'Disturbing' Christmas special with one of the darkest twists ever airs on BBC Two tonight
This Inside No. 9 special isn't for the faint of heart
Christmas is coming, but if you’re allergic to the yuletide schmaltz and cheer, BBC Two has the perfect “disturbing” special for you tonight.
The best Christmas movies have something in common: more often than not, they’re heartwarming. Sure, Love Actually may make you seething with anger at Alan Rickman, but it’s very sweet by the end.
Considering the festive season follows Halloween, the whiplash from doom and gloom to mistletoe and wine is a bit much for some people.
That’s where ‘anti-Christmas’ films and shows come in, and Inside No. 9 is among the best – and most chilling.
Inside No. 9 Christmas special airs tonight on BBC Two
The Devil of Christmas, Inside No. 9’s second-ever Christmas special, will be shown on BBC Two tonight (December 17) at 10pm.
For those unfamiliar with the show, it’s a dark, twisted anthology series created by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton.
Each episode follows a different story, and they often boast unpredictable and shocking twists. For example, 12 Days of Christine was its first festive effort, and it’s one of the best Christmas TV specials of all time.
This special takes place in Austria in 1977. “All the good children are given gifts by St Nicholas and all the bad ones are punished by the demonic Krampus,” the official synopsis reads.
“Julian and Kathy arrive for a holiday with their family. But who has been good and who has been bad?”
It’s heavily inspired by Tales of the Unexpected and Armchair Thriller, with critics praising it as “deliciously dark” and “the stuff of nightmares”.
Of course, we won’t reveal the episode’s twist – but, as harrowing as it is, it’s more than its ending. This is a gleefully macabre story, and if you aren’t already, it’ll turn you into an Inside No. 9 obsessive.
Who’s in the cast?
The Devil of Christmas features the usual suspects from Inside No. 9. Namely, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, but it also has an ensemble of guest stars.
Rula Lenska, best known for playing Claudia Colby in Coronation Street, stars as Celia, the mother of Julian (Pemberton).
Call the Midwife fans will immediately clock Kathy, Julian’s wife, as she’s played by Jessica Raine. The actress played Jenny Lee in the first three seasons, and she also starred in Doctor Who and Line of Duty.
The cast also includes:
- George Bedford as Toby
- Derek Jacobi as Dennis Fulcher
- Cavan Clerkin
- Naz Osmanoglu
You may be wondering why the two bottom names don’t have their characters next to them. Well, that would be telling, wouldn’t it?
Read more: BBC Christmas TV 2025 preview: All the must-see festive shows coming up
