[Parsons]

Must say, really like the pres on BBC1 this year - understated but a charming aesthetic.

Can’t say I’m particularly impressed by the schedule though…: I thought it was bad last year, evening seems exactly the same as last year. Nice to see them put a few decent family films.

Surely this is the last year of Mrs Browns Boys at Christmas ?

[JMT1985]

Must say, really like the pres on BBC1 this year -  understated but a charming aesthetic.

Can’t say I’m particularly impressed by the schedule though…: I thought it was bad last year, evening seems exactly the same as last year. Nice to see them put a few decent family films.

Surely this is the last year of Mrs Browns Boys at Christmas ?

Apparently not, he is signed up for Christmas specials until 2026, and I have read there is a chance that in 2023 he will be returning with a full new series of the show. This would be the first full series since 2013, so a decade later the regular series does look like is returning.

[tellyblues]

Ratings are in.

1) The King 10.72m (multiple channels)
[2) Strictly Come Dancing (BBC One) 5.44m
3) Michael McIntyre's Xmas Wheel (BBC One) 4.81m
4) Call The Midwife (BBC One) 4.49m
5) Aladdin (BBC One) 4.39m
6) Ghosts (BBC One) 3.92m
7) Doc Martin (ITV1) 3.26m
8) Enders (BBC One) 3.17m
9) Corrie (ITV1) 2.85m
10) Ant Dec Limitless (ITV1) 2.69m
11) Chase (ITV1) 2.68m
12) Smeds & Smoos (BBC One) 2.67m
13) Emmerdale (ITV1) 2.56m
14) Mrs Brown’s Boys (BBC One) 2.44m
15) News (ITV1) 2.30m

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The usual contenders being top of the list should ensure that the BBC1 schedule is the same next year, but Ghosts followed by Midwife going into Eastenders is too much drama for the one night. Ghosts certainly doesn't look or feel like a traditional sitcom and requires more patience.

Aladdin rating well proves that films can get good figures but being live-action means more people will have given it a chance.

Mrs Brown's Boys... plenty has been said already but it needing to be on Xmas Day stops similar potential shows from getting a chance because the BBC will not want to go over their limit on comedy or shows aimed at a certain demographic.

[London Lite]

Surely this is the last year of Mrs Browns Boys at Christmas ?

They're contracted until 2026 to provide the Christmas special on Christmas Day and a New Year's show. If the BBC decide to axe it, they still get paid even if they don't make them.

There's also four more episodes in 2023.

[JMT1985]

I enjoyed the Strictly Come Dancing special this year. 75 minutes of light fun, perfect for the tea time early evening slot, and I loved it.

Michael McIntyre's The Wheel seems to be not the right game show for Christmas night - it felt just like every other edition of his show. It is a fun game show, but nothing special about it at all for Christmas night.

Ah yes, Mrs Brown, every year it gets less and less overnight viewers. Really on a par with the low ratings the Chibnall era of Doctor Who specials was getting by the end of Chibnall tenure. BBC need to look at that contract with Brendan, and move it to Boxing Day. It does not deserve the slot anymore. I think even Brendan O'Carroll would not mind moving the days. And if anyone says the BBC can't change a contract, they do not know the BBC.

[JAS84]

I won't be surprised if The Wheel is moved to another day next year - Michael McKintyre's other show, Big Show, was the one that originally took the timeslot when the Doctor Who specials moved to New Year's Day - and that may well be back on Christmas Day next year, in which case something has to give way.

[Andrew Wood]

Surely this is the last year of Mrs Browns Boys at Christmas ?

They're contracted until 2026 to provide the Christmas special on Christmas Day and a New Year's show.    If the BBC decide to axe it, they still get paid even if they don't make them.

There's also four more episodes in 2023.

Even with it being a BBC programme, with so much product placement, I'm surprised they don't have to have the 'P' icon on prominent display.

[JMT1985]

They're contracted until 2026 to provide the Christmas special on Christmas Day and a New Year's show.    If the BBC decide to axe it, they still get paid even if they don't make them.

There's also four more episodes in 2023.

Even with it being a BBC programme, with so much product placement, I'm surprised they don't have to have the 'P' icon on prominent display.

Just to add some facts, it is also a sort of co-production with RTE Television, the Irish national broadcaster. RTE are allowed Product Placement in their productions, as RTE is what is known as a "semi state company", receiving advertising, sponsorship and product placement income along with the public Irish licence fee which is currently €160 per year. 

Maybe this is the reason why we see Brennan's Bread sitting in Mrs Brown's kitchen every time.

[tellyblues]

Michael McIntyre's The Wheel seems to be not the right game show for Christmas night - it felt just like every other edition of his show. It is a fun game show, but nothing special about it at all for Christmas night.

None of the Christmas specials feel special when you know they have been filmed at the same time as regular episodes. Ten years of the same shows in the same order on the same day also does little to convince viewers that shows are specially produced.

[Ash101]

Ghosts certainly doesn't look or feel like a traditional sitcom and requires more patience.

Aladdin rating well proves that films can get good figures but being live-action means more people will have given it a chance.

Mrs Brown's Boys... plenty has been said already but it needing to be on Xmas Day stops similar potential shows from getting a chance because the BBC will not want to go over their limit on comedy or shows aimed at a certain demographic.

I think Ghosts is the rating of the day for me. It’s untested in that Christmas Day slot but has provided a good audience, more than the soaps which always get an hour each on the big day.

Mrs Brown’s Boys is a strange one because, yes I can see where the criticism comes from for it & the ratings are on the slide (but isn’t everything?). But would BBC One really commission anything new in its place? I just can’t see any other new comedy special taking that post-10pm slot. It’ll either be a repeat or the news is dragged earlier.

Maybe a full series next year will revitalise the show.