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BBC shares Christmas TV highlights from Mrs Brown's Boys to Motherland

Mrs Brown's Boys and Motherland are set for Christmas specials. (BBC)
Mrs Brown's Boys and Motherland are set for Christmas specials. (BBC)

The BBC has unveiled its Christmas highlights, with Mrs Brown's Boys, Motherland, Inside No. 9 and Call The Midwife festive specials all on the cards, as well as a new series of Happy Valley.

Viewers can look forward to comedy, drama and entertainment over the festive season as some of the broadcaster's biggest hits return to screens.

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Brendan O'Carroll's hit sitcom Mrs Brown's Boys is back for its traditional end of year specials, with episodes planned for Christmas and New Year featuring Cathy's creepy new boyfriend.

The EastEnders crew will get another dramatic Christmas. (BBC)
The EastEnders crew will get another dramatic Christmas. (BBC)

There's a huge selection of other festive comedy to look forward to as well, with a Christmas episode of Motherland that sees Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin) hosting half the school, Jack Whitehall back in teacher mode for Bad Education: Reunion, there's a feature-length return from Detectorists, and specials for Ghosts, Two Doors Down and The Cleaner.

Drama series are also filling up the BBC Christmas schedules as Happy Valley finally returns for its third and final season after six years away.

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Other drama highlights to look out for include the annual Call The Midwife Christmas special, a festive Death In Paradise, Strike: Troubled Blood and an adaptation of the novel Mayflies starring Martin Compston.

Call The Midwife is always a festive favourite. (BBC)
Call The Midwife is always a festive favourite. (BBC)

Inside No. 9 is back for a Christmas story set inside a mysterious church, Mark Gatiss adapts an M.R. James tale in A Ghost Story for Christmas: Count Magnus, and of course EastEnders will air its Christmas Day episode.

Kids' highlights include Julia Donaldson adaptation The Smeds and the Smoos, as well as an adaptation of Charlie Mackesy story The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse, and David Walliams will star in his sequel adaptation Gangsta Granny Strikes Again!.

The Smeds and The Smoos will be on TV this Christmas. (BBC)
The Smeds and The Smoos will be on TV this Christmas. (BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing makes its festive return to the ballroom, MasterChef hosts some celeb-packed Christmas specials, Mo Gilligan fronts new gameshow That's My Jam, Richard Osman is back on the Pointless set for Christmas, and Graham Norton and Jools Holland both host their annual New Year specials.

Other must-sees include a special episode of Frozen Planet II, BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Carols from King's on Christmas Eve, Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker!, Sally Phillips celebrity interview series My Life At Christmas, food inspiration from Marry Berry's Ultimate Christmas, and festive specials of University Challenge, QI, Countryfile and Antiques Roadshow.

Air dates and the Christmas Day schedule are yet to be announced.

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