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The Runaway Bride (Doctor Who)
Encyclopedia
"The Runaway Bride" is a special episode of the long-running British
science fiction television series Doctor Who
, starring David Tennant
as the Tenth Doctor
. It was produced for Christmas
2006, broadcast on 25 December (Christmas Day), and played much the same role that "The Christmas Invasion
" played the previous year, introducing the third series while not actually being part of it. It features Catherine Tate
as Donna
, who appeared in the TARDIS
at the end of the previous episode, "Doomsday
".
, still desolate after saying his last goodbyes to Rose Tyler
, is surprised to find Donna Noble
suddenly materialise on the TARDIS
. Donna angrily accuses him of abducting her from her wedding ceremony and demands to be returned to the church in Chiswick
. The Doctor does so, but they find themselves near Oxford Street
instead. Donna takes off to find a taxi to return her to the church, while the Doctor spots the robotic scavengers disguised as Santas from the previous year's Christmas
. He avoids their attack and looks for Donna, finding her in a taxi manned by another Santa. The Doctor uses the TARDIS to fly alongside the taxi and rescue Donna, but the activities have put a strain on the time machine, and the Doctor is forced to let it recover. The Doctor, curious as to the scavengers' interest in Donna, gives her a ring to mask herself from them, and escorts her back to her wedding's reception.
The Doctor meets Donna's groom, Lance, whom she had met and fallen in love with while working with him at the firm of H.C. Clements. He reviews the video footage of Donna's disappearance and recognizes that she had managed to absorb a great deal of Huon particles which would have been drawn towards the TARDIS in conjunction with the stress Donna was under due to her wedding. Too late, the Doctor realises the ring he gave Donna cannot mask the Huon particle signature, and soon the reception hall is attacked by more scavengers. The Doctor is able to use the music sound system to disrupt the attack and trace the control signal to a star-shaped ship in orbit around Earth, but quickly loses track of it.
On learning that H.C. Clements is owned by the Torchwood Institute
, which was believed to be dissolved after the Battle of Canary Wharf
, the Doctor asks Lance to take him to their headquarters; Donna insists on joining them. The Doctor discovers a secret basement leading to a long tunnel under the Thames Barrier
. At a room at the end of a tunnel, they find machinery creating Huon particles, and a pit that seems to lead straight to the core of the Earth. They are surprised by the sudden appearance of the Empress of the Racnoss, a spider-like species the Doctor believed had been wiped out eons ago by the Time Lords. She shows them that she has taken control of the company and used the Torchwood technology to create the pit. Lance reveals that he has been working with the Empress, and was responsible for dosing Donna's coffee with Huon particles, and now plans to throw her into the pit. The Doctor and a heartbroken Donna escape; the Empress decides to use Lance for these purposes and starts force-feeding him the Huon particles.
Curious as to the Empress's goal, the Doctor takes Donna back to the restored TARDIS and travels back to the creation of the Earth. They find that a Racnoss ship formed the core of the developing planet, and the Doctor surmises that the Empress is attempting to revive her species by using the Huon particles to awaken the ancient Racnoss, with Lance's body becoming a food source for them. Returning to the present, the Doctor and Donna return to the pit to face the Empress, but Donna becomes trapped in her web while the Doctor is held at gunpoint by one of the scavengers. As the Racnoss are awakened and begin ascending the pit, the Empress brings her ship closer to Earth and begins firing upon the populace. The Doctor offers the Empress to take her and her kind to a planet where they will not harm anyone but she refuses. The Doctor then reveals himself as a Time Lord, and asserts he cannot let the Racnoss thrive, and destroys one of the walls of the room, flooding it and the pit with water from the River Thames. Though the Doctor has freed Donna, he stays to watch the Empress suffer, but Donna convinces him that they must leave. As they escape in the TARDIS, the Empress teleports back to her ship; however, this move proves futile, as the ship is destroyed soon afterwards by human forces under Harold Saxon's orders.
