BBC Sounds Christmas & New Year 2025: Full Festive Line-Up of Music, Podcasts & Specials
For listeners who enjoy their Christmas with a side of the supernatural, The Uncanny Christmas Casebook returns with a chilling seasonal instalment.
Hosted by Danny Robins, the award-winning creator of Uncanny, and joined by actor-comedian Diane Morgan, the Christmas Casebook unwraps real-life ghost stories submitted by listeners — alongside some unsettling and unexplained experiences from the hosts themselves.
Expect a blend of:
Spine-tingling paranormal encounters
Atmospheric storytelling
Dark humour
Festive folklore
Debates between believers and sceptics
This release is ideal for those who love the classic British tradition of ghost stories at Christmas — echoing the spirit of M.R. James and Dickens.
Complex with Kimberley Wilson: Thoughtful Reflections for the Season
Two new episodes of Complex, the podcast that blends psychology, science, and culture, arrive just in time for the holidays — offering listeners a deeper look at mental wellbeing during a season often filled with emotional highs and lows.
Episode 1: Gratitude – 24 December
In this Christmas Eve special, psychologist Kimberley Wilson teams up with guest Joanna Rodriguez to explore:
Why genuine gratitude can be difficult to access
How pressure to “feel thankful” affects us
Whether gratitude practices actually work
How trauma, stress or exhaustion can block emotional connection
Why seasonal reflections can feel overwhelming
This episode is grounding, compassionate and timely — particularly for listeners navigating complicated feelings amid festive expectations.
Episode 2: Self-Acceptance – 31 December
For New Year’s Eve, Wilson is joined by Dr Xand van Tulleken to discuss:
What true self-acceptance looks like
How to live with imperfections
Strategies for embracing quirks, flaws and personal challenges
The role of self-compassion in setting meaningful resolutions
This episode provides an alternative to the typical “New Year, New You” narrative, offering a more human, gentle approach to self-improvement.
What’s Up Docs? – Christmas & New Year Specials with the van Tulleken Twins
Returning on 23 December and 30 December, What’s Up Docs? brings the van Tulleken twins back for two thoughtful, entertaining explorations of winter wellbeing.
Episode Highlights
1. Comfort: Does Winter Cosiness Make Us Weaker?
This episode explores:
Cold exposure and the body’s resilience
Why humans crave warmth and nostalgia
Whether “cosy culture” affects physical strength
The science behind comfort-seeking habits
How ancestral survival patterns shape modern holiday behaviour
2. Joy: The Pressure to Be Happy at Christmas
In the second special, the twins examine:
Why forced positivity can lead to burnout
How comparison and holiday expectations increase emotional strain
The psychology behind festive joy — and festive exhaustion
Whether the pursuit of happiness actually makes us less happy
Tools for finding authentic joy during intense social seasons
These insightful specials balance science and storytelling with humour and personal anecdotes, making them accessible for listeners of all ages.
Acquired Titles: Classic Stories, Live Folklore & True Crime
Beyond original programming, BBC Sounds is expanding its holiday offerings with a richly curated selection of acquired content.
Charles Dickens’ Ghost Stories – Performed by Sir David Suchet
This cosy-yet-creepy collection is perfect for listeners seeking literary classics brought to life by one of the UK’s most iconic voices. Suchet delivers Dickens’ ghost stories with theatrical flair, seasonal atmosphere, and spellbinding emotion.
Weird in the Wade – Live Edition
The beloved folklore series returns with a special live performance, bringing myths, legends and eerie rural tales directly to listeners in a dynamic, immersive format.
Carrie Jade Does Not Exist – True Crime Drama
This gripping true-crime narrative explores identity, deceit, and manipulation. For listeners wanting something darker to counterbalance festive sweetness, this series offers dramatic storytelling rooted in real events.
Cold Tapes – A Chilling Murder Mystery
A tense murder mystery told through audio tapes, interviews and investigative narration. Perfect for fans of crime fiction and documentary hybrid formats.
Music Collections for Christmas & New Year 2025
BBC Sounds also launches several themed hubs for uninterrupted seasonal listening.
Christmas Hits
A centrepiece playlist featuring global favourites and perennial Christmas anthems.
Christmas Chill
Lo-fi, acoustic and ambient tracks ideal for cosy evenings, reading sessions, and slow winter mornings.
Christmas Throwback
Retro classics from past decades — a nostalgic playlist filled with pop, rock, disco and novelty Christmas favourites.
Indie Forever – Holiday Edition
A fresh selection of alternative festive melodies for indie lovers.
The Morning After Mix – Seasonal Edition
Gentle tracks curated to ease listeners into the day, especially useful after late-night celebrations.
New Year Sounds 2025: Party, Recovery & Reflection
BBC Sounds is ringing in New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day with an energised line-up.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco: NYE Special
A high-spirited, glamorous and fun-filled soundtrack perfect for New Year’s parties.
Expect:
Uplifting dance tracks
Feel-good pop
Sparkling disco classics
A celebratory musical journey into 2026
Morning After Mixes Across BBC Radio 6 Music
For New Year’s Day, listeners can enjoy multiple calming mixes to recover, reflect or simply relax after a long night.
Radio 1 Anthems: 2025
Celebrating the biggest pop tracks of the year, this collection recaps the songs that shaped 2025 — an ideal backdrop for New Year house cleaning, road trips, or early January productivity.
Why BBC Sounds’ 2025 Festive Line-Up Stands Out
This year’s line-up feels especially expansive, offering:
Something for every listener — music lovers, comedy fans, true-crime followers, families, children, and culture enthusiasts.
Blends of nostalgia and innovation — balancing timeless holiday themes with fresh storytelling.
Mental health-forward content — acknowledging that Christmas can be emotionally complex.
Cross-generational appeal — from history podcasts for kids to psychological deep dives for adults.
A strong winter soundtrack — ensuring listeners have audio companions for every moment of the holiday season.
Above all, the 2025 Christmas and New Year collection reinforces BBC Sounds’ role as a central digital destination for British holiday entertainment — bringing warmth, wonder, curiosity and comfort to millions.
Conclusion: A Festive Feast of Audio for the Holiday Season
The BBC Sounds festive schedule for Christmas 2025 is more than a line-up — it’s an entire holiday experience. Packed with exclusive releases, returning favourites, seasonal specials and carefully curated music, it delivers something magical for everyone.
Whether you’re seeking joy, laughter, reflection, spooks or sparkle, the BBC’s Christmas catalogue invites listeners to unwrap a new kind of holiday cheer — one chapter, playlist and episode at a time.
