BBC Lifestyle is your festive co-host this season

For foodie inspiration and festive entertainment, don’t miss these new shows on BBC Lifestyle (DStv channel 174).

The festive season is officially upon us. It’s the time for food, family, exploring new ideas, and making memories with the people we love. And this year, BBC Studios is stepping into the role of your festive co-host, bringing you a lineup of inspiring new shows to spark creativity in your kitchen, your gatherings, and even your travel dreams.

From discovering new spices and recipes to planning your next coastal move, BBC Lifestyle’s festive line-up is designed to help you host, dream, explore, and unwind. Here are the new shows on this month that you need to watch!

Listing Coastal

Mondays at 20:00 (BBC Lifestyle, DSTV Channel 174)

If you’ve been daydreaming about a fresh start, a slower life by the sea, or just interested in peaking into a multi-million Rand home, Listing Coastal is the perfect festive escape. Follow families and property seekers as they explore South Africa’s most breathtaking coastal towns from serene retreats to luxury oceanfront homes. Whether you’re actively house-hunting or simply dreaming, this show gives you permission to imagine your next chapter.

Big Zuu & AJ Tracey: Rich Flavours

Tuesdays from 11 November at 20:00 (BBC Lifestyle, DStv Channel 174)

Popular names in the music scene and cousins, Big Zuu and AJ Tracey, hit the road in this bold, global food adventure as they taste some of the world’s most extravagant and expensive dishes across East Asia, North America, and Europe. From bizarre delicacies to luxury meals, the cousins bring humour, heart, and a love of discovery to every stop.

Whether you are in need of a new experience or fancy hosting a “travel-through-taste” night with your friends, pick a country, choose a dish, and recreate the adventure at home.

Joanna Lumley’s Spice Trail Adventure

Thursdays from 13 November at 20:00 (BBC Lifestyle, DStv Channel 174)

Joanna Lumley takes viewers along one of the world’s oldest and most fascinating trade routes. From Indonesia to Zanzibar, India to Madagascar, she uncovers the rich history behind the spices we use every day. This series is a treat for cooks, travellers, and anyone curious about the stories behind the flavours that make festive meals special. This show will give you great spice restock ideas to help your spice cabinet make a new recipe using turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon or chilli — the staples of Lumley’s trail.

MasterChef Season 21

Weekdays from 17 November at 19:00 (BBC Lifestyle, DStv Channel 174)

The iconic cooking competition returns with a new group of amateur chefs ready to impress. From mystery boxes to pressure tests, MasterChef brings drama, creativity, and major culinary inspiration, perfect for anyone hosting this season. This festive period, try a “mini MasterChef challenge” at home with your family or friends.

Grand Designs – S23

Fridays from 21 November at 20:00 (BBC Lifestyle, DStv Channel 174)

The iconic home-building series returns with extraordinary new builds, ambitious homeowners, and the unforgettable drama of turning impossible dream homes into reality. Whether you’re renovating, building, or simply fantasising about your future space, Grand Designs offers endless creative inspiration. This show is perfect for viewers currently building or renovating. Binge an episode, sip something festive, and take notes for your next big home project.

Jamie Oliver: Seasons (Autumn & Winter Specials)

Autumn episode: Tuesday 9 December at 20:00 (BBC Lifestyle, DStv Channel 174)

Winter episode: Tuesday 16 December at 20:00 (BBC Lifestyle, DStv Channel 174)

Jamie Oliver returns with two beautiful seasonal episodes celebrating fresh, comforting, festive food. From warm autumn pastas to hearty winter roasts and desserts, Jamie’s easy approach to seasonal cooking makes him the perfect co-host in your kitchen. Build your own “seasonal spread” for Friendsmas using Jamie’s ingredients – comforting, colourful, and surprisingly simple.

Find Jamie Oliver’s Tomato & ricotta galette recipe below.

This festive season, BBC is your festive co-host for food and family entertainment. Whether you’re hosting a lively dinner or settling in for a cosy night in, BBC Lifestyle has shows designed to inspire every moment.

