Christmas TV guide finally revealed including Gavin and Stacey special and new Wallace and Gromit film

The festive season is upon us and with it comes a plethora of television entertainment, ranging from specials and gripping dramas to comedic shows and seasonal documentaries. The BBC has unveiled its unmissable Christmas lineup today, featuring the return of some of the nation's beloved characters, including Gavin and Stacey in their final episode, an Outnumbered reunion, and Wallace and Gromit in a new feature-length film.

Viewers can anticipate festive specials of popular shows across all channels, such as Doctor Who, Strictly, Call The Midwife, and The Masked Singer, alongside brand new dramas like Playing Nice starring James Norton and Out There featuring Martin Clunes. Also on the roster are An Evening With Dua Lipa, Sky comedy Bad Tidings, and a new series of the hit Netflix show Squid Game.

Keep an eye out for a festive film about Wham! and a fresh Julia Donaldson animation titled Tiddler. Here's a glimpse at the best of this magical holiday mix...

Gavin and Stacey: The Finale, BBC One/iPlayer, Christmas Day

It's been five years since we last saw Nessa (Ruth Jones) proposing to Smithy (James Corden).

A lot has transpired since then. The cast have reunited for this final episode, providing fans with much-needed closure, reports the Mirror.

Also, don't miss the heartwarming documentary that narrates the journey of one of Britain's most adored sitcoms as it concludes after 17 years. Squid Game, Season 2, Netflix, Boxing Day.

A chilling new trailer has dropped, introducing a fresh group of contestants all vying for a hefty cash prize, despite the peril they face. One contestant is heard exclaiming: "I have played these games before. We will all die if we keep playing."

It begs the question, why would they return? For some, it seems the lure of the game is too strong.

Viewers can anticipate more sinister dolls, increased gunfire, heightened emotions, and edge-of-your-seat suspense.

Strike - The Ink Black Heart, airing on BBC One/iPlayer on December 16, 17, 23, 24, promises to be the perfect accompaniment to your festive cheer with a gripping murder mystery. Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger reprise their roles in this acclaimed crime drama, adapted from J. K. Rowling's bestselling novels, delving into the complex case of a cartoonist tormented by an enigmatic online adversary.

The Great Christmas Bake Off, set to air on C4 on Christmas Eve, brings holiday sparkle to the tent. Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond host, while Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood judge the festive creations.

Competing for the top baker title are five soap opera favourites including EastEnders' Dean Gaffney and Natalie Cassidy, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks' Sheree Murphy, Coronation Street's Shobna Gulati, and Emmerdale's Chris Bisson.

Mariah Meets Rylan, coming to BBC Two on December 7, is set to be a highlight of the holiday television schedule.

In an exclusive interview, presenter Rylan will be sitting down for a chat with the multi-platinum record selling music artist, Mariah Carey. Rylan will be quizzing Mariah on her life, music, her pre-fame jobs, her celebrity friends and of course, her festive hit 'All I Want For Christmas'.

Rylan also puts Mariah's English accent to the test with an 'audition' for EastEnders. .

Out There, a thrilling drama about county lines drug dealing and an escalating crime wave sweeping the British countryside, is set to air on ITV1/X in December. Martin Clunes stars as a farmer confronted with these dark forces infiltrating his rural community.

This compelling tale also features Louis Ashbourne Serkis.

The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special returns to BBC1 on Christmas Day. The glittering ballroom show will feature comedian Josh Widdicombe, Drag superstar Tayce, presenter and podcaster Vogue Williams, Gladiator Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, actress Tamzin Outhwaite and racing driver Billy Monger.

The Ballroom will once again transform into a magical winter wonderland as the celebs aim to impress judges Craig Revel-Horwood, Anton du Beke, Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse.

Playing Nice, another gripping drama, is set to air on ITV1/X in December.

A gripping psychological thriller about two couples who discover that their babies were switched at birth. Faced with significant decisions, one couple realises that there's more to the other family than initially apparent.

The series boasts stellar performances from James Norton, Niamh Algar, James McArdle and Jessica Brown Findlay. The Masked Singer Christmas Special, ITV1, DecemberThis festive special sees four celebrities compete undercover - concealed in extravagant and extraordinary, festive costumes - singing while their identities remain hidden.

As each celebrity performs, the panel of detectives, including Mo Gilligan, Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall and special guests, attempt to reveal their festive faces and uncover TV's best kept secret. An Evening With Dua Lipa, ITV1, DecemberFilmed at London's iconic Royal Albert Hall, global superstar Dua Lipa reimagined her hit pop songs especially for the occasion, accompanied by the 53-piece Heritage Orchestra, a 14-strong choir and her seven-piece band - and a surprise cameo from Elton John.

