Davina McCall left viewers in hysterics as she made a surprise appearance in the Doctor Who Christmas Special.
The presenter played herself in the festive special as Ruby Sunday appeared on a Long Lost Family-inspired show in a bid to track down her birth parents.
But thanks to a troupe of unruly Goblins, Davina met a grisly fate in the episode, being crushed by a Christmas tree after being plagued by bad luck.
Luckily, The Doctor himself used his time-travelling skills the save the day, rescuing Davina from the falling tree after thwarting The Goblins’ plans.
Davina’s appearance in the episode left many viewers in hysterics, with some praising the presenter for her acting skills.
![Ncuti Gatwa Surprises Doctor Who Fans with Cameo Appearance as 15th Time Lord 1 Davina McCall left viewers in hysterics as she made a surprise appearance in the Doctor Who Christmas Special](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/25/19/79326511-12874437-Davina_McCall_left_viewers_in_hysterics_as_she_made_a_surprise_a-m-43_1703531535194.jpg)
Davina McCall left viewers in hysterics as she made a surprise appearance in the Doctor Who Christmas Special
![Ncuti Gatwa Surprises Doctor Who Fans with Cameo Appearance as 15th Time Lord 3 The presenter played herself in the festive special as Ruby Sunday appeared on a Long Lost Family-inspired show in a bid to track down her birth parents.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/25/19/79325661-12874437-image-a-36_1703531420050.jpg)
The presenter played herself in the festive special as Ruby Sunday appeared on a Long Lost Family-inspired show in a bid to track down her birth parents.
One wrote: ‘Davina McCall wins Doctor Who’.
Another said: ‘I really thought they were going to do Davina McCall dirty in Doctor Who tonight but it’s okay she’s fine’
A third penned: ‘”Merry Christmas, Davina McCall” was iconic’
A fourth added: ‘”Merry Christmas, Davina McCall” I did not have Davina on the cards for being in doctor who lmao’
Speaking ahead of her appearance, Davina said: ‘It is beyond an honour to be asked to appear in not only Doctor Who but also Ncuti’s first episode as the new Doctor.
‘It was such an extraordinary experience and Russell has written you all a Christmas delight! Now I just can’t wait for everyone to see it!’
In the episode, The Doctor finds himself drawn to young Ruby after she was abandoned outside a church on Christmas Eve as a baby.
Ruby appears on a TV series in the hope of tracking down her birth parents, after being adopted by her foster mother Carla.
![Ncuti Gatwa Surprises Doctor Who Fans with Cameo Appearance as 15th Time Lord 5 But thanks to a troupe of unruly Goblins, Davina met a grisly fate in the episode, being crushed by a Christmas tree after being plagued by bad luck](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/25/19/79326563-12874437-But_thanks_to_a_troupe_of_unruly_Goblins_Davina_met_a_grisly_fat-m-42_1703531515724.jpg)
But thanks to a troupe of unruly Goblins, Davina met a grisly fate in the episode, being crushed by a Christmas tree after being plagued by bad luck
![Ncuti Gatwa Surprises Doctor Who Fans with Cameo Appearance as 15th Time Lord 7 Luckily, The Doctor himself used his time-travelling skills the save the day, rescuing Davina from the falling tree after thwarting The Goblins' plans](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/25/19/79326711-12874437-image-a-53_1703531626797.jpg)
Luckily, The Doctor himself used his time-travelling skills the save the day, rescuing Davina from the falling tree after thwarting The Goblins’ plans
Following her appearance, both Ruby, and Davina begin to be plagued with bad luck, unaware it’s actually being caused by a troupe of goblins.
When Carla’s foster baby is kidnapped, Ruby finds herself crossing paths with The Doctor when she follows the goblins to their ship, and the pair try and rescue the child from being eaten by The Goblin King.
During their quest to stop The Goblins, The Doctor finds Ruby has been erased from time, after being taken by the army when she was just a baby.
Travelling back to the church, The Doctor rescues a young Ruby and ensures she is taken in by the kindly vicar, setting her life story in motion.
Having saved her – and Davina McCall from a falling Christmas tree – The Doctor prepares to fly off in his new TARDIS, but an intrigued Ruby rushes to join him, putting a brand new time-travelling partnership in motion.
Ncuti made his first appearance as The Doctor in the third 60th Anniversary Special earlier this month, when The Doctor ‘bi-generated’ meaning two incarnations of him were in existence at the same time.
He and the Fourteenth Doctor (played by David Tennant) thwarted the Toymaker’s evil plan, with the previous incarnation deciding to stay on Earth with his own TARDIS, best friend Donna Noble and her family.
Speaking ahead of the festive episode, titled The Church On Ruby Road, Ncuti revealed he wants to bring his ‘black beautiful self’ to the character, when asked what will be different about his incarnation of The Doctor.
He said: ‘It is such a hard question to answer because the role of the Doctor is everything anyway.
![Ncuti Gatwa Surprises Doctor Who Fans with Cameo Appearance as 15th Time Lord 9 79326521 12874437 image a 38 1703531498833](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/25/19/79326521-12874437-image-a-38_1703531498833.jpg)
![Ncuti Gatwa Surprises Doctor Who Fans with Cameo Appearance as 15th Time Lord 11 79326527 12874437 image a 101 1703531833628](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/25/19/79326527-12874437-image-a-101_1703531833628.jpg)
![Ncuti Gatwa Surprises Doctor Who Fans with Cameo Appearance as 15th Time Lord 13 79326519 12874437 image a 40 1703531503055](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/25/19/79326519-12874437-image-a-40_1703531503055.jpg)
![Ncuti Gatwa Surprises Doctor Who Fans with Cameo Appearance as 15th Time Lord 15 79326525 12874437 image a 99 1703531833608](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/25/19/79326525-12874437-image-a-99_1703531833608.jpg)
![Ncuti Gatwa Surprises Doctor Who Fans with Cameo Appearance as 15th Time Lord 17 Davina's appearance in the episode left many viewers in hysterics, with some praising the presenter for her acting skills](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/25/19/79326517-12874437-image-a-100_1703531833622.jpg)
Davina’s appearance in the episode left many viewers in hysterics, with some praising the presenter for her acting skills
‘He is an explorer who has been around for a billion years so they have so many quirks and intricacies, rage and joy and they are full of a lot of emotions.
‘So to pick what I was going to bring out differently is a very hard question to answer. I guess myself, my black beautiful self. I bring my blackness.’
Ncuti will be the first black actor to take on a full-time stint as The Doctor, after Jo Martin briefly played a version of the character in 2020.
The actor, who was born in Rwanda before moving to Scotland when he was two, said it was ‘surreal’ that he landed the part, alongside Millie Gibson, who will play his companion Ruby Sunday.
He said: ‘We have seen that blue box and heard the theme for many years and to see my face it is like ”What is going on?” But it is exhilarating.
‘I have the best writer and the best companion. It was a joy – daunting, exhilarating and fun.’
Doctor Who returns with a new series in 2024.