Long ago, on Christmas Eve, a baby was abandoned in the snow. Today, Ruby Sunday meets the Doctor, goblins, stolen babies and, perhaps, the secret of her birth.

Back in 2005, Rose marked the return of Doctor Who with the perfect jumping-on point for new viewers to discover the joys of the show. With its triumphant return to the Christmas Day schedule after a six-year break, Russell T Davies ushers in the era of Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who with an equally accessible entry point which is deliberately light and lays down the tracks for what’s to follow.

David Tennant’s first full episode was 2005’s The Christmas Invasion, where he spent considerable time convalescing. Ncuti doesn’t suffer such sidelining, having had a proper introduction in The Giggle, meaning that he can hit the ground running, here following foundling Ruby Sunday, a young girl dogged by bad luck and whose interactions can put others at risk.

There’s a lovely moment where Davina McCall (playing herself) interviews Ruby on a reality TV show, culminating in an on-set fiasco caused by mischievous, giggling little creatures. What we discover is that Ruby is being pursued by goblins – vicious, gremlin-like creatures with a penchant for human flesh, specifically babies. And when Ruby is left in charge of foster baby Lulubelle, she has to confront the fantastical kid-nappers.

Ncuti is a confident, beaming Doctor, and we feel safe in his presence. We want to spend time with him, and by the end of the hour, we’re suitably excited about the adventures he’s going to share with Millie Gibson’s Ruby – a little bit of Rose, a smattering of Clara. There’s also a lot of groundwork carried out in the introduction of her adoptive mother Carla (Michelle Greenidge) and grandmother Cherry (EastEnders stalwart Angela Wynter). Talking of EastEnders, Anita Dobson has fun as nosy neighbour Mrs Flood – we’ll surely be seeing her again.

The goblins serve their purpose of being minor-league monsters that drive the narrative, their regent the goblin king being a plus-size beastie realised as a practical effect powered by multiple puppeteers. Oh, and the song and dance number The Goblin Song is just as bonkers as the creatures performing it.

After a plot-heavy anniversary special in The Giggle, The Church on Ruby Road is comparably a lightweight affair, but Christmas specials need to be accessible for a wide audience, and it packs in some surprisingly emotional moments across the hour, surely offering something for everyone.

Verdict: RTD and the Doctor are back on Christmas Day in a cheeky romp that bursts out of the screen in an explosion of joy and (importantly) sets us up for the new season, coming in May 2024. 8/10

Nick Joy