This special is intercut with interviews as she reflects on the pivotal moments in her life and career. Outnumbered Christmas Special, BBC One/iPlayer, DecemberThe Brockmans are back - and it's been a while.

This special episode follows the chaos in the downsized home of Pete and Sue (Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner) as they grapple with the challenges of parenting kids who are now adults, with their own lives to lead. It seems, parenting doesn't get any easier.

Tiddler, a magical animation adapted from the works of children's book creators Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, will be airing on BBC1 and iPlayer on Christmas Day. The story revolves around a small fish with a big imagination who gets lost in the ocean until he follows his own tale to find his way home.

The show features Hannah Waddingham as the narrator, alongside Lolly Adefope, Jayde Adams and Rob Brydon.

Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, a brand new feature-length adventure, will also be airing on BBC One/iPlayer on Christmas Day. Wallace and his best friend Gromit are faced with a wave of stolen garden goods, with Wallace and his smart gnome, Norbot, being the main suspects.

It's up to Gromit to battle sinister forces or Wallace may never invent again.

For the first time ever, Call The Midwife will be delivering not one but two Christmas specials on BBC One/iPlayer in December. Set in 1969 at Nonnatus House, all the midwives are busy delivering babies when the funfair arrives in Poplar, bringing with it influenza, the Hong Kong flu, and an escaped prisoner.

Doctor Who: Joy To The World will be airing on BBC One/iPlayer on Christmas Day. Starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan as Joy, audiences are in for a festive time-hopping adventure through Earth's history.

While plot details remain a closely guarded secret, showrunner Steven Moffat has given a tantalising hint: "Imagine in the far, far future that a hotel chain got hold of the idea of time travel. What would they do? They'd realise they had an opportunity to sell all the unsold nights in their own hotels in history."

To mark the 40th anniversary of the iconic Christmas hit 'Last Christmas', BBC Two/iPlayer presents 'WHAM! : Last Christmas Unwrapped' this December. This hour-long special delves into how George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley crafted the song into a cultural phenomenon, featuring insights from music industry experts, artists, and producers.

Netflix is set to warm hearts with 'That Christmas', releasing on December 4. From the creative mind of Richard Curtis, known for 'Love Actually', this animated fantasy comedy boasts voices from Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, and Bill Nighy.

The film weaves together stories of love, loneliness, family, friends, a snowstorm, and Santa's big blunder – not to mention a flock of turkeys.

BBC One/iPlayer gears up for a 'Gladiators Celebrity Special' this December, where celebrities including Rob Beckett, Louise Minchin, Joel Dommett, and Ellie Taylor will face the legendary challenge of one of television's most demanding game shows. Will these famous faces be ready for action?

Rob excitedly shares: "I can't wait to be absolutely crushed by the Gladiators in front of my wife and children in spandex whilst I watch Joel Dommett and his six-pack sprint past me on the travelator."

Upcoming BBC One/iPlayer features include 'The Split: Barcelona', a two-part sun-soaked special of the hit legal drama with Nicola Walker, Stephen Mangan, Annabel Scholey, Fiona Button, and Deborah Findlay. Taking place two years after its final series, family lawyer Hannah (Walker) finds herself in Spain for a wedding.

Meanwhile, a festive episode awaits viewers with the 'Death In Paradise Christmas Special' on BBC One/iPlayer set in the Caribbean’s Saint Marie, introducing a new Detective Inspector alongside the local police team.

'Sky Max/NOW' will unveil 'The Night Before Christmas In Wonderland' on December 13, an animated musical boasting a stellar cast of Gerard Butler, Emilia Clarke, and Simone Ashley. This creative fusion of 'Alice In Wonderland' and 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' follows Santa Claus after receiving a letter from the Princess Of Hearts, adventuring into Wonderland against the Queen's contempt for Christmas.

Finally, a chilling narrative unfolds with 'A Ghost Story For Christmas: Woman Of Stone,' available on BBC Two/iPlayer this December.

Mark Gatiss has adapted and directed a chilling tale about newlywed Victorians Jack and Laura, portrayed by Éanna Hardwicke and Phoebe Horn. As they move into a small cottage, their housekeeper fills them with superstitious warnings about the legend of two marble tomb effigies said to rise once a year.

In another programme, Bad Tidings, airing on Sky Max/NOW in December, Chris McCausland writes and stars as Scott. He finds himself at odds with his neighbour Neil, played by Lee Mack.

However, to save Christmas, these adversaries must join forces to become local heroes, taking on a local crime family to triumph.