The Doctor returns Donna home: however, she is desolate, having lost her job and her fiancé the same evening. She declines an invitation to join him in the TARDIS, but suggests he find someone else to calm him down, as she did earlier in battle. The Doctor tells her briefly about Rose, and then disappears back into the TARDIS.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, starring David Tennant
David Tennant
David Tennant is a Scottish actor. In addition to his work in theatre, including a widely praised Hamlet, Tennant is best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 TV serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch, Jr...
as the Tenth Doctor
Tenth Doctor
The Tenth Doctor is the tenth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is played by David Tennant, who appears in three series, as well as eight specials...
. It was produced for Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
2006, broadcast on 25 December (Christmas Day), and played much the same role that "The Christmas Invasion
The Christmas Invasion
"The Christmas Invasion" is a 60-minute special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is Christmas, but there is little cause for celebration as planet Earth is invaded by aliens known as the Sycorax...
" played the previous year, introducing the third series while not actually being part of it. It features Catherine Tate
Catherine Tate
Catherine Tate is an English actress, writer, and comedian. She has won numerous awards for her work on the sketch comedy series The Catherine Tate Show as well as being nominated for an International Emmy Award and four BAFTA Awards...
as Donna
Donna Noble
Donna Noble is a fictional character played by Catherine Tate in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. A secretary from Chiswick, London, she is a companion of the Tenth Doctor, appearing in one scene at the end of the final episode of the 2006 series,...
, who appeared in the TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
at the end of the previous episode, "Doomsday
Doomsday (Doctor Who)
"Doomsday" is the thirteenth and final episode in the second series of the revival of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 8 July 2006 and is the conclusion of a two-part story; the first part, "Army of Ghosts", was broadcast on 1 July 2006...
".
Plot
The DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
, still desolate after saying his last goodbyes to Rose Tyler
Rose Tyler
Rose Marion Tyler is a fictional character portrayed by Billie Piper in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and was created by series producer Russell T Davies...
, is surprised to find Donna Noble
Donna Noble
Donna Noble is a fictional character played by Catherine Tate in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. A secretary from Chiswick, London, she is a companion of the Tenth Doctor, appearing in one scene at the end of the final episode of the 2006 series,...
suddenly materialise on the TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
. Donna angrily accuses him of abducting her from her wedding ceremony and demands to be returned to the church in Chiswick
Chiswick
Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...
. The Doctor does so, but they find themselves near Oxford Street
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
instead. Donna takes off to find a taxi to return her to the church, while the Doctor spots the robotic scavengers disguised as Santas from the previous year's Christmas
The Christmas Invasion
"The Christmas Invasion" is a 60-minute special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is Christmas, but there is little cause for celebration as planet Earth is invaded by aliens known as the Sycorax...
. He avoids their attack and looks for Donna, finding her in a taxi manned by another Santa. The Doctor uses the TARDIS to fly alongside the taxi and rescue Donna, but the activities have put a strain on the time machine, and the Doctor is forced to let it recover. The Doctor, curious as to the scavengers' interest in Donna, gives her a ring to mask herself from them, and escorts her back to her wedding's reception.
The Doctor meets Donna's groom, Lance, whom she had met and fallen in love with while working with him at the firm of H.C. Clements. He reviews the video footage of Donna's disappearance and recognizes that she had managed to absorb a great deal of Huon particles which would have been drawn towards the TARDIS in conjunction with the stress Donna was under due to her wedding. Too late, the Doctor realises the ring he gave Donna cannot mask the Huon particle signature, and soon the reception hall is attacked by more scavengers. The Doctor is able to use the music sound system to disrupt the attack and trace the control signal to a star-shaped ship in orbit around Earth, but quickly loses track of it.
On learning that H.C. Clements is owned by the Torchwood Institute
Torchwood Institute
The Torchwood Institute is a fictional secret organization from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series Torchwood. It was established in 1879 by Queen Victoria after the events of "Tooth and Claw". Its prime directive, is to defend the earth against...
