Comedies head BBC's festive line-up

Comedy programmes will form the backbone of this year's BBC1 Christmas line-up

The final two-part episode of The Office will is the most eagerly-awaited new programme.

But BBC1 will also air the final instalment of perennial sitcom Only Fools & Horses' Christmas trilogy as well as festive editions of My Family, Big Impression (featuring Posh and Becks in Madrid), Absolutely Fabulous and French & Saunders.

Dame Edna: Live At The Palace as well as the film comedies Galaxy Quest, What Women Want and Meet the Parents will also be screened on BBC1 over the festive season.

BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey said: "A range of comedy performances to make the nation laugh are the key to the BBC1 schedule this Christmas."

Meanwhile, BBC2, will celebrate Bruce Forsyth's career with Brucie Night, featuring his edition of Room 101 and previously unseen footage of his appearance hosting Have I Got News For You.

There will also be two topical Dead Ringers specials, a yuletide edition of The Kumars At Number 42 and mocked-up footage of celebrities celebrating Christmas in Doubletake.

As previously reported, characters from Porridge and The Good Life return with A Life On The Box which chart how Norman Stanley Fletcher and Margot Leadbetter fared in the years since they were last on UK screens.

Comedy favourites on BBC3 include an episode of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps staged as a musical, and a festive edition of 3 Non-Blondes.

The comedy highlights of the BBC4 schedule is the Missing Believed Wiped night airing a long-lost episode of At Last The 1948 Show, starring half of the Monty Python and Goodies teams.

The rest of the night's line-up includes nrely-unearthed episodes of Till Death Us Do Part, The Morecambe & Wise Show, Spike Milligan Offers A Series Of Unrelated Incidents At Current Market Prices and The Old Campaigner, featuring Terry-Thomas.

Published: 25 Nov 2003