Posted in: Audio Dramas, BBC, Doctor Who, TV | Tagged: doctor who

Doctor Who Fans Are Getting a "Christmas Special" This Year After All

We're getting a Doctor Who Christmas Special in 2025 after all! Yup, it's the Thirteenth Doctor's next Big Finish audio drama adventure!

Who says we're not getting a Doctor Who Christmas Special this year? Guess what? We totally are! It's the Thirteenth Doctor's next Big Finish audio adventure! Who says we can't have nice things? Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill, as The Doctor and Yaz, head off to Henry II's court in The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures: Lionesses in Winter by Lisa McMullin, a thrilling full-cast audio drama due for release in  November 2025.

England, 1183 – The court of Henry II. The Doctor and Yaz gatecrash a right royal – if terrifyingly dysfunctional – family Christmas as Henry's estranged wife Eleanor returns to spend Yuletide with the fam. The Doctor and Yaz uncover an imposter amongst them, but who are they really? And what do they want?

The third episode in the brand-new audio adventures of the Thirteenth Doctor is a historical trip for the Doctor (Whittaker) and Yaz (Gill), as the TARDIS takes them to December 1183, where King Henry II is preparing to spend the festive season with his family. But the Plantagenets aren't the kind of family who have peaceful Christmases – there's plenty of drama and intrigue in the king's court, and that's before the Doctor and Yaz discover they're not the only visitors from somewhere else in time and space.

Lionesses in Winter guest stars Kevin Mathurin (Emmerdale) as Henry II and Prince Richard, and Debra Baker (Supacell) as Eleanor of Aquitaine, as well as Dolly Webb as Henry's ward Alys, and Ammar Duffus as Prince Philip and Prince John.

McMullin said, "Since the Thirteenth Doctor was all about her 'fam', I wanted to write a story with family at the very heart of it. And Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their children are the ultimate dysfunctional family. The most melodramatic soap has nothing on them. Eleanor has been banished from court after helping her son raise an army against his father (the King – her husband!), but she's been allowed home for Christmas. And then the Doctor and Yaz rock up. On the surface, it's a festive romp – deck the halls and grab a mince pie for a right royal family Christmas. But the banter is barbed and, underneath, the story is an exploration of how a family copes with grief and loss."

Lionesses in Winter is the third of twelve full-cast audio drama adventures for the Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz, released bimonthly. The audio drama is now available to pre-order for just £9.99 (as a digital download to own) or £11.99 (download to own + collector's edition CD), exclusively here. Please note: the collector's edition CD is strictly limited to 1,500 copies and will not be repressed.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

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