IT’S the most wonderful time of the year -especially if you’re a TV fan as it’s the perfect opportunity to settle down with a steaming mug of hot chocolate, a family pack of shortbread and feast on festive offerings from all your favourite programmes.

Whether you’re a sports fan, a horror thrill seeker, a rom com sucker or a soap addict there’s bound to be something for you during Christmas week but these are our seasonal highlights.

Doctor Who fans will not want to miss fan favourite Catherine Tate as she presents Doctor Who at the Proms 2024 (BBC2 4.10pm) a concert of music, monsters and mayhem featuring soundtracks from the iconic series; a brand new, specially shot feature for the new Doctor and a host of scary aliens as they thrill a packed audience at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

In a concert like no other in all of time and space, the much-loved music, performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, is accompanied by specially edited sequences from the series.

Monsters old and new make dramatic appearances in the hall with fans getting the fright of their lives as they confront them face to face.

Doctor Who at the Proms 2024 features a never-before-seen short film by the series’ showrunner Russell T Davies, Pantheon of Discord, featuring Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor, Nicholas Briggs as the voice of The Vlinx and Jinkx Monsoon as the god of music, Maestro. Mrs Flood, played by Anita Dobson, makes a surprise guest appearance, and everything is wrapped up in spectacular lighting and special effects.

Mark Gatiss brings E Nesbit’s chilling short story Man-Size in Marble back to life in his seventh Ghost Story for Christmas.

A Ghost Story for Christmas: Woman of Stone (BBC210.15pm) sees author Edith Nesbit in her final days recounting the chilling tale of newlywed Victorians Jack and Laura.

The couple are settling into a small cottage in a quiet village when their idyll is overshadowed by the superstitious warnings of their housekeeper, Mrs Dorman, and the legend of the village church’s tomb effigies - a pair of marble knights who are said to rise from their slabs on Christmas Eve…

If you’re planning a late lunch on the big day, why not settle down and check out the cooks who have been going the extra mile in the lead up to Christmas as the festive special of  The Great British Bake Off  (C4 1.30pm) reaches its final with Dean Gaffney, Natalie Cassidy, Shobna Gulati, Sheree Murphy and Chris Bisson going head to head in the famous tent to be named the festive Star Baker.

Its from the tent to the ballroom as the afternoon progresses with the welcome return of The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas (BBC1 3.55) as the dance floor is once again transformed into a magical winter wonderland. Expect festive cheer, jingle bells, mistletoe madness, bedazzling baubles and six celebrities all sleighing their way to Elstree in a bid to be crowned the Strictly Christmas Champion 2024.

Each of the six couples will perform a festive fuelled routine in the hope of impressing the judges, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Head Judge Shirley Ballas, and the voting studio audience. But who will emerge the Christmas star of the evening, and lift the sought after Christmas trophy?

If it’s Christmas it must be time for the Doctor Who special and The Doctor played by Ncuti Gatwa, returns to iPlayer and BBC One for a time-hopping trip through the history of Earth in Joy to the World, this year’s offering ( BBC1 5.10pm).

The episode introduces Joy, starring Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton, Derry Girls), who checks into a London hotel in 2024, only to discover that her quiet stay is anything but ordinary. When Joy opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel, she discovers danger, dinosaurs and the Doctor. But a deadly plan is unfolding across the Earth, just in time for Christmas.

Where has the Doctor been? What is going on in Joy’s hotel room? An old enemy of the Doctor’s is lurking in the wings and all of human history hangs in the balance. Can the Doctor save Christmas, everywhere, all at once?

Joining Ncuti Gatwa and Nicola Coughlan is a cast of exciting guest stars, including Steph de Whalley as Anita, Jonathan Aris as Melnak, Joel Fry as Trev, Peter Benedict as Basil, Julia Watson as Hilda, and Niamh Marie Smith as Sylvia.

Wallace and Gromit also make a welcome return to the BBC this Christmas with a brand-new adventure, made by multi-award-winning and independent studio Aardman with Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl ( BBC1 6.10pm).

The highly-anticipated feature-length film sees Gromit’s growing concern as Wallace becomes over-dependent on his inventions - which proves justified when Wallace creates a ‘smart gnome’ that seems to develop an evil mind of its own. As events begin to spiral out of control, it’s up to Gromit to put aside his qualms and battle sinister forces, or Wallace may never be able to invent again!

For the first time ever, this year Call The Midwife (8pm and Boxing Day 7:30pm) will deliver not one but two Christmas specials – complete with a Christmas cliffhanger!

