The ‘Doctor Who’ Christmas special is partly inspired by a comic strip featuring the First Doctor.
In ‘Last Christmas’, the Twelfth Doctor – played by Peter Capaldi – endures a terrifying adventure with Santa Claus in the North Pole.
Showrunner Steven Moffat has revealed he always wanted the Time Lord to meet Father Christmas and he first got the idea from a comic story where the First Doctor – played by William Hartnell – meets the festive legend.
Speaking in a Q&A session at a screening of the episode at the BFI in London on Wednesday night (17.12.14), Moffat said: "(It’s not hard to write) from the moment you think, ‘What if he met Santa?’ There is actually an old comic strip with William Hartnell meeting Santa."
He then asked Capaldi if he owned the piece of 60s memorabilia, to which the actor admitted he hadn’t even seen it, prompting Moffat to quip: "Call yourself a fan, I do!"
The adventure reunites the Doctor with his companion Clara Oswald following their separation at the end of Series 8 and features Nick Frost as Santa.
Moffat admits he can’t think of anyone more suited to bringing the jolly, gift-giving hero to life on screen.
He said: "I am a total believer in Santa Claus and Nick Frost who plays Santa Claus looks like Santa Claus and actually if Santa Claus was to choose an earthly name it would actually be Nicholas Frost. I think he might actually be Santa Claus – in fact I think he is!"
‘Last Christmas’ also stars Nathan McMullen, Natalie Gumede, Faye Marsay and Michael Troughton – the son of Patrick Troughton, who played the Second Doctor.
Doctor Who Christmas special inspired by comic strip
