Doctor Who Season 11 Is Officially Foregoing The Series’ Traditional Christmas Special Episode

Doctor Who's Christmas special might be a long-established tradition for the iconic BBC science fiction series, but it looks like Jodie Whittaker's first season as the Doctor is setting out to break the norm once more by foregoing the special Christmas episode.

According to the official Doctor Who Magazine (via CBR), this year with the Whittaker as the 13th Time Lord, Doctor Who is skipping out on its usual Christmas special to focus on New Years instead. In a photograph of the very last page of the latest issue of the Doctor Who Magazine, fans get to learn that the upcoming issue of the publication set for release on December 13 is set to put its focus on an "exclusive preview of the New Year's Day Special."

This new report confirms the previous rumors that the Mirror wrote about last month, saying that Doctor Who series 11 would have its special episode on New Year instead of Christmas.

Of course, while this decision to steer from convention might work now that Whittaker is taking on the role of the 13 Doctor, Whovian's might be a bit disappointed by the news. Doctor Who's Christmas Special has been a long-standing tradition for the franchise. For the past 13 years, Doctor Who has always had a special Christmas episode. The tradition began with The Christmas Invasion, a Christmas special from the second season of the modern Doctor Who that introduced David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor of the franchise.

Well, at least season 11 isn't foregoing the special in its entirety.

Doctor Who airs every Sunday at 8 pm EST on BBC.

Read: Doctor Who Season 11 Is Getting Another Time Slot