Everyone loves a good Christmas movie, but it also wouldn't be Christmas without a dramatic visit to the world of soaps.
There are affairs, secrets, lies and murder in soapland this festive season, so when are the soaps airing over Christmas? Here is our handy guide so you don't miss a moment of the drama...
EastEnders
Christmas Day has been marked on EastEnders fans' calendars since February after it was revealed that a mystery male will die in an epic whodunit storyline.
Back in February, a special flashforward episode showed six Walford matriarchs — Stacey Slater, Suki Panesar, Linda Carter, Sharon Watts, Denise Fox and Kathy Cotton — all standing over the body of an unknown male corpse at The Queen Vic on Christmas Day.
The soap teased the seven men in danger of death this Christmas and now it's not long before we finally discover who has met their grisly demise and how.
So if you don't want to miss anything about the big reveal, here's when you can watch EastEnders over Christmas...
- Monday, December 25 — 9:45pm (1 hour)
- Tuesday, December 26 — 8:25pm (30 minutes)
- Wednesday, December 27 — 7:30pm (30 minutes)
- Thursday, December 28 — 7:30pm (30 minutes)
- Friday, December 29 — 7:30pm (30 minutes)
- Saturday, December 30 — no episode
- Sunday, December 31 — no episode
- Monday, January 1 — 7:30pm (30 minutes)
- Tuesday, January 2 — 7:30pm (30 minutes)
- Wednesday, January 3 — 7:30pm (30 minutes)
- Thursday, January 4 — 7:30pm (30 minutes)
Episodes will air on BBC One and available to catch up on BBC iPlayer.
The Christmas Day episode will not have an early 6am release on BBC iPlayer. However, the BBC has confirmed that the Boxing Day episode will be released early on BBC iPlayer at 6am.
Coronation Street
Christmas Day is a family affair for the residents of Coronation Street as they gather together to reflect over the last year and look forward to what the future holds.
However, Ed Bailey (Trevor Michael Georges) is far from feeling festive as he harbours a huge secret from his family — that he's lost all the family's money thanks to his gambling.
Here's when you can watch Coronation Street over Christmas to catch all the drama...
- Monday, December 25 — 7pm (30 minutes)
- Tuesday, December 26 — 7:30pm (30 minutes)
- Wednesday, December 27 — 8pm (1 hour)
- Thursday, December 28 — no episode
- Friday, December 29 — 8pm (1 hour)
- Saturday, December 30 — no episode
- Sunday, December 31 — 8pm (30 minutes)
- Monday, January 1 — 8pm (1 hour)
- Tuesday, January 2 — 8pm (1 hour)
- Wednesday, January 3 — 8pm (1 hour)
- Thursday, January 4 — no episode
- Friday, January 5 — no episode
Episodes will air on ITV1 and be available to catch up on ITVX.
Emmerdale
In Emmerdale, Tracy Robinson (Amy Walsh) and Caleb Miligan's (William Ash) affair is set to be exposed on Christmas Day.
Tracy has been having a passionate affair with her husband Nate's (Jurell Carter) uncle Caleb right under his nose for the past few weeks, but their lies are soon set to come crashing down when the forbidden lovers are caught kissing on the sofa. Who has walked in on them and will they out their affair to the whole family?
Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw previously teased to What To Watch: "What I can tell you is that the last couple of years, we’ve kind of done a light, fluffier Christmas for Emmerdale, but this one is quite different in tone.
"A lot of it is edgier for us for Christmas and I can tell you that definitely not every one of our villagers will be sat down eating their turkey with all the trimmings on Christmas day."
So if you don't want to miss any of the drama, here's when you can watch Emmerdale over Christmas...
- Monday, December 25 — 6:30pm (30 minutes)
- Tuesday, December 26 — 7pm (30 minutes)
- Wednesday, December 27 — 7pm (1 hour)
- Thursday, December 28 — 7pm (1 hour)
- Friday, December 29 — 7:30pm (30 minutes)
- Saturday, December 30 — no episode
- Sunday, December 31 — no episode
- Monday, January 1 — 7pm (1 hour)
- Tuesday, January 2 — 7:30pm (30 minutes)
- Wednesday, January 3 — 7:30pm (30 minutes)
- Thursday, January 4 — 7:30pm (1 hour)
- Friday, January 5 — 7pm (30 minutes)
Episodes will air on ITV1 and be available to catch up on ITVX.
