DOCTOR WHO: TRAILER RELEASED FOR CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, JOY TO THE WORLD

Ham and cheese toastie and a pumpkin latte? The Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, returns this Christmas for a time-hopping trip through the history of Earth. The special, Joy To The World is written by Steven Moffat and airs Christmas Day at 17:10 on BBC One.

The episode introduces Joy, starring Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton, Derry Girls), who checks into a London hotel in 2024, only to discover that her quiet stay is anything but ordinary. When Joy opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel, she discovers danger, dinosaurs and the Doctor. But a deadly plan is unfolding across the Earth, just in time for Christmas.

Where has the Doctor been? What is going on in Joy’s hotel room? An old enemy of the Doctor’s is lurking in the wings and all of human history hangs in the balance. Can the Doctor save Christmas, everywhere, all at once?

Joining Ncuti Gatwa and Nicola Coughlan is a cast of exciting guest stars, including Steph de Whalley as Anita, Jonathan Aris as Melnak, Joel Fry as Trev, Peter Benedict as Basil, Julia Watson as Hilda, and Niamh Marie Smith as Sylvia.

Galway born actress, Couglan, has made a huge impact in film and television having starred in standout roles such as the hilarious Clare Devlin in award-winning drama comedy series Derry Girls, Penelope Featherington in the regency-era international sensation Bridgerton, and not to forget one of the Barbies in mega-blockbuster Barbie, alongside the Fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa.

Doctor Who will then return in 2025 with Season 2, which will see The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) reunite alongside new companion played by Varada Sethu. Sethu made a surprise appearance in Season 1 as part of the cast of Boom.

Varada joins the Whoniverse from a galaxy far, far away after starring in the Disney+ Star Wars series Andor. Now she straps in for another journey through time and space alongside Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday.

On joining Doctor Who, Nicola Coughlan says: “I’m excited to join the Whoniverse under the leadership of the inimitable Russell T Davies. I’ve been a fan of Ncuti Gatwa for some time and getting to share the screen with him as the Doctor has been an absolute joy”.

Doctor Who Season 1 is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney+ worldwide where available. Doctor Who is produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for the BBC and Disney Branded Television.