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How can I watch the Doctor Who Christmas 2014 special?

Doctor Who is a modern Christmas TV tradition that divides families like Marmite – you either love it or hate it.

You don’t have to divide the family this Christmas though, because Peter Capaldi’s first seasonal turn as the Time Lord will available on more than just the TV.

This year, Doctor Who: Last Christmas takes place in the Arctic and sees the titular time traveller plus assistant Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) trapped in a scientific research base by, ahem, Dream Crabs. Santa Claus, played by Nick Frost puts in an appearance and attempts to save the world from the disaster waiting to happen, with the help of some cheeky elves and hapless scientists. 

So, how can you watch (or avoid) this year’s Who special?

Watch Doctor Who on TV

The Doctor Who: Last Christmas will be aired on Christmas Day at 6.15pm on BBC One. As long as you have access to terrestrial TV on your Freeview box, Sky, Virgin Media, BT TV or TalkTalk TV, you’ll be able to watch it live with the nation – or set a recording so you can watch it later.  

Stream Doctor Who live on TV and online

If the rest of your family is watching something else, there’s a recording clash or you simply can’t wait until the TV is free, there are a number of live streaming services at your disposal. 

You can live stream any BBC content on Windows and Mac devices or you download the BBC iPlayer app to watch it if you’re prefer.

Live streaming is also available with the BBC iPlayer app on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and Wii. 

You can also get BBC iPlayer apps for iOS and Android devices, so if you’ve got a long car journey ahead on Boxing Day, you can download the show to watch offline later. Or watch at home instead of dodgy repeats on other channels. 

Watch Doctor Who on catch-up

If you opt out of watching the Doctor Who: Last Christmas until after it’s been aired live, you can watch it later with BBC catch-up on the iPlayer app. At the moment, BBC iPlayer is available on some smart TVs, BT Vision, Freesat, Freeview, Sky On Demand, Virgin Media and all YouView boxes.

You can also catch-up via iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, via the BBC iPlayer app on your games console or computer with the web app or the desktop BBC iPlayer app. 

Doctor Who on DVD

Last year’s Christmas special The Time of the Doctor was released in a box set with the other modern Christmas specials on January 20th last year, so we’d expect that the 2014 special will get the same boxset treatment in the new year. Given that you now get 30 days to catch up 

re-issued around the same time next year, when it will expire on the BBC iPlayer.

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