, which was believed to be dissolved after the Battle of Canary Wharf
Doomsday (Doctor Who)
"Doomsday" is the thirteenth and final episode in the second series of the revival of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 8 July 2006 and is the conclusion of a two-part story; the first part, "Army of Ghosts", was broadcast on 1 July 2006...
, the Doctor asks Lance to take him to their headquarters; Donna insists on joining them. The Doctor discovers a secret basement leading to a long tunnel under the Thames Barrier
Thames Barrier
The Thames Barrier is the world's second-largest movable flood barrier and is located downstream of central London. Its purpose is to prevent London from being flooded by exceptionally high tides and storm surges moving up from the sea...
. At a room at the end of a tunnel, they find machinery creating Huon particles, and a pit that seems to lead straight to the core of the Earth. They are surprised by the sudden appearance of the Empress of the Racnoss, a spider-like species the Doctor believed had been wiped out eons ago by the Time Lords. She shows them that she has taken control of the company and used the Torchwood technology to create the pit. Lance reveals that he has been working with the Empress, and was responsible for dosing Donna's coffee with Huon particles, and now plans to throw her into the pit. The Doctor and a heartbroken Donna escape; the Empress decides to use Lance for these purposes and starts force-feeding him the Huon particles.
Curious as to the Empress's goal, the Doctor takes Donna back to the restored TARDIS and travels back to the creation of the Earth. They find that a Racnoss ship formed the core of the developing planet, and the Doctor surmises that the Empress is attempting to revive her species by using the Huon particles to awaken the ancient Racnoss, with Lance's body becoming a food source for them. Returning to the present, the Doctor and Donna return to the pit to face the Empress, but Donna becomes trapped in her web while the Doctor is held at gunpoint by one of the scavengers. As the Racnoss are awakened and begin ascending the pit, the Empress brings her ship closer to Earth and begins firing upon the populace. The Doctor offers the Empress to take her and her kind to a planet where they will not harm anyone but she refuses. The Doctor then reveals himself as a Time Lord, and asserts he cannot let the Racnoss thrive, and destroys one of the walls of the room, flooding it and the pit with water from the River Thames. Though the Doctor has freed Donna, he stays to watch the Empress suffer, but Donna convinces him that they must leave. As they escape in the TARDIS, the Empress teleports back to her ship; however, this move proves futile, as the ship is destroyed soon afterwards by human forces under Harold Saxon's orders.
The Doctor returns Donna home: however, she is desolate, having lost her job and her fiancé the same evening. She declines an invitation to join him in the TARDIS, but suggests he find someone else to calm him down, as she did earlier in battle. The Doctor tells her briefly about Rose, and then disappears back into the TARDIS.
Continuity
- The end of "DoomsdayDoomsday (Doctor Who)"Doomsday" is the thirteenth and final episode in the second series of the revival of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 8 July 2006 and is the conclusion of a two-part story; the first part, "Army of Ghosts", was broadcast on 1 July 2006...
" is featured as part of the pre-title sequence, although the scene was actually refilmed. In his online podcast commentary for the episode, David Tennant explained that this was due to a change in lighting supervisors, and the one hired for this episode liked to light the TARDIS interior differently; the scene therefore had to be refilmed in order to match. - The first shot of the zoom-in to Earth was previously used in "RoseRose (Doctor Who)"Rose" is the first episode of Series One of the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who. Written by show runner Russell T Davies and directed by Keith Boak, the episode was first broadcast on 26 March 2005....
", "The Christmas InvasionThe Christmas Invasion"The Christmas Invasion" is a 60-minute special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is Christmas, but there is little cause for celebration as planet Earth is invaded by aliens known as the Sycorax...
" and "Army of GhostsArmy of Ghosts"Army of Ghosts" is the twelfth and penultimate episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who which was first broadcast on 1 July 2006...
