BBC Cymru Wales announces festive lineup

BBC Cymru Wales has released its festive lineup of unmissable content coming to screens this Christmas.

Join BBC Radio Wales’ and Strictly’s Wynne Evans and the former Wales and Scarlets Hooker Ken Owens for Wynne’s Welsh Christmas.

And ahead of the highly anticipated Gavin & Stacey finale there’s an exclusive BBC iPlayer documentary, The Gavin & Stacey Experience.

The programme reveals all about the small but memorable characters who have been at the heart of the programme over the years.

Wrap up

Owain Wyn Evans will crown Wales’ Christmas home of the year and there will be an end of year wrap up which asks, “What Just Happened?”.

Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning for BBC Cymru Wales, said: “It’s fantastic to be showcasing such a range of talent and creativity alongside some of Wales’ favourite presenters this festive period.

“Join us for a magical mix of new shows from the world of comedy, entertainment and factual across the holiday season. Tune in live on BBC One Wales and BBC Two Wales, or on iPlayer, for a brilliant line up which will bring everyone together this Christmas.”

Here’s what’s on offer:

The Gavin & Stacey Experience
Available on BBC iPlayer from 13th December

Gavin, Stacey, Smithy, and Nessa are now household names, but many other characters have helped propel the show to its legendary status.

In a BBC iPlayer programme ahead of the much-anticipated Christmas finale, Steffan Powell interviews actors and actresses who played some of these memorable characters to explore what it was like to be part of the show.

There are exclusive interviews with William Thomas, who played Father Chris, the vicar famous for the sandwich church scene; Gwynfor Roberts, who played Dic Powell, Barry’s Welsh speaking wheeler dealer who sells stolen meats; Catrin-Mai Huw, who played Natalie Lewis, the pharmacist and Stacey’s nemesis (who can forget the 32-second stare off?).

Plus Steven Meo who plays Owain Hughes, Gavin’s colleague who cracks the “before you ask, no I don’t” joke, and Gillian Elisa, who had two memorable cameos – the lady who sells lingerie to Nessa at a wedding fair, and a Welsh language campaigner who shouts at Bryn in a caravan park.

Design

Wales’ Home of the Year Christmas Special, 19th December
BBC One Wales, 8pm

The glittering panel of judges are back to judge the top five Christmas homes in Wales for the first-ever Wales’ Home of the Year Christmas Special.

BBC Radio 2 presenter Owain Wyn Evans, interior designer Mandy Watkins, and architectural designer Glen Thomas will assess each home based on its festive design, seasonal style, and overall Christmas spirit.

The five homes in contention include a farmhouse barn conversion in Powys complete with a tinsel-clad tractor; a suitably sparkling detached home in Henllys; a Victorian maisonette in Cardiff, packed with festive nostalgia; a classy Christmas home in Flint and finally, a three-storey mistletoe manor in Swansea.

With trees fully tinselled and halls festively decked – the judges will decide at the end of the show, which one wins the coveted title of Wales’ Christmas Home of the Year.

Lead judge Owain Wyn Evans said: “Drape me in tinsel and hand me my sequin embellished Father Christmas brooch, I am beyond excited for the very first Christmas Wales’ Home of the Year!

“From flamboyant festive furnishings to classy Christmas cribs- we’re going to have such fun on our seasonal search!”

Performances

Other Voices Cardigan, 21st December
BBC Two Wales, 10:55pm

Manic Street Preachers frontman James Dean Bradfield takes to the stage at the Other Voices festival in Cardigan, performing some of the band’s well-known tracks in a rare solo acoustic set, and singing in Welsh for the very first time.

In this special hour-long programme, presenter Huw Stephens shares his highlights from the festival, including performances from soulful Canadian singer songwriter Charlotte Day Wilson, performance powerhouse Nadine Shah, sublime vocalist Victor Ray, acclaimed Merseyside singer songwriter Bill Ryder-Jones, Welsh Music Prize winner Georgia Ruth and – with a debut album tipped as one of 2024’s best – Fabiana Palladino.

As part of the programme, Huw also sits down to talk with some of the headline acts from the weekend, including special interviews with James Dean Bradfield and Nadine Shah.

Wynne’s Welsh Christmas, 23rd December
BBC One Wales, 8pm

Wynne Evans makes a special a return to our screens this Christmas, joined by Welsh Rugby legend and his lifelong friend, Ken Owens, as they delve into the BBC Wales archives for Wynne’s Welsh Christmas.

Taking a nostalgic trip through the archives of Welsh Christmases throughout the years, the pair also share festive stories and memories of their own childhoods in west Wales.

The archive takes us through an entertaining mix of Christmas broadcasts, from a dog nativity and an adult crèche to the people who go to great lengths to avoid the festivities and those who go over the top.

We’ll also see the UK’s first ever Santa charity run in Newtown and Richard Burton returning to his primary school in Port Talbot.

Experience Christmases throughout the decades with Wynne and Ken in this special programme.

Music

Doctor Who at the Proms, 24th December
BBC Two Wales and BBC Two Network, 4:10pm

Experience the magic of Doctor Who at The Proms.

Join fan favourite Catherine Tate as she presents a concert of music, monsters and mayhem featuring soundtracks from the iconic series; a brand new, specially shot feature for the new Doctor and a host of scary aliens as they thrill a packed audience at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

In a concert like no other in all of time and space, the much-loved music, performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, is accompanied by specially edited sequences from the series.

But that’s not all! The concert also features a never-before-seen short film by the series’ showrunner Russell T Davies, Pantheon of Discord, featuring Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor, Nicholas Briggs as the voice of The Vlinx and Jinkx Monsoon as the god of music, Maestro.

Mrs Flood, played by Anita Dobson, makes a surprise guest appearance, and everything is wrapped up in spectacular lighting and special effects.

What Just Happened? 30th December
BBC One Wales, 10:30pm

Join Robin Morgan, comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean and a host of guests as they take a satirical look back at the ups and downs of 2024.

The award winning BBC Radio Wales show is returning to BBC One Wales this Christmas for a special end of year round up of the year’s biggest Welsh stories.

Recorded in front of a live studio audience at the BBC broadcasting hub in Central Square, Cardiff Kiri, Robin and their guests will be taking a sidewise look at the year.

The radio series – awarded the Celtic Media Award for best radio comedy in June – has seen numerous Welsh comedians and actors share their comedic view of events in Wales. This Christmas special will be no exception.

Host

Rucks, Trucks and Rock ‘n’ Roll: Inside the Stadium, 31st December
BBC One Wales, 6:30pm

As Wales’ Principality Stadium celebrates 25 years of major events, for the first time, cameras have been allowed behind the scenes to find out what it takes to run this iconic venue.

This last year has seen the stadium host the Guinness Six Nations, the Autumn Nations Cup, the motorsport event for monster trucks; Monster Jam, and some of the world’s biggest music artists including Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift and Billy Joel, with lots more in between.

And behind it all, there’s an army of dedicated employees, from the grounds crew to the stewards, the security and the caterers. With unprecedented access to the team, filming has taken place across the last 12 months and captures the highs and lows of a stadium, told through the lens of the people who work there.

Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell, 1st January
BBC One and BBC One Wales, 7pm

An uplifting and touching one hour documentary special which tells the story of one of Britain’s best loved sitcoms as it comes to an end after 17 years.

It charts the journey of how a little-known sitcom that started life on BBC Three which, with its blend of relatable characters and infectious catchphrases, grew into a must watch show that captivated the hearts of the nation.

Featuring unprecedented access to creators James Corden and Ruth Jones as well as the cast and crew as they film the final episodes together and say goodbye to this much cherished show.

We’ll also hear from an array of celebrity fans who have their say on the show’s influence on British society and why they believe Gavin & Stacey is the best show on TV.

Passion

Chris Cooks Cymru, 3rd January
BBC One Wales, 7pm

BAFTA Cymru winner and fire-chef extraordinaire, Chris ‘Flamebaster’ Roberts, takes his fiery passion on the road across his beloved Cymru.

Along the way he’ll be hooking up with renowned chefs, producers and local characters; showcasing top foodie destinations.

Whether it’s “next-level” restaurants, or local kebab houses – he’s all about celebrating Welsh food, Welsh producers and Welsh communities.

He doesn’t have to travel far for the first stop on his culinary journey, as it starts in his hometown of Caernarfon. Nestled between mountains and the sea, Caernarfon is ideally situated to reap all sorts of tasty riches.

Expect fire, food and passion in this mouthwatering series available on BBC One Wales and iPlayer.