Russell T Davies gears up for Christmas with a Santa sack full of on-set secrets...

Ho ho ho, faithful reader, here we go again! As regular as a clockwork reindeer, it’s my annual Doctor Who-themed 12 Days of Christmas. I swear, this is the only reason I came back to the show. To write this page! The tradition that will not die. Buckle in folks, it’s quite a sleigh ride, off we go…

Twelve months-a-passing! As I look back on last year’s 12 Days, I’m aware that I was promising you lines and scenes and words from Ncuti’s first episodes… which still haven’t arrived on screen! It takes a long time, this new Whoniverse, doesn’t it? Believe me, it feels quite odd to be shooting next year’s Christmas Special before this year’s has been shown. But now I think the tide is breaking. You should be reading this mid-turbulence, as we reel from Specials to Christmas… and then, if we get it right, it won’t stop. You’ll swing from series, to Christmas, to series, to Christmas, maybe with something extra in there, on and on and on. Always boiling, always bubbling. That’s the plan!

Eleven scenes-a-listing! Scene 11 of Episode 1 of Ncuti’s first season is headed: INT. CONTROL ROOM. The stage directions say, ‘THE DOCTOR and RUBY walk in to find a cool, sleek, metal CONTROL ROOM, full of CONSOLES.’ Why are some words capitalised? It’s for convenience, so the production team can see at a glance who’s in the scene, where they are, what props are needed and whether anyone is ANGRY. But you only capitalise them the first time they’re mentioned, then it’s back to normal. Unless, for emphasis, you want to insist, further down the page, the monsters chase after RUBY! (Which does happen. A lot!)

Ten episodes-a-making! The tenth episode of this brand-new Doctor Who era is Episode 6 of Season 1, written by the wonderful Kate Herron and Briony Redman. And on Page 10, it contains the line, spoken by Emily, “I am ruined!”

Nine days-a-Decembering! They’ve asked me to go on Saturday Kitchen! Hoot hoot. Plans may change by the time you read this, but I am already pondering my choices. Food Heaven: that pineapple from The Five Doctors. Food Hell: marsh minnows.

Eight words-a-titling! Last year, I promised you a mysterious eight-word-titled thing. I said, ‘Big news soon!’ I have stretched the definition of soon. It’s stayed a secret for the whole year. Okay, it’s been a bit delayed. We were busy! Working on Season 1 and Season 2 simultaneously means we’re working on 18 episodes of Doctor Who at once, and believe it or not, that only occurred to us… when it happened! Gulp. But now we’re fully up to speed. And here comes the reveal of those eight words, any month now. It has two scripts so far, the third being delivered before Christmas. And I absolutely promise you, it’s wonderful.

Seven parts-a-editing! One of my favourite things in the whole wide Whoniverse is the brand-new colourised The Daleks. I’m writing this before its transmission, so I wonder how well it went down…? When we first announced this at a stakeholders’ meeting, a fan around the table couldn’t help himself and literally barked the word ‘Edited?!’ Like, ‘A handbag?!’ Heh! But we’re not stopping there. Benjamin Cook is already sending me notes about next year’s edit. ‘I’ve got Episode 3 down to 15 minutes and 19 seconds!’

Six words-a-counting! Here’s six words from the next season’s Episode 8, the spectacular, epic, awesome, revolutionary, game-changing finale! Terror, dust, pizza, Einstein, death, opera. One of those words is in the title. (It’s not pizza) (Or is it…?)

Five goo-ooold rings! Love that bit.

Four writers-a-typing! Four writers, other than me, in Season 2. Who cheered?!

Three words-a-naming! Okay, faithful reader, here’s a Christmas present. An episode of Ncuti’s first season, coming soon in 2024, is called… The Devil’s Chord. That’s a phrase meaning an actual thing, it’s real. Look it up. Brrr, shiver. And if you’re wondering which episode this is, then in the running order, it comes in at number…

Two episodes-a-numbering! Enjoy!

And a bird flew into Ncuti’s traaaaail-er! Yes, a bird. I was waiting for Ncuti, one lunchtime in July, while he was on set. A bird flew in! I screamed. Kitty caught it and took it away. I told everyone how brave I was. And such is my devotion to DWM, I literally thought, five months ahead of my deadline for this page: I now have a bird-themed ending for the 12 Days of Christmas. Nice!

Merry Christmas, folks! Nadolig llawen!