The Twelfth Doctor is not from a British television show.
`` The Day of the Doctor '' is a special episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who , marking the programme 's 50th anniversary . `` The Time of the Doctor '' is an episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who , written by Steven Moffat and directed by Jamie Payne , and was broadcast as the ninth Doctor Who Christmas special on 25 December 2013 on BBC One . Twelfth Doctor . Capaldi made his first , very brief appearance as the Doctor in the show 's fiftieth anniversary special `` The Day of the Doctor '' ( 2013 ) , as one of the thirteen incarnations of the Doctor who are summoned to save Gallifrey from destruction . In the tenth series of Doctor Who , he is accompanied by two new companions : Nardole ( Matt Lucas ) and Bill Potts ( Pearl Mackie ) .