Doctor Who: 20 Things You Didn’t Know About A Christmas Carol

By the time 2010 rolled around, the Doctor Who Christmas Day special was an established part of the show. However, that year's would be a new challenge.

It was the first one not written by Russell T Davies or starring David Tennant, and with that winning duo gone, would Whovians end up getting a lump of coal in their Christmas stockings?

Well as it turned out, no – what they did get was the best Doctor Who Christmas special of the lot.

With Matt Smith at the helm, Steven Moffat behind the script, and guest stars Katherine Jenkins and the legendary Michael Gambon, A Christmas Carol was an utter delight.

In it, the Doctor must persuade a grouchy old man to clear the cloud belt around his planet, otherwise a spaceship carrying Amy and Rory will crash. Cue snow, sleigh rides, flying fish, and opera singing, as the old man's heart gradually warms through his love for the terminally ill Abigail.

From some brilliant production decisions to the broadcast and reception of the episode, there's so much to discuss about this one, so let's crack on with the deep dive!

What do you think of when you think of Christmas? Family gatherings? Chocolate? A sense of generosity and giving?

Well, if you work on Doctor Who, you probably think of death and mayhem.

Since the first Doctor Who Christmas special in 2005, these episodes have brought plenty of bloodshed to the big day.

All the Sycorax get blown up, Lance and his spider queen are done away with, Voyage of the Damned kills pretty much everyone on the space Titanic, there are a bunch of Cyber-conversions in The Next Doctor, and the Master eats some homeless people in The End of Time Part One.

While it's implied that Abigail dies soon after, nobody's death is actually shown in A Christmas Carol, which was a first at the time.

Well, except for that little fishy-wishy that got eaten by the shark. Poor guy.