Doctor Who Christmas special to air on New Year's Day for first time
Doctor Who’s Christmas special will air on New Year’s Day in a first for the BBC One series.
The date change is part of a schedule shake up, which will also see it move from the traditional time slot.
This highlights a new era for the sci-fi series, which currently stars Jodie Whittaker as the first female Doctor.
This will be the first time that the Time Lord’s Christmas special will broadcast on a different day since the series was revived in 2005.
Charlotte Moore, BBC director of content, said: "We're delighted the Doctor and her companions will be welcoming BBC One audiences into 2019 with this exciting new episode.
"The Doctor's fans are in for a special treat on the first day of the new year."
Showrunner Chris Chibnall said: "We're thrilled to be starting the new year with a bang on BBC One, as Jodie Whittaker's Doctor and friends face a terrifying alien threat in an action-packed, hour-long special adventure for all the family."
The episode will see the Doctor and her companions Ryan (Tosin Cole), Graham (Bradley Walsh) and Yaz (Mandip Gill), face a terrifying evil is stirring from across the centuries of Earth’s history.
As the four intrepid travellers return home, they must try to overcome the threat to the planet.
Whittaker's debut series as the Doctor is attracting the show's highest average TV audience for nearly 10 years, with the first five episodes pulling in an average of 8.5 million.
