READY to slip into a post dinner food coma in front of the TV?

We hear you. 

As well as the annual Christmas specials, we have picked out some of the TV treats that you'll desperately be trying to stay awake through this festive season. 

Doctor Who Christmas special: BBC

Doctor Who fans will see Peter Capaldi take on his final battle before he regenerates into the 13th Doctor - played by Jodie Whittaker - in the show's Christmas special.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Credit BBC

The Highway Rat: BBC

Young fans of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s picture books get another festive treat in the form of The Highway Rat. 

Voiced by a stellar cast headed up by David Tennant and Rob Brydon, the eponymous rat craves buns, biscuits and all sweet things – but will his sweet tooth lead him to a sticky end?

Lancashire Telegraph:

Credit BBC

300 Years of French & Saunders: BBC

Despite the fact they're celebrating 30 years together, the French and Saunders special is called 300 Years of French & Saunders.

It promises new material as well as previously unseen footage from their back catalogue. Lulu will be among their special guests.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Credit BBC

Mary, Mel & Sue’s Big Christmas Thank You: BBC

Mary Berry will reunite with Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins for the first time since the trio left hit TV show The Great British Bake Off.

Big Christmas Thank You will see them visit a community centre in south Wales with Mary making a special Christmas dinner for residents while Mel and Sue help give the centre a makeover.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Credit BBC

Grandpa’s Great Escape: BBC

There's two David Walliams children’s book adaptations to look forward to this Christmas. The first will see Second World War flying ace Grandpa (Tom Courtenay) moved into an old people’s home when his family can no longer cope with his Alzheimer’s.

But Twilight Towers is run by Miss Dandy (Jennifer Saunders) for her own ulterior motives and grandson Jack (Kit Connor) is soon enlisted to facilitate a ‘Great Escape’.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Credit BBC

Maigret in Montmartre: ITV

The next film in ITV’s Maigret series sees the detective played by Rowan Atkinson venture to Montmartre where he investigates the murder of a stripper.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Credit ITV

Gordon, Gino and Fred’s Great Christmas Roast: ITV

In this 'Christmas extravaganza' chefs Gordon Ramsay and Gino D'Acampo will lay on a spectacular banquet for the heroes of 2017.

Working against the clock they’ll be assisted by a number of famous faces as the two teams compete to serve the most impressive festive menu.

Charming Maître D' Fred Siriex, from First Dates, will not only be tasked with running the service but he’ll be wrangling the results from our deserving diners, whilst keeping the self assured Brit and the feisty Italian apart.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Credit ITV

The Great British Bake Off: Channel 4

After a successful first series on Channel 4, Paul, Prue, Sandi and Noel are back and serving up a mouth-watering selection of former bakers for our entertainment.

Selasi Gbormittah will be returning alongside fellow series seven bakers Val Stones, Benjamina Ebuehi and Rav Bansal and Paul Jagger – aka the creator of the ‘bread lion’.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Credit Channel 4

Alan Carr: The Price is Right: Channel 4

The world’s longest running game show is getting a new lease of life with Alan Carr at its helm, fronting a brand new pilot. 

The show promises to be 'packed with amazing prizes and hysterical pricing games'. 

Ratburger: Sky One

The BBC isn’t the only place you can find a David Walliams’ children’s book adaptation.

Sky have Ratburger, following a young girl named Zoe who befriends a dancing rat called Armitage and plans to enter him in the school talent show.

Can she keep him from the clutches of her stepmother (Sheridan Smith) and 'shifty burger man' Burt (Walliams) who fancy a dish of rat burgers instead?

Lancashire Telegraph:

Credit Sky One

And if all that isn't enough...

How about dipping into a BBC box set?

For the first time, the channel will be putting a number of complete series on the iPlayer in time for Christmas. 

Releases will include the hit series Taboo, starring Tom Hardy, the first three series of Peaky Blinders and Golden Globe-winning drama, Wolf Hall.

Every regeneration episode of Doctor Who since 2005 will also be on offer.

The box sets will be available from 16 December with most series made available for 30 days.

Other available box sets include:

  • Every series of both Line of Duty and Happy Valley
  • Series three and four of Sherlock
  • Classic Christmas EastEnders' episodes including Den and Angie's divorce papers (1986) and Max and Stacey's affair (2007)
  • Gavin & Stacey
  • The full original series of 2001's The Blue Planet, 2006's Planet Earth, last year's Planet Earth II and 2011's Frozen Planet
  • Miranda
  • Inside Number 9
  • Fleabag
  • Bad Education

(The majority of dates and times for the TV shows listed above are still to be confirmed over the Christmas period.)