Doctor Who's TARDIS with a Christmas wreath on the door, in front of a Christmas tree

‘Doctor Who’ Showrunner Already Teasing ‘Terrible Secrets’ in the Next Christmas Special

2023’s Doctor Who Christmas special was released only a week and a half ago, yet the show has already jumped forward to the next one! Showrunner Russell T. Davies has shared a picture of the TARDIS in a new location, and despite its vagueness, fans are falling head over heels to speculate.

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It’s the start of a new era, with a new, young Doctor in the form of Ncuti Gatwa and companion Ruby Sunday played by Millie Gibson, kicking off with the Christmas Special “The Church on Ruby Road.” The adventures will continue with the start of the fourteenth season, which will start in May of this year, but before that has even reached our screens, Davies has already teased next Christmas!

Davies, who is known for his time as showrunner during David Tennent’s original reign as the series lead in 2005–2010 (which many still hold to their hearts as the best of Doctor Who), is back in his old role, ushering in a soft reboot, which has Davies referring to the coming season as “season one.” As soon as the 2023 Christmas special aired, the trailer for the upcoming season was released, with fans excited to see the show move forward.

If that made them happy, then knowing that work is underway for the next Christmas Special will have them thrilled. Davies posted a picture of himself and BBC’s Alan Yentob on his Instagram page, writing “Happy New Year’s Eve! And the point is – there, right behind us, that’s one of the sets from the Christmas 2024 episode of Doctor Who! The future! Right there,” before concluding with an ominous, “But what terrible secrets does it hide …?”

Though the TARDIS is an instantly recognizable item, the rest of the background leaves many curious. One fan responded to the post writing, “I know we can’t see much of it, but am I the only one who thinks that background looks familiar? I don’t know where I know it from, but I definitely think I’ve seen it before.” Another fan took a stab, writing, “My wild guess, what with Goblins, continuing ‘mavity’ and a notation, is that the Doctor isn’t as free of the Toymaker’s influence as he thinks – but that’s one for May and beyond!”

Fans will have to wait a whole year to see if they’re proved right, but we’ll be watching!

(featured image: BBC)


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Laura Pollacco
Laura Pollacco (she/her) is a contributing writer here at The Mary Sue, having written for digital media since 2022 and has a keen interest in all things Marvel, Lord of the Rings, and anime. She has worked for various publications including We Got This Covered, but much of her work can be found gracing the pages of print and online publications in Japan, where she resides. Outside of writing she treads the boards as an actor, is a portrait and documentary photographer, and takes the little free time left to explore Japan.