Alex Kingston and Peter Capaldi in the Doctor Who Christmas special (Picture: BBC)

Alex Kingston and Peter Capaldi team up for Doctor Who’s Christmas outing this year in the TARDIS, along with comedians Greg Davies and Matt Lucas – but will it be delivering festive cheer on your telly?

Most definitely.

The Husbands of River Song reunites the Doctor and the titular archaeologist (now complete with Sonic Trowel), first seen back in 2008 during the David Tennant era.

But there’s a hitch – not only is she married to someone else, River doesn’t recognise the Doctor.


River, ever the naughty girl, is married to nine-foot cyborg King Hydroflax (Inbetweeners Greg Davies); though, as we discover, she’s after something else – a rather special diamond. This is where the Doctor comes in, mistakenly recruited by River’s little helper Nardole, a seasonal-looking Matt Lucas.

Greg Davies in The Husbands of River Song (Picture: BBC)

And this is also where hilarity enters the episode as the Doctor gets to play around with the fact that River doesn’t know who he is (technically, he shouldn’t have the face he has). The roles are reversed with River in charge with the Time Lord in tow, full of knowing winks and bumbling antics.



Capaldi’s entrance into the TARDIS is one of the most delightful and gigglesome experiences you’ll have all year; a moment you’ll be replaying constantly.

Also getting the laughs is Matt Lucas who puts in a quiet but memorable performance as the duffel-coat wearing fool, Nardole – in particular when he realises the Doctor is not the one he’s looking for.

But it’s Kingston and Capaldi who run the show here in amongst fantastically-realised aliens, duplicitous heist activity and gorgeous sets. Once she finally recognises the Doctor, it’s a moment you will savour and beam with delight at (and maybe even get a bit teary at too).

Matt Lucas stars in the Christmas special (Picture: BBC)

Writer and showrunner Steven Moffat has packed this festive bundle full of jokes and levity – including a LOL-inducing reference to Stephen Fry, and a Jeremy Corbyn-esque working man speech from the Doctor – before making you crack out the Kleenex in the last third. Fans of the Time Lord and River’s timey-wimey relationship will be hugely rewarded by the end of the episode in an emotional denouement.

Capaldi and Kingston absolutely sizzle on screen. It may not quite be a ‘sex storm’ but if Doctor Who were to continue with these two, you would be smiling from ear to ear every Saturday.

If you thought the ending of the most recent series was slightly traumatic and downbeat (which, in fairness, it was in the most epic way), then don’t worry, The Husbands of River Song starts afresh and has got plenty of laughs, plenty of snow, plenty of action (with some great CG work) and plenty of heart-tugging moments between the couple – perfect Christmas telly.

Doctor Who, The Husbands of River Song airs 5.15pm, Dec 25 on BBC One

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