Posted in: Movies | Tagged: bbc 1, christmas, doctor who, sherlock holmes, steven moffat, tv

How Sherlock Holmes Saved Christmas For Doctor Who

Published Sat, 10 Dec 2011 19:22:15 -0600

Last updated Sun, 11 Dec 2011 05:36:56 -0600

The new Christmas Radio Times, the BBC Worldwide TV and radio listings magazine, naturally has a feature on Christmas Day's Doctor Who, The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe. And how Steven Moffat found it hard to get back into the Christmas spirit when writing it in the middle of hot, sunny August. He writes;

"Help came from the most unexpected source and possibly the least Christmassy man in all fiction. It started to snow in Baker Street.

"Not real snow (and not even real Baker Street, if I'm honest), but really good pretend snow, for the Christmas Scene in [Sherlock Holmes] A Scandal In Belgravia. And as I stood there watching it fall, shivering with Mark Gatiss (because pretend snow gives you real shivers) at the magic of madness of teevision, I got it all back. Christmas carols in my head! Blazing shops on cold nights! Coloured lights and shiny presents and mince pies and "Come here boy, let me buy your – no, never mind, move along!"

And so Christmas was saved for Steven Moffat. And for the Doctor. And for all of us.

Doctor Who is broadcast at 7pm on BBC1 on Christmas Day in the UK, and shortly afterwards in the colonies. The Radio Times, featuring a larger feature with Steven, and Matt Smith's Christmas is on sale now.

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