Best Christmas TV specials of all time - and number 1 isn't Gavin and Stacey
One favourite has taken the top spot though!
Christmas is the most wonderful time of year for multiple reasons, but one absolute favourite is the incredible TV shows we get to see on our screens, especially when it comes to festive specials. We see soaps hit their most dramatic storylines of the year, alongside shows that have ended come back with a one-off special, while other shows that are still active will also surprise viewers with a fun festive special too.
But what takes the cake? According to Betway, these are the shows that have been deemed the most loved Christmas TV specials of all time, but will your favourite be number one? Each episode’s popularity is measured by ratings on IMDb, the number of viewers when the episode first aired and its Reddit sentiment score. From Gavin & Stacey to Only Fools and Horses, Let's take a look!
7. This Is Us: Last Christmas
Jack and Rebecca had an unexpected reunion with an old friend, and Kevin, Randall and Kate were dealing with difficult challenges during the holiday season themselves. The popular holiday special took place in the first series of the show, airing from 2016 to 2022. It had incredible viewership of 10,950,000 and an IMDB rating of 8.9.
(Image: NBC)
6. Downton Abbey: Christmas at Downton 2011
Downton Abbey threw a Christmas party, but a shadow was quickly cast over the celebrations due to rising tensions and John Bates' arrest. The cliffhanger sees Bates' murder trial take a centre point on the shocker of an episode and pulled in a viewership of 10,500,000 with an IMDB rating of 9 and a Reddit Sentiment score of 56.5.
(Image: Downton Abbey)
5. Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol
The Doctor (Matt Smith) and Amy Pond have one hour to save a crashing spaceship on Christmas Day before things take a massively bad turn. It was deemed one of the "most beautiful episodes of Doctor Who". It had 12,110,000 viewers and an IMDB rating of 8.5.
(Image: BBC)
4. Only Fools and Horses: Miami Twice
Del Boy plans a Florida holiday and as he leaves with his brother for a week away in the sun, he has no idea what he's walking into as he's still wanted by the police, who are also in Florida. The show landed 24,300,000 views, but only had an IMDB rating of 8.2.
(Image: BBC)
3. Downton Abbey Christmas Special (2015)
The final episode aired for the Christmas special and there was a lot of plotlines wrapped up. Mary attempted to mend her relationship with her sister, while Edith's wedding is a focus, as well as Anna having a baby, while the family look towards a new change in the year to come. While the episode didn't have as many viewers, with 6,600,000, it had an incredible IMDB rating at 9.2.
(Image: Downton Abbey)
