2011 Christmas Special Set During WW2
Some early story details and the guest cast for this year’s Doctor Who Christmas special have been revealed.
The Sun reports the story will see the Doctor in war-torn England during the Second World War. Joining him are guest stars Bill Bailey, Claire Skinner, Alexander Armstrong and Arabella Weir (pictured above from left to right respectively).
More details:
OUTNUMBERED star Claire Skinner will step into the Tardis as a “super-mum” with comedian Bill Bailey for this year’s Doctor Who Christmas special.
Fellow comics Alexander Armstrong and Fast Show funnywoman Arabella Weir also join Matt Smith.
The festive spectacular will see the Time Lord in World War Two-torn England with young widow Madge (Claire) and her two children.
Claire said: “I am thrilled. Madge is a bit of super-mum. It’s a magical part.”
Update: BBC press release added:
Production has started on the 2011 Doctor Who Christmas Special in which the Doctor (Matt Smith) finds himself in war-torn England embarking on a magical and mysterious adventure with a young widow and her two children.
A stellar guest cast including Claire Skinner (Outnumbered), Bill Bailey (Black Books), Arabella Weir (The Fast Show) and Alexander Armstrong (Armstrong & Miller), join Matt Smith in the emotional festive special, packed full of Christmas thrills and chills.
Steven Moffat, Lead Writer and Executive Producer, commented: “The Doctor at Christmas – nothing is more fun to write. Maybe because it’s so his kind of day – everything’s bright and shiny, everybody’s having a laugh, and nobody minds if you wear a really stupid hat. Of all the Doctors, Matt Smith’s is the one that was born for this time of year – so it’s the best news possible that he’s heading back down the chimney.”
The special, set during the Second World War, sees Madge Arwell and her two children, Lily and Cyril, evacuated to a draughty old house in Dorset, where the caretaker is a mysterious young man in a bow tie, and a big blue parcel is waiting for them under the tree. They are about to enter a magical new world and learn that a Time Lord never forgets his debts.
Claire Skinner said: “I am thrilled to be in Doctor Who playing Madge who is a bit of super-mum. It’s a magical part.”
This marks Matt Smith’s second outing as the Doctor at Christmas time and will follow hot on the heels of the successful 2011 series, currently airing on BBC One until October.
The Christmas Special was commissioned by Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama and Danny Cohen, Controller BBC One. Steven Moffat is Lead Writer and Executive Producer with Piers Wenger and Caroline Skinner, also executive producing.
Filming on the Christmas special will continue until mid-October 2011.
