Alternative Christmas message

The alternative Christmas message is a message broadcast by Channel 4 since 1993, as a sometimes humorous and sometimes serious alternative to the traditional Royal Christmas message.

Background

Beginning in 1993, Channel 4 broadcast an "alternative Christmas message", usually featuring a contemporary, often controversial celebrity delivering a message in the manner of Queen Elizabeth II. This tradition started by accident when, running a series of programmes on "Christmas in New York", the channel invited Quentin Crisp (who, coincidentally, was born on Christmas Day) to give an alternative message – playing on the pejorative term 'queen' meaning a very feminine male homosexual. In contrast to the Queen's message, the alternative lasts only three to five minutes. The concept seems to date back to a sketch in a Christmas special of The Two Ronnies, where Ronnie Barker delivered a Christmas message from "Your Local Milkman". Examples of recent variations to the alternative Christmas message proliferate on YouTube.

Messages

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

See also

• Prime Minister's New Year Message (United Kingdom)

References

1. Royal Christmas message
2. Katie Piper
3. Dorothy Byrne
4. List of awards received by Edward Snowden
5. Ameca (robot)
6. Christmas by medium
7. Stephen Fry bibliography and filmography
8. Debra Stephenson
9. List of Christmas television episodes and specials in the United Kingdom
10. Quentin Crisp
11. Laura Poitras
12. SMS
13. Marge Simpson
14. Peter Salmon (producer)
15. Stephen Fry
16. Personality and image of Elizabeth II
17. Christmas
18. Tom Daley
19. Royal corgis
20. Royal Family (film)