Doctor Who 2022 New Year's Special Announced, Guest Stars and Synopsis Revealed

There are only two episodes of Doctor Who: Flux left, but Doctor Who fans need not fear. The Doctor will return on New Year's Day. To celebrate Doctor Who Day, the BBC today confirmed that this year's Doctor Who festive special will air on New Year's Day 2022. It is the first stop in Jodie Whittaker's three-special farewell tour as the Thirteenth Doctor. The second special will air in the spring, and she'll say her final farewell in fall 2022 during a special celebrating the BBC's 100th anniversary. Joining Whittaker in the New Year's Special are guest stars Aisling Bea, Adjani Salmon, and Pauline McLynn. The press release doesn't mention Whittaker's current companion co-stars, Mandip Gill and John Bishop.

According to the synopsis, Bea plays the owner of a storage service that receives a visitor (Salmon) every New Year's Eve. But this year, things go a little differently. Here's the complete information provided by the BBC:

"The Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and friends will kick-start 2022 with an action-packed spectacular episode set to air on BBC One on New Year's Day. The festive special will feature guest stars Aisling Bea (This Way Up, Living With Yourself, Quiz), Adjani Salmon (Dreaming Whilst Black, Enterprice) and Pauline McLynn (Father Ted, Shameless).

Sarah (Aisling Bea) owns and runs ELF storage, and Nick (Adjani Salmon) is a customer who visits his unit every year on New Year's Eve. This year, however, their night turns out to be a little different than planned…

The festive episode is the first of three Doctor Who Specials airing in 2022. The second Special airs in Spring and Jodie's final feature-length Special (in where the Thirteenth Doctor will regenerate), will transmit in autumn 2022 as part of the BBC's Centenary celebrations."

Following Whittaker's exit, along with showrunner Chris Chibnall, former showrunner Russell T. Davies, who launched the "New Who" era in 2005, will return for the show's 60th anniversary season in 2023. The BBC has yet to announce Whittaker's successor as The Doctor.

"I'm beyond excited to be back on my favourite show," Davies said in the announcement revealing his return. "But we're time-travelling too fast, there's a whole series of Jodie Whittaker's brilliant Doctor for me to enjoy, with my friend and hero Chris Chibnall at the helm – I'm still a viewer for now."

Are you excited about another Doctor Who New Year's Day special? Let us know what you think in the comments section. Doctor Who: Flux airs Sundays on BBC America.