North East to host advanced screenings of momentous Doctor Who Christmas special

The Time Lord will land at a series of special locations next month as Doctor Who fans are treated to advanced screenings of the next episode.
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The Doctor Who Christmas special will be shown to lucky audiences in Durham, Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool in the run up to Christmas, with tickets allocated via a ballot.

It will be actor Peter Capaldi’s last episode as the Time Lord - though fans are likely to have to wait until December 25 to witness the moment the Doctor becomes a woman for the first time.

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The final scene, in which Capaldi is expected to regenerate into successor Jodie Whittaker, will be held back until the entire episode is broadcast by BBC1 on Christmas Day. In a double coup for Hartlepool, however,

The advanced screenings take place at St Nicholas Cathedral, in Newcastle, on Sunday, December 17, Middlesbrough Empire on Monday, December 18, and Durham School on Wednesday, December 20.

The Hartlepool screening takes place first, on on Thursday, December 14 at the Town Hall Theatre. Fans at this showing will get a double treat, however, as the free show will be followed by the debut screening of the first of three new episodes of offbeat comedy The League of Gentlemen.

Both programmes will feature Sedgefield-born actor and writer Mark Gatiss.

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The League of Gentlemen regular appears alongside Capaldi, Whittaker and David Bradley, who is recreating the late William Hartnell’s role as the first TV Doctor, as a character called the Captain.Adrian Mills, general manager of BBC North, says: “We can’t wait to bring this wonderful seasonal programming direct to our audiences in the north and we’re sure they’ll enjoy this exclusive BBC content.”

A ballot to see all the preview shows begins today - marking 54 years since Doctor Who was first broadcast - until December 3.

The BBC promises that 45 per cent of tickets from the random draw will go to local postcodes, 45 per cent to the surrounding county and 10 per cent to nationwide applications.Successful spectators will also be able to pose for pictures on the BBC’s red carpet and admire props from both programmes.

Applications can be made to the BBC Shows and Tours website at www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/bbc_north_preview_screening_tour.