", but this time it zooms into the church rather than the Powell Estate. - The Robotic Santa Clauses and Christmas Trees from "The Christmas InvasionThe Christmas Invasion"The Christmas Invasion" is a 60-minute special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is Christmas, but there is little cause for celebration as planet Earth is invaded by aliens known as the Sycorax...
" return in this story. The Santas are unmasked for the first time. - This story is the first mention of the ancient form of energy known as "Huon particles", as an element of the Heart of the TARDIS.
- This episode reveals that the London branch of the Torchwood InstituteTorchwood InstituteThe Torchwood Institute is a fictional secret organization from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series Torchwood. It was established in 1879 by Queen Victoria after the events of "Tooth and Claw". Its prime directive, is to defend the earth against...
had a base under the Thames BarrierThames BarrierThe Thames Barrier is the world's second-largest movable flood barrier and is located downstream of central London. Its purpose is to prevent London from being flooded by exceptionally high tides and storm surges moving up from the sea...
. Donna remarks on how amazing it is that a London landmark could be a secret base, although the Doctor gives a less than surprised response. London landmarks have previously been bases for the Nestene Consciousness, based under the London EyeLondon EyeThe London Eye is a tall giant Ferris wheel situated on the banks of the River Thames, in London, England.It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million people annually...
in "Rose", UNITUnited Nations Intelligence TaskforceUNIT is a fictional military organisation from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures...
under the Tower of LondonTower of LondonHer Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
in "The Christmas Invasion", the Cybermen in the parallel Earth's Battersea Power StationBattersea Power StationBattersea Power Station is a decommissioned coal-fired power station located on the south bank of the River Thames, in Battersea, South London. The station comprises two individual power stations, built in two stages in the form of a single building. Battersea A Power Station was built first in the...
, the Torchwood Institute in One Canada SquareOne Canada SquareOne Canada Square is a skyscraper in Canary Wharf in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is the tallest completed building in the United Kingdom since 1991, standing at above ground level and containing 50 storeys...
in "Army of Ghosts" and "Doomsday" in the revived series. Those seen in the original series include the War Machines based in the Post Office TowerBT TowerThe BT Tower is a tall cylindrical building in London, United Kingdom, located at 60 Cleveland Street, Fitzrovia W1T 4JZ, London Borough of Camden. It has been previously known as the Post Office Tower, the London Telecom Tower and the British Telecom Tower. The main structure is tall, with a...
in The War MachinesThe War MachinesThe War Machines is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in 4 weekly parts from 25 June to 16 July 1966...
(1966) and the Chameleons in Gatwick Airport in The Faceless OnesThe Faceless OnesThe Faceless Ones is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from April 8 to May 13, 1967. The story concerns a race of identity-stealing aliens known as the Chameleons...
(1967). Although not set in London, Torchwood ThreeTorchwoodTorchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
's base beneath Roald Dahl PlassRoald Dahl PlassRoald Dahl Plass is a public plaza in Cardiff Bay, part of Cardiff, Wales. It is named after Cardiff-born author Roald Dahl, and is located on the coast along the south of the city centre. The square is home to the Senedd and the Wales Millennium Centre, a performing arts centre...
uses the same concept. - The Doctor makes use of the Tribophysical waveform macro-kinetic extrapolator, last seen generating a force field in "The Parting of the WaysThe Parting of the Ways"The Parting of the Ways" is an episode in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast on 18 June 2005. It was the second episode of the two-part story that featured Christopher Eccleston making his last appearance as the Ninth Doctor...
", to shunt the TARDIS to a different location once it lands. It appears to have been integrated into the TARDIS systems, as a portion of it is covered with TARDIS "coral". - The tank commander who opens fire on the Empress's ship is heard to say that he has orders from "Mr Saxon". The name first appeared in the 2006 series episode "Love & MonstersLove & Monsters"Love & Monsters" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. In this episode, an ordinary man named Elton Pope becomes obsessed with a man called the Doctor and his strange blue box, and joins a group of like-minded people in hopes of finding him...
