Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday

Doctor Who 2023 Christmas special films in Cardiff

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Though principal photography wrapped on the 2023 Doctor Who Christmas special in February of 2023, additional scenes for the special were filmed in a special night shoot in Cardiff which spanned the evening of 18 September to the early morning hours of 19 September, 2023.

A lighting balloon was set up on a crane at the intersection of St Marys Street and Wharton Street in Cardiff.

Then the crew set up Christmas lights and a Christmas Tree.

A London taxi was towed to the set.

Millie Gibson, who plays the Doctor’s companion Ruby Sunday, showed up for the filming in her 2023 Christmas special costume.

Gibson and two other actresses were filmed leaving a pub and entering the taxi. The taxi was filmed driving down the street.

Then the crew filmed Ncuti Gatwa’s body double in a scene where the Doctor must duck and cover his head. The body double was wearing a kilt as part of a costume never before seen in any previous 2023 Doctor Who Christmas special filming with Ncuti Gatwa.

According to a casting call for extras to portray passers-by, there will be two more night shoots on 3 and 18 October at central Cardiff locations.

Doctor Who will return in November 2023 with three 60th anniversary specials starring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor and Catherine Tate as companion Donna Noble titled The Star Beast, Wild Blue Yonder and The Giggle.

Ncuti Gatwa will star in his first full Doctor Who episode as the Fifteenth Doctor in the Doctor Who Christmas special alongside Millie Gibson as companion Ruby Sunday in December 2023.

A new 8-episode Doctor Who series starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Millie Gibson as Ruby will debut in Spring of 2024.