Doctor Who: Church on Ruby Road

BBC One, 5.55pm

The Doctor is back, this time in the form of Sex Education’s Ncuti Gatwa and with a fabulous moustache. The Christmas special introduces Coronation Street star Millie Gibson as the Doctor’s companion Ruby Sunday. The episode’s title “A Church on Ruby Road” refers to how Ruby was found left in the snow as a baby many Christmas Eve’s ago. Long after their first – forgotten – meeting, Ruby meets the Doctor again, and is suddenly launched into a world of flying Goblin ships and stolen babies.  

To find out more about the Doctor’s new companion, read our interview with Millie Gibson here.

Call the Midwife

BBC One, 8.15pm

Christmas 1968 is in full swing at Nonnatus House - Apollo 8 is on a mission to the moon, but Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) is convinced she won’t live to see touchdown. Nancy (Megan Cusack) has decided to stay at Nonnatus House, and Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) is becoming increasingly concerned with a lone figure living in a basement flat.

The Festive Pottery Showdown

Channel 4, 7.30pm

EastEnders star Joe Swash, presenter Alice Levine and comics Sophie Duker and Hugh Dennis will be competing to win The Festive Pottery Throw Down. Judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller will be setting the celebrities some challenging pottery tasks to determine who will reign victorious, including building an illuminated Christmas scene, and a speed challenge in which they must try to throw the most mulled wine tumblers in a limited time.

Ghosts Christmas Special

BBC One, 7.45pm

After Ghosts’ final series announcement, they left one additional present hiding under the tree – a Christmas special!

The spectral sidekicks will welcome Alison and Mike’s baby into Button House for the first time, before Mike’s mum comes to overstay her Christmas welcome, by a number of weeks.

One of the ghosts seems to be in for a surprise with the trailer showing a truly befuddled Julian (Simon Farnaby) in its final moments, as all the ghosts turn to look at him.

To hear some behind the scenes on the Christmas special, read our interview with series co-creator and star Laurence Rickard here.

The Piano at Christmas

Channel 4, 7.20pm

Earlier this year, Claudia Winkleman travelled around the UK’s public pianos to find the next music maestro. Familiar faces she met along the way will be joining Winkleman in King’s Cross Station, London for the Christmas special to play their favourite Christmas songs to passers-by. Amongst surprise celebrity appearances, fan favourite 13-year-old pianist Lucy will perform alongside jazz vocalist Gregory Porter.

The Masked Singer Christmas Special

ITV1, 7.30pm

The Masked Singer Christmas Special has an incredible line up… well, it might not, but that’s part of the fun. With past contestants ranging from CeeLo Green (as a big fluffy monster), Milkshake singer Kelis (as a daisy wearing sunglasses) and Sir Lenny Henry (as a slobby blob) who knows who might be singing in costume this festive season.

What’s promised, however, is the incredible costumes our celebs will don before they take to the stage, with the Christmas special featuring decorations, a reindeer, a sprout and a partridge (in a pear tree).