Festive movie channel GREAT! Christmas will launch on TV channel guides next week in its earliest ever launch.
- Seasonal channel will be on air until 8th January
- Available on Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media. But Freesat viewers miss out.
Summer isn’t over, but the countdown to Christmas has begun among broadcasters, with Narrative Entertainment relaunching its GREAT! Christmas channel at 8am on Thursday 5th September.
Broadcasting from 8am each day in place of the GREAT! Romance channel, GREAT! Christmas is the home of back-to-back seasonal films, often made for TV.
▶ How to watch
UK
- Freeview channel 52
- Sky satellite channel 319
- Sky Stream/Glass channel 317
- Virgin Media channel 424
- Freely channel 47 (via aerial)
Republic of Ireland
- Sky satellite channel 320
- Sky Stream/Glass channel 317
In addition, a streaming version of the channel, which has a different schedule to the one published in listings magazines, will be available on platforms including Samsung TV Plus and LG Channels. You can also watch films on-demand via the GREAT! Player (see below for more details).
The launch of the festive movie channel continues to get earlier, with this year’s return of the channel coming two days earlier than last year, and 111 days before Christmas. And its due to remain on air until Wednesday 8th January – later than recent years.
But the channel isn’t the earliest Christmas-themed channel to hit the airwaves. That title belongs to the now defunct Trace Xmas channel. Back in 2022, it launched on Sky on 1st September.
Yes, it’s getting earlier…
GREAT! Christmas launch dates
- 2021: 23rd September
- 2022: 8th September
- 2023: 7th September
- 2024: 5th September
And staying on air later…
GREAT! Christmas end dates
- 2022: 4th January
- 2023: 5th January
- 2024: 3rd January
- 2025: 8th January (scheduled)
Not for Freesat viewers
After Narrative Entertainment pulled its channels from Freesat without warning in February, viewers with Freesat won’t have access to the channel.
Streaming and on-demand
GREAT! Christmas and the rest of the GREAT! network of channels is available via the GREAT! Player. The player is available on one of three platforms:
- Freeview Play
- YouView
- Web browser https://player.greatnetwork.com/
The GREAT! Player isn’t yet available on other devices, nor does it currently have an app for mobile and tablet.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: (C) Narrative Entertainment