The best Christmas Day TV
TV

Christmas Day TV ratings winners – Call the Midwife loses its crown in 2021

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It’s traditionally the biggest day for settling down in front of the box – but what were the Christmas Day TV ratings winners?

Well, it should come as no surprise that the Queen’s Speech took top spot, with 7.4million viewers.

Elsewhere in the Top 10, eight of the programmes were from the BBC, with the remaining two ITV offerings.

Next came the Strictly Come Dancing special, with 5.8 million – a slot normally taken by Call the Midwife.

The popular Poplar drama took third place, with 4.7million. Then came Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel with 4.6million and the Blankety Blank Christmas Special, with 4.2million.

Mary Poppins Returns got 3.7million, while Superworm had 3.34million viewers.

Then came the soaps… Coronation Street on ITV was watched by 3.25million while channel mate Emmerdale, ITV, had 3million viewers.

Finally EastEnders had 2.9million pairs of eyes on it.

ITV’s primetime The Larkins Christmas special didn’t make the Top 10… however lots of viewers will be catching up on TV over the coming days so this could change.

The best Christmas Day TV
Jay takes part in Strictly (Credit: BBC)

Christmas TV – what was on Christmas Day?

This Morning
ITV, 10am

It’s not often that Phil and Holly are on a Saturday, but this (very) festive episode of This Morning got the big day off to a fab start.

Joel Dommett and Leona Lewis were guests, and there were tears, too, as the duo exchange Christmas presents.

Read more: Call the Midwife Christmas special: BBC release first look preview of “magical” festive episode

James Martin’s Saturday Kitchen
ITV, 12pm

Eamonn Holmes and Danny Jones were guests, while James cooked up a festive feast.

Strictly Come Dancing
BBC One, 5.10pm

It might have only been gone for a week, but Strictly was back for its annual festive spesh.

Jay Blades, Fred Sirieix, Mel Giedroyc, Moira Stuart, Anne-Marie and Adrian Chiles were the celebs taking to the dance floor.

The best Christmas Day TV
It’s all happening at Nonnatus House this year (Credit: BBC)

The midwives return!

The Masked Singalong
ITV, 6pm

In a special Christmas episode of the hit guessing game (the new series starts next week), some favourite characters returned.

Queen Bee, Badger, Duck, Robin, Hedgehog, Blob and Sausage all joined the party.

Call The Midwife
BBC One, 8pm

It was 1966 in Poplar, and Lucille and Cyril were preparing for their winter wedding.

However, Nonnatus House was overrun with expectant mums to be, and Sister Mildred (Miriam Margolyes) returned to action.

The Great British Bake Off
Channel 4, 8pm

Paul and Prue were back with a special, It’s A Sin-themed episode.

Olly Alexander, Nathaniel Curtis, Lydia West and Shaun Dooley all competed to win Star Baker.

The best Christmas Day TV
The whole Larkins clan are back (Credit: ITV)

The Larkins
ITV, 9pm

Bradley Walsh returned as Pop and the whole village was preparing for the big festive panto.

However, they were also on edge because there’d been a spate of burglaries. Elsewhere, Charley’s folks visited the farm…  to meet the Larkin family for the first time.

Read more: When will the Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas 2021 special be on TV?

Gogglebox
Channel 4, 9.15pm

The Siddiquis, Giles and Mary, Jenny and Lee, Ellie and Izzi, Marcus and Mica, and Amira and Iqra all went through their best and worst TV of 2021.

Mrs Brown’s Boys
BBC One, 10.20pm

The first of two festive special saw Agnes recruited to the local church choir

However, Father McBride issued some strict instructions to keep her in check.

BBC1 Christmas Drama 2021 Trailer

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor