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<\/p>\nIt\u2019s as much a part of the Christmas tradition as turkey and mince pies.<\/p>\n
But repeats on the BBC over the festive period are set to increase, with nearly a third of shows on BBC1 having been seen before, while BBC2 will show nearly 70 per cent of old programmes.<\/p>\n
Five of the shows on BBC1\u2019s peak-time evening schedule on Christmas Day are being shown in exactly the same sequence as the year before.<\/p>\n
New episodes of Michael McIntyre\u2019s Christmas Wheel, Ghosts, Call the Midwife, EastEnders and Mrs Brown\u2019s Boys will once again fill the schedule on December 25.<\/p>\n
Again there will be a late-night airing of the Vicar of Dibley. But unlike last year there will be a new episode of Doctor Who this year.<\/p>\n
Yesterday the broadcasters released their schedules for the festive fortnight between December 23 and January 5, with the usual inclusion of classic TV series and film favourites.<\/p>\n
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Among the classic shows being aired are Porridge, starring\u00a0Ronnie Barker as Norman Stanley Fletcher and Richard Beckinsale as Lennie Godber<\/p>\n
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Dad’s Army will also be shown over the festive period\u00a0<\/p>\n
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A new episode of Mrs Brown\u2019s Boys will once again fill the schedule on December 25. Pictured: The series Christmas special in 2021\u00a0<\/p>\n
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As usual, a new episode of Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel will feature as part of the broadcaster’s Christmas schedule\u00a0<\/p>\n
This showed that across the fortnight about 32 per cent of shows on BBC1 will be repeats, while on the BBC2 the figure is nearly 70 per cent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Across the BBC\u2019s two big channels about half of programmes will be repeats.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last year about 29 per cent of BBC1\u2019s festive output was repeats, with a figure of 65 per cent for BBC2.<\/p>\n
Among the classic shows being aired are Porridge, Dad\u2019s Army, The Two Ronnies Christmas Sketchbook and Some Mothers Do \u2018Ave \u2018Em.<\/p>\n
Old films include Ghostbusters, Casablanca, Chariots of Fire, North by North West, Fiddler on the Roof and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.<\/p>\n
New BBC shows include Tabby McTat, an animation of a Julia Donaldson book, and the return of hit shows The Tourist and The Traitors.<\/p>\n
A male character is set to be killed off on the Christmas Day episode of EastEnders.<\/p>\n
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Pictured: Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker starring in The Two Ronnies Christmas Sketchbook that first aired in Christmas 2005\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice in Some Mothers Do Ave Em – another classic set to rerun this year on the BBC\u00a0<\/p>\n
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A new Christmas episode of Call the Midwife will run on Christmas Day. Pictured: Helen George, Collette Corrigan, Megan Cusack, and Leonie Elliott pose for promo shots ahead of the new episode\u00a0<\/p>\n
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As usual, a Christmas special of EastEnders will played on Christmas Day on BBC 1. Pictured: Last year’s special episode\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to ITV\u2019s schedules almost 27 per cent of programmes will be repeats, but the broadcaster does not list old films as repeated shows, so the true figure could be significantly higher.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Among the films it is showing are Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Matilda, Gladiator and Jumanji.<\/p>\n
On Christmas Day ITV will be airing Christmas specials of The Masked Singer, The 1% Club, and episodes of Emmerdale and Coronation Street, along with a tribute to Barry Humphries.<\/p>\n
A BBC spokesman said: \u2018Despite the financial challenges, the BBC still invests more in British content at Christmas than any other broadcaster or service to ensure there is something for everyone, and this year over 90 per cent of our peak schedule is brand new.\u2019<\/p>\n