How to watch 'Doctor Who' Christmas special: Stream 'Joy to the World' online and from anywhere

Ncuti Gatwa and 'Bridgerton''s Nicola Coughlan check in to an unconventional hotel for the holidays

"Doctor Who: Joy to the World" continues the veteran sci-fi show's two-decade run as a Christmas TV institution. The Time Lord has been a fixture of the BBC's festive schedules ever since 2005's "The Christmas Invasion", and this year is no different.

The last time we saw Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor, he'd just defeated Sutekh and left companion Ruby Sunday back on Earth to get to know her recently discovered birth mother. Now traveling solo in the TARDIS, the Doctor pays a visit to the Time Hotel, where guests can open doors to any period in history. And dinosaurs.

Joining Gatwa for this year's festive adventure is "Derry Girls" and "Bridgerton" star Nicola Coughlan, whose titular Joy gets far more than she bargains for when she checks in for a holiday break. "Who" fans will also be excited by the return of former showrunner Steven Moffat, who's back on writing duties for this year's Christmas special, having also scripted the excellent "Boom" earlier this year.

This guide explains how to watch "Doctor Who: Joy to the World" wherever you are in the world on Christmas Day — though we'll admit its reach stops just short of the entirety of space and time.

How to watch 'Doctor Who: Joy to the World' for free in the UK

This year's "Doctor Who" Christmas special, "Joy to the World", will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer from 5.10pm GMT on Christmas Day — Wednesday, December 25. It's FREE to view if you have a valid TV Licence, and will also be broadcast on terrestrial channel BBC One.

iPlayer is the perfect destination for "Doctor Who" fans this Christmas. Not only will you find all of Ncuti Gatwa's previous adventures in the TARDIS, you can also watch almost every episode from the show's vast 61-year history. And while Professor Brian Cox isn't — as far as we know — a Time Lord, you can enjoy the physicist's own Adventures in Space and Time on the service.

Travelling outside the UK over Christmas? You can always use a VPN to access BBC iPlayer from wherever you are. More on that below...

How to watch 'Doctor Who: Joy to the World' from anywhere

If you're a UK resident abroad right now, you can still watch "Doctor Who: Joy to the World" for FREE on BBC iPlayer. Unfortunately, geoblocking restrictions mean that iPlayer doesn't work outside of the UK, but a VPN can solve that problem...

Downloading a VPN allows you to stream your favourite content from anywhere. These simple pieces of software can change your IP address, allowing you to access on-demand content or live TV just as you would at home...

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How to watch 'Doctor Who: Joy to the World' in the US and elsewhere

Disney+ is the place to watch "Doctor Who" in the US. "Joy to the World" will be available to stream from 12.10pm ET/ 9.10am PT on Christmas Day. Disney Plus prices start at $9.99 per month for the ad-supported Basic plan.

Disney+ is also the home of "Doctor Who" in Canada, Australia, and other countries outside the UK.

Remember: Brits away from home during the holiday season can use NordVPN to access BBC iPlayer while traveling abroad. You'll need an iPlayer account (free) and a valid TV Licence.

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'Doctor Who: Joy to the World' official trailer

Take a sneak peek at what you're getting for Christmas with the "Joy to the World" trailer...

Doctor Who | Trailer Christmas 2024 | Disney+ - YouTube

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'Doctor Who: Joy to the World': FAQs

What's the plot for "Doctor Who: Joy to the World"?

Proving that the Doctor’s holiday seasons are just as eventful as John "Die Hard" McClane's, the official synopsis says: "When Joy checks into a London hotel in 2024, she opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel — discovering danger, dinosaurs and the Doctor. But a deadly plan is unfolding across the Earth, just in time for Christmas."

Who's written this year's "Doctor Who" Christmas special?

Showrunner Russell T Davies has handed festive writing duties over to Steven Moffat, the "Sherlock" co-creator who was in charge of the TARDIS from 2010-2017 (aka the Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi eras).

"Joy to the World" will be Moffat's ninth Christmas special after "A Christmas Carol", "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe", "The Snowmen", "The Time of the Doctor", "Last Christmas", "The Husbands of River Song", "The Return of Doctor Mysterio" and "Twice Upon a Time". This is, unsurprisingly, a record.

Who's in the cast for "Doctor Who: Joy to the World"?

Ncuti Gatwa plays the Doctor opposite Nicola Coughlan as Joy.

The supporting cast includes Steph de Whalley as Anita, Jonathan Aris as a Silurian hotel manager, Joel Fry as Trev, Peter Benedict as Basil, Julia Watson as Hilda and Níamh Marie Smith as Sylvia.

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