BBC Studios and ITV have announced the titles coming to BritBox in December, which include everything from new Originals to classic British fare. BritBox is a digital video subscription service offering the largest collection of British TV in the U.S. and Canada.
From cozy crime dramas to holiday specials, BritBox has a robust selection to choose from. This December 7 marks the debut of the BritBox Original title Archie, a four-part biopic on Hollywood legend Cary Grant, created by award-winning screenwriter Jeff Pope and starring Jason Isaacs (The OA, Harry Potter franchise).
BritBox is also bound to get everyone in the holiday spirit with festive content from favorites like Sister Boniface Mysteries Christmas Special 2023 on December 12, Vera Christmas Special on December 20, Beyond Paradise Christmas Special 2023 in December and more!
The service will also continue its “Ghost Story For Christmas” collection with Lot No. 249, a spooky, festive program starring Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) alongside The Great‘s Freddie Fox.
The BritBox December 2023 slate is available for $8.99 per month or $89.99 per year — after an introductory free trial period — on Roku, Amazon Fire TV stick, Apple TV 4th Gen, Samsung, LG and all iOS and Android devices, AirPlay, Chromecast, Comcast X1 & Flex, and online at BritBox.com.
BritBox is also available as a premium add-on channel on Amazon Prime Video Channels, Apple TV, and Roku for Prime members and on Apple TV Channels on supported devices.
Created by two British content powerhouses — BBC Studios, the subsidiary arm of the BBC, and ITV, the UK’s biggest commercial broadcaster — the service features iconic favorites, exclusive premieres, and current series and soaps – most available within 24 hours after their UK premiere.
BritBox also offers expert curation and playlists that enable fans to easily find programs they know and discover new favorites via the web, mobile, tablet and connected TVs.
BRITBOX DECEMBER 2023 SCHEDULE
AVAILABLE DECEMBER 4
Maid Marian and Her Merry Men | New to BritBox | S1-3: 6 x 25, S4: 7 x 25, Christmas Special 1 x 50 | All at Once
Claiming to be the true story of Sherwood Forest, the Maid Marion and Her Merry Men offers a revisionist (and feminist) account of the outlaws’ struggles, with Maid Marian as the brains of the outfit and Robin as a posh but cowardly tailor Running for four series it was a triumph for Robinson in a notoriously difficult genre, both garlanded with well-deserved BAFTA and RTS Awards at the time and still warmly remembered today.
AVAILABLE DECEMBER 6
Bringing Up Baby | New to BritBox | 1 x 103 | All at Once
Harried paleontologist David Huxley (Cary Grant) has to make a good impression on society matron Mrs. Random (May Robson), who is considering donating one million dollars to his museum. On the day before his wedding, Huxley meets Mrs. Random’s high-spirited young niece, Susan Vance (Katharine Hepburn), a madcap adventuress who immediately falls for the straitlaced scientist. The ever-growing chaos – including a missing dinosaur bone and a pet leopard – threatens to swallow him whole.
North by Northwest | New to BritBox | 1×136
This classic suspense film finds New York City ad executive Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) pursued by ruthless spy Phillip Vandamm (James Mason) after Thornhill is mistaken for a government agent.
Hunted relentlessly by Vandamm’s associates, the harried Thornhill ends up on a cross-country journey, meeting the beautiful and mysterious Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) along the way. Soon Vandamm’s henchmen close in on Thornhill, resulting in a number of iconic action sequences.
AVAILABLE DECEMBER 7
Archie | North American Premiere | BritBox Original | BritBox Exclusive | 4 x 60 | Weekly
BAFTA Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and executive producer Jeff Pope brings the remarkable, little-known story of the formative years of Hollywood superstar, Cary Grant to screens in this much-anticipated drama.
One of the twentieth century’s most iconic figures, Cary Grant touched the world with his charm, wit and grace. But few knew Archie Leach, the man behind the name, and the enormous challenges he overcame on his path to stardom.
From his troubled childhood to the one overpowering lie that shaped his life, this surprising and emotional drama captures the struggles, fears, loves and losses of Archie Leach – a man who couldn’t be further from the character he invented to save himself.
Starring Jason Isaacs and executive produced by Jennifer Grant, Cary Grant’s daughter, and Dyan Cannon, his ex-wife.
AVAILABLE DECEMBER 12
Sister Boniface Mysteries Christmas Special 2023 | North American Premiere | BritBox Original | BritBox Exclusive | 1 x 90
In this exclusive Christmas special, Britain is in the grips of the ‘Big Freeze’ – the worst winter on record. Sister Boniface and her fellow travelers are stranded in a train after a frozen coupling snaps, leaving the last carriages stranded in snow.
