Gavin and Stacey tops the TV ratings on Christmas Day

The Gavin and Stacey finale drew an average of 12.3 million viewers, marking the highest Christmas Day audience in over a decade, according to overnight data. The new Wallace and Gromit film also attracted a sizable audience, with over 9 million tuning in to watch the animated duo’s latest adventure. Nearly 7 million viewers watched the King’s Christmas message across BBC, ITV, and Sky News.

All figures reflect “overnight” ratings, excluding catch-up views during the festive season. Gavin and Stacey‘s finale was the most-watched Christmas Day show since 2008, when Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death drew 14.3 million viewers.

The highly anticipated Gavin and Stacey episode picked up from a cliffhanger, where Nessa (Ruth Jones) proposed to Smithy (James Corden), leaving fans wondering if he would say yes after the 2019 special. The BBC sitcom garnered huge numbers in 2019, with 11.6 million viewers. Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s Chief Content Officer, praised Jones and Corden for creating a “magical finale” that fans will treasure.

This year’s success marked the first time all top 10 most-watched Christmas Day shows were aired on BBC One. Despite a farewell for Coronation Street’s Gail Platt after 50 years, the ITV soap did not make the top 10, drawing 2.41 million viewers. The episode’s availability on ITVX likely affected these numbers.

BBC soap EastEnders split its Christmas Day episode into two parts, attracting over 8 million viewers and ranking fifth and eighth. Other top shows included Call the Midwife, Doctor Who, Strictly Come Dancing, Tiddler, and a Weakest Link special.