Site Menu

August 6th, 2012 104 comments

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

Richard E Grant Cast In Christmas Special

Casting news – Richard E Grant In Christmas Special

Filming of 2012’s Doctor Who Christmas episode starts this week with two big film and television stars joining the show.

Richard E Grant, actor, author and director, has starred in over 80 film and television hits including Withnail And I, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Jack & Sarah, Gosford Park and The Iron Lady.

He is no stranger to Doctor Who – Richard E Grant has played “The Doctor” twice, once in the Curse of Fatal Death and as the Ninth Doctor in animated webcast Scream of the Shalka.

On joining the show, Richard says: “I played Doctor Who in the digital animated Scream Of The Shalka and I’m honoured to be in the Christmas Special.”

Tom Ward, who has starred in BBC One’s in Silent Witness as Harry Cunningham since 2002 also joins the Doctor, played by Matt Smith, and his new companion played by Jenna-Louise Coleman.

It is written by Steven Moffat and directed by Saul Metzstein. It will be shot in Cardiff at BBC Wales’ studios.

Doctor Who is coming soon to BBC One and the Christmas Special will be followed by a further eight episodes next year.


Adverts/Affiliates

104 comments

  • Commander Strax

    August 12th, 2012 - 1:50pm

    This is great news! He is a brilliant actor!

    Reply
  • Nigel M

    August 12th, 2012 - 11:50am

    I’d like to see John Levene who played Sergeant Benton from UNIT come back for an episode. He’s around 70 now and retired from acting but still attends collector events so I’m sure he’d be willing. He was in the original series for seven years.

    Reply
  • the master

    August 11th, 2012 - 7:22pm

    i think he may play the valeyard,but in the christmas special he will be a mystery villian part of the story line and clara[if that’s her name]could be connected to him somehow and the mystery across part 2 is who is she,why is she with him or could she be trying to stop the doctor becoming the valeyard and the story will build up that clara is trying to prevent the valeyard’s birth which will happen in the 50th anniversary where old friends[doctor,companions]return as the doctor goes to trenzalore and clara is connected to trenzalore and river will get married there,river will force the doctor to answer the question and somehow something will happen like regenration or even his identity is a code to a prison where the valeyard is who will finally be born to do bad things and somehow clara captures him along with maybe vastra and strax and take him to earth and now clara must stop the doctor becoming darker as it will trigger the valeyard giving him more powerful and he can do his evil plans which can be the storyline of series 8 and 9 and beyond and could go into something big like a film,where the valeyard does something bad.

    Reply
    • John Smith

      August 16th, 2012 - 8:06am

      Great idea! Bit long but great idea!!!

    • Meglos

      August 21st, 2012 - 8:57pm

      The Valeyard = Ghost of Christmas Future.

  • McGann is the Doctor

    August 9th, 2012 - 8:17pm

    This is amazing, I never liked his “unofficial Doctor” but I think he’s a great actor and I enjoyed him in Withnail and I.

    Tremendous news ! I hope there is a subtle reference to his character in Withnail and I ❗

    Reply
  • the 13th Doctor

    August 8th, 2012 - 10:22pm

    I would love it of he played his Doctor again and he met matt smiths Doctor that would be so cool

    Reply
  • BOOBOO JR

    August 7th, 2012 - 11:50am

    Booboo, where has the ‘Doctor Who around the web’ Box gone from the News Homepage?

    Reply
    • booboo

      August 7th, 2012 - 11:51am

      i think Luke took it out because it kept on picking up stories (its automated) that were nothing to do with Doctor Who

    • BOOBOO JR

      August 7th, 2012 - 11:54am

      It did come up with some good stories, but then other times it would come up with stories about real life Doctors! Is there no way you could bring it back with stories just about DW?

    • booboo

      August 7th, 2012 - 11:56am

      i think that was the problem and some of the stories were not appropriate!

      I will ask him

    • BOOBOO JR

      August 7th, 2012 - 11:57am

      Alright, thanks!

  • Harold Saxon

    August 7th, 2012 - 12:23am

    no one knows if he will play the master,bit it sounds like a nice idea!

    Reply
  • Jonathan

    August 6th, 2012 - 7:18pm

    I really wanted Joanne Lumley as Romana

    Reply
  • The 13th Doctor

    August 6th, 2012 - 2:13pm

    i should love it was the master

    Reply
  • gabrielwho

    August 6th, 2012 - 1:46pm

    The plot for ‘Dinosaurs on A Spaceship’ from wikipedia

    When in Egypt with Queen Nefertiti, the Doctor receives a call about a spaceship which will crash into Earth in six hours. Taking Nefertiti with him, he picks up an Edwardian explorer and his companions Amy and Rory ten months after he last saw them, accidently taking Rory’s father Brian on the TARDIS as well. They land on the spaceship and come face-to-face with ankylosaurus dinosaurs.

    Reply
    • Give me a Dalek any day

      August 6th, 2012 - 5:52pm

      BOOBOO JR (the fake one), have you not seen the new Series 7 trailer? Almost all of what was said in the plot is shown in the trailer.

  • gordon

    August 6th, 2012 - 11:27am

    I think he is more cult than iconic to be honest. For those that have no idea who he is watch withnail and i. Great perforance alongside paul mcgann (8th doctor)

    Reply
  • RORY DOCTOR RIVER POND

    August 6th, 2012 - 11:23am

    interesting… but i am not really that bothered about it. no idea who tom hard is. anticlimax

    Reply
  • doctor who 19

    August 6th, 2012 - 9:54am

    who i am so disapointed i have never herd of him and why do they need him becase doctor who is already big

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Nigel M Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

By clicking submit you agree to our terms and conditions (below), we reserve the right to edit or delete inappropriate messages.

Comment rules

The Doctor Who site welcomes constuctive comments related to the news article in question. Links posted in comments may not be displayed. We reserve the right to delete or edit any post entirely at our discretion. If you leave unacceptable comments your IP address will be banned and reported

Click here to read full comments terms and conditions

Twitter

Facebook