The BBC has officially announced this morning that Alex Kingston is returning to Doctor Who for this year’s Christmas special.
The actress will reprise her role as Professor River Song in the show’s eleventh Christmas episode, which begins filming this week.
The special is written by Steven Moffat and directed by Douglas Mackinnon (Sherlock).
River Song made her first appearance in 2008’s ‘Silence in the Library’ and has appeared in 15 episodes to date, most recently in 2013’s ‘The Name of the Doctor’.
Showrunner Steven Moffat hinted today: “Another Christmas, another special for Doctor Who – and what could be more special than the return of Alex Kingston as Professor River Song? The last time the Doctor saw her she was a ghost. The first time he met her, she died. So how can he be seeing her again? As ever, with the most complicated relationship in the universe, it’s a matter of time…”
The BBC’s synopsis for the episode reads: “It’s Christmas Day in the future and the TARDIS is parked on a snowy village street, covered in icicles, awaiting its next adventure. Time traveller River Song meets her husband’s new incarnation, in the form of Peter Capaldi, for the first time this Christmas.”
> Buy Season 8 on DVD on Amazon.
> Buy Season 8 on Blu-ray on Amazon.
The special will air on BBC One on Friday 25 December.
Alex Kingston commented: “To be honest, I did not know whether River would ever return to the show, but here she is, back with the Doctor for the Christmas special. Steven Moffat is on glittering form, giving us an episode filled with humour and surprise guest castings. I met Peter for the first time at Monday’s read through, we had a laugh, and I am now excited and ready to start filming with him and the Doctor Who team. Christmas in September? Why not!”
Who could the other “surprise guest castings” be? Perhaps John Barrowman as Captain Jack? Carole Ann Ford as Susan?
Showrunner steven Moffat revealed last year: “Both River Song and Jack Harkness are massive characters in Doctor Who mythology. Their returns would have to be seismic, not routine.”
Alex Kingston will also return as River Song in 2016 for a series of brand new adventures from Big Finish, including an encounter with the Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann) in Doom Coalition 2.
Big Finish producer David Richardson teased earlier this year: “The idea of River meeting previous Doctors was actually proposed by Steven Moffat and it’s just irresistible, isn’t it? Alex embraced the idea of returning to the role, and so she will be starring in no less than two box sets next year. And yes, we are still pinching ourselves!”
Season 9 has been filming in Cardiff since January and begins on Saturday 19 September on BBC One.
> Here’s everything we know about Season 9 so far.
Are you looking forward to the return of River Song? Let us know below…