Die Hard and Carry On? Britain’s most-aired films over Christmas revealed

Die Hard

When considering movies for the holiday season, you probably envision Frosty, the herb that brings good luck, and the actor Jimmy Stewart.

After looking at the Christmas TV schedules in the UK from the past 50 years, it was discovered that the movies with the highest number of airings include a car with special powers, a person made of straw, and an actor named Kenneth Williams.

Out of the total number of films broadcasted on the top television channels in the UK during the last 50 Christmas seasons, only one in eight of them were related to the festive season. And that's also counting films that some people might consider as Christmas movies, like Die Hard and Gremlins.

On the other hand, the Carry On movies are included alongside the more predictable picks of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Wizard of Oz for the most frequently broadcasted movies on British TV.

Even though movies labeled as "Christmas films" on IMDb only make up a small percentage of all the films available, their popularity has grown over the years. Before the year 2000, these holiday-themed movies only accounted for 8% of films played between December 20th and January 1st. However, in the past few decades, they now make up around 19% of films shown during that time.

Out of the leading 10 movies on our ranking, just four have a connection with Christmas. These particular movies were primarily broadcasted following the year 2000.

However, if you believe that a timeless film like It's a Wonderful Life is the ultimate Christmas movie, you are incorrect. The title for the best Christmas film goes to Santa Claus: The Movie.

The movie has been shown 21 times on UK screens since it was released in 1985. This caused Peter Bradshaw from the Guardian to ponder why the people who made the film haven't been sent to workhouses.

During the final 10 days of the year, well-known Christmas movies on our screens include two adaptations of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, which were released in 1951 and 1970, as well as the 1989 comedy National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. These movies are highly favored by audiences during the holiday season.

However, it seems that musicals are the clear winner when it comes to dominating our TV schedules over the festive season. The top three most watched films among viewers include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mary Poppins and The Wizard of Oz, with the 1970 musical adaptation of Scrooge closely following as the fifth most popular film, only trumped by Santa Claus: the Movie. These four festive films have consistently been featured numerous times across the main five UK TV channels' Christmas schedules.

Although the first two were produced in the 1960s and Dorothy's journey through the yellow brick road began in 1939, their lasting charm is not solely due to their age. Their popularity has persisted throughout the years.

During the holiday season, not only movies are considered classics, but also certain individuals.

During the Christmas week, Sir Michael Caine shines as the most prominent actor featured on British TV. He is widely recognized for his roles as Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol, a German paratrooper on a mission to assassinate Churchill in The Eagle has Landed, and the leader of a group of robbers in The Italian Job.

Caine holds the top spot on the list, while John Wayne and Kenneth Williams closely follow behind. Williams's face was seen on our TVs during Christmas week almost every year since 1975 through the Carry On films. This popular comedy series has been aired nearly 100 times during the holiday season, making it the most frequently broadcast program on the list.

Some of the other well-known franchises are Home Alone, the series of Indiana Jones and Harry Potter.

In the past five years, the two feature films of Paddington have been aired 11 times by all the five terrestrial channels. Paddington is claimed to be on his way to becoming a popular character.

Additionally, the examination indicates that movies set to release during the holiday season typically have a track record of receiving accolades. More than 50% of the films slated for the Christmas period over the last half century have been recognized with awards.

In recent times, the number of highly praised movies has increased, with a third of the movies broadcasted on Christmas TV in the last ten years having won an award. Therefore, chances are high that you will be watching a great movie this Christmas, although it might be one that you have seen before.

The Guardian reviewed close to 4,200 films that aired on BBC One, BBC Two, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 from 20 December 1973 to 1 January 2023. The information came from the Radio Times, a British weekly guide, which obtained its data through the Television and Radio Database (TVRDB) and the Guardian Guide.

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