Written By Kieran Bugg
Russell T Davies has confirmed that the Doctor Who Christmas specials are set to return in 2023.
When Russell T Davies brought Doctor Who back to TV, he also began a new tradition for the beloved series: Christmas specials. Starting from Christmas Day 2005, a new festive episode would air every year. Moreover, this would even continue after Davies’ stepped down from the show in 2010.
His successor, Steven Moffat, would stick to this annual tradition until his own departure later on. However, after taking over Doctor Who in 2018, former show runner Chris Chibnall decided to go in a different direction. Instead of Christmas specials, Chibnall instead opted to release special episodes on New Year’s Day.
Russell T Davies Brings Back Doctor Who’s Christmas Specials
Image: BBC
Understandably this decision was met with disappointment from many fans who enjoyed a new episode on Christmas Day. All in all, the New Year’s specials were some of the writer’s best work during his time as show runner. Nonetheless, Whovians still missed the Christmas-themed episodes.
After all, it was another reason to be excited for the festive season. Last year it was announced that Russell T Davies would be returning to Doctor Who as showrunner.
Recently, Davies revealed that the upcoming fourteenth series will consist of only eight episodes. In addition, he further revealed that Christmas specials would be making a comeback in 2023. While talking to Doctor Who magazine, the fan favorite writer gave eager fans a taste of what’s to come.
During his interview, Davies said:
The Fifteenth Doctor’s first full season will be eight episodes long, with a Christmas special, making it nine episodes every year (and when I say Christmas, that’s my generic term for festive/end-of-year/holiday or New Year, you’ll have to wait and see, okay, that’s fewer episodes than the last full season. But give us time. We have plans, and that’s a promise!
Russell T Davies Brings Back Doctor Who’s Christmas Specials
Image: BBC
In addition, it turns out that Davies is already writing next year’s Christmas special!
He continued:
For the first time ever, I’m writing a Christmas Special… at Christmas, and this isn’t for next year, no, the 2023 script has been long since signed-off. The new one is for end-of-year 2024!
While fans are excited to see the festive episodes return, they’re also concerned about the eight episode count. This’ll make Season 14 the shortest in the show’s history.
Nevertheless, Davies promised that there’ll still be plenty of Doctor Who content to enjoy.
He concluded:
It takes a while to get the empire in shape, but that’s a serious plan: annual Doctor Who, no gap years, lots of content, on and on.
With a larger budget and a capable leader at the helm, Doctor Who’s future is looking bigger and brighter.