Christmas is just around the corner and we are all looking forward to stuffing our faces and sitting in front of the TV with a glass of prosecco bubbling away in our hands.

It's only fitting that there are some worthwhile shows to be watching on the big day - and the festive period never fails to produce a bumper list of things to watch.

We have created a guide of the best things on TV this Christmas, so you're sure not to miss any of your favourites.

THE GREAT CHRISTMAS BAKE OFF, Channel 4

Selasi’s back! He’s one of eight former bakers from over the years who go head to head in three yuletide challenges to find out who is the biggest star baker of all.

The two festive episodes will feature Paul Jagger, Beca Lyne-Pirkis, Selasi Gbormittah and Val Stones plus Benjamina Ebuehi, Rob Billington, Rav Bansal and Sandy Docherty.

MARY, MEL AND SUE’S BIG XMAS THANK YOU, BBC1

The former Bake Off stars will have a very special Christmas episode

For one group of people in South Wales, Christmas came early. Mary, Mel and Sue sprinkled their festive magic on the small town which had pulled together to open a community centre.

With their local school and post office closing, the centre became a lifeline but the volunteers who keep it afloat were in need of some serious festive cheer. Boy, did they get it.

30 YEARS OF FRENCH AND SAUNDERS, BBC1

Dragged up all the way from the ocean bed, national treasures Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders are back this festive season for a special 30th anniversary clip show bursting with brand new material, greatest hits, hilarious rarities, and even some never before seen footage.

Reuniting for their first TV show together in a decade, the show also has special appearances from Joanna Lumley, Lulu and one of the presenters from Spotlight South West. Magic.

MRS BROWN’S BOYS, BBC1

The comedy favourite will return this Christmas

Another year, another bout of mayhem in the Brown household, this time caused by Grandad thinking the house is haunted, Cathy getting an internet date and Rory undergoing plastic surgery.

At least Agnes has been given a special Christmas tree to cheer her up – what could possibly go wrong?

In the second festive special Cathy’s dating is not going well so Agnes takes some unorthodox steps to put her daughter’s man troubles to rest once and for all.

THE HIGHWAY RAT, BBC1

A half-hour treat for kids and adults, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s tale has been animated by those clever folk at Magic Light Productions.

Listen out for David Tennant as the Highway Rat, Rob Brydon as the narrator and Frances de le Tour as the Rabbit.

DOCTOR WHO, BBC1

It will be Peter Capaldi's last appearance as the Doctor

Roll up, roll up to see Peter Capaldi in the Tardis for the final time, before he turns into... Jodie Whittaker!

It turns out the Doctor must face his past to decide his future so the Christmas special sees him teaming up with the first Doctor (William Hartnell), played by David Bradley.

However the pair get stranded in an Arctic snowscape, refusing to face regeneration.

Twice Upon a Time is about the power of hope in humanity’s darkest hours – think we could all do with a bit of that.

CALL THE MIDWIFE, BBC1

It’s Boxing Day in Poplar and the place is covered in snow and ice.

Poor old Trixie finds that her holiday with Christopher is cancelled.

And Valerie has a terrible time as she tries to help an unmarried couple living in a caravan prepare for their baby.

Elsewhere it’s all hands on deck to help during the weather crisis, so Shelagh Turner comes back to
work. Phew.

LITTLE WOMEN, BBC1

Little Women will feature on BBC 1

Call the Midwife writer Heidi Thomas has penned a new adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s much-loved Little Women.

Set against the backdrop of a divided America, the story from 1868 follows the four March sisters: Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy on their journey into adulthood while their father is away at war.

GRANDPA’S GREAT ESCAPE, BBC1

Grandpa’s Great Escape tells the tale of Second World War flying ace and Alzheimer’s sufferer Grandpa (Tom Courtenay), who is moved into an old people’s home when his family struggle to look after him.

It soon becomes clear that Miss Dandy (Jennifer Saunders), who runs Twilight Towers, is up to something bad so Grandpa stages an audacious escape in his beloved Spitfire, helped by grandson Jack.

Author David Walliams turns up as Jack’s dad.

RATBURGER, Sky 1

David Walliams' novel, Ratburger, will be on Sky 1

A second David Walliams novel has been turned into a feature-length comedy drama. He stars alongside Sheridan Smith, Mark Benton and Nigel Planer.

In the story, life isn’t great for schoolgirl Zoe.

Her stepmother (Smith) hates her and her dad (Benton) is never around. So when a dancing rat shows up in her bedroom, she quickly befriends him.

While Zoe wants to enter him in the school talent contest, shifty burger van man Burt (Walliams) has very different ideas. And all of them involve a mincer…

THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN, BBC2

Those ever-so-strange residents of Royston Vasey pop up this Christmas with three new episodes to celebrate the group’s 20th anniversary at the BBC.

Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton and Mark Gatiss will play a host of bizarre and darkly comic characters.

This time, the town faces a threat more dire than anything it has faced before: dark rumours of boundary changes that could erase it from the map for ever.

VICTORIA, ITV

Victoria will return for a Christmas special

It’s Christmas at Buckingham Palace in 1846 and a pregnant Victoria is feeling gloomy as she prepares for her first festive season without her beloved Baroness Lehzen.

Now expecting her fourth child with Prince Albert, she is frustrated by her German husband’s desire to stage the perfect Christmas... complete with unwelcome guests. We’ve all been there.

DON'T MISS THESE ...

Other treats include the BBC’s natural history programme Snow Bears, which follows polar bear cubs and is voiced by Kate Winslet, and festive specials of Lee Mack’s Not Going Out and Kris Marshall’s Death in Paradise.

On ITV Gordon Ramsay and Gino D’Acampo will go head-to-head in a Christmas cook-off, which also sees them feeding 100 deserving diners who have gone above and beyond the call of duty this year.

At the end of Gordon, Gino and Fred’s Great Christmas Roast, Fred Sirieix will decide who is banquet champion.

Another BBC drama treat is The Miniaturist, which follows the story of 18-year-old Nella Oortman as she starts life as the wife of a wealthy merchant in Amsterdam.

The Strictly Christmas Special features Katie Derham, Judy Murray, Kimberley Walsh, Colin Jackson, Robbie Savage and Jeremy Vine.

Other entertainment specials include Michael McIntyre’s Big Christmas Showcasing, Celebrity Mastermind and two Top of the Pops specials while David Jason is back in Still Open All Hours (above).

In the soaps, Corrie’s big Christmas present to viewers comes in the shape of returning Carla Connor, while Max is at the centre of the action in EastEnders, which is being billed as “the most explosive yuletide in Albert Square’s history”.

In Emmerdale, the festive special could be the start of the reunion between “Robron” – Robert Sugden and Aaron Dingle. Which would be nice.

Emmerdale boss Iain MacLeod has described the episode as the ‘weirdest’ he has ever worked on.