TV Comedy Christmas Highlights 2011

As the nights draw in, and we prepare to open the little door marked '1' on our advent calendars, broadcasters are busy confirming and publishing their TV listings over Christmas and into the new year. It's as packed a schedule as ever for 2011, so dive on in to our summary of the highlights...

Morecambe & Wise (Various, from 10th December)

Nobody's Christmas should pass without a helping of Eric and Ernie, and 2011 is no exception. It all starts on Channel 5's Classic Comedy Night (Saturday 10th December, alongside Tommy Cooper's 1973 Christmas special) with the Christmas special from 1981 - it's from the Thames rather than BBC series so isn't an episode from the height of the duo's brilliance, but is nevertheless a masterclass in broad-appeal comedy.

The next instalment comes on Christmas Eve, at 8pm on BBC Two, and comedy's greatest ever double act move on up to BBC One for Christmas Day and Boxing Day, with their 1971 and 1976 specials on at 11:40 am and 12:55 pm, respectively.

Our last visit to the near-relentlessly joyful world of Morecambe and Wise comes later on Boxing Day, with a brand new The Unforgettable... ITV1 special focussing on Ernie Wise at 7pm.

Laughing At The... (C4, 17th / 28th December)

Catherine Tate: Laughing At The 00s

Ben Elton: Laughing At The 80s

After Jennifer Saunders' exploration of the 1990s (broadcast back in August), it's the turn of Ben Elton and Catherine Tate to look at the decades that first brought them real fame: the 1980s and 2000s, respectively. Expect a wide range of guests from all walks of comedy life, and plenty of wonderful clips and behind-the-scenes stories in these two 2-hour celebrations of British comedy.

Tuck into Tate's offering on Saturday 17th December, and Elton's on Wednesday the 28th.

The Bleak Old Shop Of Stuff (BBC2, 19th December)

Familiar with Radio 4's barmy spoof-Victorian adventure epic Bleak Expectations? From the same writer, Mark Evans, and "inhabiting the same world", comes BBC Two's The Bleak Old Shop Of Stuff.

It launches on Monday 19th December at 8:30pm with a one-hour special, before returning for a 3-part series in January. With an all-star cast including Robert Webb, Stephen Fry, Katherine Parkinson and Johnny Vegas, this new comedy comes from a writer who has proven himself to be one of the funniest and most consistent currently working, and is likely to be one of the real highlights of Christmas telly.

Note: This is a little earlier than the main festive period in order to coincide with Dickens Season, celebrating 200 years since the author's birth.

Outnumbered (BBC1, Christmas Eve)

We return to the London suburbs at 9:20 pm on Christmas Eve for a brand new Christmas special of hit family sitcom Outnumbered.

The kids continue to cause havoc for long-suffering parents Pete and Sue Brockman (Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner). We hear this is going to be a particularly good one, so don't miss it!

Lapland (BBC1, Christmas Eve)

Despite the cancellation of this year's Royle Family special (writers Craig Cash and Caroline Aherne didn't get the script finished in time), Sue Johnston (Barbara) will be on our screens - this time on Christmas Eve, in the one-off BBC One comedy drama Lapland.

Johnston plays Eileen, the mother of large Birkenhead family the Lewises, who save up for a very special Christmas treat: a holiday to visit Father Christmas at home in Lapland, complete with reindeer, huskies, and the Northern Lights. However, they soon discover that the Finnish destination has a little more in store than expected...

Tune in to this 75-minute special from 10pm on Christmas Eve.

Les Dawson Night (BBC2, Christmas Eve)

BBC Two are turning Christmas Eve into Les Dawson night, with a Many Faces Of... documentary kicking things off at 9pm.

10pm will see a 'Best of' show highlighting the much-missed comic's talent and versatility.

The night's completed with non-Les shows including Dad's Army, The Morecambe & Wise Show (see above), documentary Blackadder Rides Again, and an episode of Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

Absolutely Fabulous (BBC1, Christmas Day)

Yes, it's finally here - the girls are back! Expect endless uproarious drunken antics as Patsy, Edina (now in her 60s!), Saffron, Mother and Bubble are reunited for the first of three special episodes to mark the show's 21st anniversary.

One of the ladies has been away for some time, and her return could make or break everything - especially with a new best friend in tow!

It all kicks off at 10pm on Christmas Day, with the second episode expected on New Year's Day. A third instalment will be on in the summer, and is set around the Olympics.

Michael McIntyre's Christmas Comedy Roadshow (BBC1, Christmas Day)

Tucked just after Ab Fab at 10:30 pm on Christmas Day, Michael McIntyre presents a special festive edition of his Comedy Roadshow.

The hour-long comedy extravaganza will be recorded at the legendary Theatre Royal Drury Lane on December 13th (tickets are still available), so we don't yet know who'll be joining Michael on stage, but you can rest assured it'll include some of the biggest and best names in the business.