" as part of a headline on a copy of The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
being read by the Abzorbaloff. It also features in the spin-off series TorchwoodTorchwoodTorchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
, as a poster on the door of the Ritz Ballroom in the episode "Captain Jack Harkness" and features as the main plot arc keyword of the subsequent season of Doctor Who. - The use of the TARDIS lamp to fire a discharge (in this case to excite the atmosphere and produce snow) is also a first for the series.
- Donna Noble joined a list of characters who are considered companions, even though they don't meet the usual criteria. Like Grace HollowayGrace HollowayDr. Grace Holloway is a fictional character played by Daphne Ashbrook in the 1996 television movie Doctor Who, a continuation of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
before her (another disputed companion), Donna declines an invitation to join the Doctor in his travels. However, she returned as the Doctor's companion for the duration of the 2008 seriesDoctor Who (series 4)The fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 25 December 2007 with the Christmas special "Voyage of the Damned". Following the special, a regular series of thirteen episodes aired, starting with "Partners in Crime" on 5 April 2008 and ending with "Journey's End"...
. - In "Turn LeftTurn Left (Doctor Who)"Turn Left" is the eleventh episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by showrunner Russell T Davies and broadcast on BBC One on 21 June 2008....
", this story is revisited with the Doctor and Donna never meeting. It is revealed that she saved his life when she pleaded with him to leave the Racnoss lair in this episode. If the Doctor had never met Donna, she was never around to get him to leave and the Doctor would have ended up drowning.
Production
- Russell T Davies had the idea for this episode from the very beginning of his association with the programme, and he planned to air it in Series Two. With the public announcement of two Christmas specials and the private knowledge of Billie PiperBillie PiperBillie Paul Piper is an English singer and actress.She began her career in the late 1990s as a pop singer and then switched to acting. She started in acting and dancing and was talent spotted at the Sylvia Young stage school by Smash Hits magazine who wanted a "face" for their magazine...
leaving at the end of Series Two, Davies decided to elevate this story to the Christmas special, not introducing the new companion immediately, and filling the slot with "Tooth and ClawTooth and Claw (Doctor Who)"Tooth and Claw" is the second episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and was first broadcast on 22 April 2006. In 1879 Scotland, the Doctor and Rose meet Queen Victoria...
". - Catherine Tate's name appears in the opening credits along with David Tennant's.
- This was the first full-length episode of the revived series that did not feature Billie Piper's name in the opening credits. She was previously not credited on the short online interactive episode "Attack of the GraskeAttack of the Graske"Attack of the Graske" is an interactive mini-episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who that was first broadcast on the BBC Red Button service on 25 December 2005. It is now available as an online game on the official Doctor Who website.-Synopsis:The human race is in...
". - The Doctor Who logo in the opening credits has been slightly redesigned from the previous one, with more background detail and flare on the "lozenge" that the words "Doctor Who" sit on.
- For legal reasons, the production team made obviously fakeCounterfeit moneyCounterfeit money is currency that is produced without the legal sanction of the state or government to resemble some official form of currency closely enough that it may be confused for genuine currency. Producing or using counterfeit money is a form of fraud or forgery. Counterfeiting is probably...
banknotes for the scene where money comes flying out of a cashpoint. The £10 notes feature the Doctor's face and the phrases "I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of ten satsumaMikanThe satsuma is a seedless and easy-peeling citrus mutant of Japanese origin introduced to the West.In Japan, it is known as mikan or formally unshu mikan . In China, it is known as Wenzhou migan . The Japanese name is a result of the local reading of the same characters used in the Chinese...
s" and "No second chances — I'm that sort of a man". The text is a reference to the Doctor's actions and dialogue near the end of "The Christmas InvasionThe Christmas Invasion"The Christmas Invasion" is a 60-minute special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It is Christmas, but there is little cause for celebration as planet Earth is invaded by aliens known as the Sycorax...
