Amanda Holden and Alan Carr are officially packing their bags, dusting off their Christmas jumpers and flying straight back to the glowing hills of Moclín — the tiny Andalusian village that became their second home. After their wildly popular summer renovation series, the beloved duo are returning for the festive special Amanda and Alan’s Spanish Christmas, and insiders tease that viewers should brace themselves for a celebration bursting with culture, comedy, and a few “Holden–Carr disasters” that the cameras did not miss.

Far from an ordinary Christmas episode, the upcoming special picks up months after Amanda and Alan restored a derelict house under the scorching Spanish sun. This time, they are back with a mission: to host a heartfelt, all-out thank-you fiesta for the villagers who had opened their doors, shared their skills and lent their hands at every stage of the renovation. Yet, as production sources hint, nothing involving these two ever goes exactly as planned. The moment Amanda steps out of the car, glitter in her hair and grand ideas in her head, it becomes clear this isn’t going to be a calm winter getaway.

The pair throw themselves into Spanish Christmas traditions with their usual enthusiasm, quickly discovering that the festive season in southern Spain is richer, livelier and far more intense than anything they’ve prepped for back home. One minute, Alan is trying to master a classic Andalusian pastry under the strict guidance of local abuelas, who shout corrections at him faster than he can knead the dough. The next, Amanda is insisting they recreate an ancient recipe she doesn’t quite understand, accidentally igniting what one crew member described as “the closest thing to a tinsel-related meltdown Moclín has ever seen.” The kitchen becomes a battlefield of flour, good intentions and questionable decision-making — and it is all gloriously captured on camera.

Between cooking attempts that veer dangerously close to catastrophe, the duo explore the winter traditions of the region, from folk celebrations that go back centuries to seasonal dishes with bold flavours they didn’t expect. Amanda, ever the optimist, throws herself into every experience, while Alan, equal parts terrified and delighted, provides the running commentary that fans adore. The two of them navigate cultural rituals, decorate their holiday home with more enthusiasm than technique, and repeatedly lose track of the plan for their big party as distractions — human, culinary and animal — pull them in every direction.

As the day of the village-wide fiesta approaches, pressure mounts. Amanda, convinced everything must look “effortlessly perfect,” doubles down on decorative chaos, transforming the courtyard into something between a Mediterranean fairytale and a Christmas explosion. Alan, meanwhile, tries to keep the schedule from collapsing as locals arrive early, music starts late, food disappears faster than expected, and Amanda introduces a last-minute idea that threatens to unravel the entire event. What emerges, however, is pure joy: an evening of music, dancing, laughter and community spirit that reflects exactly why Moclín captured their hearts in the first place.

The special promises to be a heartwarming celebration of friendship, culture and generosity, bathed in the golden winter light of Andalucía. It is a Christmas story filled with warmth, mishaps, triumphs, and plenty of the trademark banter that makes Amanda and Alan one of television’s most charismatic duos. Without the British chill and with far more sunshine than snow, their Spanish Christmas is set to become a holiday highlight.

Amanda and Alan’s Spanish Christmas airs this December on BBC One and iPlayer, delivering festive escapism at its brightest — chaotic, charming and utterly irresistible.