Britain's all-time favourite Christmas specials: Only Fools and Horses episode named number one

Each year, as households prepare their Christmas viewing, there is usually at least one festive special circled first in the TV guide. Now, a new analysis has revealed which specials have topped the list over decades of screen time for UK viewers.

More than 250 UK Christmas specials listed on internet database IMDb have been analysed to determine which are the nation’s favourites through the years. And the result is unsurprising.

Only Fools and Horses dominates the list, with three episodes in the top 10, including one special taking the top spot. Other fan favourites include mockumentary The Office, period soap opera Downton Abbey, and fantasy favourite, Black Mirror.

The study, conducted by JeffBet, used a Bayesian ranking system that combined IMDb scores with the number of reviews, with a list compiled of the final rankings - and identifying the top 10 Christmas special episodes.

The 1996 Only Fools and Horses special - Time On Our Hands - came out on top. The episode was seen as the culmination of the Trotter family’s decades-long journey to becoming millionaires, which they achieved after discovering a valuable pocket watch in their Peckham garage. The episode pulled in a whopping 24.4 million viewers.

The BBC comedy also took second place in the list, with 1989 special The Jolly Boys' Outing - which saw the Trotters and friends take a bus trip to the UK seaside - scoring highly with 20.1 million viewers.

The 2003 special of The Office - the second episode of the series’ finale - boasts an IMDb score of 9.3, based on 3,091 reviews, placing third in the rankings. The critically-acclaimed episode, written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, saw the resolution of the long-standing love affair between sales rep Tim and former receptionist, Dawn.

Downton Abbey appears twice in the top 10, with the 2015 episode The Finale securing joint-fourth spot with a rating of 9.2 from more than 2,500 IMDb reviews. Set against the backdrop of a wealthy British family in late 1925, 11.2 million viewers tuned in to see Edith and Bertie’s wedding, Anna’s birth, and the illnesses of Carson and Lord Merton.

Only Fools and Horses appears again, claiming joint fourth place with an IMDb score of 9.3 from 920 reviews, resulting in a total rating of 9.1, alongside the Christmas special Heroes and Villains, featuring the iconic moment when Del Boy and Rodney, dressed as Batman and Robin, emerge from the darkness to unintentionally stop a crime. The episode attracted 21.3 million viewers.

The remaining five spots in the rankings are claimed by Black Mirror's "White Christmas" (2014), Downton Abbey's "Christmas at Downton Abbey" (2011), Doctor Who's "The End of Time: Parts 1 and 2" (2009), Mr. Bean's "Merry Christmas Mr. Bean" (1992), and Extras' "Christmas Special" (2007).

UK’s top TV Christmas specials

1. Only Fools and Horses - “Time on Our Hands” (1996) - Score 9.6
2. Only Fools and Horses - “The Jolly Boys’ Outing” (1989) - Score 9.5
3. The Office - “Christmas Special: Part 2” (2003) - Score 9.3
4. Downton Abbey - “The Finale” (2015) - Score 9.2
5. Only Fools and Horses - “Heroes and Villains” (1996) - Score 9.2
6. Black Mirror - “White Christmas” (2014) - Score 9.1
7. Downton Abbey - “Christmas at Downton Abbey” (2011) - Score 9.0
8. Doctor Who - “The End of Time Parts 1 and 2” (2009) - Score 8.9
9. Mr. Bean - “Merry Christmas Mr. Bean” (1992) - Score 8.9
10. Extras - “Christmas Special” (2007) - Score 8.9

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for JeffBet said, “As we revisit the highest-rated Christmas specials, we reflect on the classics that continue to warm our hearts year after year. It's fascinating to see which specials have become timeless favourites, and with new Christmas content gracing our screens every year, there's always the chance for fresh contenders to enter the rankings.

“With so many beloved specials to choose from, Christmas is the perfect time to snuggle up on the couch and indulge in some festive television, not just the familiar old movie favourites.”