November 4 seems the perfect time to get excited about Christmas telly

UPDATED DECEMBER 1 2011 Christmas is a hit-and-miss time for comedy. Sometimes you get the Office specials, or the episode of the Royle Family where Nana dies; sometimes you just get some CGI snow and sleigh bells over the titles. Either way, you don't know whether it's going to be tremendous or turkey until it starts, giving us almost two months to get HIGHLY OVEREXCITED about the impending telly. (What do you mean, November 4 is too soon to be doing this? If they're allowed to start showing ads for Christmas food on the telly, then heck darn it we're going to start a roundup of what comedy is on TV.) We'll update this as various broadcasters announce their Christmas magubbins, but for now, here's Channel 4's offerings, and the few other tid bits that have been announced elsewhere.

8 Out of 10 Cats Christmas Special Channel 4

We were having a lovely chat with a comedian who had recently done a stint on the show lately about how remarkable it is that 8 Out of 10 Cats has gone from being a so-so unremarkable panel show that often felt like Mock The Week with token reality TV star guests, to probably the best satirical show on telly. Jon Richardson is a significant part of that, but the excellent casting and willingness to put fresh faces on telly also helps. We're still filing this under 'CGI snow and sleigh bells over the titles', mind.

Absolutely Fabulous BBC One

Returning for three specials and then possibly maybe a movie. We're a little divided on this: the show hasn't aged amazingly, but Jennifer Saunders is such a heck of a writer that it might turn out awesome. WE SHALL SEE.

Alan Carr Chatty Man: Christmas Special Channel 4

Quite clearly one to file under 'CGI snow and sleigh bells over the titles', although pantomime season does seem to a good spiritual home (read: most likely future employment opportunity) for Carr. Expect lots of jokes about Santa's sack emptying everywhere.

Bear's Wild Weekend with Miranda Channel 4

Bear Grylls takes Miranda Hart to the Alps. You know that thing where you read on-screen TV guides and the titles of two programmes run on from each other and you briefly think that the BBC is actually showing a programme called Never Mind The Newsnight? That's a bit like what this entire show sounds like. Bonus points for inevitable Bear Grylls stripping, mind.

Ben Elton's Laughing at the 80s Channel 4

Ben Elton - no, really - Ben Elton is given TWO HOURS of prime Christmas TV real estate to talk about comedy. Features Victoria Wood, Stephen Fry, and several other people who have to be labelled National Treasures because they're a bit tweedy. In a crowded field, this probably stands out as the worst thing on Christmas TV this year, and that includes the creepy BBC Christmas ads.

Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2011 Channel 4

What does the Big Fat Quiz of the Year have in common with the X Factor and Downton Abbey? You can only begin to contemplate watching it if you record it on Sky Plus to skip the TEN MILLION ad breaks. No word on guests but they're generally four good, two bad. We're taking votes on this year's poorly-chosen woman: previous winners have been Sharon Osbourne and Carol Vorderman (anyone saying Liza Tarbuck or Denise Van Outen, please leave now).

Bill Bailey: Dandelion Mind Channel 4

Live recording of Bill's show. Live recording is normally about the worst way to do comedy on telly but it's Bill Bloody Bailey so there's no point in pretending it'll be anything other than awesome, really. He's also in Doctor Who, which is clearly going to be more amazing than it normally is. Well done everybody.

Bleak Old Shop of Stuff BBC Two

Four part comedy adventure – we're thinking Neverwhere with Tinsel – starting with an hour-long Christmas special. It's going to be led by thank-fuck-his-career-is-starting-to-resemble-where-it-should-be-really Robert Webb and also feature Stephen Fry, David Mitchell (MITCHELL AND WEBB TOGETHER), Celia 'Christmas' Imrie, Pauline McLynn and Johnny Vegas, excitingly.

Catherine Tate: Laughing at the Noughties Channel 4

A promised 'romp' through the best comedy of the last decade, with Catherine Tate joined by Alan Carr, David Walliams, Noel Fielding and Rob Brydon. Expect two uninterrupted hours of reflections on the importance of Teenage Kicks. (Let's be honest: it's going to be some clips of Gavin & Stacey and then a bit of Little Britain. Or G.O.L.D.'s schedule, as it's also known.)

