Channel 4 has announced its headline Christmas drama for 2025, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. Dear Father Christmas (working title) promises to be a warm, funny and touching festive story that captures everything I love about this time of year — family, magic and the belief that Christmas spirit never truly fades.

The 75-minute special is written by Mark Chappell, best known for See How They Run and Cold Feet, and produced by Big Talk Studios alongside South Shore Productions. The cast is packed with some of Britain’s best-loved stars, including Lenny Rush, James Buckley, Greg Davies, Asim Chaudhry, Rochenda Sandall, Stephen Fry, Hannah Fry, Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Jason Fox.

At the heart of the story is 16-year-old Chris, played by BAFTA TV Award winner Lenny Rush, who still believes wholeheartedly in Father Christmas. When his dad, played by The Inbetweeners star James Buckley, decides it’s finally time to tell him the truth, Chris refuses to accept it. Determined to prove his dad wrong, he sets off on a wild adventure to uncover the real story behind Santa.

Joined by his cousin Holly, played by Ele Mackenzie, Chris’s journey leads him deep into a festive mystery where he encounters a team of scientists and thinkers — including Stephen Fry, Hannah Fry, Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Jason Fox — who may have discovered the science behind Santa’s magic. Along the way, he meets a host of Santas, sceptics and true believers, all while holding on to the hope that the real Father Christmas is still out there.

Also starring Greg Davies, Asim Chaudhry and Rochenda Sandall, Dear Father Christmas blends comedy, adventure and heartfelt drama. It’s a story about belief, family and the enduring bond between father and son, as well as a touching tribute to the memory of Chris’s late mum and the Christmas traditions she cherished.

Speaking about the project, Channel 4’s Commissioning Editor Jonah Weston called it “a big festive treat for 2025,” praising Mark Chappell’s “brilliant script” for weaving together humour, heart and a clever twist on the science of Santa. He described the film as “full of joy, adventure and wonder.”

Kenton Allen, Executive Producer for Big Talk Studios, said that at its heart, Dear Father Christmas is “a joyful celebration of belief, family and the enduring magic of Christmas,” and added that bringing together such an extraordinary cast has been “both laugh-out-loud funny and genuinely moving.”

Set to air on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2025, Dear Father Christmas looks like it’s going to be one of Channel 4’s most magical festive highlights in years — and I, for one, can’t wait to curl up on the sofa and watch it.