A round-the-clock Christmas movie channel has launched on Freeview channel 52, with festive films airing exclusively months before the summer holidays are even over.
Great Christmas, run by broadcaster Great TV, begins on Wednesday, August 26, which its makers say is 120 days before December 25. The channel will run through to January, showing 186 Christmas films in total, 42 of which are making their debut on the channel.
Great TV said last year Great Christmas was the UK's most popular Christmas-only channel between September and December, with 14.5 million minutes watched by viewers.
The August launch is aimed at people who want to get into the festive spirit early, after a survey found one in five Britons said they would happily watch Christmas films all year round.
What Great TV said
Kate Gartland, marketing director at Great TV, said: "Great Christmas is back, and it's earlier than ever. This year's programming is jam-packed with even more movies to help build the excitement for the big day."
"While we may be festive fanatics at Great, believe me, there is method in the madness, last year's Christmas programming attracted more viewers than ever before so we're starting the festivities even earlier for 2026."
Freeview is the UK's free-to-air digital terrestrial television platform, carrying dedicated seasonal channels such as Great Christmas alongside the main broadcasters.
Films on the schedule
Great Christmas' line-up includes a mix of romance, family and holiday-mystery films. Titles confirmed for the channel include:
- Nine Kittens of Christmas (2021) - exes Zachary and Marilee are thrown back together at Christmas when they are tasked with finding homes for a litter of kittens.
- The Christmas Ticket (2025) - after inheriting her late grandfather's winter home a week before Christmas, a young woman discovers he may have hidden a winning lottery ticket somewhere in the house.
- Annie Claus is Coming To Town (2011) - Santa's daughter, played by Maria Thayer, takes her first trip away from the North Pole hoping to find adventure and love in sunny California.
- A Christmas Switch (2018) - two women magically switch bodies during the holidays and learn lessons about family, love and Christmas cheer.
- Christmas Ever After (2020) - sparks fly when a romance novelist meets a man who resembles the leading character in her books.
- Snowmance (2017) - after another breakup, Sarah wonders if she will ever find true love, until Christmas magic brings her snowman to life.
- Northpole two Open for Christmas (2015) - Mackenzie inherits her aunt's once-majestic inn and decides to sell it, until the magic of Christmas intervenes with help from Santa's elves.
- Christmas Unwrapped (2020) - a reporter investigates a man who insists the Christmas gifts his charity gives are magically supplied by Santa Claus.
- The Magical Christmas Shoes (2019) - a pair of magical shoes help Noelle rediscover her Christmas spirit and find love.
- Once Upon a Christmas Miracle (2018) - a holiday romance based on the real-life story of organ donor Chris Dempsey and recipient Heather Krueger, brought together by a transplant surgery.
- The Perfect Christmas Village (2018) - Darcy has strived for the perfect Christmas since childhood, and a magical figurine finally makes her dream come true.
- Christmas with a Crown (2020) - sparks fly when a stranger helps a woman organise her family's Christmas festival, only for her to discover he is really a prince in disguise.
- The Royal Nanny (2022) - MI5 agent Claire becomes a royal nanny, keeping the family safe for Christmas while resisting Prince Colin's charms.
Great Christmas is available on channel 52 on Freeview and will air from Wednesday, August 26.
