Production has started on the Doctor Who Christmas Special, a fun-filled and heartfelt festive story, according to the BBC Press Office.

New lead writer and executive producer, Steven Moffat, had the following words to say on the project. "Oh, we're going for broke with this one. It's all your favourite Christmas movies at once, in an hour, with monsters and the Doctor and a honeymoon and – oh, you'll see. I've honestly never been so excited about writing anything. I was laughing madly as I typed along to Christmas songs in April. My neighbours loved it so much they all moved away and set up a website demanding my execution. But I'm fairly sure they did it ironically."

Michael Gambon (Harry Potter, The Singing Detective) and opera diva Katherine Jenkins, in her first acting role, will guest star.

Arriving on set for her first day of filming, Katherine Jenkins commented "I'm over the moon to be involved in the Doctor Who Christmas Special – I can't quite believe it as it's a part of the family tradition at the Jenkins household. I heard the news that I got the role on my 30th birthday and it was the best birthday present ever!"

Hugo award winner Moffat, who is known for writing 'the clever, darker episodes' of the first four series of the revived Doctor Who, took over from Russell T. Davies as lead writer and executive producer for the show's fifth series, featuring newcomers Matt Smith and Karen Gillan.

Filming on the Christmas special began on July 12th and is expected to continue until August 2010. The episode, keeping with tradition, will air on Christmas day on BBC1.