Christmas Night with the Stars

Christmas Night with the Stars was a variety television show broadcast each Christmas night by the BBC from 1958 to 1972 and also in 1994.^[1] The show featured the top stars of the BBC as they appeared in short versions of their programmes, typically five to ten minutes long. The show was voted 24th in the Channel 4 100 Greatest Christmas Moments.^[2] Most of the variety segments no longer exist.

ITV countered with its own annual Christmas variety show (All Star Comedy Carnival) from 1969 to 1973, while the BBC itself resurrected the format in 1982 with a special titled The Funny Side of Christmas.

In December 2004 the BBC did a one-off special hosted by Michael Parkinson.

Some featured television programmes

• All Gas and Gaiters
• Bachelor Father
• Beggar my Neighbour
• Dad's Army
• Dixon of Dock Green
• Faces of Jim
• Hugh and I
• The Likely Lads
• The Liver Birds
• Marriage Lines
• Not in Front of the Children
• Oh, Brother!
• Steptoe and Son
• Sykes and A...
• The Rag Trade
• Till Death Us Do Part
• The Two Ronnies

Some line-ups

• 1962. Eamonn Andrews introduced contributions from the casts of the Billy Cotton Band Show, The Black and White Minstrels, Dixon of Dock Green, Steptoe and Son, The Rag Trade and The White Heather Club.

• 1963. Eamonn Andrews introduced contributions from Stanley Baxter, Michael Bentine, The Black and White Minstrels, Marriage Lines featuring Richard Briers and Prunella Scales, Russ Conway, Billy Cotton, the cast of Dixon of Dock Green, Dick Emery, Kenneth McKellar, Nina & Frederik, Terry Scott and Hugh Lloyd and Andy Stewart, with the Harry Rabinowitz orchestra.

• 1964. Jack Warner introduced The Barron Knights, The Black and White Minstrels, Roy Castle, Billy Cotton, Dick Emery, Benny Hill, Kathy Kirby, The Likely Lads with Rodney Bewes and James Bolam, Marriage Lines (as 1963), Meet the Wife with Freddie Frinton and Thora Hird, Terry Scott and Hugh Lloyd and Andy Stewart, with the Harry Rabinowitz orchestra.

• 1967. Rolf Harris introduced Cilla Black, Val Doonican, Billy Cotton, Roy Hudd, Lulu, David Nixon, Beryl Reid, Sandie Shaw, Kenneth Williams and Harry Worth with the casts of Beggar My Neighbour, Steptoe and Son and Till Death Do Us Part with the Alyn Ainsworth orchestra.

• 1968. Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise introduced Louis Armstrong, Petula Clark, Rolf Harris, Jimmy Logan, Lulu, Kenneth McKellar, Nana Mouskouri, Cliff Richard, The Seekers and The Young Generation with excerpts from Ray Alan’s Ice Cabaret, Marty Feldman, Oh Brother, Not in Front of the Children, Dads Army and Harry Worth, with the Alyn Ainsworth orchestra.

References