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BBC serves up favourites old and new with added tinsel this Christmas BBC serves up favourites old and new with added tinsel this Christmas
(35 minutes later)
All your favourite shows, with added tinsel, is probably the best way to describe this year’s Christmas schedule on BBC1.All your favourite shows, with added tinsel, is probably the best way to describe this year’s Christmas schedule on BBC1.
The Great British Bake Off, Sherlock, EastEnders, Dr Who, Call the Midwife and Mrs Brown’s Boys will all appear as festive specials while the only new content without the words “Christmas special” or “celebrity” attached is based on work by some far-from-new names – Roald Dahl, Raymond Briggs and Agatha Christie.The Great British Bake Off, Sherlock, EastEnders, Dr Who, Call the Midwife and Mrs Brown’s Boys will all appear as festive specials while the only new content without the words “Christmas special” or “celebrity” attached is based on work by some far-from-new names – Roald Dahl, Raymond Briggs and Agatha Christie.
There will be excitement around how the three children are all grown up now as hit television comedy Outnumbered returns for a special Christmas episode, and excitement over a one-off drama from Sally Wainwright on the Brontes, but in general the BBC will follow a tried-and-tested formula. There will be excitement around how the three children are all grown up now as hit television comedy Outnumbered returns for a special Christmas episode, and excitement over a one-off drama from Sally Wainwright on the Brontës, but in general the BBC will follow a tried-and-tested formula.
Just like getting a new pair of slippers from your favourite aunt every year, the BBC this Christmas may be predictable but the intention is to keep you warm and comfortable when you need it most.Just like getting a new pair of slippers from your favourite aunt every year, the BBC this Christmas may be predictable but the intention is to keep you warm and comfortable when you need it most.
The question is, can auntie keep offering the same gifts in a year when hugely expensive drama and entertainment has hit our television screens from US-based rivals such as Netflix or Amazon? The Crown, Netflix’s £100m biopic of the Queen, was launched in time for Thanksgiving while Amazon is offering a Christmas and new year special with its Jeremy Clarkson-fronted Grand Tour.The question is, can auntie keep offering the same gifts in a year when hugely expensive drama and entertainment has hit our television screens from US-based rivals such as Netflix or Amazon? The Crown, Netflix’s £100m biopic of the Queen, was launched in time for Thanksgiving while Amazon is offering a Christmas and new year special with its Jeremy Clarkson-fronted Grand Tour.
To be fair, the BBC formula works even if the Daily Mail complains about the lack of hymns. In all but one of the past 15 years the BBC has topped the festive ratings, largely by offering versions of much-loved shows. Only ITV’s Downton Abbey farewell allowed ITV to beat the BBC on Christmas Day 2015. Yet BBC shows, from Strictly Come Dancing’s christmas special to Mrs Brown’s Boys and animated family special Stick Man, dominated the rest of the top 10.To be fair, the BBC formula works even if the Daily Mail complains about the lack of hymns. In all but one of the past 15 years the BBC has topped the festive ratings, largely by offering versions of much-loved shows. Only ITV’s Downton Abbey farewell allowed ITV to beat the BBC on Christmas Day 2015. Yet BBC shows, from Strictly Come Dancing’s christmas special to Mrs Brown’s Boys and animated family special Stick Man, dominated the rest of the top 10.
Such dominance reflects the fact that the BBC invests more in Christmas content than any other broadcaster with few rivals, from ITV to Sky and Channel 4, creating as much original content – even if the shows on which it is based are anything but.Such dominance reflects the fact that the BBC invests more in Christmas content than any other broadcaster with few rivals, from ITV to Sky and Channel 4, creating as much original content – even if the shows on which it is based are anything but.
Yet there are signs of change; not just in BBC budgets, hit by repeated licence fee settlements and unable to compete with the sorts of sums offered by subscription-based rivals, but also in the way viewers watch television.Yet there are signs of change; not just in BBC budgets, hit by repeated licence fee settlements and unable to compete with the sorts of sums offered by subscription-based rivals, but also in the way viewers watch television.
Last Christmas was the first time that no show other than the Queen’s speech was watched by more than 7 million people. ITV’s Downton attracted 6.9 million before catchup figures were included. These figures suggested that either more people were choosing to catch up on drama and entertainment that could be streamed live, or choosing not to watch television at all.Last Christmas was the first time that no show other than the Queen’s speech was watched by more than 7 million people. ITV’s Downton attracted 6.9 million before catchup figures were included. These figures suggested that either more people were choosing to catch up on drama and entertainment that could be streamed live, or choosing not to watch television at all.
And that sort of trend could make for a very cold new year for the BBC indeed.And that sort of trend could make for a very cold new year for the BBC indeed.