Doctor Who Christmas specials are always a treat for the fans, but the episode due to air in just under two weeks now is a real must-see. Not only will it feature Peter Capaldi’s last hurrah as the Twelfth Doctor, with Jodie Whittaker making her debut as No. 13 by the end of the episode, but it will also see the return of the First Doctor. That’s three Doctors for the price of one!
Taking over the part of the original Time Lord is David Bradley (Game of Thrones, Harry Potter), who already has some experience with the role as he previously played First Doctor actor William Hartnell in the 2013 biopic An Adventure in Space and Time. His impersonation of Hartnell impressed fans so much, in fact, that he was a natural choice to play the Doctor for real in the special. However, it’s not something that he ever expected.
“I never thought for a moment that I’d be asked to do an episode as the Doctor, let alone the big Christmas one.”
Now that he’s playing the actual First Doctor, though, Bradley hopes he managed to evoke the spirit of the original performance, as he knows that the fans are counting on him.
“Before I felt a responsibility to get it right for William and his family, but now I feel like I need to get it right for the fans.”
Still, it’s not all about the First Doctor’s return – the most important aspect of the story is that it’s time to say farewell to the Twelfth Doctor. Bradley went on to admit that things got pretty emotional while filming Capaldi’s final scenes on the sci-fi series. He even recalled a moment when both Time Lords were on the verge of tears.
“At one point Peter and I looked at each other and I wondered who was going to well up first!”
Lastly, Bradley summed up his feelings about the special by making clear how much of an admirer of his fellow Doctor he is.
“Peter has been a wonderful Doctor and it was an honour to be a part of his final appearance.”
Be sure to catch the three Doctors – Capaldi, Bradley and Whittaker – when Doctor Who “Twice Upon a Time” airs on BBC One/America this Christmas Day. Oh, and in case you couldn’t tell, it’ll probably be a good idea to have some tissues handy when you sit down to watch the special, too.