The Church on Ruby Road (TV story)

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The Church on Ruby Road
Doctor:	Fifteenth Doctor
Companion(s):	Ruby
Key crew
Director:	Mark Tonderai
Release details
Genre:	Science fiction
Story number:	304
Number of parts:	1
Premiere broadcast:	25 December 2023
Premiere networks:	BBC One, Disney+
Doctor Who television stories
← Previous	The Giggle
Christmas Specials
← Previous	Twice Upon a Time
Festive Specials
← Previous	Eve of the Daleks

The Church on Ruby Road will be the 2023 Christmas Special of Doctor Who, broadcast on 25 December 2023.

This will be the first full episode to feature the Fifteenth Doctor, as played by Ncuti Gatwa, and introduce audiences to Ruby Sunday, the new companion, played by Millie Gibson, concluding the sixtieth anniversary year with the start of a brand new era.

This is the second time in the "New Who" era that a Doctor's first full post-regeneration story is a Christmas Special, following the Tenth Doctor in 2005's The Christmas Invasion ^[+]Loading...["The Christmas Invasion (TV story)"].

The story will also mark the return of the Christmas Specials to televised Doctor Who, having been absent since 2017's Twice Upon a Time ^[+]Loading...["Twice Upon a Time (TV story)"].

Synopsis

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Plot

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Cast

• The Doctor - Ncuti Gatwa
• Ruby Sunday - Millie Gibson

more to be added

Uncredited cast

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Crew

Executive Producers   Russell T Davies, Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter with Phil Collinson and Joel Collins

Series Producer   Marcus Wilson

Written by Russell T Davies story by Pat Mills and Dave Gibbons	Directed by Mark Tonderai	Production Designer Phil Sims	Visual Effects Axis VFX
Make-up Designer Claire Williams	Casting Director Andy Pryor CDG	Music Murray Gold	Costume Designer Pam Downe	Edited by John Richards	Special Effects Real SFX
Original theme music by Ron Grainer  •  Title sequence by Ben Pickles  •  With thanks to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Sur-Film Production & Services S.L., Timanfaya National Park, Martha Freud  Music conducted & orchestrated by Ben Foster  •  Music score assistant - Jack Sugden   •  Music mixed by Jake Jackson  •  Music recorded by Gerry O'Riordan  •  Vocals by Neil Hannon  •  Special thanks to: Annetta Laufer   Autons created by Robert Holmes  •  Daleks created by Terry Nation  •  The Weakest Link created by Fintan Coyle and Cathy Dunning  •  Big Brother created by Endemol Netherlands B.V.  •  K9 created by Bob Baker and Dave Martin  •  Abzorbaloff created by William Grantham

