The sixth episode of Doctor Who Season Two, The Interstellar Song Contest is billed as Die Hard meets Eurovision in an episode that promises music and mayhem.

The TARDIS bounces the Doctor and Belinda to the Harmony Arena, deep in outer space. It’s 2925 and the biggest night of the year. Three trillion lifeforms from 40 million planets are watching the The 803rd Interstellar Song Contest, a Eurovision-type contest, hosted by the very well-preserved Rylan, where planets from across the universe compete for the top prize.

The Doctor and Belinda are looking forward to an evening of fun but someone is planning to hijack the event, putting everyone’s lives in danger and a harmless night of fun soon becomes a battle to survive.

Freddie Fox explains the motivation behind the terrorist attack on the 803rd Interstellar Song Contest.

“Kid is a charismatic, devious, revolutionary leader of a group. They are trying to get justice for wrongs that he wants to tell the galaxy and the universe about.”

“I really loved working with Iona (Anderson, playing Wynn Aura-Kin), who I shared many scenes with. She was so great to work with and very generous. That was a highlight. There’s one moment where I just get to be so damn showy, too. My character gets to be super naughty, and I was like, ‘oh, yeah, this is cool’.”

Writer Juno Dawson describes the dangerous situation created in what should be a night of celebration and music.

“In places it’s quite harrowing. I think the best science fiction and fantasy should always have something to say about the world. While being an absolute romp on a space-station, these are characters caught in an extraordinary situation that I hope people will feel on an emotional level as well.”

For director Ben A. Williams, his aim was to make it feel like a Eurovision show then find the touches that push the episode into the distant future.

“Lights that come from tiny flying drones. Logos that can materialise in space. Screens that appear out of thin air. And then there was the audience – all 100,000 of them. We just went for it. Some people got in the make-up chair at 4am every morning to become their alien selves – and they loved it!”

Williams also emphasised the power of music in The Interstellar Song Contest.

“Murray (Gold) has created a song that is weapons-grade catchy. I played it once to my 2-year-old. He hasn’t stopped singing it since.”

“It’s action packed, it’s tough, it’s funny and it’s huge. But then again, it’s also a love letter to the power of music and love, and how they come together in something like The Interstellar Song Contest to make the world (and distant galaxies) a better place.”

• There is a catchy tune called Dugga Doo sung by a group with the same name
• Christina Rotondo (of Janis Goblin fame) plays Liz Lizardine
• Rylan has been revived after being in suspended animation for thousands of years
• The King of Eurovision, Graham Norton, makes an appearance
• Bickering fans Gary (Charlie Condou) and Mike (Kadiff Kirwan) are on the verge of divorce, until the danger reminds them of what really matters
• Turlough’s home planet Trion is represented by singer Cora Saint Bavier (Miram-Teak Lee), who is hiding something
• After the attack, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) unleashes a sort of rage not seen in a long time
• The 803rd Interstellar Song Contest has a sponsor with the name “Poppy” in it
• Archie Panjabi, thought to play a villain in Season Two, has yet to show up in the series
• Out in the audience, events take an unexpected turn for Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson)
• Russell T Davies warned fans to to stay offline and watch The Interstellar Song Contest unspoiled

Written by Juno Dawson and Russell T Davies and directed by Ben A Williams with music composed by Murray Gold, The Interstellar Song Contest will transmit on Saturday 17 May at 8am on BBC iPlayer and on BBC One in the UK between the FA Cup Final and the Eurovision Grand Final at 7:10pm – providing the FA Cup Final doesn’t go into extra time. Those outside of the UK can watch The Interstellar Song Contest on Disney+ where available simultaneously starting at 3am ET/12am PT. The remaining two finale episodes of the series will transmit on 24 and 31 May.

Directly after the BBC One broadcast, Steffan Powell goes behind the scenes of The Interstellar Song Contest with Doctor Who: Unleashed on BBC Three and on the official YouTube channel where available at 8:00pm.