The Royal Bodyguard (BBC1, Boxing Day)

It's been 20 years since Del Boy himself, Sir David Jason, last appeared in a new comedy role on the BBC, but he's back on Boxing Day as Captain Guy Hubble. From writers Mark Bussell and Justin Sbresni (The Worst Week Of My Life), The Royal Bodyguard sees Hubble - head of security at a Buckingham Palace car park - promoted way above his capabilities after a fluke incident sees him saving the Queen's life.

From comedy powerhouse Hat Trick Productions, makers of shows from Have I Got News For You to Outnumbered, this one's either going to be a massive hit, or a massive failure. From the talent involved, and the scheduling the Beeb have given it, we're hoping for the former. BBC One, Boxing Day, 9:30pm.

Mrs. Brown's Boys (BBC1, Boxing Day)

Yes, they're back! Dublin's very own dysfunctional family, the Browns, will return with a second series in January but there's Christmas to get through first, and with son Trevor back from missionary work abroad for the first time in 4 years, matriarch Agnes is determined to make it a special one.

The whole clan, led by writer and star Brendan O'Carroll, will break forth onto your TV set at 10pm on Boxing Day.

You Have Been Watching (BBC2, 27th December)

At the end of September, comedy lost one of its greatest, most successful and prolific voices. David Croft, a writer, producer and director who co-created shows such as 'Allo 'Allo!, Dad's Army, and Are You Being Served?, and produced or directed titles ranging from Up Pompeii! to Steptoe & Son and many inbetween, died aged 89.

It seems almost vulgar to try to squeeze a career which gave us some of the greatest comedy ever, into a mere hour, but BBC Two will be attempting just that on Tuesday 27th December with this special documentary looking back at the life and work of a truly great man who brought hour upon hour of joy to millions across the globe.

An episode each of Hi-De-Hi! and Dad's Army are on from 7pm, with the documentary at 8pm.

Carry On Night (Channel 5, 27th December)

It's almost 54 years since the first Carry On film, Carry On Sergeant, was unleashed upon the public. A far cry from the saucy romps that made the franchise its name, Sergeant was nevertheless uproarious for its time - and spawned one of the most successful movie series of all time. Now Channel 5 are preparing to celebrate the great Carry On legacy with Carry On Night, hosted by none other than the Duchess of Carry On herself, Barbara Windsor.

The evening's on Tuesday 27th December, and kicks off at 9pm with Thames Television's riotous 1969 farce Carry On Christmas. At 10:05 pm, we take a look at the Greatest Carry On Films, a special highlights show celebrating the very best of the series, and Cor, Blimey!'s on at 11pm. A TV adaptation of the award-winning play Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick, it isn't wholly historically accurate, but depicts the behind-the-scenes affair between Windsor and Carry On legend Sid James, and how their relationship affected the other stars of the films.

Channel 4 Comedy Night (28th December)

Wednesday the 28th looks set to be a big night for Channel 4. It's capped off with Ben Elton: Laughing At The 80s between 11:40 pm and 1:35, but kicks off at 9pm with a 2 hour retrospective of one of the greats in The Untold Tommy Cooper. Packed with previously unseen audio and video clips, new interviews with close associates, and diary extracts, the show aims to shed some new light on one of Britain's most celebrated entertainers.

The fun continues at 10:35 pm with Felix And Murdo, a riotous sitcom pilot from Simon Nye (Men Behaving Badly, Is It Legal?) that stars Ben Miller and Alexander Armstrong as two gents preparing for the first London Olympics - in 1908. The period comedy will see the duo indulging in all of the best sex, drink and drugs ... when such things were still legal! Did we mention that they'll be competing in the games with no training whatsoever?

Straight after that, there's a highlights special containing all the best bits from Series 4 of the duo's first sketch show, Armstrong And Miller, which was originally broadcast in early 2001. Note: may include Sarah Alexander naked.

Other Highlights

Above is just a selection of the shows broadcasting during this year's Christmas season. There's plenty more to watch out for, including stand-up in Bill Bailey: Dandelion Mind and Dara O'Briain: This Is The Show; a Channel 4 Lee Evans night on the 30th; adventurer Bear Grylls and Miranda Hart spending a wild weekend in the Alps; the final How Not To Live Your Life; Ruth Jones' Christmas Cracker; Griff Rhys Jones, Rory McGrath and Dara O'Briain as the Three Men In A Boat Go To Cape Cod; and Christmas specials ranging from QI to 8 Out Of 10 Cats and The Rob Brydon Show, plus Have I Got News For You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and the obligatory Graham Norton specials.

You'll also want to keep a particular eye out for the Rev Christmas special on Tuesday 20th December, which has been written by Peep Show's Sam Bain and promises to be something very special.

As ever, there are a whole host of top classics being repeated too - including the likes of Blackadder, As Time Goes By and Dad's Army, plus pantomimes, Carry On films, and much more. We'll have complete comedy schedules here in early December.

Please be aware that, whilst unlikely in most cases given above, some dates and times are subject to change as the schedules have yet to be fully finalised.