A Guide To Your Christmas Television Schedule

Christmas time is here, and it's- let's be honest- not as merry and bright as it usually would be. There's a lot to be a bit stressed out about. Your blog editor is currently laid up in bed with Omicron as she writes this, trying to summon up what little Christmas cheer she might still have. There's not much left to do now but batten down the hatches, get cosy, and watch some cosy Christmas TV. With this in mind, I thought I would take a biro to my Radio Times, and pull out all the great period, romantic and literary pieces that are coming up on TV this festive season that I think Austen fans and voracious readers might enjoy. Apologies to our international readers - this is UK only. If an Austen blog reader would like to put together a similar guide for another nation, please do reach out. Here's the first week: 

Monday 20th December 

Call The Midwife marathon on DRAMA at 2pm - 7:20pm 

Tuesday 21st December 

Doctor Zhivago on BBC Two at 1:50pm

Saving Mr Banks on BBC One at 2:45pm

A Merry Tudor Christmas with Lucy Worsley on BBC Four at 8pm 

Wordsworth and Coleridge Road Trip with Frank Skinner and Denise Mina on SkyArts at 8pm 

Wednesday 22nd December 

Kiss Me Kate on BBC Two at 1:55pm

Guys and Dolls on BBC Two at 3:40pm

Miss Potter on 5Select at 7pm

Our Victorian Christmas on 5 at 9pm

Crazy Rich Asians on BBC One at 10:35pm 

Great Expectations on BBC Two at 11:45pm

Thursday 23rd December 

Cinderella on BBC One at 3:15 pm 

Matilda on 5 at 5:10pm

Upstart Crow on BBC Two at 6:05pm 

Bridget Jones's Baby on ITVBe at 9pm

Christmas Eve 

It's a Wonderful Life on Channel 4 at 2pm 

Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader on Film4 at 2:30pm

Roald and Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse on SkyShowcase at 3:35pm

Sleepless in Seattle on 2 at 7pm

Christmas Day

The Man Who Invented Christmas on More4 at 9:55am

Casablanca on BBC Two at 11:10am

Meet Me In St Louis on BBC Two at 12:50pm

White Christmas on Channel 4 at 12:55pm

Peter Pan on ITV 2 at 1:05pm

Little Women on Film 4 at  1:35pm

Clueless on 5 Star at 2:50pm

Mary Poppins Returns on BBC One at 3:10pm

Call the Midwife on BBC One at 8pm

Their Finest on BBC Four at 9:35PM

Boxing Day

Beauty and the Beast on BBC One at 2:20pm

The Princess Bride on Comedy Central at 3:25pm

Sense and Sensibility on Film4 at 3:35pm

Around the World in 80 Days on BBC One at 5:50pm

A Knight's Tale on Film4 at 6:20pm

Anything Goes: The Musical on BBC Two at 6:40pm

Monday 27th December 

My Fair Lady on 5 at 1:15

 West Side Story on BBC Two at 4:35pm 

Tuesday 28th December 

Jane Eyre on DRAMA at 2:20pm

The Man in the Iron Mask on 5 at 2:35pm

Death on the Nile on BBC Two at 4:45pm

Murder on the Orient Express on Channel 4 at 9pm 

Stay tuned for an update on TV for the second week of the holidays!