RIVER SONG returns to Doctor Who this Christmas!

*Warning: PIRATE RADIO presentation*

It has been announced that the Doctor's wife, River Song, will be returning to Doctor Who for this year's Christmas special.

Capaldi's Doctor has not yet met River, played by Alex Kingston, so this certainly should be a Crimbo to remember.

Sex kitten River made her first appearance as an archaeologist alongside David Tennant, but was later revealed as the Time Lord's wife.

Spending most of her time on screen with Matt Smith's Doctor, it turned out that River was born Melody Pond, the daughter of Amy Pond and her husband Rory, but Kingston hasn't appeared on the show since 2013.

The actress said: "To be honest, I did not know whether River would ever return to the show, but here she is, back with the Doctor for the Christmas special. Steven Moffat is on glittering form, giving us an episode filled with humour and surprise guest castings. I met Peter for the first time at Monday’s read through, we had a laugh, and I am now excited."

Writer Moffat added: "Another Christmas, another special for Doctor Who - and what could be more special than the return of Alex Kingston as Professor River Song?

"The last time the Doctor saw her she was a ghost. The first time he met her, she died. So how can he be seeing her again? As ever, with the most complicated relationship in the universe, it’s a matter of time."

Alex will be joined by a "witty line-up of guest cast" for the Christmas special alongside Capaldi and Jenna Coleman.

The new series of Doctor Who returns to BBC One on Saturday, September 19.

o returns later this month