The stars of “LEGO Masters: Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular”

The snow is falling, the cocoa is hot and the Lego bricks are out. It's the time of year to spread festive joy and tune in to the "Lego Masters: Celebrity Holiday Edition" special. Three nights in a row of very jolly episodes begin on Fox on Monday, Dec. 19. As celebrity guest stars are paired with fan-favorite "Lego Masters" builders to construct holiday-themed Lego creations for judges and Lego professionals Amy Corbett and Jamie Berard, Host Will Arnett ("Murderville") narrates all of the action, checking in on the new brick-building duos and surprising them with twists mid-challenge.

So who is bringing the holiday cheer to Lego land? None other than "The Masked Singer" judge Robin Thicke, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star Cheryl Hines and "The Great Holiday Bake War" star Finesse Mitchell. Also joining the builders is the unforgettable scene stealer of "Will & Grace" and "Call Me Kat," the late Leslie Jordan. Sadly, Jordan died in Los Angeles on Oct. 24, and was remembered in a statement from Fox Entertainment that read in part, "Leslie carried an infectious exuberance, indelible sense of humor and, throughout, gifted us with countless fond memories that will last forever."

While their Lego experience is yet to be revealed, the celebrities are paired with proven builders from past "Lego Masters" seasons who bring their experience to the challenges. Celebs and contestants work together to dream up and construct holiday-themed builds made entirely of everyone's favorite toy for all ages. The "Lego Masters: Celebrity Holiday Edition" special also gets in the giving spirit by eschewing the main series' cash prize for donations to charities close to the guest stars' hearts.

In the spirit of the season, the teams work together to create festive builds using all of their collective creativity, while working under the pressure of the giant clock ticking toward the final countdown. If you haven't tuned in to "Lego Masters" before, you may be surprised to learn that challenges are typically marathon builds that regularly take over 10 hours to complete. The Season 1 "Lego Masters" finale build gave teams a whopping 24 hours to construct their creations.

According to a Fox news release announcing the special, "Lego Masters: Celebrity Holiday Edition" features "jaw-dropping holiday-themed challenges that will make the contestants' faces redder than Rudolph's nose." With every kind of Lego brick and accessory in every colour imaginable at their disposal, the opportunities are endless for the festive teams. The only limitations for the teams are their own imaginations and, of course, the themes and dreaded twists.

Now an international phenomenon, "Lego Masters" first premiered in the United Kingdom in 2017 on Channel 4. An instant hit, the format was quickly picked up in several countries. Similar to the monumentally popular series "The Great British Bake Off" in tone, "Lego Masters" strikes a pleasing chord that turns everyday activities, such as playing with Lego and baking cupcakes, into a high-stakes competition that is equally tense and heartwarming. The grand title of Lego Master and $100,000 are on the line, but it's really all about highlighting the artist in all of us.

Will Arnett hosts “LEGO Masters: Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular”

In an interview with Daily Blast Live shortly before his death, Jordan shared what he learned from filming "Lego Masters: Celebrity Holiday Edition" with the panel of hosts, saying, "I showed up not knowing anything, and I would say that I am now a Lego Master." Jordan gave a sneak peek at what viewers can expect from the creations, saying, "We built everything, from bridges to castles."

"Lego Masters" judge and Lego product designer Corbett shared in an interview with Nylon in 2021 that "it was a baptism of fire to go from the office, behind the scenes, in Lego HQ in Billund (Denmark) to suddenly being in a Hollywood studio" when she began filming the competition series — her first TV appearance. But it wasn't finding her footing onscreen that turned out to be the most challenging part of joining the show.

Corbett told Nylon, "The hardest part is sending people home." She added, "It's really hard to come to that decision between Jamie and I of who we're sending home, but I think it's even harder to tell the contestants because people put their heart and soul into that, and everyone has done an amazing job just to get there." With three seasons of "Lego Masters" under her belt, Corbett is about to see what kind of unique creativity Lego holiday themes inspire.

The judges can relax a bit while critiquing the "Lego Masters: Celebrity Holiday Edition" creations. Having returning contestants who are comfortable with the build studio, celebrity guests to break the tension, and prizes going to charity rather than crowning a champion builder — all of that helps take some of the pressure off.

This is the first time that the American Lego Masters franchise has produced a holiday edition, let alone a three-part special. The series aired a special crossover episode in June 2022 featuring a sneak peek of the summer blockbuster, "Jurassic World," with star Chris Pratt even making an appearance.

Get ready to tune in to the first of three nights in a row of "Lego Masters: Celebrity Holiday Edition" on Monday, Dec. 19 on Fox.