Most wonderful time!
- Publication: TV Times
- Date: 2024-12-21
- Author: Hannah Davies
- Page: 19
- Language: English
NCUTI GATWA and NICOLA COUGHLAN on their epic festive tale
Picture the scene: you've checked into a London hotel for a quiet break when you suddenly open a secret doorway that plunges you into a whirlwind involving treachery, a T-rex and a Time Lord!
This is the intriguing storyline that unfolds for Bridgerton and Derry Girls favourite Nicola Coughlan when she guest-stars in popular BBC1 sci-fi drama Doctor Who's much-anticipated new festive tale, Joy to the World.
After her character, an optimistic lady named Joy, crosses paths with the Fifteenth Doctor (played by Ncuti Gatwa) at the Time Hotel, she finds herself embarking on an adventure of a lifetime. But with one of the Doctor's adversaries lurking in the wings, can the pair thwart a deadly plan threatening all of human history and save Christmas everywhere?
Here, Ncuti, 32, and Nicola, 37, tell us about the merry mayhem ahead...
DOCTOR WHO is previewed on pages 114-115
'THERE'S SO MUCH HEART IN THE STORY'
NCUTI GATWA on the Doctor's latest escapade
What can we expect from this story, Ncuti?
We find the Doctor alone at the start of the episode. He's lost his companion [Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson], who's at home with her family, and he's trying to fill that void with an adventure, and it's a big one!
Fighting a T-rex and working with Nicola was great fun. Joy forces the Doctor to question himself, but there are some funny moments between them.
Is the episode full of festive cheer?
It has a joyous, lovely, warm, Christmassy feel. There's so much heart in the story, which touches on loss, love and humour, and that's exactly what you want for a Christmas Day adventure with the Doctor.
Are there any moments that stand out to you from filming?
One scene was very precarious. The set was pivoted on a gimbal, so it could move, and the whole thing was like a bucking bronco.
Where will you be watching the episode?
I still find it mortifying watching stuff I'm in. I don't know whether I'll be watching it with family and friends, or pretending it isn't happening, then catching up later...
Lastly, if you could check in to the Time Hotel, where would be your first stop?
[Laughing] I would go to bed - that's somewhere I've not seen in a while!
'IT'S A BIG ADVENTURE!' NICOLA COUGHLAN joining the Whoniverse
How does it feel to be part of a Doctor Who special, Nicola?
I know how important the Christmas special is to people. It's the kind of thing where the whole am ysi s down to watch it, even if they aren't regular viewers.
What can you tell us about Joy?
Joy's someone who comes across as very shy and retiring. She never wants to cause a fuss. Then you realise that she's hiding a lot of pain and struggle in her life. But the Doctor doesn't let her rest on her laurels and he really takes her through it. It's a big adventure!
How did it feel acting with all the special effects?
Amazing, because it felt like, 'Oh we really are in Doctor Who!' When a door opens and a Silurian [a reptilian humanoid] walks in, you know you are in the Whoniverse. This episode is also quite stunt-heav was super-excited to do the stunts
Will you be tuning in to watch the special on Christmas Day?
Yes, I'll be home in Ireland with my family, so I'll be hoping to impress my teenage nephew. We watched it las year all together, and I was thinkin 'This is going to be me next year'
Finally, if you were able to check in to the Time Hotel, where would you go first?
A Great Gatsby-esque party in the 1920s or 1930s, with lots of champagne and dancing. That would be very fun!
Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org
- APA 6th ed.: Davies, Hannah (2024-12-21). Most wonderful time!. TV Times p. 19.
- MLA 7th ed.: Davies, Hannah. "Most wonderful time!." TV Times [add city] 2024-12-21, 19. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Davies, Hannah. "Most wonderful time!." TV Times, edition, sec., 2024-12-21
- Turabian: Davies, Hannah. "Most wonderful time!." TV Times, 2024-12-21, section, 19 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Most wonderful time! | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Most_wonderful_time! | work=TV Times | pages=19 | date=2024-12-21 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=20 January 2026 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Most wonderful time! | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Most_wonderful_time! | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=20 January 2026}}</ref>
