Channel Four's Factual Entertainment department has revealed some of its comedy-related seasonal programmes to be broadcast over the Christmas period.
Transmission dates are still to be confirmed but the programmes as as follows.
The Inbetweeners 10th Birthday Party
The ultimate celebration of everyone’s favourite hapless sixth-formers, as Channel 4 marks a decade since The Inbetweeners hit our screens.
The original gang of four – Simon Bird (Will), James Buckley (Jay), Joe Thomas (Simon) and Blake Harrison (Neil) – will be back together for one night only for a two hour studio show celebrating 10 years of futile teenage crushes, clunge, fwends and a lot of drinking as Channel 4 takes a look back on one of the most iconic sitcoms of recent years.
Featuring behind the scenes VTs, the story behind the show, surprise guests, celebrity fans, unseen footage and plenty of embarrassing stories, The Inbetweeners 10th Birthday Party will be the ultimate treat for fans.
To celebrate those must see moments from Rudge Park and beyond, the show will also be honouring the funniest moments across the three TV series and two films in the coveted Inbetweeners Awards where categories will range from Best Sex Scene and Best Bullshit to Best Ever Moment.
Celebrity LEGO MASTERS at Christmas
Mischievous Christmas elf Melvin Odoom hosts the action as the formidable Build Room opens its doors to six talented junior builders from Series 1 and Series 2 of LEGO MASTERS paired up with six celebrity helpers who share their passion for the little plastic brick.
From Series 1 we welcome back cheeky chappie Jack and his celebrity helper, funny man, Rob Beckett, and cute but competitive best mates Guy and Abraham buddy up with King of the Jungle, Joe Swash and comedian Joel Dommett. From series 2; creative builder Izzy is joined by Spencer Matthews; ideas machine Jayden is joined by artistic Tattoo Fixer, Alice Perrin, and finally master planner 9-year-old Harry’s celebrity partner is Harry Potter and Star Wars legend, Warwick Davies.
Together the teams will do battle in the iconic Build Room in a number of festive challenges including individual tests of creativity, head to head challenges and tests of teamwork under the watchful eye of judges, Matthew Ashton and Fran Scott, before one team will win the inaugural LEGO MASTERS Christmas Trophy.
The Celebrity Call Centre is re-opening its phone lines for the festive season, with eight new stars tackling dilemmas large and small, from Christmas quandaries to troublesome affairs of the heart. Taking calls from the great British public this time will be Strictly finalist Debbie McGee, Countdown’s Nick Hewer, Goggleboxers Steph & Dom Parker, actress Amanda Barrie, Ackley Bridge star Sunetra Sarker, comedian James Acaster and Radio 1 DJ Gemma Cairney.
Dubbed the world’s first Dragazine show, where “everyone is welcome” the hour-long The Courtney Act Show will see the glamorous and fabulous pop culture icon author her own Christmas show featuring an array of celebrity guests, studio items and music numbers.
The Last Leg Christmas Special
Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker give out their Dick of the Year award in a festive special. Will Donald Trump triumph for a second year running?
The Big Narstie Show Christmas Special
Expectation for Channel 4
The Big Narstie Show is back for a Christmas special like no other with hosts like no other. After a series that saw David Schwimmer take part in a UK reversion of Friends, Thandie Newton rap out the end of the show and Ed Sheeran swap bodies with Big Narstie, anything could happen in this festive special packed with big name guests, stacks of fun and some big, narstie Christmas spirit. One thing is guaranteed, musician and national treasure Big Narstie, and the comedian taking over the universe, Mo Gilligan, are sure to give each other the gift of riotous comedy, utterly joyous chaos and hilarious festive put downs.
The Crystal Maze Christmas Special
In this festive special, a bemused Richard Ayoade guides a celebrity team of haplessly enthusiastic adventurers around a special panto-themed Maze. Captaining the team is Christopher Biggins, leading Deborah Meaden, Jamie Laing, Frankie Bridge and Chris Kamara with some surprising celebrity cameos and a pantomime cow along the way.