Print Recipe

Tomato & ricotta galette

By Jamie Oliver – Serves: 8

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

With olive, anchovy & basil salsa. This is the ultimate expression of ripe, juicy, sweet tomatoes and evokes that gorgeous greenhouse smell of tomatoes growing, which brings back memories of running through my grandad's greenhouse as a kid. Galettes are very forgiving as you don't need to muck around with tins or moulds – just fold the pastry over your filling and you're good to go.

Ingredients

Galette
600g ripe mixed tomatoes
1⁄2 a fresh red chilli
1⁄2 a fresh yellow chilli
red wine vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 a bunch of fresh basil (15g)
500g quality ricotta cheese, such as
Westcombe
1 lemon
50g Parmesan cheese
2 large free-range eggs
40g couscous
mixed seasonal salad leaves, to serve
Olive salsa
OLIVE SALSA
100g mixed olives, stone in
1 x 50g tin of anchovies in oil, from
sustainable sources
1⁄2 a bunch of fresh basil (15g)
PASTRY
400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
a few sprigs of fresh herbs, like fresh,
flowering thyme or oregano
200g unsalted butter (cold)
2 large free-range eggs
30g Parmesan cheese
milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

Slice the tomatoes into 1cm rounds, halving any cherry tomatoes, finely slice the chillies, then add both to a large bowl with 1 tablespoon each of red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Season well with sea salt and black pepper, pick in the basil leaves, toss well, then leave to macerate for 10 minutes.

To make the pastry, place the flour and a good pinch of salt into a bowl. Finely chop and add the herbs, cube and rub in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Crack in 1 egg, finely grate in 30g Parmesan, mix together, then add 1 tablespoon of milk, bringing it together into a rough dough, adding a little more milk, if needed. Lightly knead on a flour-dusted surface – be careful not to overwork it or it will become elastic and chewy, not crumbly and short. Wrap well and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Break up half of the ricotta with the back of a fork. Season lightly with salt and a little lemon zest, then finely grate in 50g Parmesan. Crack in the eggs and mix it all together – keep it rustic, it doesn’t have to be super smooth. Break over the remaining ricotta in chunks, and gently stir through so it retains its texture.

On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, roll out the pastry into a circle, to just under 1cm thick and 35cm in diameter – it doesn't have to be a perfect circle and if it cracks, it doesn't matter, tear off a little pastry from the edge to plug any gaps.

Spoon the ricotta mixture into the middle, then use a fork to spread it out to the edge, leaving a 5cm border. Scatter over the dried couscous (this will absorb any moisture from the tomatoes), then arrange the macerated tomatoes and basil on top, reserving the dressing.

Using the greaseproof paper to help you, fold and gently press the loose pastry over the filling, to create your galette. Beat and brush the edges with the remaining egg.

Slide the greaseproof paper, with the galette on top, onto a baking tray, then bake at the bottom of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden, delicious and crisp underneath, brushing over any remaining eggwash halfway through.

Squash the olives and remove the stones, then tear into the reserved tomato dressing. Pour in the oil from the anchovy tin, followed by the whole anchovies.

Toss together, spoon the mixture onto a board with the basil leaves (leaving the rest of the dressing behind), then finely chop. Place the salsa into a clean bowl with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Toss the salad leaves in the remaining tomato dressing, then serve with the galette and olive salsa.

Notes

TOP TIP I’ve used good-quality ricotta here, which has a firmer consistency and contains less moisture than most shop-bought versions. If you can’t find it in cheese shops or delis, use regular ricotta – your galette will look a little less neat, but it’ll still taste great. ON THE SIDE The olive and anchovy salsa will go beautifully with a pork chop or roast chicken thighs. HELPFUL HINT Macerating tomatoes in sea salt and vinegar will help to pull out their excess moisture for a more concentrated flavour. Use that liquid to make epic salad dressings.