Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special (BBC1, 5pm)

There must be a lot of celebrities who fancy having a go at Strictly Come Dancing, but who are not able commit to three months of training. So, they must be thankful for the Christmas special, which gives six famous faces a taste of the Strictly experience, but means they only have to learn one dance.

The ballroom belles are West End leading lady Elaine Paige, her fellow Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox and Saturdays singer Rochelle Humes.

The men are represented by Bros veteran-turned-Las Vegas star Matt Goss; EastEnders actor Ricky ‘Fat Boy’ Norwood and comedian Rufus Hound. At least two of this year’s line-up have a bit of experience when it comes to getting all dressed up and hoofing around on the telly.

Rufus won Let’s Dance for Comic Relief with his take on Cheryl Cole’s Fight for This Love routine, while Rochelle took part in another Strictly one-off for Children in Need in 2010.

Doctor Who (BBC1, 7.30pm)

A month on from the 50th anniversary celebrations comes Matt Smith's final outing as the Time Lord.

Show-runner Steven Moffat has promised viewers a fittingly dramatic farewell to Smith, who’s made the role his own since his debut at the end of Tennant’s final episode in 2009.

It certainly seems as if Moffat is living up to his pledge too – the universe’s deadliest species have gathered at a far-off planet, summoned by a mysterious message that also reaches the Doctor one Christmas day.

He whips Clara away from her festive meal to help him investigate – but what they discover alters the gallivanting Gallifreyan’s destiny forever.

The story itself sounds like a real humdinger, but what most fans are interested in will – if it follows tradition – feature in the last couple of minutes of the programme, and that’s the regeneration scene. In one of the most eagerly-awaited Whovian moments for many a year, Smith will transform into Peter Capaldi – and as has already been reported, his is a rather erratic and eccentric debut.

Matt says: “It was quite sad at the end, obviously, when I had to leave, but I think we’ve got a really moving story, a really great sense of adventure in it which I’m pleased about. But it still feels like a classic adventure episode with great monsters and a few twists.”

Call the Midwife: Christmas Special (BBC1, 6.15pm)

This stunning drama became an instant hit when it debuted last year, so little wonder Jenny Lee and company are back for another helping.

During the latest visit to Poplar, it’s Christmas 1958, and Jenny’s relationship with Alec is blossoming, while Shelagh prepares for her quiet wedding to Dr Turner.

There’s trouble afoot, though, when the police turn up on the doorstep of Nonnatus House – an unexploded bomb has been discovered nearby and the district must be evacuated.

With no electricity and morale at an all-time low, the community tries to ensure Christmas isn’t reduced to ashes, and the Nonnatus House staff reach out to those in need, rekindling the spirit of the Blitz.

The cast includes Jessica Raine, Jenny Agutter and Leo Staar.

The good news is we can expect a third series next year.

Downton Abbey (ITV, 8.30pm)

Here’s a strange one – the Downton Abbey Christmas special, but it’s set during the summer and the action doesn’t take place at the Abbey.

Instead, the Crawley family and their staff have decamped to the capital and are throwing open the doors to Grantham House. The show’s creator and chief writer, Julian Fellowes, has opted to tell a summer story so that the action can take place around Rose’s ‘coming out’ as a debutante at Buckingham Palace during the traditional London season. Rose looks as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, but the last time we saw her, she was angry with Mary for interfering in her romance with a jazz singer.

Also set to feature are Shirley MacLaine and Paul Giamatti. The former will reprise her role as Cora’s battleaxe mother Martha, while the latter will play her recently disgraced son Harold.

Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special (BBC1, 9.30pm)

Brendan O’Carroll probably never thought he would look so good in lipstick, hair rollers and saggy stockings. But he’s having the last laugh, as he juggles no end of projects centred on his Mrs Brown creation.

For the uninitiated, the comic plays the eponymous foul-mouthed Dublin widower and mammy; a portrayal which, after several series of stage plays, he now has down to a T.

Agnes Brown bothers herself not with her real job of running a fruit and veg stall, but occupies herself with interfering in her children’s lives.

In this offering, the family is unsure what Mrs Brown’s grandson Bono wants for Christmas, and because he’s already posted his wish list off to Santa, it’s proving tricky to find out. Meanwhile, at the family games night, Agnes struggles to keep her temper when nobody plays by her rules, and there’s a very special Christmas tree being delivered to the Brown household.

The Tractate Middoth (BBC2, 9.30pm)

Sherlock co-creator and star Mark Gatiss makes his debut as a director, and surrounds himself with familiar faces, including Louise Jameson, Una Stubbs and Eleanor Bron.

For Gatiss, this is a labour of love; he’s a fan of the BBC’s A Ghost Story for Christmas, which were a staple part of festive viewing in the 1970s.

Many of them were based on short stories by MR James, and Gatiss has done the same.