The Tewkesbury-based company has produced three million copies of Channel 4 Christmas.

The broadcaster is believed to have invested 1m in the 64pp publication, which is produced by Emap's nascent customer publishing arm, Emap East.

The free one-off magazine is being distributed in the Guardian, Sunday Times and Evening Standard, plus consumer magazines like Heat and trade titles. Channel 4 Christmas is also being handed out at railway stations from Brighton to Glasgow and at retail outlets such as HMV.

The magazine emphasises the alternative programming offered by Channel 4, compared to more traditional Yuletide schedules on ITV1 and BBC.

The broadcaster's programmes will include a new series of council estate comedy drama Shameless and the first episodes of a US comedy import, Desperate Housewives.