". There were also £20 notes featuring producer Phil CollinsonPhil CollinsonPhilip "Phil" Collinson is a British television producer. He was initially an actor, before switching to working behind the cameras in the industry as a script editor and writer on programmes such as Springhill and Emmerdale, later becoming the producer of Peak Practice, Doctor Who and Coronation...
. These had the phrase "There's no point being grown up if you can't be a little childish sometimes" printed on them, misquoting the line originally spoken by the Fourth DoctorFourth DoctorThe Fourth Doctor is the fourth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC British television science-fiction series Doctor Who....
, (Tom BakerTom BakerThomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
), in RobotRobot (Doctor Who)Robot is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 28 December 1974 to 18 January 1975...
, "There's no point in being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes." All notes and the cash machine were labelled "London Credit Bank". The notes have become collector's items, regularly selling for £50 or more. - Night filming of scenes involving gunfire, explosions and a tank disturbed some CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
residents, including one American woman returning home from the conflict in Lebanon2006 Israel-Lebanon conflictThe 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War #Other uses|Tammūz]]) and in Israel as the Second Lebanon War , was a 34-day military conflict in Lebanon, northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. The principal parties were Hezbollah...
. These scenes, as well as those on "Oxford Street", were filmed on St. Mary Street outside Howell's Department Store in CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
City Centre; Cardiff CastleCardiff CastleCardiff Castle is a medieval castle and Victorian architecture Gothic revival mansion, transformed from a Norman keep erected over a Roman fort in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The Castle is a Grade I Listed Building.-The Roman fort:...
is visible behind the tank in some shots. - The TARDIS chase scene down the A4232 Grangetown Link RoadA4232 roadThe A4232, which is also known either as the Peripheral Distributor Road or the Cardiff Link Road , is a distributor road in Cardiff, the capital of Wales....
was shown at a Children in NeedChildren in NeedChildren in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
concert, which featured a live orchestra performing many of the music themes from Doctor Who, including the Dalek music and Rose's theme. The clip was leaked online shortly after the event and the concert and clip were shown earlier before the episode officially aired on Christmas Day on a Doctor Who ConfidentialDoctor Who ConfidentialDoctor Who Confidential is a documentary series created by the British Broadcasting Corporation to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly...
special at 1:00 p.m. - Due to her extremely busy schedule, Catherine TateCatherine TateCatherine Tate is an English actress, writer, and comedian. She has won numerous awards for her work on the sketch comedy series The Catherine Tate Show as well as being nominated for an International Emmy Award and four BAFTA Awards...
was unable to be present for the script readthrough. As a favour, her part was read by Sophia MylesSophia Myles-Early life:Myles was born in London. She is the daughter of Jane, who works in educational publishing, and Peter Myles, a retired Anglican vicar in Isleworth, west London. Her maternal grandmother was Russian, and she refers to herself as "half-Welsh, half-Russian". She grew up in Notting Hill,...
, who played Madame de PompadourMadame de PompadourJeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour, also known as Madame de Pompadour was a member of the French court, and was the official chief mistress of Louis XV from 1745 to her death.-Biography:...
in the 2006 series episode "The Girl in the FireplaceThe Girl in the Fireplace"The Girl in the Fireplace" is the fourth episode of the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 6 May 2006, and is the only episode in the 2006 series written by Steven Moffat...
". - In a podcast commentary for the episode, David Tennant and executive producer Julie Gardner discussed a sequence that was cut from the broadcast. As broadcast, after Donna finds a piece of Rose's clothing and challenges the Doctor about it, he angrily snatches it from her and sets a course for the TARDIS. As originally filmed, the Doctor first opens the TARDIS doors and throws the garment into space. Gardner said it was cut as it was too melodramatic a moment.
- This is the first Doctor Who episode to be shot at the new dedicated Upper Boat studios in PontypriddPontypriddPontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
; the TARDIS set had previously been housed in former warehouse space in NewportNewportNewport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
. - Although the episode was set during Christmas, filming took place in July, where temperatures reached 30C in Cardiff during filming.
