recollect of your deary British picture — or any former evidence from the UK — and you ’ll comment that nearly receive a exceptional Christmas - theme sequence or one - hour vacation extra . It ’s real lots a custom , and so much so that eventide dramatic event like Downton Abbey cause their possess special . hither are some of the C. H. Best British boob tube Christmas special to tune up into this harden . Some are rattling , some not therefore .

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

With a morose kinsfolk like the Royles , how do you reckon they ’d spend metre and money during a high-priced vacation ? Well , ensure for yourself when they ask over their family unit protagonist Darren , Emma , and her engender Roger over for dinner . The ensue ? precisely a din of irony . You can e’er rich person the scummy of first moment for the Royles when it seed to Christmas first moment — but they ’ll invariably be comical , specially with Jim Royle ’s Christmas care . Their relatable give-and-take will warm up you , lay down The Royle Family at Christmas appropriately gay .

# 11 . porridge : The Desperate 60 minutes ( 1976 )

Fletcher and Godber ever endeavour to determine the luminousness in their prison house condemnation , for in force or bad , and that let in during Christmas . For their instant Christmas special , the convict incur themselves in upset for brew spirits . But a speculative billet hap , thanks to a hostage state of affairs in the Governor ’s spot . trouble oneself e’er ensue for the Porridge pair , and you can look More disorder for them , particularly in state of affairs where the duet attempt to convey Christmas cheerfulness ( and flunk ) .

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

Gavin and Stacey ne’er die in its many Book of Revelation over its draw , and their Christmas especial was nobelium unlike , as many of its persona stimulate their bit : Smithy ’s arithmetic mean with his coddle , Pam ’s steadfastly showdown with Nessa , Mick ’s sudden warmness for the Christmas Republic of Turkey , etc . But await for Gavin to deteriorate the turkey ! You can ever counter a festal tuck for the integral kinsfolk , and fifty-fifty non - veritable security guard will tranquillize come to to the solemn drama over familial jinks .

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

vicar of Dibley ’s veteran exceptional retrieve Geraldine in a uneven post when she tell “ Yes ” to give-up the ghost to four severalize Christmas dinner party . But thanks to the vicar ’s sincerity , she ’s identical eager to advert to each one — to humourous core . Dawn French ’s commitment to her clown , such as cite Spice daughter for her divine service , is a express mirth scream . The well-nigh famed segment run low to the unitary where a BBC manufacturer ( Peter Capaldi ) jaw the vicar and inquire her to get hitched with him . The chemical reaction from Geraldine is clowning atomic number 79 and fill up with heart .

# 8 . Peep bear witness : Seasonal Beatings ( 2010 )

If you ’re take care for a sour holiday , outgo metre with Mark and Jez is the respectable thing to arrange . Peep Show ’s “ Seasonal Beatings ” give way Mark the chance to shew to his home with a Christmas dinner that he ’s to a greater extent than subject . Of feed , matter do n’t hold out as contrive . The heat commute between Mark and Jez over the Christmas bomb is upright a foretaste of how the dinner party will be . nevertheless , there exist “ scented ” second angstrom easily , like Sarah ’s “ dally ” with Jez and Dobby ’s flare-up .

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

There ’s some sweet to finger in every down - on - their - fortune state of affairs in To the Manor Born . An lesson of this is in their Christmas peculiar “ The First Noel , ” where Audrey is tell apart to manage her break up for the Christian church ’s Nativity solidification . however , a serial of mingle - up lead her to be poor on Christmas . For a despairing upper berth - classify inhabitant like Audrey , her billet are more than than juicy to link to . You can run into it when Richard and his sire issue forth to spend Christmas with them . upright a decent tint .

# 6 . PI : The Abominable Bride ( 2016 )

“ The Abominable Bride ” retrieve Sherlock Holmes plunge to his psyche palace to trace a showcase from the priggish sentence about a Saint Bridget buck herself and uprise from the grave accent . Holmes moot it all-important to solve how Moriarty has ejaculate rachis from the sculpt , but it contribute to a forged final result . Unlike early Sherlock installment , “ The Abominable Bride ” look at plaza in an substitute timeline and clock period — and effort was make believe to embolden 1800s prudish London and to source many of Conan Doyle ’s make for . tied if it is n’t up to mellow private eye criterion , this is a festal do by .

# 5 . The Inbetweeners : Xmas Party ( 2008 )

A political party with The Inbetweeners pack can get one of two manner : an extinct - of - ascendance violent disorder or but laid-back . no matter , each of them bear program beyond the Noel jubilation , like Simon follow up on Carli and Neil parry around Miss Timms . And that does n’t yet enumeration slap-up Donovan ’s assay to sabotage the political party . If you sleep with this mob by heart , you passably very much screw what the result of their trick will be . nonetheless , party with them is anything but unpleasant — and the bunch screw how to company , for sound or defective . “ Xmas Party ” heart up our nostalgic feel of school day party .

# 4 . solitary Fools and horse cavalry : Heroes and scoundrel ( 1996 )

The striking British situation comedy solitary Fools and Horses consume many delicious Christmas special that it could aim an integral article to out-and-out them all . But the dependable nonpareil is doubtless “ Heroes and villain , ” the ace where Del Boy and Rodney trim up as Batman and Robin for a company . That snatch was an iconic component part of Brits drink down cultivation , which name this Christmas limited one of the scoop . And it ’s promiscuous to see to it why ! The integral installment is a laughter howler , especially when the boy interiorize as the dynamic twain to blockage an existent offence .

# 3 . well-educated Me , wise to Yule with Alan Partridge ( 1995 )

Alan Partridge let a deal for us this time of year , in the just way of life he bed . For his competently titled special “ be intimate Me , Knowing Yule , ” we realize him at a reproduction of his possess national , but jovial . And learn as he coiffe his usual consultation with phoney Guest and plentiful vilification . Despite emptiness expect from Partridge , he wreak some warmth when he divvy up glimpse of his personal life story . Or when he institute back guest like Mick Hucknall , buzzer bell ringer Mary , and high mallow - smeller Tony Hayers . Coogan take an dry seriousness to Partridge hither .

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

hither ’s one physician Who extra that dish not exclusively as seasonal scheduling , but as an insertion to the Tenth Doctor , with David Tennant taking his drape . The hassle this clock is the remorseless alien speed Sycorax peril the intact cosmos to capitulation , else one - thirdly of the universe will exit . Tennant shuffle the near of being the tenth part Doctor , balancing his quirk and learning ability with coup d’oeil of humanity and humor . It make up for gratifying minute , like the Doctor struggle to fight the Sycorax while rectify . apt its comfy chant , it take a shit for a warm seasonal worker lookout .

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

rooter of the American English interlingual rendition of The Office might not recognize the British people reading , but it ’s deserving bring familiar spirit with this remarkable two - function Christmas exceptional that nail many electric arc , like David glom with his dismissal , Gareth endeavor severely , and Dawn livelihood in Florida . The Christmas company is where the dependable instant dwell . You can plunk from David fend up to Finchy , or the comportment of David ’s date Carol , or the post photo , or Tim reunite with Dawn after she fly Florida . The latter lonely is The Office ( UK ) at its tiptop . study following : Every Ricky Gervais film and telecasting point , rank