In this episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, host Jonathan Thomas and British TV expert Tom Salinsky delve into the rich tradition of British Christmas television specials. They explore the cultural significance of these specials, the evolution of Christmas Day TV schedules, and highlight some of the most beloved and memorable Christmas episodes from shows like Wallace & Gromit, Doctor Who, Only Fools and Horses, and Gavin and Stacey. The conversation also touches on the nostalgia associated with classics like The Snowman and the impact of streaming on traditional viewing habits. Salinsky shares insights into the history of Morecambe and Wise, the role of sports in Christmas TV, and the unique approach of shows like EastEnders during the festive season. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of the Radio Times Christmas double issue and a promotion for Salinsky’s new podcast, All British Comedy.

Links

• AllBritishComedy.com
• Tom Salinsky
• Tom Salinsky’s Red Dwarf books
• Radio Times Christmas Double Issue
• BBC Genome Project
• The Snowman
• Friends of Anglotopia Club

Takeaways

• British Christmas television specials are a cultural institution.
• Christmas specials often feature nostalgia and beloved characters.
• The Snowman is a quintessential part of British Christmas.
• Only Fools and Horses Christmas specials are highly anticipated events.
• Gavin and Stacey’s serialization contributed to its popularity.
• Christmas Day TV schedules have evolved over the years.
• The Radio Times Christmas double issue is a cherished tradition.
• Not all Christmas specials are successful or well-received.
• EastEnders often delivers dramatic and intense Christmas episodes.
• Streaming has changed how audiences engage with Christmas specials.

Sound Bites

1. On why British Christmas TV became a tradition: “I think it was EastEnders that made the difference. In 1986, EastEnders devoted its Christmas episode to the Den and Angie storyline absolutely coming to boiling point… The viewing figures were phenomenal—something like 30 million. Half the population was watching.” — Tom Salinsky

2. On the unique appeal of Christmas specials: “The difference between writing a regular episode of Doctor Who and a Christmas special is there will be non-fans watching at Christmas. The 14-year-old says, everybody has to shut up so I can watch this. And then uncle and auntie and grandma and grandpa are all in the room anyway.” — Tom Salinsky

3. On nostalgia and Christmas television: “Nostalgia and Christmas, certainly for British television, seem very intertwined. It’s a time when we want to hark back to the past… Even Vengeance Most Foul, which is a brand new piece of work, feels old-fashioned, has that old-fashioned charm about it.” — Tom Salinsky

4. On why EastEnders goes dark at Christmas: “If what we tune in for is misery and torment and betrayal, then at Christmas it needs to be maximum misery and maximum betrayal. No one is starved of EastEnders. So when it comes around for Christmas, we just want to take that lever and throw it as far in the direction of drama as we possibly can.” — Tom Salinsky

5. On the Radio Times Christmas double issue: “When I was 10, I would have read about National Velvet and that Old Curiosity Shop musical film in the Radio Times and probably opted not to circle them. We were a very middle-class household, Jonathan, so we didn’t get the TV Times because that was vulgar.” — Tom Salinsky

6. On discovering The Snowman: “I spent Christmas in England in 2013 and I kept hearing this haunting melody everywhere… I finally saw it and I was literally in tears when it was over. I’d never seen it before, but it just hit me. There’s no words—even the book has no words—and it’s an incredible story.” — Jonathan Thomas

7. On the 1971 Morecambe and Wise Christmas special: “The 71 special with Andre Previn is definitely something a cut above. That is such a famous routine. They kind of stayed at the top of their game for about seven or eight years, which is hard to do.” — Tom Salinsky

8. On The Office Christmas specials: “The way that The Office started out as this show which nobody really knew what it was or why it was funny… to then capturing the nation’s conversation and ending up being the centerpiece of the BBC One Christmas schedule in three years is astonishing.” — Tom Salinsky

9. On the first Doctor Who Christmas special: “Nobody knew whether that first series with Christopher Eccleston was going to be a success. We’d never had a Doctor Who Christmas special before. Just as Russell T. Davies had to invent how to make Doctor Who at all in 2005, he had to invent a Doctor Who Christmas special.” — Tom Salinsky

10. On Christmas specials as the last appointment viewing: “We’re just now used to using our television sets as jukeboxes where we select what we’re going to watch. We’re out of the habit of treating them like radio sets where the broadcaster determines what we are sent at what time… I think it’s one of the nice things about Christmas that we just get a little bit of that communal viewing experience back again.” — Tom Salinsky

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Christmas Television Specials
• 04:03 The Cultural Significance of British Christmas TV
• 09:59 Traditional British Christmas Day TV Schedule
• 13:22 Top British Christmas Specials
• 20:07 The Evolution of Doctor Who Christmas Specials
• 25:52 The Legacy of Morecambe and Wise
• 30:44 The Timeless Charm of The Snowman
• 33:21 Only Fools and Horses: Christmas Specials
• 35:18 The Enduring Appeal of Call the Midwife
• 36:41 Christmas Specials: A Tradition in British Sitcoms
• 39:01 Gavin and Stacey: The Power of Serialization
• 41:53 Sporting Events and Christmas TV
• 42:41 Christmas Specials That Missed the Mark
• 45:39 EastEnders: Maximum Drama at Christmas
• 48:17 The Future of Christmas Specials in Streaming Era
• 49:31 The Radio Times: A Christmas Tradition
• 54:20 anglotopia-podcast-outro.mp4

Video Version