25 of the Best New British TV Shows Premiering in December 2023 (US)
In some cases, we earn commissions from affiliate links in our posts.
Last Updated on December 3, 2023 by Stefanie Hutson
These days, there are more streaming services than any reasonable person can keep track of, and British TV shows aren't limited to just BritBox, Acorn TV, and Netflix. For that reason, we try to make it a little easier each month by taking a look at which brand new shows are premiering across the major US streaming services. By that we mean only those shows which (a) had their original UK premiere within the last year or so, and (b) are showing in the US for the first time on a streaming service.
Prefer to see the comprehensive monthly premiere lists for Acorn TV and BritBox (the two services with the most consistent British TV releases)? Check them out below:
Please note that there are a number of upcoming December Christmas specials which have been announced without specific dates. We've put those at the end.
The 25 Best New British TV Shows Premiering in December 2023 (US Services)
Doctor Who: Wild Blue Yonder (special)
This episode represents the second special in celebration of Doctor Who's 60th anniversary. David Tennant and Catherine Tate return for a journey to a mysterious place, only for the TARDIS to drop them in the middle of hostile action.
Premiered December 2nd on Disney+.
Agatha Christie: Lucy Worsley on the Mystery Queen (2023)
Having recently published Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman, Lucy Worsley turns her considerable talents to sharing Dame Agatha Christie's life on screen. With clues she finds hiding in plain sight, Worsley manages to shed new light on the widely studied mystery icon.
This docuseries rolls out in three parts over the course of three weeks.
Premieres December 3rd on PBS Masterpiece.
Homicide, blackmail, greed, and betrayal: just a taste of what goes on behind the well-trimmed hedges of Midsomer County in this classic British series. As usual, the culprits are no match for DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon, Life of Riley) and DS Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix, The Crown).
Episodes will premiere on Acorn TV as follows:
- Episode 1 – December 4th
- Episode 2 – December 11th
- Episode 3 – December 18th
- Episode 4 (FINALE) – December 25th
Archie (2023)
Cary Grant was known the world over for his acting talent, but few knew knew Archie Leach, the man behind the on-screen persona. Jason Isaacs stars in this drama about the real life of Cary Grant, from his troubled childhood to the big lie that shaped his life. The series was executive produced by his daughter, Jennifer Grant, and his ex-wife, Dyan Cannon.
Premieres December 7th on BritBox, with new episodes weekly through the 28th.
RELATED: 30+ Great British Biopics
The Lovers (2023)
Roisin Gallagher (The Fall) and Johnny Flynn (Emma) star in this Belfast-based modern romance about two people who come together in spite of seeming completely wrong for one another. Karen (Gallagher) is a foul-tempered supermarket worker, while Seamus (Flynn) is a political broadcaster with a fancy London job and gorgeous London girlfriend.
Though their initial meeting is chaotic, they're strangely drawn to one another.
Premieres December 7th on Sundance Now and AMC+.
Culprits (2023)
This crime comedy picks up after a heist, when a group of talented criminals have parted ways with their spoils in hand. Though each attempts to move on, past and present collide when someone begins killing them off one by one. Gemma Arterton (Lost in Austen) stars alongside Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Misfits), Eddie Izzard (Stay Close), Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Barry), Niamh Algar (Deceit), Kamel El Basha (Room 207), Tara Abboud (Rebel), Ned Dennehy (Peaky Blinders), Kevin Vidal (Workin’ Moms), and Baeyen Hoffman (The Good Doctor).
Premieres December 8th on Hulu.
The Great British Baking Show: Holidays: Season 6
Prue, Paul, and friends return for a round of festive fun in the tent, overseeing the creation of holiday-themed treats and offering up a chance to win the coveted cake stand.
Premieres December 8th on Netflix.
Doctor Who: The Giggle
Neil Patrick Harris (A Series of Unfortunate Events) stars as the terrifying Toymaker in this episode about a mysterious puppet that's driving the human race insane. David Tennant and Catherine Tate return as the Doctor and Donna, and the episode will include the special first appearance of Ncuti Gatwa as the new Doctor.
Premieres December 9th on Netflix.
Sister Boniface Mysteries Christmas Special (2023)
As this Christmas special opens, Britain is in the midst of the worst winter on record. Sister Boniface and her fellow passengers are stranded in a train after a frozen coupling snaps, the last few carriages left alone in the snow. When a precious gemstone is stolen from its safe and another passenger is found murdered, Sister Boniface will have to use her unique set of skills to figure out who's responsible.
Of course, they'll also have to deal with a more pressing issue. With no signs of rescue and a failing generator, the possibility of freezing to death might pose more of a threat than the murderer.
Premieres December 12th on BritBox.
RELATED: 40+ of the Best British TV Shows Featuring Female Detectives
The Crown: Season 6, Part 2
This “true life inspired” historical drama sees Queen Elizabeth II (Imelda Staunton, Flesh & Blood) reflecting on her legacy and successors. It's said this will be the final chapter, but of course that was also said of season 5 – so we can only say it's fairly certain this will be the end.
