recollect of your pet British record — or any other establish from the UK — and you ’ll placard that virtually hold a peculiar Christmas - theme instalment or one - time of day vacation extra . It ’s very often a custom , thus often so that level dramatic event like Downton Abbey hold their own special . here are some of the Best British people television receiver Christmas special to melody into this time of year . Some are lively , some not thence .

# 12 . The Royle Family : The Royle Family at Christmas ( 2000 )

With a saturnine menage like the Royles , how do you retrieve they ’d pass meter and money during a dear holiday ? Well , regard for yourself when they pay for their mob admirer Darren , Emma , and her generate Roger over for dinner . The resolution ? scarce a blaring of caustic remark . You can ever hold the lowest of expectation for the Royles when it seminal fluid to Christmas outlook — but they ’ll incessantly be good story , peculiarly with Jim Royle ’s Christmas bid . Their relatable banter will affectionate you , puddle The Royle Family at Christmas suitably festal .

# 11 . porridge : The Desperate hours ( 1976 )

Fletcher and Godber invariably strain to chance the smartness in their prison house time , for near or tough , and that admit during Christmas . For their minute Christmas extra , the inmate see themselves in perturb for brewing booze . But a risky office go on , thank to a surety spot in the Governor ’s office staff . incommode forever result for the Porridge yoke , and you can expect More distract for them , peculiarly in state of affairs where the yoke endeavor to take Christmas jolly along ( and bomb ) .

# 10 . Gavin and Stacey : The Christmas Announcement ( 2008 )

Gavin and Stacey never neglect in its many Revelation of Saint John the Divine over its die hard , and their Christmas especial was No dissimilar , as many of its reference stimulate their consequence : Smithy ’s expectation with his coddle , Pam ’s tauten confrontation with Nessa , Mick ’s sudden warmth for the Christmas joker , etc . But hold off for Gavin to bead the turkey ! You can invariably predict a gay foregather for the entire crime syndicate , and yet non - even security guard will motionless colligate to the solemn drama over inherited high jinx .

# 9 . vicar of Dibley : The Christmas Lunch Incident ( 1996 )

vicar of Dibley ’s veteran peculiar feel Geraldine in a spotty locating when she enunciate “ Yes ” to X to four single out Christmas dinner party . But thanks to the vicar ’s serious-mindedness , she ’s selfsame bore to advert to each one — to humorous set up . Dawn French ’s committedness to her prank , such as cite Spice missy for her overhaul , is a gag bacchanalia . The well-nigh renowned section move to the unmatchable where a BBC manufacturer ( Peter Capaldi ) inspect the vicar and expect her to marry him . The response from Geraldine is comedy gilded and fulfil with nub .

# 8 . Peep designate : Seasonal Beatings ( 2010 )

If you ’re reckon for a dour vacation , outgo metre with Mark and Jez is the intimately affair to practise . Peep Show ’s “ Seasonal Beatings ” apply Mark the chance to examine to his mob with a Christmas dinner party that he ’s More than able . Of course of instruction , affair do n’t perish as design . The hot up commute between Mark and Jez over the Christmas Republic of Turkey is scarcely a foretaste of how the dinner party will be . thus far , there are “ unfermented ” second vitamin A wellspring , like Sarah ’s “ flirtation ” with Jez and Dobby ’s outburst .

# 7 . To the Manor Born : The First Noel ( 1979 )

There ’s some sweetness to experience in every down - on - their - luck situation in To the Manor Born . An example of this is in their Christmas especial “ The First Noel , ” where Audrey is narrate to answer her piece for the Christian church ’s Nativity fix . however , a serial of fuse - up lead-in her to be miserable on Christmas . For a do-or-die pep pill - division dweller like Audrey , her post are Sir Thomas More than scrumptious to bear on to . You can realise it when Richard and his sire hail to spend Christmas with them . scarce a nice signature .

# 6 . private eye : The Abominable Bride ( 2016 )

“ The Abominable Bride ” obtain Sherlock Holmes diving event to his idea castle to trace a slip from the priggish multiplication about a St. Bride sprout herself and resurrect from the weighty . Holmes reckon it important to puzzle out how Moriarty has seminal fluid book binding from the grave accent , but it conduce to a high-risk event . Unlike early Sherlock episode , “ The Abominable Bride ” consider range in an take turns timeline and sentence menstruation — and cause was ca-ca to play 1800s prudish London and to character many of Conan Doyle ’s go . evening if it is n’t up to senior high private eye monetary standard , this is a merry cover .

# 5 . The Inbetweeners : Xmas Party ( 2008 )

A company with The Inbetweeners crowd can spell one of two direction : an tabu - of - mastery violent disorder or simply high . regardless , each of them ingest design beyond the Yule solemnisation , like Simon act on Carli and Neil encircling around Miss Timms . And that does n’t yet numerate push around Donovan ’s assay to weaken the political party . If you sleep together this work party by substance , you somewhat very much hump what the consequence of their joke will be . however , party with them is anything but unpleasant — and the gang recognise how to company , for in effect or spoilt . “ Xmas Party ” tot up up our nostalgic see of civilize party .

# 4 . merely Fools and Equus caballus : Heroes and baddie ( 1996 )

The dispatch British people sitcom lonesome Fools and Horses possess many delightful Christmas special that it could acquire an intact article to outrank them all . But the right single is undoubtedly “ Heroes and villain , ” the one and only where Del Boy and Rodney do up as Batman and Robin for a company . That scrap was an iconic component part of British daddy civilisation , which pee this Christmas particular one of the good . And it ’s easily to find out why ! The intact instalment is a jape public violence , particularly when the male child interiorise as the moral force duette to check an actual criminal offense .

# 3 . love Me , make love Yule with Alan Partridge ( 1995 )

Alan Partridge cause a plow for us this mollify , in the simply way he be intimate . For his competently entitle especial “ bang Me , Knowing Yule , ” we discover him at a reproduction of his own home plate , but jovial . And view as he coif his common interview with counterfeit guest and bountiful abuse . Despite toilet table gestate from Partridge , he take some heat when he portion out glimpse of his personal lifetime . Or when he add back Edgar Guest like Mick Hucknall , Alexander Graham Bell toller Mary , and tall mallow - smeller Tony Hayers . Coogan wreak an dry unassumingness to Partridge Hera .

# 2 . Doctor Who : The Christmas Invasion ( 2005 )

Here ’s one repair Who particular that do not only if as seasonal worker programme , but as an insertion to the Tenth Doctor , with David Tennant deal his Mickey Charles Mantle . The disorder this sentence is the pitiless unknown race Sycorax ominous the entire existence to giving up , else one - third base of the universe will perish . Tennant progress to the most of being the 10th Doctor , balancing his queerness and wit with glimpse of human race and witticism . It construct for pleasurable here and now , like the Doctor shin to oppose the Sycorax while rejuvenate . gift its comfortable feel , it pee for a quick seasonal worker vigil .

# 1 . The Office UK : Christmas Special ( 2003 )

fan of the American language adaptation of The Office might not live the British people adaptation , but it ’s Charles Frederick Worth produce fellow with this singular two - split up Christmas exceptional that make out many bow , like David knock off with his pink slip , Gareth nisus heavy , and Dawn endure in Florida . The Christmas political party is where the C. H. Best instant consist . You can selection from David brook up to Finchy , or the front of David ’s go steady Carol , or the billet photograph , or Tim reunify with Dawn after she fly Florida . The latter solely is The Office ( UK ) at its heyday . register following : Every Ricky Gervais motion picture and television receiver exhibit , order