General production staff Production Executive - Steffan Morris Co-producer - Ellen Marsh Script Producer - Denise Paul Line Producer - Tracie Simpson US Line Producer - David Mason Associate Producer - Helen Vallis Utility Stand In - Ian William George Production Managers - Delmi Thomas, Adrian Devane Supervising Location Manager - Iwan Roberts Location Managers - Nicky James, Gareth Skelding Location Assistant - Tom Chalkley Unit Managers - David Blayney, Rhys Griffiths Assistant Unit Manager - Iestyn Hampson-Jones Production Co-ordinator - Sandra Cosfeld Assistant Production Co-ordinator - Nicola Chance Production Management Assistant - Claire Thomas Production Assistants - Sion Crowle, Jade Stephenson, Sheryl Bradford, Jamie Shaw Production Secretary - Kevin Myers Script Secretary - Alexandra Bahiyyih Wain Executive Assistant - Caroline Cook Production Runners - Victoria Wheel, Sian Warrilow Production Office Runners - Ellie Hilton, Will Gorst Unit Drivers - Paul Watkins, Joylon Davey Unit Medics - Glyn Evans, Andy Jones Business Affairs Executive - Carol Griggs Talent Team - Hannah Williams, Leanne Bowcott, Jeanette Sigsworth, Deborah Evans, Clare Baker Drama Account Manager - Edward Russell Senior Production Accountant - Endaf Emyr Williams Production Accountant - Jeff Dunn Assistant Accountants - Bethan Griffiths, Matthew Fisher Contracts Assistants - Kath Blackman, Lisa Hayward Finance Manager - Chris Rogers Rights Executive - James Dundas BSL Monitor - Jean St. Clair Script department Series Script Editor - Sheena Bucktowonsing Script Editors - Scott Handcock, David P Davis Development Executive - Frances Du Pille Publishing Editor - Gabby De Metteis Script Executive - Lindsey Alford Assistant Script Editor - Emma Genders Camera and lighting department 1st Assistant Director - Mick Pantaleo 2nd Assistant Director - James DeHaviland 3rd Assistant Director - Heddi-Joy Taylor-Welch Assistant Directors - Chris Thomas, Gareth Jones, Alex Miarli Assistant Director Trainee - Mathew-Lee Heath Runners - Nicola Eynon Price, Laura Jenkins Floor Runners - Nicola Brown, Tom Evans, Bobby Williams Continuity - Non Eleri Hughes Script Supervisor - Nicki Coles Camera Operators - Joe Russell, Mark McQuoid B Camera Operator - Martin Stephens 2nd unit Camera Operator - Rob Arrowsmith 2nd Camera Operator - Siân Elin Palfrey Camera Trainee - Darren Chesney Focus Pullers - Steve Rees, Matt Hillier, Matthew Poynter 2nd Unit Focus Puller - Jonathan Vidgen 2nd Focus Puller - Elhein De Wet Polecam Operator - Andy Leonard Key Grip - Gary Norman Assistant Grips - Sean Cronin, Owen Charnley Camera Assistants - Gethin Williams, Drew Marsden, Dan Patounas Additional Footage - Mitch Martinez Boom Operators - Bryn Thomas, Dafydd Parry Gaffers - Ben Purcell, Mark Hutchings Rigging Gaffer - Andy Gardiner Best Boy - Pete Chester Board Operator - Jon Towler Electricians - Bob Milton, Peter Scott, Gareth Sheldon, Gawain Nash, Rob Fernandes	Art department Chief Supervising Art Director - Stephen Nicholas Supervising Art Director - Martin Boddison Construction Art Director - Julia Jones Art Directors - Tim Overson, Vicki Stevenson Assistant Art Director - Jackson Pope Art Department Assistant - Celyn Davies Art Department Production Manager - Jonathan Marquand Allison Art Department Co-ordinator - Gwenllian Llwyd Art Department Accountant - Bethan Griffiths Associate Designer - James North Production Buyers - Ben Morris, Sarah Frere Petty Cash Buyer - Jen Saguaro Set Decorator - Joelle Rumbelow Set Dressers - Ian Griffin, Mike Elkins Props Buyer - Catherine Samuel Prop Buyers - Jo Pearce, May Johnson, Charlotte Lailey De Ville Action Props Buyer - Milannah Faith Summers A/Supervising Art Director - Cerys Lewis Set Designer - Ben Austin Storyboard Artist - Mike Collins Concept Artists - Richard Shaun Williams, Peter McKinstry Concept/Graphic Artist - Sam Lamont Design Assistants - Sarah Payne, Ian Bunting, Al Roberts Cyfle Trainee - Naseem Syed Graphic Artists - Sophie Powell, Matthew Clark Graphic Designer - Stephen Fielding Trainee Graphic Designer - Lois Drage Motion Graphics - Tom Munday Graphics Trainee - Anya Kordeck Standby Props - Jonathan Barclay, Charlie Malik Standby Carpenter - Jamie Farrell Prop Hands - Scott Howe, Nigel Magni, Matt Watts, Richard Barker Standby Art Director - Nick Murray Rigging - Shadow Scaffolding Standby Riggers - Colin Toms, Thomas Williams Standby Painter - Kate Meyrick Standby Scenic Artist - Louise Bohling Head Scenic Artist - Clive Clarke Scenic Painters - Steve Nelms, Matt Weston, Paul Murray, Tim Hobbis, Ana Marlene Ribeiro Store Person - Jayne Davies Storeman - Jamie Southcott Assistant Storeman - Ryan Milton Chief Props Master - Jon Grundon Prop Master - Paul Smith Assistant Props Master - Adrian Anscombe Dressing Chargehand - Matt