with him sometimes

1525 - 5

Two big old daft films for you! The best of the Pirates films, with the usual Johnny Depp warning that comes with this series. I mean, even at the time we were all a bit tired of the schtick and there were another four films after this. And then Michael Bay’s 90s masterpiece of big dumb films, with a great cast fired at a giant asteroid with full on shake-o-cam that means you can barely make out any of it. What a treat!

1535 - BBC1

Oh boy we get some new Gladiators which is honestly one of the best TV shows of the past few years. Fingers crossed we get a big load of Legend action as that would easily be the greatest Christmas gift any of us could have. And them more Shaun the Sheep, which should be fun but lets be honest we’d all rather watch one of the other Wallace and Gromit shows.

1710 - Channel 4

Just in case it wasn’t enough yesterday here’s The Snowman again before we get the superior Home Alone film. No, it is, despite being essentially a remake of the first film the escalation of the violence is just chefs kiss. And a Peep Show Bake Off! Obviously won’t really be a big deal for those who didn’t watch Peep Show but they should be a strong enough cast to enjoy regardless

1930 - BBC2

It wouldn’t be Christmas unless we have some Morecambe and Wise and here we have a couple of their shows; once from their early TV career and then a Christmas Special; ‘75 isn’t one of the S rank shows but they still have a base line of funny that keeps them enjoyable. Then one of the best films ever with flipping Jaws! What a Christmas treat!

1935 - Sky Arts

Oh boy, loads of nostalgia for me on this one as we had a VHS copy of this recorded off the TV that was on heavy rotation growing up. It is probably the band at one of their creative peaks so its a great watch

2125 - BBC4

Wow, what a difference ten years or so make. Although there is an interesting thematic link between the two as both shows are from a time where a new era is about to start; in ‘77 punk was becoming a rampaging force that would change the media landscape which is resolutely being ignored by Top of the Pops here, then in 1989 grunge is just about to do the same thing. Either way Band Aid II can get in the bin

0025 - BBC4

And you can end your Christmas Day sparked out on the sofa with one of the cultiest musicals that ever was a cult; Rocky Horror is as cult as it gets with some banging songs belted out by amazing cast.