When The Star of the Orient, a precious jewel, is stolen from its safe and a passenger is discovered murdered, Sister Boniface must use her exceptional detection skills to decide who among the suspects is responsible. But with little signs of rescue and a failing generator, passengers must also contend with a more pressing issue – freezing to death.
AVAILABLE DECEMBER 20
Vera S12 Christmas Special | North American Premiere | BritBox Exclusive | 1 x 120
DCI Vera Stanhope (Brenda Blethyn) and team return to solve a wintry mystery in the long-running, smash-hit series’ first ever Christmas special.
AVAILABLE DECEMBER 22
Would I Lie To You? S16 | North American Premiere | 12 x 30 | All at Once
Rob Brydon (Gavin & Stacey) hosts this long-running panel show where contestants must lie about their biggest secrets, often to hilarious effect. Two teams of four celebrities compete against each other on each episode.
The teammates reveal unusual facts and embarrassing stories about themselves — some true, some not. Also featuring David Mitchell (Peep Show) and Lee Mack (Not Going Out).
AVAILABLE DECEMBER 24
No Offence S1-2 | New to BritBox | S1: 8 x 60, S2: 7 x 60 | All at Once
Written by Bafta-winner Paul Abbott (Shameless, State of Play), No Offence is a police procedural with a difference. DI Vivienne Deering leads her ramshackle team of raucous officers, tackling crime in their jurisdiction, firmly on the wrong side of the tracks.
Drug lords, arsonists and notorious murderers are all in a day’s work for this crack team of unorthodox officers, and over three series we see them become embroiled in major cases that threaten to rip apart the very fabric of their lives.
But while the drama and action is thrilling, and often outrageous, the humor and heart of this series are what has made it such a well-loved programme. With fast-paced, dizzying plotlines and characters you can’t help falling in love with, No Offence is a crime drama with flair and originality to spare.
AVAILABLE DECEMBER
Beyond Paradise Christmas Special 2023 | North American Premiere | BritBox Original | BritBox Exclusive | 1 x 60
Kris Marshall returns as DI Humphrey Goodman in a special festive episode of Beyond Paradise. On Christmas Eve, the detectives of Shipton Abbot are tasked with solving a puzzling case involving a series of break-ins and mysterious gifts
Lot No. 249 (Ghost Story) | North American Premiere | Exclusive | 1 x 30
Written and directed by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock), this year’s installment of the BBC tradition of A Ghost Story for Christmas is an adaptation of the Arthur Conan Doyle short story Lot No. 249. The spooky, festive program will star Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) alongside The Great’s Freddie Fox.
The story follows a group of Oxford students, one of whom undertakes research into the secrets of Ancient Egypt, which becomes the talk of the college. As these experiments continue, strange occurrences abound in the mysterious Lot. No 249.
Mrs. Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2023 | US Premiere | BritBox Exclusive | 1 x 30
It’s Christmas in Finglas once again and everyone’s favorite Irish Mammy is returning for another holiday special. Starring Brendan O’Carroll, this classic sitcom delivers endless laughs in this festive episode.
Here We Go Christmas 2023 | North American Premiere | Exclusive | 1 x 30
Youngest son Sam documents the highs and lows of the Jessop family as they navigate a combination of life’s everyday challenges: changing careers, keeping the romance alive within a marriage, adopting a healthier lifestyle, kidnapping a dog, destroying a swimming pool and sabotaging a wedding.
Although nothing quite goes to plan for the Jessops, their indomitable spirit sees them find moments of unexpected delight among the disappointment, and laughing in the face of disaster.
AVAILABLE DECEMBER 28
Princess Anne: The Plot to Kidnap a Royal | New to BritBox | 1×60
The forgotten story of the daring and bloody criminal plot to kidnap Princess Anne in March 1974, including an extraordinary shootout in the shadow of Buckingham Palace. Key witnesses recount the minutes of mayhem and violence.
AVAILABLE DECEMBER 30
Jamaica Inn S1 | New to BritBox | 3 x 60 | All at Once
Based on the Daphne Du Morier novel of the same name, this limited series stars Jessica Brown Findlay (Downton Abbey) and follows a young woman named Mary goes to live with her aunt and uncle who run the Jamaica Inn. She soon realizes her uncle is using her for another type of business.
AVAILABLE DECEMBER 31
Gardeners’ World Winter Specials 2023 | North American Premiere | BritBox Exclusive | 4 x 60 | All at Once
Monty and the team celebrate the joy that the gardening year brings with a selection of brand new stories of cultivation, inspiration, and discovery in the exuberant world of horticulture.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.