King Charles will today (December 25) address the nation in his first Christmas Day speech of his reign.
He is the first King to give a festive broadcast since George V in 1935, with his debut coming following Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September.
Channel 4 will also be airing its annual Alternative Christmas Message.
But who will be hosting that – and when can you watch them both?
What time is King Charles’ Christmas Day speech and what will he say?
King Charles III will make his first-ever Christmas broadcast at 3pm on Christmas Day.
In line with his late mother’s festive messages, it will air on BBC One.
It has been reported that King Charles will devote a significant portion of his speech to Queen Elizabeth II.
She delivered a staggering 69 Christmas Day broadcasts during her reign.
A royal expert believes King Charles’ Christmas message debut will be “solemn and reflective”.
Jeremy Archer, author of A Royal Christmas, told OK! magazine: “He’ll talk about how positive she was and how inclusive she was.
“It will be solemn and reflective, but it will show gratitude for her reign, her life and all the things she’s achieved.”
He added: “I’m quite sure he’ll spend as much time talking about his mother as he does about everything else.”
In her final Christmas Day address to the nation, Queen Elizabeth II paid tribute to her husband, the late Prince Philip.
The Duke Of Edinburgh died in April 2021, eight months before what would be her last festive speech.
“Although it is a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas an be hard for those who have lost loved ones,” she said.
“This year especially I understand why.
“But for me in the months since the death of my beloved Philip, I have drawn great comfort from the warmth and affection of the many tributes to his life and work – from around the country, The Commonwealth and the world.”
Who is hosting Channel 4’s Alternative Christmas Message and what time will it air?
Channel 4’s Alternative Christmas Message will air on 5.25pm on Christmas Day.
This means viewers can tune into both the King’s first festive address and Channel 4’s offering.
This year’s Alternative Christmas Message will be hosted by Ameca, one of the world’s most advanced robots.
The speech will be generated entirely by Artificial Intelligence.
During the address, Ameca speaks about the highs and lows of the year gone by as well as being questioned about humans.
AI Christmas message from Channel 4
Ameca says we should be “neither happy nor sad about 2022” and “take it as a learning opportunity”.
There is also an uplifting message for us humans, as Ameca says the best thing about us is our ability to “always find something to laugh about” no matter how bad the day is.
Ameca reminds us that if we’re ever feeling down, we should remember we have “the superpower to bring a little bit of joy into the world”.
Channel 4 has been broadcasting an alternative Christmas message since 1993.
It has been hosted by a wide range of famous faces over the years and is sometimes funny, while other times serious.
Comedic character Ali G addressed the nation in 1999 and Marge Simpson, voiced by Julie Kavner, had the honour in 2004.
Last year, Olympic diver Tom Daley hosted Channel 4’s alternative speech while knitting a Christmas jumper.
Tom talked about trans rights and inclusivity for all in every area of sport, earning him praise from viewers.
One fan tweeted afterwards: “Fabulous Xmas message from the wonderful @TomDaley1994! Inclusivity and knitting, what’s not to love.”
The King’s first-ever Christmas speech is on at 3pm on BBC One on Christmas Day. The Alternative Christmas Message is on at 5.25pm on Channel 4 on Christmas Day.
Which speech will you watch? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know!