Doctor Who's Steven Moffat teases return to the Time Hotel
"I can't imagine the Doctor being able to resist going there!"
Doctor Who’s Steven Moffat has teased that the Time Hotel from the show’s 2024 Christmas special could be revisited in future episodes.
The venue acted as the key plot device of Joy to the World, which was penned by former Doctor Who showrunner Moffat and aired on Christmas Day, as Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor attempted to stop an old enemy from eviscerating all of human history via portals in the hotel, which took guests everywhere in history.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Moffat and Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies were asked whether there’s scope to see the Time Hotel again.
Davies responded: "A spin-off! You could do a spin-off for that, Steven?"
Moffat then said: "That’s a show, isn’t it? I mean, that’s Mr Benn for a new generation.
"You could absolutely bring back the Time Hotel. I can’t imagine the Doctor being able to resist going there!"
The Christmas special also saw Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan make her Doctor Who debut as she appeared as the titular character Joy and assisted the Time Lord in his efforts to stop Villengard.
Speaking on Doctor Who: Unleashed, Moffat previously revealed a poignant Christmas special line that was almost axed from the episode.
Pointing 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."
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He 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.'"
Moffat continued: "I think Nicola's got the sparkiest, most extraordinary smile, which was the one thing I really, massively wanted for her.
"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."
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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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.