Motherland Christmas Special

BBC2, 9pm Any working mums feeling they’re carrying too much of the Christmas load may find this too painfully accurate, but this one-off comedy special is a thing of great joy.

Every character is trapped in their usual plight: ever-stressed Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin) is caught between a feeble husband and lazy in-laws as she struggles to do the lunch; world-weary Liz (Diane Morgan) is the last person to get in the holiday spirit; and right-on dad Kevin (Paul Ready) is as hen-pecked as ever.

Meanwhile, for alpha mum Amanda (Lucy Punch, right) nothing compares with getting one up on everyone, but Meg (Tanya Moodie) shows herself a true power player with her endless capacity for work meetings and alcohol. There are many lessons here, but perhaps none more than the scene demonstrating the dangers of mulled wine near white carpets.