Joanna Lumley and Tobias Menzies star in a delightfully creepy adaptation of an EF Benson short story by Mark Gatiss, airing on BBC Two at 10pm on Christmas Eve. The tale follows Roger Winstanley, played by Menzies, who has been haunted since childhood by a peculiar dream. Set during the Blitz with flashbacks to an earlier era, Winstanley shares his vision with a sympathetic stranger in an air raid shelter, where too much imagination proves dangerous as bombs shake the ground.
Other Christmas Eve highlights include Lenny Rush in 'Am I Being Unreasonable?' at 7.25pm on BBC One, where a 16-year-old Chris refuses to let go of his belief in Santa despite his father's doubts. The show features appearances from scientists Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Hannah Fry, as well as special forces veteran Jason Fox.
At 10pm on BBC One, the Scottish sitcom 'Two Doors Down' returns with the Bairds' early Christmas tree unveiling, sparking a festive gathering that annoys Beth. Later, at 11.50pm, BBC One broadcasts the first mass of the nativity from a Roman Catholic church, including Mozart's Coronation Mass and Francis Poulenc's choral piece.
On Netflix, Kate Winslet's directorial debut 'Goodbye June' stars Helen Mirren as a terminally ill mother, with a cast including Timothy Spall, Toni Collette, and Winslet herself. The film keeps sentimentality to a minimum, set largely in a hospital.
Classic films also feature: 'Citizen Kane' at 9am on BBC Two and 'ET: The Extra-Terrestrial' at 1.35pm on ITV1, both offering timeless storytelling for the festive season.
