Get ready to journey through time and space this Christmas with the Doctor Who holiday special, “Joy to the World.” Featuring Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor, this festive episode promises a thrilling adventure filled with holiday cheer and unexpected twists. Whether you’re tuning in on BBC One, streaming on BBC iPlayer in the UK, or catching it on Disney+ internationally, this guide will ensure you don’t miss a moment of the Doctor’s latest escapade through the Whoniverse.
After making an appearance in the third anniversary special through a bit of “bigeneration,” Ncuti Gatwa is at last stepping up to the plate as The Doctor. He’ll be joined by new companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), who lives a quiet life with her grandma and mom until The Doctor shows up. In “The Church on Ruby Road,” they’ll both come face to face with mysterious goblins, and have to riddle their way out of a Christmas adventure.
Though it’ll be a bit before the new season of Doctor Who premieres, we’ve been waiting an awfully long time to see Gatwa as The Doctor. So it’s understandable if we’re all excited to watch the Christmas special as soon as we possibly can – and here’s how.
How to watch the Doctor Who Christmas special on Disney Plus
To watch the Doctor Who Christmas special “Joy to the World” on Disney Plus, tune in on December 25, 2024, at 12:10 p.m. ET (9:10 a.m. PT) in all regions except the UK and Ireland, where it airs on BBC One. You can access the special by subscribing to Disney Plus, which offers plans starting at $8 with ads or $14 for ad-free viewing, along with bundle options including Hulu and ESPN. The episode features Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Nicola Coughlan as Joy, and it promises a festive adventure at the Time Hotel filled with danger and dinosaurs. If you’re outside the UK and want to watch via BBC iPlayer, a VPN may be helpful to access the streaming service.
As with the anniversary specials (and all Doctor Who seasons moving forward), Doctor Who will be streaming its Christmas episode on Disney Plus. That means we can probably expect the same sort of release schedule: Disney will be releasing the special concurrently with its broadcast in the U.K., meaning if you’re watching it on Disney Plus, the new specials will drop on Christmas at 9:55 a.m. PST/12:55 p.m. EST.
Can I watch the Christmas Doctor Who special on BBC?
You can watch the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas special, titled “Joy to the World,” on BBC One in the UK at 5:10 pm on Christmas Day, December 25, 2024. It will also be available to stream live or on-demand on BBC iPlayer, allowing viewers to watch it at their convenience. To access BBC iPlayer, a valid UK TV license is required. For international fans, the special will be available on Disney+ in the US, Canada, and other select regions shortly after its UK broadcast.
Yup! You’ll be able to watch Doctor Who’s 2023 Christmas special on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer in the U.K. starting at 5:55 p.m. on December 25 (that’s Christmas).
What do I need to have watched beforehand?
To fully enjoy the Doctor Who holiday special, it is recommended to have watched the recent specials that bridge the gap between the previous era and the new Fifteenth Doctor played by Ncuti Gatwa. These specials help explain key changes and character developments, making the holiday episode more meaningful, though the special can still be watched on its own if preferred. Watching the latest episodes or specials beforehand will provide helpful context, especially regarding the Doctor’s regeneration and new companions, but the holiday special is designed to be accessible even to newer viewers.
As with the Doctor Who anniversary specials: Technically nothing – the franchise has been going for 60 years and counting, so there’s a lot of Who you could catch up on, but how could you even pick where to start?
But it’s probably helpful to have at least watched the anniversary specials, particularly the last one, “The Giggle,” which features the handoff between David Tennant’s Tenth/Fourteenth Doctor and Gatwa’s Fifteenth. Suffice it to say, Gatwa’s Doctor gets introduced in an unorthodox (and, frankly, less than stellar) way, which will no doubt be a bit of backstory for the special. Plus it’s just fun to get a sense of what Gatwa is bringing to the role already – he’s a star!
If you do want to revisit any older Doctor Who, you’ll want to check out the Russell T. Davies section, as he’s the new (returning) showrunner; so you’re looking for series 1 through series 5. Those won’t be viewable on Disney Plus, though, only Max.
Is there a trailer so I can watch Ncuti Gatwa already?
Yes, there is an official trailer available where you can see Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor in action. The Season 2 trailer, released in March 2025, showcases the Doctor meeting his new companion Belinda Chandra and embarking on an epic quest to get her back to Earth, facing mysterious forces and dangers along the way. This trailer provides a great glimpse of Ncuti Gatwa’s portrayal and the exciting adventures ahead, with the new season premiering on April 12, 2025, on Disney+ and BBC iPlayer in the UK.
How can I catch the Doctor Who holiday special before it airs on TV
You can catch the Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special, Joy to the World, before it airs on TV by entering the official contest held by the BBC, which allows a select group of fans in the UK and US to see the episode early at local cinema screenings with friends and family. Outside of this contest, the earliest official streaming availability is on December 25, 2024, at 5:10 pm GMT on BBC iPlayer in the UK and at 12:10 pm ET on Disney+ for international viewers. Using a VPN to access BBC iPlayer or Disney+ early is sometimes suggested, but the episode is officially released simultaneously on these platforms on Christmas Day.
Is there a way to watch the Doctor Who holiday special early online
There is no official way to watch the Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special, Joy to the World, early online before its scheduled release on December 25, 2024. The episode will premiere simultaneously on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 5:10 pm GMT in the UK and on Disney+ internationally on Christmas Day, with no early streaming options available to the public.
However, some fans in the UK and US may enter a BBC contest to attend early cinema screenings, but this is limited and not an online option. Outside of that, viewers can only watch it as it airs or shortly thereafter on the official platforms. Using a VPN to access BBC iPlayer from abroad is a common method to stream the episode as soon as it is released, but this does not provide early access before the official air date.
