Yule love these... my 12 must-watch TV shows of Christmas
Similarly, there are as many stages of Christmas in our lives.
These include the Santa years, the boozing and carousing years, the settling down years, the parenting years, when Santa makes a welcome return visit... all the way up to the last one, when you’re dozing off on the sofa before the Six-One News has even begun.
I reckon I’m in stage five... the TV years: Mid-life, looking forward to the dinner and the feet up, kids now older and looking after themselves - now me the remote control!
As Shakespeare began that poem about the seven stages of man - “all the world’s a stage”; well, it is when it comes to the telly box in the corner, and luckily, there is always a feast of TV lined up for each festive season.
I’ve been busy planning the Christmas TV special which comes free with next Wednesday, and to give you a sneak preview, I’ve selected 12 TV shows you must not miss (and a couple of radio options).
So, without much more ado, as Shakespeare almost said, here are my 12 must-watch TV shows of Christmas:
Fans of the Cork sitcom were stunned when it came back from the dead for a fourth series, which screened on BBC1 in May (and has just been put on the RTÉ Player).
Now it’s getting the Christmas special treatment.
Yes, one of the two ‘offenders’, Jock, has been sidelined as actor Chris Walley has other filming commitments, and yes, the ‘offenders’ are not as young as they used to be, but this still promises to be great fun, and it’s always a treat to see which parts of Cork it is filmed in.
The plot: Mairead (Hilary Rose) and Sgt Healy (Dominic MacHale) are expecting a new arrival, and Conor (Alex Murphy) wants everything to be perfect for his mother, but is he up to the task? Oh, look out for a guest star appearance by Cork celebrity chef Rachel Allen!
“Think you can stop what we do? I doubt it,” starts the rap track with a heavy Cork accent, The Spark, which has had a mere 6.7 million views on YouTube since its summer release.
Now the Cork city Kabin Crew behind it have made their own festive TV special, showcasing new songs and a special festive video, as well as providing a glimpse into the people behind the Northside initiative.
A brand new Wallace and Gromit film being premiered on TV on Christmas Day? Now that’s a gift.
After a heavy day’s feasting, it’s time to break-out the cheese and gorge on this tale of a ‘smart gnome’ invention that seems to develop an evil mind of its own.
To be fair, Wallace has been inventing AI since before AI came around - and beagle Gromit is usually on hand (paw) to mend the errors of his ways.
Documentary telling the story of how three Cork brothers created cinematic and animation history in Ireland back in the day.
It takes us into the magical world of Jim, Tom, and Phil Horgan, from Youghal, shoemakers and photographers, who made some of the earliest films in the world.
Three young cousins from Cork embark on the challenge of a lifetime in the freezing wilds of the Arctic Circle, in this children’s TV series.
Caroline O’Neill, 10, and her 12-year-old cousins, Cuan and Donagh, learn to survive in some of the most hospitable terrain in the world, under the guidance of bushcraft expert and survivalist Tom Bán. I can’t imagine they will be dreaming of a white Christmas after that experience!
Released in cinemas to acclaim in April, this boxing documentary gets its TV premiere. It tells the story of the 1995 boxing match at the Green Glens Arena between then unknown Irish underdog Steve ‘The Celtic Warrior’ Collins and larger-than-life champion Chris Eubank.
The film revisits a time when Cork and Ireland were undergoing vast social and economic change.
There is always a feast of sport on over Christmas, but this rugby clash between Munster and Leinster at Thomond Park is a stand-out. Munster have won just once against their rivals in their last eight games, so an upset is required.
Of course, the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship on Sky will be required viewing as long as teen sensation Luke Littler is around.
And my pick of all the soccer matches is Spurs v Liverpool on Sky on Sunday, December 22 at 4.30pm.
Arne Slot’s rejuvenated Reds are chasing the title, but against Spurs, anything can happen!
A TV adaptation of a Harlan Coben novel is always a big deal, and this five-parter is about a detective who is stunned when her fiance, the love of her life, turns up on a dating app, more than a decade after he vanished.
Hotly tipped to win Strictly tonight, blind comedian Chris McCausland teams up with Lee Mack for what looks like a match made in TV heaven.
They play feuding neighbours but, when one of them accidentally blows the power for their whole street on Christmas Eve, both have to stay behind to guard it from a notorious criminal family.
The first series of this South Korean survival thriller was the streaming giant’s most-watched show ever, and the second series has been eagerly awaited.
Gi-hun, who vowed revenge after winning the first Squid Game, s the game again to take revenge on the Front Man.
The finest TV show of 2024, in my opinion, and an Irish version is being recorded in the spring, which will be a mega-hit, I can assure you.
Now see what all the fuss is about as the supreme Claudia Winkleman hosts the third UK series, in which 22 strangers play an imaginative game of strategy. The twist? Some, known as the Traitors, are secretly tasked with eliminating their competitors each night without being detected.
The winner gets a cash prize. You will be hooked.
Christmas is one of the few times many of us get to watch an entire film, and this is my pick of the bunch as I never saw it in the cinema.
A coming-of-age drama set in Waterford in 1981, it won awards and great critical acclaim.
In a documentary Spill The Beans on RTÉ Radio 1 on St Stephen’s Day at 6pm, Brian O’Connell explores the human stories inside some of Cork’s cafes - places that can alleviate loneliness, spark romances, maintain friendships and build community.
Also on RTÉ Radio 1, in The Irish Veterans Who Faced Homelessness And Found Each Other on Friday, December 27 at 3.30pm, Eimer McAuley meets a group of ex-personnel who faced homelessness after their service but found a home - and a new lease of life - in Cobh.
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