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Channel 4’s star-studded Christmas special, Finding Father Christmas, has won fans over with its ‘comedic chaos’.
Airing on Christmas Eve, the story follows a 16-year-old boy (Lenny Rush) who goes on a quest to prove his widowed dad (James Buckley) wrong and that actually Father Christmas does exist’, using the power of physics.
Starring Stephen Fry as himself, Greg Davies as the elusive Santa, as well as Hannah Fry, Asim Chaudhry, Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Rochenda Sandall, this sweet, original festive special has been hailed for its heartwarming storyline.
‘I actually really enjoyed Finding Father Christmas on Channel 4. Always found James Buckley to be really great and funny but I loved all the other cast members too but it was just lighthearted and fun,’ X user Sarah Collins wrote.
‘Absolutely brilliant. Best thing I’ve seen in years,’ Jamie Reed shared.
‘I enjoyed Finding Father Christmas, particularly because Lenny Rush is such a likeable actor, with an air of patience & tolerance, even in the midst of comedic chaos,’ Gillian Lazarus reflected.
Kevws called Lenny a ‘show-stealer’ and the father-son duo the ‘comedy double act we didn’t know we needed’.
The 70-minute drama was dubbed a ‘lovely gentle little comedy’ with ‘clever writing’.
Meanwhile, fans were absolutely obsessed with Taskmaster Greg’s portrayal of Saint Nick.
Melissa Stevens called it ‘absolute perfect casting’ and Jamie Stevens praised him for making such a ‘convincing screen Santa’.
The widespread love was echoed by critics.
The Guardian review called our new onscreen pair a ‘total delight’ together while The Times dubbed it ‘a most charming seasonal tale’.
The Independent added: ‘If your threshold for schmaltz is reasonably high and you can accept quantum physics being applied to sleigh aerodynamics, this is good family fun. It may even melt the flintiest of hearts.
Speaking about the joy of starring opposite the Inbetweeners star as his dad, Lenny said: ‘Obviously, I had the legend James Buckley as my dad. The Inbetweeners is a staple in being a British teenager, every teenager has seen it, so it was surreal working with him.’
As for what fans might take from the show, James, whose character is a sad postman grieving his wife, has a simple message.
‘I just want people to be present in the moment and forget about all the nonsense because, as amazing as Christmas is, it’s an incredibly stressful time of year.
‘So I just want people to be able to switch off from all that for a little while and enjoy a fun little TV show. I’ve only ever wanted to put a smile on people’s faces,’ he told the broadcaster.
Finding Father Christmas is now streaming on Channel 4.
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