The BBC reveals its HD Christmas schedule, prepare for a Doctor Who onslaught

The BBC has released details of its hi-def Xmas schedule, and there’s some interesting viewing to be had for mince-pie munching HD fans.

These include the latest two-part Doctor Who special, screening on Christmas and New Year's Day, seasonal specials for The Royle Family, Victoria Wood, Cranford and Catherine Tate, plus children’s special The Gruffalo and the remake of the walking plant chiller The Day Of The Triffids.

HD culture vultures should keep an eye open for The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Hamlet and The Tsarina's Slippers ballet performed at the Royal Opera House.

Movie screenings include the remastered version of South Pacific, Pixar’s The Incredibles, Herbie: Fully Loaded, Flushed Away and Pirates of the Caribbean 3, 101 Dalmatians, Miss Potter, Chicken Run, Mary Poppins and the Wallace and Gromit shorts.

Hi-def re-runs over the period include the excellent Torchwood mini-seres Children of Earth, the Electric Proms, Planet Earth alongside a Doctor Who bonanza: all of the 2009 specials, plus some episodes from The Sarah Jane Adventures and the animated Dreamland, first shown via the red button.