Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan joins Doctor Who cast for Christmas special episode

Doctor Who recently revealed the first look at its upcoming Christmas special at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC). And guess which actor is joining the cast this year as the Doctor's new companion? It's none other than our favorite Bridgerton star, Nicola Coughlan, who will be teaming up with the Fifteenth Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa. The preview for the special, titled “Joy to the World,” promises a festive adventure as Coughlan introduces her new character, Joy.

In an exciting preview at SDCC, Coughlan shared her excitement for her role. “I'm so excited to be joining Doctor Who in the Christmas special this year,” she told the audience. “I'm so excited for you to meet my character Joy, a determined woman whose life changes forever when she meets the Doctor. I had the best time filming this episode with Ncuti and the whole crew. I can't wait for you all to meet Joy.”

In the preview, we see the Doctor travelling through various points in the 20th century, desperately trying to deliver a ham and cheese toastie and a pumpkin latte, but he keeps stumbling into the wrong room.

Fast forward to the present year, where Joy checks into the Sandringham Hotel in London for a week-long stay at Christmastime. As she settles into her room, her vacation plans take an unexpected turn when a Silurian (a reptilian humanoid) suddenly bursts into her room through a locked door.

Armed with nothing but a hairdryer, Joy stands up to the unexpected intruder. In the meantime, the Doctor arrives once again with toasties and latte. He finally finds the right room to accompany Joy on her holiday adventure.

The announcement of Coughlan's guest role in Doctor Who's 2024 Christmas special was made in November 2023. Coughlan and Ncuti previously made a cameo appearance together in Margot Robbie's Barbie film.

Video Carousel

Doctor Who, a popular science fiction series that first aired on the BBC in 1963, was created by Sydney Newman, CE Webber and Donald Wilson. The series follows the adventures of an alien Time Lord known simply as the Doctor, who travels through time and space in a time machine called the TARDIS, which looks like a British police emergency call box.

After its original broadcast from 1963 to 1989, Doctor Who was revived in 2005. It has inspired a variety of spin-offs, including television series, comics, films and novels. Notable TV spin-offs include Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventure, K9, Classic, Tales of TARDIS and the upcoming The War Between the Land and the Sea.

Doctor Who, a popular science fiction series that first aired on the BBC in 1963, was created by Sydney Newman, CE Webber and Donald Wilson. The series follows the adventures of an alien Time Lord known simply as the Doctor, who travels through time and space in a time machine called the TARDIS, which looks like a British police emergency call box.

After its original broadcast from 1963 to 1989, Doctor Who was revived in 2005. It has inspired a variety of spin-offs, including television series, comics, films and novels. Notable TV spin-offs include Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventure, K9, Classic, Tales of TARDIS and the upcoming The War Between the Land and the Sea.