Cast notes
- The Doctor has no regular companion in the TARDIS in this episode, but Martha JonesMartha JonesMartha Jones is a fictional character played by Freema Agyeman in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spin-off series, Torchwood. She is a companion of the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, replacing Rose Tyler...
, played by Freema AgyemanFreema AgyemanFreema Agyeman is a British actress who is best known for playing Martha Jones, former companion of the Tenth Doctor in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, and itsspin-off series Torchwood...
, appears in the "Coming Soon" clips broadcast at the end of the episode. - In the lead-up to transmission, Radio 1 reported that Billie Piper might appear in the episode "in one form or another". Although she did appear, it was only briefly (and uncredited) in flashbacks from "New Earth". Her character, Rose, was also discussed by the Doctor and Donna, but only named in the last line of the special.
- Sarah Parish has co-starred with David Tennant in two other BBC OneBBC OneBBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
dramas: BlackpoolBlackpool (TV serial)Blackpool is a British television musical comedy drama serial, produced in-house by the BBC. It was screened on BBC One as six one-hour episodes on Thursday nights at 9pm from 11 November to 16 December 2004...
(2004) and RecoveryRecovery (TV drama)Recovery is a British television film, first broadcast on BBC One in 2007, starring David Tennant and Sarah Parish.-Summary:It deals with the life of Alan Hamilton , the former head of a construction firm, after he receives serious personality-changing brain injuries in a road accident, and the...
(2007). Catherine Tate co-starred with Tennant in a sketch for Comic Relief (2007) which made several Doctor Who references. - Don Gilet previously appeared with Sarah Parish in Cutting ItCutting ItCutting It was a popular BBC television programme set in Manchester, England, which ran for four series between 2002 and 2005.- Series 1 :...
. - Catherine Tate returned in series 4, reprising her role as Donna Noble as a full-time companion.
- Jacqueline KingJacqueline King-Career:King trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. After training she worked as an actor in Africa, Canada, America, Sri Lanka and UAE.On returning to the UK, she appeared in several Alan Ayckbourn productions, including the original runs of Comic Potential and the Damsels in Distress...
and Howard Attfield are introduced in this episode, and were both due to return in "Partners In CrimePartners in Crime (Doctor Who)"Partners in Crime" is the first episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 5 April 2008. The episode reintroduced comedienne Catherine Tate as Donna Noble, who previously appeared in "The Runaway Bride"...
", the first episode of the 2008 season. Jaqueline King did return but Howard Attfield died shortly after completing the shoot, and his scenes were reshot with Bernard CribbinsBernard CribbinsBernard Cribbins, OBE is an English character actor, voice-over artist and musical comedian with a career spanning over half a century who came to prominence in films in the 1960s, has been in work consistently since his professional debut in the mid 1950s, and as of 2010 is still an active...
as Donna's grandfather. King had previously appeared in the Doctor Who Unbound audio drama Deadline.
Music
- "Merry Xmas EverybodyMerry Xmas Everybody"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK...
" by SladeSladeSlade are an English rock band from Wolverhampton, who rose to prominence during the glam rock era of the early 1970s. With 17 consecutive Top 20 hits and six number ones, the British Hit Singles & Albums names them as the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles...
appears again, as in the previous year's "The Christmas Invasion". - Also as with "The Christmas Invasion" (which contained the tune "Song for Ten"), composer Murray GoldMurray GoldMurray Gold is an English composer for stage, film, and television and a dramatist for both theatre and radio.-Television:Gold has been nominated for a BAFTA four times in the category Best Original Television Music, for Vanity Fair , Queer as Folk , Casanova and Doctor Who...
wrote an original song for this special, called "Love Don't RoamDoctor Who: Original Television SoundtrackDoctor Who: Original Television Soundtrack is a soundtrack album released on 4 December 2006, containing incidental music composed by Murray Gold and used in the 2005 and 2006 series of Doctor Who....
