Where to watch Nativity and Nativity 2 on TV this Christmas

If you’re looking for a family-friendly Christmas flick, Nativity! and follow-up Danger In The Manger are an excellent choice for xmas family films.

Collection of two seasonal British comedies. In ‘Nativity!’ (2009), under-achieving primary school teacher Mr Maddens (Martin Freeman) works at a school that competes annually with a local private school for the best production of the Christmas nativity play. Tired of always playing second fiddle to his arch rival, Gordon Shakespeare (Jason Watkins), Maddens idly concocts a white lie centred around his ex-girlfriend, Hollywood producer Jennifer (Ashley Jensen), in which he boasts that she is coming to see his play with a view to turning it into a film. What he omits to mention is that he and she have not spoken to one another for years.

Now, with the expectations and burning ambitions of parents and pupils running high, can he possibly turn his elaborate fiction into reality in time to make everyone’s Christmas wishes come true? In ‘Nativity 2 – Danger in the Manger’ (2012), neurotic newly-qualified teacher Mr Peterson (David Tennant) starts a new job at an under-achieving school and soon finds himself juggling his heavy workload with a wildly unconventional classroom assistant, a group of delinquent kids and his own very pregnant wife. The pressure mounts still further when he somehow becomes embroiled in a madcap plan to enter the National ‘Song for Christmas’ Competition and finds himself embarking on the craziest road trip of his life.

The original Coventry-set classic stars Martin Freeman as primary school teacher Paul Maddens – whose fib about a Hollywood producer coming to watch his school nativity play spirals out of control.

A sequel followed in 2012, with David Tennant’s Donald taking over Paul’s class, entering the pupils into a prestigious singing competition in Wales – which just so happens to be where his composer twin brother Roderick is competing with another school.

It’s all tremendous fun, and very easy viewing – with a positive Christmas message practically guaranteed.

But where can you find both films in the UK?

Where to watch Nativity on UK TV and streaming this Christmas

The original Nativity, which came out in 2009, is currently available to watch on Netflix UK.

Subscriptions to Netflix vary in price, though you can sign up for £4.99 or more per month.

If you prefer, you can also stream Nativity via Amazon Prime UK.

The title is free to watch as part of a monthly subscription including Amazon Prime Video, which costs £8.99 per month.

Happily it’s also available to watch free on BBC iPlayer for a limited time, including over Christmas.

For those who like to watch on TV, Nativity is due to air on Christmas Day at 10am on CBBC.

Where to watch Nativity 2 on UK TV and streaming this Christmas

Strangely enough, you can’t catch 2012 sequel Nativity 2: Danger In The Manger on Netflix UK.

You can watch on Amazon Prime UK as part of your subscription, or pay £3.49 to rent tor £3.99 to buy the film via Amazon.

Luckily, Nativity 2 is available to be streamed for free via BBC iPlayer, again for a limited period of time.

And for those keen to watch on TV, the sequel is also airing on CBBC but on Friday, December 23 at 8.40am.

Of course, this wasn’t the end of the franchise – as there’s also a Nativity 3: Dude Where’s My Donkey? and 2018 follow-up Nativity Rocks!, both of which you’ll find on Amazon Prime (for varying prices).