Finding Father Christmas review: Wait, is this for kids or not?

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A star rating of 3 out of 5.

Here’s the thing: ‘Finding Father Christmas‘ is a Christmas Eve comedy show meant for families, but it contains some content that might be scary or upsetting for younger children. It makes you wonder, who is this show actually for?

This special show features Lenny Rush (known from ‘Am I Being Unreasonable?’) as Chris, a sixteen-year-old who still believes in Santa Claus. His dad, Nick, played by James Buckley, thinks he’s a bit too old to still believe in such things.

When Chris learns a surprising ‘truth’ from his dad, he embarks on a quest to disprove it. Along the way, he seeks help from some of TV’s brightest minds, like Stephen Fry, Professor Hannah Fry, and Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock.

Simply put, Finding Father Christmas is exactly what you’d expect: the humor is a little corny, it’s overly sentimental, and the celebrity appearances feel awkward. But honestly, it’s hard to dislike it completely – I’d still give it a decent three stars!

Rush is well on his way to becoming a celebrated figure before he even finishes his teens, and continues to skillfully lead his team despite their rough beginnings.

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The film was made very quickly – in just two weeks – which gives it a somewhat rough and ready feel, like a short comedy sketch. It works for what it is, but it wasn’t designed to be a long-lasting production.

It’s easy to overlook these flaws, especially with the holidays upon us – or maybe after enjoying a glass of mulled wine. However, I’m still left wondering exactly who this is intended for.

The film’s early Christmas Eve showing and family-friendly nature might make it seem suitable for everyone, but that depends on whether your children still believe in Santa Claus. If they’re still figuring it out, this movie might not be the best choice.

The show ‘Finding Father Christmas’ explores the possibility of Santa Claus being real, even bringing in experts to explain how it could be true – though I found their explanations a bit hard to follow.

I couldn’t help but notice that Nick, the dad in the story, keeps insisting Santa isn’t real. It struck me as a bit odd, especially if any children haven’t even begun to wonder about him – it seems like it could really confuse them!

This movie is likely suitable for families to watch together, especially if the children are either too young to understand the more complex themes, mature enough to discuss them, or don’t believe in Santa Claus.

But maybe I’m overthinking it.

Classic holiday movies, such as Elf and Miracle on 34th Street, often deal with children questioning Santa Claus. While these themes exist, younger children likely don’t pay much attention to them.

I’m not a parent myself, but I believe parents are best equipped to decide if ‘Finding Father Christmas’ is suitable for their children.

I really hope I’m wrong about this, but Channel 4’s new show doesn’t seem very compelling unless you’re looking for something to keep children occupied – and that’s actually the central issue we need to understand.

Finding Father Christmas premieres on Channel 4 at 7:30pm on Christmas Eve.

Don’t miss ‘Finding Father Christmas’! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app today for daily TV suggestions, articles, and more.

Authors

David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig writes about scripted drama and comedy for TopMob, covering both television and streaming shows. Before joining TopMob, he worked at Starburst Magazine and hosted The Winter King Podcast on ITVX. He’s a journalism graduate from the University of Sheffield.

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2025-12-25 00:35