Charlie Brooker's 2011 Wipe BBC Four

Brooker may be less rock-solid reliable than he used to be (although having said that his Guardian column this week on Christmas TV ads is the best print article he's written in about a year), but his annual reviews are always damned funny. Given the amount of Stuff and Things that have happened this year this could conceivably be about a six-hour show, although it's actually just one hour on Tuesday 20 December.

Chris Moyles' Christmas Quiz Channel 4

'Moylesy' faces off against James Corden, Olly Murs and Louie Spence. This is one of those line-ups that at first glance is absolutely dreadful but the more you look at it isn't TOO bad. Murs is obviously an irredeemable cock but James Corden seems near to completing his rehabilitation into being a normal human being again, and Spence is always funnier than we care to remember.

Come Dine With Me: Comedians Christmas Special Channel 4

Gina Yashere, Sean Hughes, Paul Tonkinson and Duncan Norvelle have a cook-off. Has this programme been sat on tape for the last decade? Was Jean Boht not avaiable?

Felix and Murdo Channel 4

That comedy pilot from Armstrong and Miller about the 1908 London Olympics. We already wrote about this, so time for a healthy bit of c&p: 'Sounds like a thinly-veiled attempt to get them to do their WW2 pilot characters in an Olympic-themed setting. We could be wrong, but to be honest that doesn't happen very often.'

Hacks (working title) Channel 4

Phone hacking comedy drama with one of those cast lists that you start reading and think, this is alright, but when you finish reading it four minutes later you need a bit of a sitdown. That list in full: Claire Loy (who), Michael Kitchen (meh), Kayvan Novak (fit, funny), Nigel Planer (increasingly amazing), Phil Davis (always amazing), Alexander Armstrong (we'll skip this one), Gordon Kennedy (amazing amazing), Russ Abbott (!!!), Celia Imrie (PASS OUT).

Lapland BBC One

'Heartwarming comedy drama' with Sue Johnston, Stephen Graham and Elizabeth Berrington (AMAZING). You know that way that Julie Walters has spent 20 years trying to corner the market in appearing grounded and Of The People and warm and lovely? It should clearly be Sue Johnston who has that mantle. Will probably end up watching this with the family on Christmas Day and going quiet during the emotional bit at the end to cover up the tears.

Little Crackers Sky 1

'Heartwarming' (most of the nation will have cardiac problems this Christmas given the number of shows that are apparently 'heartwarming') short films from celebs about their childhoods. Star wattage definitely drooped massively since series one (Fry, Wood, the unexpected Julia Davis and Julian Barrett): expect John Bishop, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Alan Davies, Shappi Korsandi.

Live at the Apollo BBC One

'CGI snow and sleigh bells over the title' folder. Festive stand-up suggestions: HOLLY Walsh, Jarred CHRISTMAS, ROBIN Ince....um...the Boy with WRAPPING TAPE on his Face, etc etc.

Mount Pleasant Sky 1

Not really a massive fan of this but it certainly feels like one of those shows where the problem isn't that it isn't good, but that it's just aimed at someone else. Feels like the sort of thing ITV1 should be making instead of Benidorm really.

Outnumbered BBC One

The last series turned out to be better than the general direction the show was taking so that's good. Even the misstep episodes have at least some great lines. Apart from the one with an American called Brick, which was clearly just the worst thing anyone has made, ever.

UPDATE: The Sun are reporting that the Royle Family won't be on at Christmas after all, because Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash didn't finish the script. Which is sort of amazing, when you think about it.

Royle Family BBC One

Enough ink has been spilt on the 'didn't this used to be good and isn't it a bit of a travesty now' debate. Not really much to add, other than it doesn't seem terminal, so maybe it'll get turned around.

Three Men... BBC

Rory McGrath, Dara O'Briaiaiaiain and Griff Rhys-Jones tour about New England. We saw Rory McGrath driving on the motorway when we were a child, about half an hour before we saw Let Loose in Knutsford service station. COINCIDENCE?

The Untold Tommy Cooper Channel 4

Documentary about the comedian. Johnny Vegas, Damien Hirst, Roger Moore and Ozzy Osborne are the contributors you will never see appear on the same programme ever again.

MORE SHOWS WHEN WE GET THEM.