[interestednovice]

I agree.

Even the BBC’s schedule is beginning to feel a bit staid. There’s been a Mrs Brown’s Boys special for years, Strictly Come Dancing for years, Death in Paradise has been going since 2010 and so on.

Not that there is anything wrong with any of those shows, it just feels like “the next big hit” has never really come along.

[all new phil]

I thought Masked Singer worked well as a Christmas Day show. It was certainly the only time other than the King’s Speech that we all stopped and paid attention to the tv. Perfect family time fodder to give everyone something to discuss whilst full of cheese. Perfectly pitched celebs too, people who everyone will know.

[Brekkie]

And when you look at the last few years there has been a good variety of shows on ITV on Christmas Day with Britain's Got Talent, The Masked Singer, Limitless Win, 1% Club, Millionaire and earlier in the evening The Chase and POGDOGs*. Drama wise there has been Doc Martin, The Larkins, Torvill and Dean, Victoria and Maigret in the post-Downton years. It's unfair to say they don't even try when they offer something different every year.

Meanwhile over on BBC1 I think the only new Christmas Day shows (other than the annual animation) in the same period have been The Wheel (which replaced Big Show), Ghosts, Blankety Blank and the Gavin and Stacey special, although Doctor Who was out of the Christmas Day schedule for 5 years, which made it's return this year feel like much more of an event.

* Quite surprised they've not repeated the tribute to Paul O'Grady over the period.

[eyeTV]

I guess familiarity and consistency works for the BBC whereas ITV just tend to go with specials of whatever is popular at the time backed up by the soaps.

I can't ever imagine ITV commissioning an original animated film like BBC & C4 do. These are useful as a focal point for a Christmas schedule but also can be tied into presentation and also have good repeat value. I guess it's not worth the effort to them.

[tellyblues]

I agree.

Even the BBC’s schedule is beginning to feel a bit staid. There’s been a Mrs Brown’s Boys special for years, Strictly Come Dancing for years, Death in Paradise has been going since 2010 and so on.

Not that there is anything wrong with any of those shows, it just feels like “the next big hit” has never really come along.

Yep. The Wheel is the only gameshow at least that jumps out as being suitable for Xmas Day. The Hit List possibly could have worked if it had punched more above its weight.

[eyeTV]

Still showing festive idents today.

[JMT1985]

Still showing festive idents today.

ITV probably feel since this is a Bank Holiday they just keep them for one more day

[interestednovice]

The traditional 12 days of Christmas end on the 6th of January, but TV channels don’t seem to go by that anymore because they start the Christmas presentation so early in December.

Really, a special “New Year” branding, such as BBC One’s Winter 2015 idents, would be nice. But then broadcasters won’t spend money on things like that, which hardly anyone would notice, when money is tight.

[fanoftv]

The city ident would lend itself perfectly to fireworks. In the 2013 ident set did they use the fireworks idents for New Years, and there may have been one with somebody weighing themselves as well.

[JMT1985]

I wonder if ITV will ever bother again in producing a proper New Year's Eve show?

They put their National Lottery Bash very early in the evening and then fill the rest up with a James Bond film.

It wouldn't be hard for them to produce say a Jonathan Ross Show special to be an alternative to the now fairly boring and dull Graham Norton New Year's Eve special which this year had very below par guest line up