Posted in: BBC, Disney+, TV | Tagged: christmas, doctor who

Doctor Who Christmas Special Preview Brings Dinosaurs For The Holidays

Check out a preview of the Steven Moffat-penned, Ncuti Gatwa & Nicola Coughlan-starring Doctor Who Christmas Special, "Joy to the World."

With today bringing the BBC's Children in Need televised event, fans of Showrunner Russell T. Davies' Ncuti Gatwa (Fifteenth Doctor) and Millie Gibson (Ruby Sunday)-starring Doctor Who had their radars set for an early look and some new intel on the upcoming Steven Moffat-penned, Nicola Coughlan-starring Doctor Who Christmas Special "Joy to the World." Well, what they got was an extended sneak preview that includes an "appearance" from one of the Doctor's old foes and… dinosaurs for Christmas?!? Yup, that's what's waiting for you below…

Here's a look at the sneak preview that was released earlier today, kicking off with a touching and heartfelt introduction from Gatwa to the folks who make BBC Children in Need a successful reality:

Doctor Who: The Road to "Joy to the World"

In November 2023, Coughlan checked in personally via video to let fans know that they can expect to see her in the 2024 Christmas Special as a guest star in the "Joy to the World":

"Happy New Year's Eve! And the point is – there, right behind us, that's one of the sets from the Christmas 2024 episode of Doctor Who! The future! Right there ♥️ But what terrible secrets does it hide..? (etc)," Davies wrote in an Instagram post on December 31, 2023, dropping one of the earliest clues to what's to come:

In March of this year, social media posts included screencaps of Producer Alison Sterling's CV that listed the 2024 Christmas Special – with Pillai directing and Moffat penning the script. Shortly after, the listing was removed – but not replaced with a "corrected" writer. During the Radio Times Covers Party that same month, Moffat looked to shut down the idea of his returning to the long-running series. "It would be career madness, even by my standard, to go back into a junior capacity on a show I used to run. I would have to be insane to do that!" Moffat added – eventually proving that he truly was insane by penning the Season 1 episode, "BOOM."

Two months later, Moffat confirmed to TV Choice that he was writing the Pillai-directed "Joy to the World" – which would be the writer and ex-showrunner's 50th Doctor Who script. "I should probably introduce that one from an armchair, 'Here we are — number 50,'" Moffat shared. "But I'm not involved in next year's series. There are other things coming for me, so I might never write for 'Doctor Who' again. As I got to the end of 'Joy to the World,' I did think, 'Is that it? My final moment?' So that could be my goodbye. Number 50? I'll take that."

Near the end of the video above (kicking in at around the 8:45 mark) offering a behind-the-scenes look at "Empire of Death," Davies notes, "Now the Doctor voyages forward, and guess what always happens to the Doctor every so often – Christmas! Here comes Christmas. I can't give away much more, but work has begun on it already, and it's mad; it's one of the maddest Christmas specials you'll ever see. It's epic; it goes to so many different places. And it's a great story of who the Doctor is when he's alone." While the segment itself might be a bit dated (filming on the special was happening a few months back), the description of the episode is a pretty intriguing one – one that we can add to the other clues out there so far.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!