The Doctor moves to New Year’s Day

DOCTOR Who’s festive special will air on New Year’s Day instead of Christmas Day for the first time in 13 years.

The change from the traditional time slot is part of a new era for the hit BBC Wales sci-fi series, which currently stars Jodie Whittaker as the first female Doctor.

Charlotte Moore, BBC director of content, said: “We’re delighted the Doctor and her companions will be welcoming BBC One audiences into 2019 with this exciting new episode. The Doctor’s fans are in for a special treat on the first day of the new year.”

Showrunner Chris Chibnall said: “We’re thrilled to be starting the new year with a bang on BBC One, as Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor and friends face a terrifying alien threat in an action-packed, hourlong special adventure for all the family.”

The episode will see the Doctor and her companions Ryan (Tosin Cole), Graham (Bradley Walsh) and Yaz (Mandip Gill), face a terrifying evil from across the centuries of Earth’s history.

Full ratings for Whittaker’s first five episodes put the average audience at 8.55 million.

The last time the show enjoyed a larger average after five episodes was in 2010 – Matt Smith’s first series – and her average is also higher than the figure for the 2007 and 2008 series, when David Tennant was playing the Doctor.