Bamburgh Castle to Shine in New Channel 4 Christmas Special

Bamburgh Castle will be showcased in a brand-new Channel 4 festive documentary series, A Very British Christmas.

The three-episode series follows designers Adrian Lillie and Charlotte Lloyd- Webber of Charlotte Lloyd-Webber Event Design as they create extraordinary Christmas installations for some of the nation’s most remarkable historic properties. 

The series includes a full episode showcasing Treasured Tales, Bamburgh Castle’s 2025 festive experience which is currently delighting visitors at the Castle and is on display there until Sunday 4 January.

Bamburgh Castle’s episode is scheduled to air on Channel 4 on Tuesday 16 December at 8pm.

Filming captures the months-long process of developing Christmas at Bamburgh Castle, which opened its doors to visitors in November. 

The programme, produced by production company Factual Fiction, follows the CLW Event Design team and Bamburgh Castle owners, the Armstrong family and Castle staff as they plan, build and install Christmas at the Castle.

Treasured Tales is inspired by beloved childhood classics and fairytales, and sees  the Castle’s staterooms transformed into a series of theatrical sets with standout moments including a dazzling recreation of Captain Hook’s The Jolly Roger in the King’s Hall.

The installation includes thousands of decorations, almost two kilometres of fairy lights and bespoke structures unique to Bamburgh. These are built off-site over several months before being transported to the Castle, with the final installation taking place over an intensive five-day period. 

Francis Watson-Armstrong, owner of Bamburgh Castle, said: “If you’ve ever tried decorating your living room for Christmas, imagine doing it with trees the size of a small lighthouse and 40-foot high ceilings. That’s Christmas at Bamburgh Castle and Channel 4 has captured every bit of the festive madness and the magic that makes it so special.

“Owning a castle at Christmas means living with the fear that someone will ask how many baubles we actually have — and now Channel 4 has the evidence. It’s a joy to see Charlotte’s team’s creativity celebrated, and I hope viewers enjoy discovering just how much magic (and caffeine) goes into making Bamburgh sparkle.”

CLW Event Design Director Adrian Lillie, said: “We’ve gone bigger than ever at Bamburgh on lavish set pieces. Two entire large shipping containers’ worth of decorations, props and floristry pieces were transported to the Castle in four dedicated vehicles to get through the portcullis and up to the main castle buildings.

“This is what has been such fun in creating Treasured Tales for Bamburgh this year – from the entire deck of the Jolly Roger, to a 5.5m ceiling-bursting beanstalk for Jack – and from Aladdin’s Cave to an underwater Poseidon treasure Mermaid installation! My team used their full creative talents to pull off something truly magical which I know is delighting visitors.”

Treasured Tales is on display at Bamburgh Castle seven days a week until to January 4.  Entry is included with general admission. Winter tickets are on sale now at bamburghcastle.com