Doctor Who Snowman Scene Is Based On A Real-World Tradition In UK
A look into the inspiration behind the giant snowman Christmas decoration in 'The Church on Ruby Road' and its connection to a real-world tradition in the UK.
Inspiration Behind the Snowman Scene
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies explains how the giant snowman Christmas decoration in 'The Church on Ruby Road' is inspired by a real-world tradition in the UK. 'The Church on Ruby Road' is the first solo story for Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor following his appearance in the third and final 60th-anniversary special. In the seasonal special, the Fifteenth Doctor meets new companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) for the first time, and they are tangled up in a complex scheme by time-traveling baby-eating goblins. Their adventures will continue into Doctor Who season 14, which will premiere sometime in May 2024.
Aidan Gillen and Charlie Hunnam in Queer as Folk
In a commentary on BBC iPlayer following the release of the seasonal special, Davies revealed to Gibson that the giant snowman that almost collapses on Ruby Sunday's taxi outside a London nightclub is inspired by a Christmas tradition in the UK city of Manchester. Located in Gibson's hometown in North West England, a giant Santa decoration has been a key fixture of Manchester's Christmas decorations since 1986, with the decoration being mounted onto the city's town hall each year until 2019 when the display has since been relocated to various positions across the city each year as the town hall undergoes renovations. Check out Davies and Gibson's exchange below:
Manchester's Significance in Russell T Davies' Projects
Manchester, the second most populated area of the UK, has been a recurring location for Davies' across his previous projects thanks to his incredibly personal connections to the city. Before he became the Doctor Who showrunner in 2005, the city was the setting of his hit Channel 4 series Queer as Folk, which starred Game of Thrones' Aidan Gillen and Sons of Anarchy's Charlie Hunnam and explored the LGBTQ+ community of the city. The show was also scored by frequent collaborator and Doctor Who composer Murray Gold. The city continued to be an important setting for dramas like Bob & Rose and The Second Coming, which starred Ninth Doctor actor Christopher Eccleston as a reborn Jesus Christ.
Following his initial Doctor Who tenure between 2009 and 2011, Davies returned to writing projects set in the city. His three following Channel 4 projects, Cucumber, Banana, and the accompanying documentary series Tofu, explored the LGBTQ+ community of the city, while his BBC sci-fi dystopia series Years and Years followed a Mancunian family's trials and tribulations in a terrifying, ever-changing world. Davies' celebrated 2021 drama It's A Sin was also filmed across the city, with locations dressed to resemble 1980s London.
Manchester's Connection to Doctor Who
While only featured once in Doctor Who with 2022's New Year's Day special, 'Eve of the Daleks,' the city of Manchester has strong ties to Davies through both his personal life and his career. While a late addition, the collapsing giant snowman decoration is one of the memorable moments in 'The Church on Ruby Road,' with the sequence allowing Gatwa to quickly establish his Doctor. Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road is currently available on Disney+ for international viewers and BBC iPlayer for UK audiences.
