The Queen’s speech and Strictly Come Dancing special lead Christmas Day TV ratings

Lily Waddell26 December 2021

The Queen’s speech and Strictly Come Dancing’s special were ratings hits on Christmas day.

The BBC secured eight of the top 10 programmes on Christmas day while ITV took the two remaining spots in eighth and ninth place.

The Queen’s speech secured the top spot as it watched by an average of 7.4million viewers.

Her Majesty reflected on the death of her husband Prince Philip and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Strictly Come Dancing’s Christmas special also proved to be a ratings hit on Xmas day.

It claimed the most viewers outside of the Queen’s speech.

The festive special hooked an average of 5.8million viewers, according to overnight figures from the BBC.

Pop star Anne-Marie lifted the Glitterball trophy in Strictly’s Christmas special this year.

TV favourites Call the Midwife and EastEnders also made the enviable top 10 list.

Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s chief content officer, said of the corporation’s festive TV ratings: “Viewers chose the BBC on Christmas Day and entertained them in their millions with Strictly taking the top spot.

“Nothing brings the country together at Christmas quite like the BBC, there was something for everyone with the seven most popular programmes across the day that caps off a brilliant year on the BBC celebrating British creativity where we have delivered hits and award-winning work and seen huge audiences come to our shows.

“It’s these moments, in a time of intense competition, that prove that after 99 years the BBC matters more than ever. We have an ambitious and exciting year ahead in 2022 to mark our centenary year with an unmissable range of world-class content that will celebrate and reflect the unique role the BBC continues to play in the lives of audiences across the UK.”

ITV took eighth and ninth place with episodes of Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

The list in full:

The Queen’s Christmas Broadcast, BBC One, 7.4million

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, BBC One, 5.8million

Call the Midwife, BBC One, 4.7million

Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel, BBC One, 4.6million

Blankety Blank Christmas Special, BBC One, 4.2million

Mary Poppins Returns, BBC One, 3.7million

Superworm, BBC One, 3.34million

Coronation Street, ITV, 3.25million

Emmerdale, ITV, 3million

EastEnders, BBC One, 2.9million

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