8 out of Cats Does Countdown Christmas Special
Jimmy Carr hosts a special Christmas edition of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, packed with comic conundrums and festive surprises. Sean Lock and Kathy Burke team up against Jon Richardson and David Mitchell, James Acaster joins Countdown’s resident lexicographer Susie Dent in Dictionary Corner, while maths whizz Rachel Riley and comedian Joe Wilkinson are in charge of the numbers.
Child Genius vs Celebrities
Quizmaster extraordinaire, Richard Osman, brings us a festive treat as he presides over this special Christmas edition of Child Genius. Four celebrities will pitch themselves against four of the most formidably talented competitors in Child Genius history in a bid to prove who is the brightest. Stretching their intellects and powers of concentration to the max can Comedian Jimmy Carr, TV Presenter and Author Rick Edwards, Newsreader Charlotte Hawkins and Comedian Shazia Mirza take on the Child Geniuses and win?
The celebrities have the daunting task of taking on 14 year old linguist Mog, who can speak 7 languages; 14 year old Maths prodigy David who thrashed Countdown’s maths queen Rachel Riley in a maths-off when he was just 12 years old; 12 year old maths whizz Aliyah who thinks celebrities’ brains ‘are a bit slow’ and their team captain last year’s Child Genius winner, 13 year old Rahul, who has an IQ higher than Einstein’s.
The Child Geniuses think they have the advantage - “we’re more sharp than (the celebrities) and we’re cleverer than them” says Rahul. “I think the celebrities are really old and their brains are starting to turn to mush” says Aliyah. But with their reputations at stake, the celebrities are set to put up a fight.
Only one team can win… which will it be?
To celebrate the dawn of another year, Jimmy Carr puts a panel of top celebrity teams to test as he presents his big, fat and fiendishly difficult quiz. As always, Jimmy will be ably assisted by a panel of top celebrity teams and a series of superstar question setters including Mitchell Brook Primary School and Jon Snow
Rob Rinder’s Good Year, Bad Year
In this end of year review show, Rob Rinder casts an unflinching eye, razor sharp legal mind and acerbic tongue over the events of 2018 to judge once and for all whether the year will be chalked up as being a 'good' or 'bad' one. With the help of celebrity guests, Rob will delve deep into all the news stories, people and talking points of the year. Uncompromising, perceptive and funny, Rob will make us all reconsider what we previously thought about 2018 with a fresh take on the big issues while also bringing us the hilarious tiny details we’ve already forgotten in our post-Christmas booze haze.
So This Is Christmas with Alan Carr
Pull on your Christmas jumper and pour yourself a large glass of eggnog as Alan Carr hosts a Christmas extravaganza in his own inimitable style from his very own Alpine Log Cabin. So This Is Christmas will be a fabulous mix of top celebrity interviews, comic guests, festive musical performances and most importantly, plenty of fun, frolics and presents!
Travel Man Christmas Special: 96 Hours in Jordan
Comedian and Author David Baddiel joins Richard Ayoade for a supersized seasonal minibreak in Jordan. Over four frenetic days they visit world-class wonders, jaw-dropping deserts and over-salted seas, follow in the footsteps of Prophets and legends, and criss-cross the country by road, rail, rotor and hoof, picking up some special Christmas presents along the way.
After dropping their bags at the amazing W hotel in Amman they explore the city’s ancient citadel, cool down with a custom-made lollipop and chomp some of the best falafel in the world.
Then, in a token nod to seasonality Richard and David attempt to secure a biblical selection box of gold, frankincense and myrrh, starting with a visit to the gold souk.
Fleeing Amman, they take a briny bath in the Dead Sea before following in the footsteps of Moses and scaling Mount Nebo.
Heading south they take a ride on the Hejaz railway and sleep in pods in the Wadi Rum desert. Richard and David survey the sand by camel and Gyrocopter.
It’s on to gawp awestruck at the ancient city of Petra before hightailing it back to Amman to learn how to prepare a Jordanian Festive Feast.
The Last Leg of the Year
Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker take a look back at the turbulent year that was 2018 and look ahead to 2019.
The Big Fat Quiz of Everything is back - letting loose on not just the year-gone-by but well... everything. Quizmaster Jimmy Carrasks the celebrity teams questions from the last 100,000 years of human history giving a unique Big Fat Quiz spin on History, Music, Film, TV and Science from every epoch.