Other cast members include Jonathan Pryce (Game of Thrones) as Prince Philip, Dominic West (The Affair) as Prince Charles, Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense) as Camilla Parker Bowles, Ed McVey as Prince William, Meg Bellamy as Catherine Middleton, Lesley Manville (Magpie Murders) as Princess Margaret, Bertie Carvel (Dalgliesh) as Tony Blair, Marcia Warren (Vicious) as The Queen Mother, James Murray (McDonald & Dodds) as Prince Andrew, Sam Woolf (The Witcher) as Prince Edward, Luther Ford as Prince Harry, and Richard Rycroft (Game of Thrones) as George Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Premieres December 14th on Netflix.
Such Brave Girls (2023)
This sitcom takes a look at the relationships between two sisters and their single mother as they make their way through life armed only with bad judgement and a sense of self-esteem tied to people who don't particularly care about them. They're deeply in debt, incredibly vain, and desperate for affection.
Premieres December 15th on Hulu.
Mary Berry's Highland Christmas (2023)
This hour-long Christmas special sees Dame Mary Berry heading to the Scottish Highlands to reflect on her mother's Scottish roots, explore the area, and prepare a variety of delicious seasonal dishes.
Premieres December 18th on PBS and PBS Living.
Martin Clunes: Islands of the Pacific, Season 2
Doc Martin star Martin Clunes continues his adventure through the Pacific, including visits to Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Micronesia in season 2.
Premieres December 18th on Acorn TV.
Border Control: Sweden
British actress Katherine Kelly (Liar) narrates this docuseries about the activities of the security and customs services along the border of Sweden as they attempt to stop criminals and illegal items from entering the country.
Premieres December 19th on Max.
DCI Vera Stanhope (Brenda Blethyn) and her team return to solve a wintry mystery in the long-running, smash-hit series’ first ever Christmas special. The upcoming special will be based on Cleeves' most recent Vera Stanhope novel, The Rising Tide.
Premieres December 20th on BritBox.
Would I Lie to You, Season 16
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. Along the way, they reveal unusual facts and embarrassing stories about themselves – some true, some not. The new episodes will also feature David Mitchell (Peep Show) and Lee Mack (Not Going Out).
Premieres December 22nd on BritBox.
Call the Midwife Christmas Special (2023)
This year's Call the Midwife Christmas special begins two weeks ahead of Christmas 1968, with Apollo 8 preparing to circle the moon. Sister Monica Joan is struggling with depression and thoughts that it might be her last Christmas, and everyone else feels she needs a bit of cheering up.
At the same time, a variety of personal complications keep things interesting…and England is poised to receive a treacherous amount of snow.
Premieres December 25th on PBS.org and the PBS app (not PBS Masterpiece).
Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road
After six years without Christmas specials, this will be the first full-length appearance of new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa and his companion, Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson).
Premieres December 25th on Disney+.
This popular cozy mystery returns with a Christmas special that will serve as its season 3 opener. Please note that Acorn TV did not provide photos with this announcement so the image above is from last year's Christmas special.
In the lead-up to Christmas, Judith and Jeremy have arranged for Jean, Dom, Caron and Gloria to attend a murder mystery night at an old friend’s hotel. Judith explains that the hotel has a spooky history, and things get even spookier when a storm rolls in.
Taking things up another notch, it's not long before someone is actually killed. With all the suspects gathered together in the hotel, Jean will have to work fast to find the killer – and possibly the source of the ghostly occurrences at Hotel Sanguinet.
Premieres December 25th on Acorn TV
Ricky Gervais: Armageddon (2023)
Controversial actor and comedian Ricky Gervais returns for another stand-up special that's sure to generate a little bit of offence and a lot of laughter. It may not be appropriate for all audiences, but those who appreciate his occasionally rough brand of humour are sure to enjoy it.
Premieres December 25th on Netflix.
Gardeners' World Winter Specials 2023
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.
Premieres December 31st on BritBox.
Other Christmas Specials in December, Dates TBD
Beyond Paradise Christmas Special 2023
On Christmas Eve, the detectives of Shipton Abbot are tasked with solving a case involving break-ins and mysterious gifts. Kris Marshall returns as DI Humphrey Goodman.
Lot No. 249, A Ghost Story for Christmas
Written and directed by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock), this year's installment of A Ghost Story for Christmas adapts Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's short story Lot No. 249. Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) stars alongside Freddie Fox (The Great), and the story follows a group of Oxford students undertaking research on Ancient Egypt. As they work, strange things happen around the mysterious Lot No. 249.
You can read both the story and some interesting background HERE on the Arthur Conan Doyle Encycolopedia.
Here We Go Christmas Special
The Jessop family returns, with youngest son Sam documenting a series of everyday challenges – changing careers, keeping romance alive, trying to get healthy, kidnapping a dog, destroying a pool, and sabotaging a wedding.
If the series doesn't feel familiar to you like some of the others, it's probably because Here We Go is a relatively recent sitcom. You can catch up on season 1 HERE.
Mrs. Brown's Boys Christmas Special 2023
Brendan O'Carroll returns for another Christmas in Finglas in this half-hour special.
Looking for more British Christmas Content?
These lists should keep you busy all month…
