Bill Bailey, Alexander Armstrong, Claire Skinner and Arabella Weir to guest star
With filming underway, the BBC has revealed some details about this year’s Doctor Who Christmas special before the snapperazzi go and reveal everything anyway.
The story, once again written by Steven Moffat, is set during World War II. Moffat promises it will be the “most Christmasy ever”, featuring a chase through a “ Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe ” style forest and an ice villain (cue another wave of Ice Warrior rumours, but that, at the moment, is just a two plus two equals Mars scenario).
Moffat says how he enjoyed writing the Christmas special for Matt Smith: “It’s 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."
Guest stars include Outnumbered ’s Claire Skinner who will play a super-mum, Madge Arwell. The Doctor will be take on the role of a caretaker of a creepy old house in Dorset before embarking on an adventure with Madge and her two children Lily and Cyril.
Joining Skinner will be comedian Bill Bailey, Alexander Armstrong (of Armstrong And Miller fame, and who plays the voice of Mr Smith in The Sarah Jane Adventures ) and Fast Show veteran Arabella Weir. So, a lot of comedy actors.
Couple of bits of Who related trivia:
Claire Skinner is married to Doctor Who director Charles Palmer (“Smith & Jones”, “The Shakespeare Code”, “Human Nature”, “The Family Of Blood”) who, in turn is the son of Geoffrey Palmer (“The Mutants”, “Voyage Of The Damned”).
Arabella Weir once played an an alternate female version of the Doctor in the Big Finish play “Exile”.
