The 'Upstart Crow' Christmas special will premiere on BBC Two on Christmas Day (Tuesday December 25th) at 8:35pm, it has been announced.

Created by Ben Elton, 'Upstart Crow' follows the quest of William Shakespeare to make it as a playwright in London, whilst juggling family life with his loved ones in Stratford-upon-Avon. The comedy series is produced by BBC Studios and stars David Mitchell, Harry Enfield, Paula Wilcox, Liza Tarbuck, Helen Monks, Gemma Whelan, Rob Rouse, Mark Heap, Dominic Coleman, Steve Speirs, Jocelyn Jee Esien, Tim Downie and Spencer Jones.

In this year’s Christmas special, it’s a bleak midwinter in the Shakespeare household as the family comes to terms with a cruel loss. But when a mysterious stranger (Kenneth Branagh) offers to share with Will a tale of redemption he becomes filled anew with love and light and hope. Now Will has a mission – to save another soul from despair. He and his family and friends get together to save Greene from a mean and miserly life, and arrange for three midnight “ghosts” to visit him before Christmas.