Doctor Who’s Steven Moffat reveals poignant Christmas special line was almost cut

Speaking on Doctor Who: Unleashed, former Doctor Who showrunner Moffat, who penned the episode, pointed out that Joy's sadness can be seen in how much she smiles.

He said: "Joy is the kind of person who you know how sad they are from how often they smile. Really, really sad people are always putting a front up. They're always smiling through it."

Moffat added: "There's a line in the script which nearly fell out, and I'm glad it stayed in, where the Doctor says, 'Have you seen your smile? Like the lid on a boiling pot. You're angry, you're sad, you're always ready for a fight.'"

"I think Nicola's got the sparkiest, most extraordinary smile, which was the one thing I really, massively wanted for her," he continued.

"I don't want her to be someone who looked sad. You see the sadness in the eyes and you see the eyes above a smiling mouth, and she captures that perfectly."

Moffat previously warned fans that Coughlan, who's also known for her roles in Derry Girls and Bridgerton, would give a "heartbreaking" performance, with Joy having an emotional end to the episode.

The Christmas Day ratings have also been revealed, with Doctor Who securing 4.11 million viewers, according to BARB's overnight ratings.

It must be noted that this is not the full story as it doesn't include viewers who will be watching on catch-up. This number is expected to rise when the seven-day consolidated viewing figures come in.

The big winner of Christmas Day 2024, though, was Gavin and Stacey: The Finale, with overnight figures of 12.3 million.

The new Wallace and Gromit film, Vengeance Most Fowl, brought in 9.38 million viewers, while the King's Christmas message secured 6.81 million across various channels.

Doctor Who is now set to return in 2025, with viewers being treated to a season 15 trailer at the end of Joy to the World.

Doctor Who: Joy to the World is available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Doctor Who will also return in 2025 to BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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