It’s unusual for any details of the Doctor Who festive special to be released ahead of time, and even more unusual for them to be released nine months before the special is on TV.

However, details of this year’s festive special have been revealed by show creator Chris Chibnall.

We’re having to call it a festive special as the BBC won’t announce when it’ll be broadcast until much later in the year, so we don’t know if it will return to its usual home of Christmas Day or stay on New Year’s Day as it has over the past couple of years.

What we do know, is that the Doctor’s greatest adversaries will be back – yes, the Daleks.

The special already has a title, Revolution of the Daleks, and will reunite Jodie Whittaker’s Time Lord with her companions Ryan, Yaz and Graham (Tosin Cole, Mandip Gill and Bradley Walsh), and follow on directly from the ending of series 12 which saw the Doctor captured by the Judoon.

“We can’t leave the Doctor there! On that cliffhanger! Well, we did,” Chibnall said.

“But rest assured, the Doctor and her friends will be back for a one-off extended Special around Christmas and New Year. (I don’t know when they’re going to put it on yet, otherwise we’d tell you!).

“There will be Daleks. There will be exterminations. Thrills, laughter, tears. You know. The usual. See you at the end of the year.”

That should keep fans guessing for months to come.