Susan Calman’s show pulled from TV schedule after German Christmas market attack

Comedian Susan Calman has announced that her upcoming special, in which she explores festive activities in Germany, has been pulled from Channel 5’s schedule after the “horrific events” at a Christmas market in Magdeburg.

Five people have died, including a nine-year-old boy, and 200 people were injured, when a man drove a car at speed through a market in the German city last Friday.

Scottish comic and presenter Calman said they had “deeply thought” about whether to still air Christmas Cruising With Susan Calman on Friday, and decided to broadcast her Lapland cruise from last year instead.

“I wanted to let you know something that’s been deeply thought about,” she wrote on X, alongside a photo of her walking in a snow-covered forest.

“In light of the horrific events at the Christmas Market in Germany, Christmas Cruising won’t be broadcast on Dec 27. Last year’s Lapland cruise will be shown.

“Sending love to those affected by the tragedy.”

Calman was getting into the Christmas spirit on a festive cruise in Germany along the Main and Rhine rivers, according to the programme synopsis.

It added that every stop on the cruise “promises a picture-perfect scene from a Christmas card”.

Many flowers and candles have since been placed near the market where the attack took place.

A 50-year-old Saudi doctor has been arrested on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and bodily harm over the attack.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke about the attack in his Christmas Day speech, saying that “there is grief, pain, horror and incomprehension over what took place in Magdeburg”.