Other guest stars include Arabella Weir (The Fast Show) and Alexander Armstrong (Armstrong & Miller), who provides the voice of Mr Smith in CBBC spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Written by executive producer Steven Moffat, the 60-minute special will be set during World War II and sees the Doctor (Matt Smith) find himself “in war-torn England embarking on a magical and mysterious adventure with a young widow and her two children”.

Moffat commented: “The Doctor at Christmas – nothing is more fun to write. Maybe because it’s so his kind of day – everything’s bright and shiny, everybody’s having a laugh, and nobody minds if you wear a really stupid hat. Of all the Doctors, Matt Smith’s is the one that was born for this time of year – so it’s the best news possible that he’s heading back down the chimney.”

Series 6 continues with ‘Closing Time’ at 7.10pm this Saturday on BBC One, guest starring James Corden.

> Order the Series 6 Part 2 DVD on Amazon.

> Order the Series 6 Part 2 Blu-ray on Amazon.

Watch the trailer for last year’s Christmas special…