7 upcoming BBC Christmas specials I'm adding to my must-watch list

Amandaland is one of the most popular comedies on TV right now thanks to its stellar ensemble and Lucy Punch's laugh-out-loud performance as Amanda. If you haven't dipped in yet, now is the perfect time – especially if you're a fan of the classic sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.

The Christmas special will mark the first scripted on-screen reunion for Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders since their iconic 90s run. Jennifer will play Aunt Joan, sister and total opposite of Felicity (Lumley).

The Amandaland Christmas special is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this December.

What's Christmas without a little murder mystery? The much-loved drama is back with a festive episode, and this year DI Mervin Wilson is joined by celebrity guests including Doctor Who's Pearl Mackie, Ted Lasso's Billy Harris and Waterloo Road's James Baxter.

The synopsis reads: "The office Christmas party of a lifetime takes a dark turn when four co-workers wake up to find a stranger dead in the pool of their Caribbean villa. 

"DI Mervin Wilson and the team identify the murder weapon, but they're left baffled when they find that it was locked in a drawer when the murder took place... thousands of miles away from the crime scene, in Swindon! 

"Stuck in Saint Marie, the team calls on the help of a familiar face to crack the case. Meanwhile, Mervin's anxiously waiting to hear back from his newly discovered brother, which prevents him from embracing Saint Marie's Christmas celebrations. 

"Can Mervin resolve his family situation and get into the festive spirit – for the sake of his team and the island?"

The Death in Paradise Christmas Special is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this December.

From the Caribbean to Devon, Beyond Paradise is also treating viewers to a festive special, featuring Adrian Edmondson (Alien: Earth), James Lance (Ted Lasso) and Jonny Weldon (One Day).

The synopsis reeds: "When Esther (Zahra Ahmadi) discovers a man on the steps of the Shipton Abbott police station with no memory, holding a photo of Humphrey (Kris Marshall), the team gets to work to uncover who the mysterious man is while balancing a flurry of festive cases. 

"At the same time, with the help of Anne (Barbara Flynn), Zoe (Melina Sinadinou) and a special guest, Martha (Sally Bretton) races to pull off her secret plan while Kelby (Dylan Llewellyn) tries to help a mystery man trapped inside his snowman costume. 

"But with an influx of unexpected visitors, a slew of holiday crimes to crack, and a heartwarming reunion on the line, can the team juggle it all and still be ready for a life-changing reveal?"

The Beyond Paradise Christmas Special is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this December.

This year's two-part special marks the show's 14th annual Christmas episode, continuing a tradition that began on Christmas Day 2012. 

Set across Hong Kong and Poplar, the synopsis reads: "When senior members of the Nonnatus House staff head to Hong Kong on a mercy mission, the younger midwives are left to cope alone. 

"As the Christmas action shifts between the sun-drenched Far East and a snowy East End, Sister Julienne suddenly finds herself excited about the Order's future. After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it, work with it and see what love can do."

HELLO!'s Acting TV editor Nicky Morris said: "Call the Midwife has been on our screens for over a decade now, but the show still knows how to keep things fresh. This Christmas special will undoubtedly be the best yet!"

The Call the Midwife Christmas special will consist of two 60-minute episodes that will air on Christmas Day on BBC One in the UK and Boxing Day on PBS in the US.

Would it really be Christmas without a Strictly special? Among this year's confirmed cast are Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt and singer and cook Melanie Blatt, with four more celebrity names still to be revealed.

Six couples will take to the dancefloor to compete for the title of Strictly Christmas Champion. 

The special will also be emotional for hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who will present for the final time. Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke will be on hand to deliver plenty of advice, festive cheer and the occasional lump of coal.

The BBC logline reads: "Expect a winter wonderland full of festive magic, dazzling group dances, live music and more in what will be the perfect antidote to the post-Christmas Dinner slump." Count us in!

The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Christmas.

Richard Osman returns with another round of holiday-themed quizzing, and this year's line-up is stacked with fan-favourite names, including Gavin & Stacey's Joanna Page, former Bake Off host Mel Giedroyc, Ghosts star Mathew Baynton, Last One Laughing's Harriet Kemsley, The Last Leg's Alex Brooker, Celebrity Race Across the World's Molly Rainford, Flight of the Conchords' Rhys Darby and EastEnders actor Charles Venn.

Richard Osman's Festive House of Games is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this December.

Joanna Lumley is in double duty this year, also starring in A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Room in the Tower. 

Written by Sherlock's Mark Gatiss, the special is based on a ghost tale and stars Tobias Menzies (The Crown; F1), Nancy Carroll (The Crown, The Diplomat), Polly Walker (Bridgerton, Rome) and Ben Mansfield (Endeavour, Sister Boniface Mysteries).

The synopsis reads: "For 15 years, Roger Winstanley has been haunted by an unsettling, recurring dream: an invitation to spend the night in the house of an acquaintance, where an unseen terror lurks and the figures who populate the dream seem to age in real time. 

"Nightmare and waking life seem to finally collide when an invitation to the dreaded 'room in the tower' becomes all too real…"

HELLO!'s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said: "You know you're in safe hands when it comes to Mark Gatiss, who is known for his work on acclaimed shows such as Sherlock, Doctor Who and The League of Gentlemen. 

"With a stellar cast led by acting icon Joanna Lumley, there's no doubt that The Room in the Tower is a must-watch for the festive period."