The BBC faces a festive backlash after unveiling its 2025 Christmas television schedule, with viewers taking to social media to express their profound disappointment.
A Festive Lineup Fails to Impress
While the broadcaster has promised festive editions of several beloved programmes, the announcement was met with a wave of criticism from audiences who found the offering underwhelming. The schedule for BBC One includes seasonal specials of The Night Manager, Amandaland, Death in Paradise, and Here We Go. Other notable shows set for a Christmas airing are The Traitors, EastEnders, Beyond Paradise, Call The Midwife, and Strictly Come Dancing. For BBC Two, viewers can look forward to Gone Christmas Fishing, Christmas University Challenge, and Mammooth.
Mixed Reactions and Social Media Uproar
The reaction online was swift and brutally honest. One person penned on X, formerly Twitter, 'Genuinely not one thing that stands out! What a letdown.' Another echoed the sentiment, writing, 'Well, that's a whole lot of nothing special!' A third added a plea regarding one specific show: 'Please don't ruin Christmas with Mrs Browns Boys!' The criticism didn't stop there, with a fourth viewer chiming in: 'My expectations after last year’s line up were low but holy.'
The Enduring Controversy of Mrs Brown's Boys
A significant portion of the discontent appears to be directed at the inclusion of Mrs Brown's Boys, which is set to have two specials. The Irish sitcom, featuring creator Brendan O'Carroll, 70, as the foul-mouthed matriarch Agnes Brown, has been a staple for the BBC since its 2011 debut but has long been a source of divided opinion. The show's 2024 Christmas special saw its ratings plummet to a record low of just 2.2 million viewers, a stark contrast to the 11.5 million who tuned in for its 2013 special. Last year's episode was described by those at home as 'spectacularly unfunny'. Despite this, the show retains its defenders, with one fan posting, 'Love love love Mrs Brown's Boys,' while another urged critics, 'If that humor isn't for you, don't watch it.'
In a direct comparison, while Mrs Brown's Boys struggled, other BBC1 offerings triumphed in the previous year's ratings. Gavin and Stacey: The Finale was the most-watched show of the festive season with 12.5 million viewers, and Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl attracted 9.5 million. The BBC's 2025 schedule now faces the challenge of winning back the holiday spirit of its audience.
