Ncuti Gatwa will make his first full episode appearance as the Fifteenth Doctor, and will be joined by Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday, with the pair encountering "mythical and mysterious goblins".
As the episode title suggests, the special will also delve into Ruby's backstory, after she was abandoned as a baby on Christmas Eve.
Now living with her mum, Carla, and grandmother, Cherry, her world is about to be turned upside when she encounters the Doctor, and the two set off on their first adventure together.
Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor in Doctor Who. BBC Studios/Bad Wolf
Another exciting announcement involved the casting of Davina McCall as herself, and we can't wait to see what she's set to bring to the episode.
Michelle Greenidge will join the cast as Ruby’s mum Carla, Angela Wynter as Ruby’s grandmother Cherry and Anita Dobson as Mrs Flood.
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies said: "From day one in this job, I wanted Doctor Who back on Christmas Day. And with Ncuti, Millie, Davina and the Goblin King, I hope it’s a feast for all the family!"
The last Doctor Who episode to air on Christmas Day was 2017's Twice Upon a Time, the final outing for Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor.
The Church on Ruby Road will air on Christmas Day at 5:55pm. Previous episodes are available on BBC iPlayer and on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
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Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