It’s Christmas 1969 and the Nonnatus midwives are in their element, all busy delivering babies and doing the job they are most dedicated and committed to. The funfair comes to Poplar, adding a burst of colour and excitement to the frosty landscape but there are other visitors to the borough - including influenza and the Hong Kong flu.

As Poplar also prepares for a carol concert, the neighbourhood is gripped by the news of an escaped prisoner and fears grow that he may be in the local area after a spate of break-ins.

The Turner children are caught up in the fever surrounding the Blue Peter Christmas appeal to collect dinky cars and scrap metal. Trixie makes a fleeting visit to Nonnatus House and is delighted to see her brother Geoffrey, and Miss Higgins has her grandson Harry stay for Christmas. Violet hosts a mince pie competition but the Buckles’ preparations for Reggie’s homecoming are thrown into turmoil.

Secrets and lies are set to throw a wrecking ball into the Beale family festivities this year as the shocking truth about Cindy is revealed in spectacular fashion on Christmas Day in Eastenders (7.30pm and 10.35pm)

The incriminating evidence captured on tape will expose Cindy’s true love for ex-husband George and her scandalous affair with his son, Junior. Cindy has nowhere to hide as all hell breaks loose in the Beale and Knight families, with fury and accusations flying on all sides.

Across the Square, Denise Fox will be getting an unexpected Christmas present courtesy of an unlikely gift-bearer and find herself enjoying a very different day from the one she had last year.

But, elsewhere as the yuletide warmth stokes up old feelings for some, for others, ghosts of Christmas past return…

Over on ITV soap legend Gail prepares to say a final farewell to the cobbles as she leaves Coronation Street after 50 years. With Christmas Day putting the Platt family at the heart of the action, there’s plenty going on in Weatherfield in which producer Kate Brooks promises will be a ‘lively’ Christmas.

Just a few years ago the whole country gasped in shock as Nessa got down on one knee to proposed to Smithy and on Christmas day we’ll get to know what is reply was…or will we with the arrival of the eagerly awaited Gavin & Stacey: The Finale (BBC1 9pm)

Regardless of the proposal a lot has happened in the last five years.

In Barry, Bryn’s packing the Picasso in readiness for a trip to Essex; Stacey and Gavin are looking for new ways to spice up their seventeen year marriage and Gwen is behaving most strangely. Nessa’s started a new business venture and Neil the Baby’s about to begin an apprenticeship with his dad.

Over in Billericay Pam is stressing out at the prospect of playing hostess, not helped by a newly retired Mick practicing his golf swings in the living room and there have been more ups and downs in Pete and Dawn’s relationship.

Join us on the journey to Barry and Billericay as we catch up with the Shipmans and the Wests for the very last time and maybe find out what exactly did happen on that fishing trip.

The BAFTA-winning Masked Singer (ITV 7.30pm) is back for a Christmas special, as a fresh batch of famous faces don a line-up of extraordinary and elaborate costumes in a bid to disguise their identities as they sing in front of a studio audience and our celebrity judging panel - this year’s cast follow in the footsteps of an array of superstars including Michael Owen, Daisy May Cooper, Sophie Ellis-Bextor,
Sue Perkins, Glenn Hoddle, Pat Cash, Lorraine Kelly, Jason Manford, Jake Shears, Sir Lenny Henry, Joss Stone and more.

But if you're after something more brainteasing, Lee Mack is back with a 1% Club Christmas Special, (ITV 9pm) packed full of festive questions.

The show’s format sees 100 contestants begin every show, but to make it to the end and win the top prize of up to £100,000, contestants must correctly answer a question that only one per cent of the country would get right. 
Contestants of all ages and backgrounds can take part because, unlike most quizzes, no swotting up on general knowledge is required to do well and logic and common sense are the key to success.

The Brockmans are back! Written and directed by the show’s creators, Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton, the first Outnumbered (BBC1 9.40) for years it will follow the chaos in the downsized home of Pete and Sue Brockman, as they grapple with the challenges of parenting kids who are now adults, with their own lives to lead.

The stars of the original much-loved series are returning for the special including Hugh Dennis as dad Pete, Claire Skinner as mum Sue, Tyger Drew-Honey as eldest son Jake, Daniel Roche as the middle child Ben, and Ramona Marquez as daughter, Karen.

In a moment of adversity, Sue and Pete gather all their offspring (including one grandchild) to try and celebrate a traditional family Christmas. But fate, neighbours, hyenas and bus replacement services get in their way.