Wild Props Chargehand - Kyle Belmont Props Storeman - Stuart Wooddisse Dressing Props - Martin Broadbent, Philip Everett-Lyons Props Driver - Gareth Fox Forward Dresser - Matthew North Props Fabrication Manager - Barry Jones Specialist Prop Maker - Nick Robatto Chief Props Maker - Mark Cordory Props Makers - Penny Howarth, Nicholas Robatto Construction Manager - Terry Horle Construction Assistant - Matthew Pike Construction Workshop Manager - Mark Hill Workshop Assistant - Chris Slocombe Construction Chargehands - Dean Tucker, Scott Fisher Construction Driver - Jonathan Tylke Construction Labourer - Mike Cox Practical Electricians - Callum Alexander, Austin Curtis Art Department Driver - Tom Belton Scenic Artists - Tara McCourt, Jeremy Duckham Graphics - Peter Anderson Studio Graphics Assistant - Jack Bowes Draughtspersons - Zsofia Ekler, Julia Jones Trainee Draughtsperson - Rachel Ellis Chargehand Carpenter - John Sinnott Carpenters - Tim Burke, Lawrie Ferry, Matt Ferry, Chris Daniels, Julian Tucker, George Rees, Dan Berrow, Keith Richards, Campbell Fraser, Mark Painter, Joe Painter, Michael Venables Title Concept - Billy Hanshaw Costume department Costume Supervisor - Gayle Woodsend Crowd Supervisor - Lindsay Bonacorssi Wardrobe Supervisor - Yolanda Peart-Smith Assistant Costume Designer - Gayle Playford Costume Cutter/Maker - Brighde Penn Costume Assistants - Rebecca Cunningham, Jessica Lennon, Chloe Henderson Costume Trainee - Yiwen Lin	Make-up and prosthetics Make-up Supervisor - James Spinks Make-up Artists - India Jones, Derek Lloyd, Cathy Davies Junior Make-up Artist - Nikki Salih Prosthetics Designer - Neill Gorton Prosthetics Supervisor - Rob Mayer On Set Prosthetics Supervisor - Lotta Hagvist Prosthetics Technicians - Lauren Welman, Helen Walker, Fiona Walsh, Tim Berry Prosthetic Make-up Artist - Sarah Lockwood Movement Stunt Co-ordinators - Crispin Layfield, Dani Biernat, Gordon Seed, Jo McLaren Stunt Performers - Jamie Edgell, Belinda McGinley, Andrew Burford, Samuel Stefan, Lloyd Bass, Ian Pead, Liam Carey Choreographer - Ailsa Altena-Berk Wires - Kevin Welch Wire Supervisor - Bob Schofield Casting Casting Associates - Andy Brierley, Alice Purser Casting Assistants - Ri McDaid-Wren, Louis Constantine General post-production staff Post-production Supervisors - Nerys Davies, Ceres Doyle Post-production Co-ordinator - Marie Brown Assistant Editors - Katrina Aust, Carmen Sanchez Roberts On-line Conform - Matthew Clarke, Mark Bright On-line Editors - William Osman, Geraint Pari Huws Assistant On-line Editor - Christine Kelly Special and visual effects Executive Visual FX Producer - Will Cohen VFX Producer - Beewan Athwal Visual FX Producer - Jenna Powell Visual FX Supervisor - Dave Houghton VFX Editor - Dan Rawlings VFX Co-ordinators - Alex Fitzgerald, Lorna Dumba Additional VFX artist - Ben Pickles VFX Production Assistant - Marianne Paton On-set VFX Supervisor - Tim Barter Special Creature Effects & Prosthetics - Millennium Effects SFX Co-ordinator - Ben Ashmore Special Effects Co-ordinator - Danny Hargreaves SFX Supervisor - Danny Hargreaves SFX Technicians - Dan Bentley, Richard Magrin Senior Visual Effects Artist - Craig Higgins Lead Animator - Neil Roche Lead 3D Artist - Matt McKinney 3D Supervisor - Jean-Claude Deguara 3D Artists - Jeff North, Darren Byford, Wayde Duncan-Smith, Nick Webber, Andy Guest, Ruth Bailey, Serena Cacciato, Dominic Alderson, Nick Bell 2D Supervisor - Izzy Barber 2D Artists - David Bowman, Simon C. Holden, Jennifer Herbert, Bronwyn Edwards, Astrid Busser-Casas, Richard Roberts, Chad Meire Wires - Kevin Welch Colourist - Gareth Spensley Lead Digital Matte Painter - Simon Wicker Digital Matte Painters - Ron Bowman, Alex Fort, Charlie Bennett Digital Matte Artist - Alexander Fort Matte Painters - Doug Winder, Lyndall Spagnoletti Compositors - Greg Spencer, James Etherington, Joe Courtis, Arianna Lago, Bryan Bartlett, Sara Bennett, James Moxon, Lyndall Spagnoletti, Graine Freeman, Tim Barter, Rosemary Chester, Frank Hana Model Unit Supervisor - Mike Tucker Miniature Effects - The Model Unit Model Unit - Lucas FX Model Unit DOP - Peter Tyler Head Modelmaker - Lee Radford Model Maker - Julia Jones Animatronic Operator - Colin Newman Stereo Dit - Jay Patel Stereo Supervisor - Adam Sculthorp Stereo Rig Techs - John Perry, Donald Eke Stereo 3D Consultant - David Wigram Sound Sound Recordists - Deian Llŷr Humphreys AMPS, Richard Brookes Dubbing Mixers - Mark Ferda, Tim Ricketts Sound Maintenance Engineers - Tam Shoring, Christopher Goding Sound Supervisor - Doug Sinclair Dialogue Editor - Darran Clement ADR Editor - Matthew Cox Supervising Sound Editor - Paul Jefferies Effects Editor - Harry Barnes Foley - Bang Post Production Foley Editor - Simon Clement Foley Artist - Julie Ankerson Sound Assistant - Abdul Amoud

