'Doctor Who' Christmas Special Previewed, New Season Cast Members Explored
Nicola Coughlan brings Joy to the world, while Millie Gibson teases the show’s new King
Doctor Who had its “Into the Whoniverse” panel in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con Friday, with writer-showrunner-executive producer Russell T. Davies, Ruby Sunday actress Millie Gibson, and the Fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa on hand. While the announcement of the first spinoff of the new era The War Between the Land and the Sea was of course very exciting, there was much to say about the main show itself, both its upcoming Christmas special and the fifteenthiest second season ever.
The Christmas special’s guest star, Bridgerton star and Ncuti’s Barbie co-star Nicola Coughlan introduced a preview clip, sorry she couldn’t be there in person but still "thrilled to be joining Doctor Who for the Christmas special this year, and… so excited for you to meet my character, Joy." In the clip, the Doctor appearing in random points through Earth's history, whether at The Queen’s Hotel in 1940 Manchester, and at an Everest base camp in 1953. Heck he hops aboard the actual Orient Express in 1962 Italy. Each time, he’s offering ham and cheese toasties and pumpkin spice lattes to the understandably confused people he meets, including a rider reading the beloved Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie before eventually meeting Joy at her Sandringham Hotel room in 2024 London. Which means Joy, just checked in, is much less alone in her single hotel room than she thought she would be. Because there’s a Silurian awaiting! This poses several questions like “Where has the Doctor been? What did Joy see in her room? And who is the ham and cheese toastie really for?” with answers that will just have to be waited for when the special airs.
Meanwhile, it’s been revealed that Varada Sethu, who was announced to be the upcoming season’s second companion shortly before she showed up as Mundy Flynn in “Boom”. The name of the companion she’ll be playing is Belinda Chandra. She’s far from the first actor to play multiple roles in the franchise. Some have become the Doctor, while others, namely Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, increase the count today with their announced casting for the spinoff. In addition, Jonah Hauer-King, who starred in last year’s Disney live action The Little Mermaid remake, will play a character who is a major part of Ruby’s journey.
Gatwa told the audience about being the Doctor and taking on the role “The pressure fuels you, because it’s a show that sits in so many people’s hearts and souls. It’s an absolute honor to play a character that’s been going for 60 years.” Doctor Who returns to the BBC, iPlayer, and Disney+ for the rest of the world this Christmas for the special written by Steven Moffat, before returning for Ncuti and Millie’s second season possibly sooner after than they had for their first.
Sources: Doctor Who, Variety