This year's Doctor Who holiday special completed production ahead of all the shutdowns, according to star Mandip Gill. The long-running sci-fi series is just coming off of its twelfth season (of the modern era), which was filled with series-altering twists and a new iteration of the Doctor. It isn't clear yet when season 13 will arrive, but Doctor Who fans know they have one thing waiting for them: The yearly holiday special. This became a regular tradition when the modern batch of Doctor Who episodes began in 2005; every year on Christmas, there would be a new holiday-themed episode for fans to enjoy with their families. 2018 was the first year to break this Doctor Who tradition, though there was a New Year's Day special to make up for it.
The entertainment industry was hit especially hard back in March when the coronavirus pandemic disrupted just about every aspect of every day life. Numerous film and television productions ended up getting delayed around that time, from Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to Netflix's Stranger Things. Because of this, studios have been forced to shuffle their upcoming release dates, and networks are struggling to work out their long-term plans. Luckily, some major television shows were able to avoid the shut downs, like The Umbrella Academy and The Mandalorian.
Fans can now count this year's Doctor Who holiday special, titled "Revolution of the Daleks", among those productions that escaped a potential shutdown. Gill, who plays the Doctor's companion Yasmin "Yaz" Khan, confirmed as much to EW. "There is a festive episode," Gill said. "We happened to be quite lucky and fit it in, so that will be exciting."
This will likely come as a major relief for Doctor Who fans, especially since there's no official start date for season 13. While the U.K. is lifting the restrictions on film and television sets, many major productions are exercising caution when it comes to resuming work. This could mean the wait between seasons will be even longer than usual. Still, Doctor Who fans are used to waiting, as season 11 aired all the way back in 2018.
Regardless of how long it takes for season 13, Doctor Who will still get this year's holiday episode. In years past, several Doctor Who holiday episodes have featured the pivotal moment when the Doctor regenerates into their next form. While this year's likely won't include that, as current Doctor Jodie Whitaker is expected to return for the next season, it will still likely feature a thrilling adventure for her and her companions. Considering all the wild revelations that took place in Doctor Who season 12, it might be fair to say that fans should be prepared for the unexpected when the holiday episode airs later this year.
Source: EW