South Africa crew

General production staff Producer - Adam Friedlander Line Producer - Alan Shearer Production Manager - Daniela Springer Art department Art Director - Brian Glaser	Camera and lighting department Camera Operators - George Amos, Derek Ueckermann Focus Pullers - Leon Lotz, Meike Chinnery Camera Loaders - Kyle Oberholzer, Tshepo Nthako Gaffer - Nick Rankin	Costume Costume Supervisor - Cathy Shields Hair and make-up Hair & Make-up Supervisor - Talli Pachter Sound Sound Mixer - Derek Mansvelt

Not every person who worked on this adventure was credited. The absence of a credit for a position doesn't necessarily mean the job wasn't required. The information above is based solely on observations of the actual end credits of the episodes as broadcast, and does not relay information from IMDB or other sources.

Worldbuilding

to be added

Notes

"Season's Streamings" promo image providing the story's title.

• The title of the story was officially announced by the official Disney+ Twitter account in a "Season's Streamings" promotional image on 6 November 2023, ahead of any BBC announcements.
  • This marks the return of the Christmas Specials; in the instalment of Russell T Davies's column Letter from the Showrunner printed in DWM 585, Davies had stated that a "Christmas Special" would be returning as the format of the first full episode of the Fifteenth Doctor's tenure, although clarifying that he considered the term to be synonymous with the Festive Specials. The Disney+ announcement clarified that The Church on Ruby Road will be a traditional Christmas Special.
• Parts of the script of this episode were used in auditions for Ruby Sunday; the script for self-tapes from potential actors were truncated from the scripts of this episode and the next, and the longer script for in-person auditions in London was adapted solely from this episode.

Continuity

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Home media releases

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Gallery

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