The Christmas Invasion is a special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is the first full episode in which David Tennant appears as the Doctor, and also the first specially produced Christmas special in the series' history.
It began production in July 2005, and was broadcast on Christmas Day 2005 in the United Kingdom and on Boxing Day 2005 in Canada. It is an hour long.
The Christmas Invasion aired in South Africa on DStv's BBC Entertainment channel on Sunday 7 September 2008, at 18h30. The Season 2 premiere of Doctor Who follows on Sunday 14 September.
Repeats
Monday 8 September: 00h00, 06h30
Synopsis
Doctor Who returns to our screens for a one-off special starring David Tennant as the tenth Doctor and Billie Piper as Rose Tyler.
It's Christmas and Jackie Tyler is at home preparing for the festive season, not knowing if her daughter Rose will be home in time - or at all.
Then she hears the familiar, ancient grind of the TARDIS! Mickey, who is hard at work, also hears it and they both race across the estate just in time to witness the TARDIS' glorious, chaotic crash landing.
The doors open and, much to their delight, out steps Rose and a complete stranger - except it isn't a stranger - it's the Doctor.
Disorientated, yet overwhelmed to see them, he takes a few minutes to regain his balance and consider what it is he wants to tell them.
"Oh! I know! Merry Christmas!" he yells, before collapsing. The Doctor falls in and out of consciousness, with Rose and Jackie powerless to help him.
In a bid to boost Rose's spirits, Mickey suggests a spot of Christmas shopping. A good plan - until they find themselves under attack by a sinister brass band of masked Santas.
However, they are not the only ones with problems. Prime Minister Harriet Jones has just been informed that a British space probe, on its way to Mars for a Christmas Day landing, has gone missing.
It has been kidnapped by a monstrous race known as the Sycorax, who are set on taking over the world.
Meanwhile, back at the Tylers', Mickey and Jackie are trying to fend off a killer Christmas tree, while Rose tries to wake the Doctor.