TV Guide: From Reality Heartbreak to Festive Classics

The conclusion of the BBC’s Celebrity Race Across The World was marked by an unexpected turn of events that left viewers reeling. Fan favourites Billy Monger and his sister Bonny were forced to make a premature departure from the competition due to a sudden family crisis back in the UK. In scenes that aired during the opening moments of the final episode, the remaining contestants received a sombre letter from the siblings explaining their absence. “We’re sorry to say a family emergency has meant we’ve decided to leave the race,” the note read, wishing the other teams luck before signing off.

The decision was clearly a difficult one for the pair, who were leading the race at the time of their withdrawal. Speaking on the situation, Billy expressed their devastation: “Unfortunately we had a family emergency back in the UK and so me and Bon have decided to leave the race before the last leg. We’re obviously gutted, we felt like we were growing into the race.” He later clarified on social media that a close family member had suffered a “bad accident,” though thankfully the situation had since stabilised.

Viewers React to the Drama

The sudden exit sparked an outpouring of support—and frustration—across social media. While many praised the siblings for prioritising family, with one fan noting it was “fair play putting family first,” others felt the series had lost its spark. “Was only watching this for Billy and Bonny,” one viewer lamented, while another expressed sheer disappointment, stating they felt like “switching off” after the news broke.

With the favourites out of the running, the path was clear for Good Morning Britain weatherman Alex Beresford and his father Noel to claim victory. The pair were the first to reach the final checkpoint in Tromsø, Norway, narrowly beating McFly drummer Harry Judd and his mother Emma by just four minutes. Despite the competitive finish, both the Beresfords and Monger admitted that Harry and Emma had been the perceived threat throughout the journey.

A Return to Tradition: Christmas TV Preview 2025

As the drama of reality television subsides, the focus shifts to the comforting predictability of the festive season. The television schedule for Christmas 2025 has been unveiled, and for those who favour tradition over novelty, the line-up is reassuringly familiar. Whether you are in the mood for fairy tales, blockbusters, or slapstick comedy, this year’s programme covers all the established bases.

Christmas Eve Highlights

The festive broadcasting kicks off in earnest on the morning of December 24th. At 11:05, Little Lord Fauntleroy (Der kleine Lord) airs on SF1, telling the timeless story of young Cedric melting the heart of his grumpy grandfather. Following this, the cult classic Three Wishes for Cinderella (Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel) dominates the afternoon schedule, airing across multiple channels including ARD at 12:50 and WDR at 20:15, offering a magical escape for the whole family.

For those preferring comedy, the sketches of Loriot: Christmas with the Hoppenstedts provide a satirical look at German festivities, broadcasting at various times throughout the evening on ARD and NDR. Meanwhile, Hollywood staples are well-represented: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Weihnachten bei den Griswolds) brings the chaos to RTL at 16:50, while the quintessential action flick Die Hard (Stirb Langsam) takes over RTL2 at 20:15 for those seeking a break from the sentimental.

The Big Day: December 25th

Christmas Day sees a continuation of the cinematic marathon. The Sissi trilogy is a major feature of the day on RTL, chronicling the life of the Austrian Empress from the morning at 10:55 through to the afternoon. It is a heavy dose of imperial nostalgia that remains a fixed point in the festive calendar.

For younger viewers—and the young at heart—Home Alone (Kevin – Allein zu Haus) secures a prime-time slot on Sat.1 at 17:50. Whether you are recovering from the tension of reality TV finales or simply settling in for the holidays, the 2025 schedule proves that when it comes to Christmas television, the old favourites are still the main event.