BBC reveals festive TV highlights

BBC News

Seasonal specials of Strictly Come Dancing and The Great British Bake-Off are among the festive offerings from the BBC this Christmas.

One-off episodes of Mrs Brown's Boys, Call the Midwife and Bad Education will feature on the schedule as well.

The highly anticipated return of Sherlock will also air, along with a Doctor Who special and an adaptation of David Walliams' book Gangsta Granny.

EastEnders will see Danny Dyer make his debut as the Queen Vic's new landlord.

Films on offer include Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Gnomeo and Juliet and Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

David Jason returns as corner shop worker Granville in Still Open All Hours, while the semi-finalists of the Great British Sewing Bee will compete again in a one-off special.

The first series of family fantasy drama Atlantis will draw to a conclusion, while viewers will find out who wins the coveted glitter ball trophy on this year's Strictly Come Dancing series.

Nev Wilshire, the star of BBC Three's The Call Centre, returns in The Call Centre Christmas, while Gareth Malone explores the roots of choral singing in The Choir: Sing While You Work.

Viewers will also see James May taking on another challenge as part of his Toy Stories series as he aims to take a 37-mile ride around the Isle of Man in a motorbike and car made of Meccano.

His Top Gear colleague Jeremy Clarkson will tell the tale of the Arctic Convoys of World War Two, while festive panel shows include Mock the Week, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and QI.

Religious programming will include the First Eucharist of Christmas live from Westminster Abbey on Christmas Eve, along with Carols from King's on BBC Two.

Other offerings include Top of the Pops Christmas, The Sarah Millican Television Programme and Celebrity Mastermind.

"Brilliant Christmas telly across drama, factual, comedy, entertainment and religion is something licence-fee payers rightly expect from the BBC," said Danny Cohen, the corporation's director of television.

Final schedule details will be released on 4 December.