After his first brilliant season as the Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa takes on his second Doctor Who Christmas Special and the concept is typically Whovian: brave, huge and emotionally charged. The TARDIS takes a back seat for once but the Time Hotel with its many rooms does all the heavy lifting. Similarly, companion Joy, played by Nicola Coughlan, turns out to be an almost perfect fit.
Below we have all the information on how to watch the "Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World" from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for free.
The "Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World" drops on BBC One on Wednesday, December 25 at 5.10 p.m. GMT (12.10 p.m. ET/9.10 a.m. PT). It will also be available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
• WATCH FREE — BBC One/BBC iPlayer (U.K)
• U.S. and elsewhere — Watch on Disney Plus
• Unblock any stream with NordVPN
Hold onto your hat because this Christmas Special packs a lot into just under an hour considering that every room in the Time Hotel is a portal to somewhere in history. And that requires a lot of rooms.
We are transported to the Base Camp of Mount Everest in 1953 with Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay, taken aboard the Orient Express in 1962, check out the dawn of the dinosaur age and are brought crashing into the now on Christmas Day 2024.
Whilst the action and the unfolding narrative refuses to stop and take a breath, we also get to see more introspective and considered side of Gatwa's Doctor after his debut season.
This is a very welcome development and confirms that Doctor Who is always safe in the capable hands of former show runner/writer Steven Moffat. The unforgettable ending (part cheese, part masterstroke) is 100% Moffat and 100% works here.
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch "Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World" from anywhere.
Watch 'Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World' FREE online
Watch 'Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World' online free in the U.K.
"Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World" drops on BBC One on Wednesday, December 25 at 5.10 p.m. GMT. It will also be available to stream live and on-demand on BBC iPlayer.
If you just can't get enough of the adventures of the Timelord, there is a host of other "Doctor Who" content available to watch for free on the BBC iPlayer via their Whoniverse hub.
Watch the 'Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World' from anywhere
How to watch 'Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World' from anywhere in the world
If you're fortunate enough to live in the U.K., you will be able to enjoy "Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World" for free on Wednesday, December 25 on BBC iPlayer.
But what if you're usually based in the U.K., pay the license fee, but are visiting the U.S. right now? Perhaps, you're on holiday and don't want to spend money on a paid streaming service in a foreign country when you'd usually be able to watch for free at home.
Don't worry — you can still watch Doctor Who for free on iPlayer by using a streaming VPN. We'll show you how to do that below. The best deal on a VPN service right now is NordVPN, but you'll find others in our best VPN services list.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple, just follow these steps.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN has a great deal.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the U.S. and want to view your usual BBC iPlayer account, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to BBC iPlayer and watch "Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World" just like you would at home.
How to watch 'Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World' around the world
How to watch 'Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World' online in the U.S.
The "Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World" will land in the U.S. on Disney Plus on Wednesday, December 25 at the same time as it airs in the U.K., so 12.10 p.m. ET or 9.10 a.m. PT.
If you're visiting the States from the U.K., you can still watch the new Doctors' adventures on iPlayer with a VPN such as NordVPN.
How to watch 'Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World' in Australia
Happily for Whovians down under, "Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World" will materialize on Disney Plus on Thursday, December 26 at 4.10 a.m. AEDT.
Traveling outside Australia? Don't worry — you can watch via a VPN instead. Our favorite VPN service right now is NordVPN and it will help you access all your usual subscriptions.
Can I watch 'Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World' in Canada, New Zealand and elsewhere?
Yes, "Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World" is available on Disney Plus worldwide on Wednesday, December 25 or Thursday, December 26 depending on your timezone.
Remember, Brits traveling for the holidays won't need to take out a Disney Plus subscription just for this special, because you can use a VPN to access your home services. Our recommendation is NordVPN.
'Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy to the World' - Cast
Doctor Who - Ncuti Gatwa
Joy Almondo - Nicola Coughlan
Trev Simpkins - Joel Fry
Anita Benn - Steph de Whalley
Hotel Manager - Jonathan Aris
Hilda Flockhart - Julia Watson
Basil Flockhart - Peter Benedict
Sylvia Trench - Niamh Marie Smith
Edmund Hillary - Phil Baxter
Tenzing Norgay - Samuel Sherpa-Moore
Receptionist - Ruchi Rai
Mr Single - Joshua Leese
Server - Ell Potter
Barman - Liam Prince-Donnelly
Where have we seen Nicola Coughlan before?
As Clare Devlin in Channel 4 sitcom Derry Girls (2018–2022) and Penelope (Featherington) in Netflix's Bridgerton (2020–present).
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