". The song was performed by Neil HannonNeil HannonNeil Hannon is a Northern Irish singer and songwriter, best known as the creator and frontman of the chamber pop group The Divine Comedy. The band's official website even goes so far as to say, "The Divine Comedy is Neil Hannon," and Hannon is quoted in an interview as saying, "The Divine Comedy...
, frontman of the Divine ComedyThe Divine Comedy (band)The Divine Comedy are a chamber pop band from Ireland, fronted by Neil Hannon. Formed in 1989, Hannon has been the only constant member of the group, playing, in some instances, all of the non-orchestral instrumentation bar drums. To date, ten studio albums have been released under the Divine...
(who had, coincidentally, appeared in a sketch of The Catherine Tate ShowThe Catherine Tate ShowThe Catherine Tate Show is a British television sketch comedy written by Catherine Tate and Aschlin Ditta. Tate also stars in all but one of the show's sketches, which feature a wide range of characters. The Catherine Tate Show airs on BBC Two and is shown worldwide through the BBC...
earlier in the year). The song was previewed at the Doctor Who: A CelebrationDoctor Who: A CelebrationDoctor Who: A Celebration was a concert performed for the BBC's annual Children In Need charity appeal at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff on 19 November 2006. It featured suites of incidental music composed by Murray Gold from the first two series of the revived television show Doctor Who,...
concert on 19 November 2006 at the Wales Millennium CentreWales Millennium CentreWales Millennium Centre is an arts centre located in the Cardiff Bay area of Cardiff, Wales. The site covers a total area of . Phase 1 of the building was opened during the weekend of the 26–28 November 2004 and phase 2 opened on 22 January 2009 with an inaugural concert...
in Cardiff, where it was sung by Gary WilliamsGary Williams (singer)Gary Williams , is a jazz and easy listening singer.Gary Williams started his career in social clubs before performing with the BBC Big Band on BBC Radio Humberside. This led to appearances on BBC Radio 2’s Big Band Special, BBC television’s Pebble Mill at One with David Jacobs, and Gloria...
; the studio version featuring Hannon is on the soundtrack albumDoctor Who: Original Television SoundtrackDoctor Who: Original Television Soundtrack is a soundtrack album released on 4 December 2006, containing incidental music composed by Murray Gold and used in the 2005 and 2006 series of Doctor Who....
released on 11 December 2006.
Broadcast
- This was the first Doctor Who story to be broadcast with in-vision British Sign LanguageBritish Sign LanguageBritish Sign Language is the sign language used in the United Kingdom , and is the first or preferred language of some deaf people in the UK; there are 125,000 deaf adults in the UK who use BSL plus an estimated 20,000 children. The language makes use of space and involves movement of the hands,...
interpretation, in a UK repeat on 30 December 2006. - The episode was followed immediately by two trailers, one for "Invasion of the BaneInvasion of the Bane-Sladen and Doctor Who:Elisabeth Sladen, who previously played Sarah Jane between 1973 and 1976. In 1981, she was offered the role again to ease the transition between the Fourth and Fifth Doctors, which she declined, but agreed to star in the pilot for the spin-off series K-9 and Company, which...
", the pilot episode of The Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen...
, and one for the double-bill finale of TorchwoodTorchwoodTorchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
, both of which aired on 1 January 2007. - The final official ratings for "The Runaway Bride" gave it an audience of 9.35 million viewers, making it the tenth most-watched programme on British television during Christmas week.
- "The Runaway Bride" was released as an individual episode, along with the Doctor Who ConfidentialDoctor Who ConfidentialDoctor Who Confidential is a documentary series created by the British Broadcasting Corporation to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly...
special episode "Music and Monsters", on 2 April 2007 as a basic DVD with no additional special features. - Although The Runway Bride was not filmed in HD the BBC aired it on BBC One HD Tuesday 28 December 2010. They up-scaled the program to HD and it also included Dolby Surround sound. This is the first Doctor Who episode that has been up-scaled in the United Kingdom.