What is Christmas without Doctor Who?
Incomplete is what.
While it’s still only July, the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas special, Joy to the World, has us counting down the days until December.
That excitement has now ramped up because, as part of a panel that included current doctor Ncuti Gatwa, an exclusive clip of Nicola Coughlan playing the role of Joy was screened to the San Diego Comic-Con audience.
Nicola herself introduced the clip and confirmed that the title of the episode refers to her character who is: “a determined woman whose life is changed forever when she meets the Doctor”.
A classic Doctor Who storyline.
In the clip, we get a sweet introduction to Joy, who appears to be in constant awe at the world around her, when she’s suddenly met with a large green alien.
We’ve all been there.
Speaking in a behind the scenes video on YouTube, Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies previously said of Joy to the World: “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.”
As if that wasn’t enough, Steven Moffat, who returned to the show to write this episode, said to Ireland AM: “Nicola is wonderful in it, she will break your heart.”
The festive TV special is always a fan favourite with the 2023 iteration being one of the most watched TV shows on Christmas Day, along with Strictly Come Dancing and The King’s Speech.
Doctor Who is available on iPlayer now and Joy to the World will air on Christmas Day 2024.