jenna coleman christmas

Jenna Coleman and Tom Hughes to star in Victoria Christmas special

October 7, 2016

Jenna Coleman and Tom Hughes will make a festive on-screen appearance as Victoria has been confirmed for a 2017 Christmas special.

Screenwriter Daisy Goodwin confirmed the special episode during a Twitter Q&A with Radio Times. One fan asked if she had started working on the second series of Victoria and when viewers can expect it to air.

"Yes I have! Much to the producer's relief," replied Daisy. "It's not easy, but hope you will approve when it airs next year, autumn 2017 +Xmas special."

jenna coleman daisy© Photo: PA

Screenwriter Daisy Goodwin confirmed the 2017 Christmas special

The first series of Victoria will conclude this Sunday. The young queen, who is played by Jenna, is heavily pregnant with her and Prince Albert's first child.

Are Jenna and Tom dating in real life?

The second series, which was recently confirmed, will follow Victoria as she learns how to balance raising children with her duties as a wife and as a monarch.

© Photo: ITV

It will carry on from the second series of Victoria

Screenwriter Daisy was also asked if the new series would tell the story of Prince Albert's death in 1861, to which she tweeted: "We will stay in the 1840s so Albert is safe… for now."

Daisy, who studied the diaries of Queen Victoria at university, added that there is "no shortage of story" so fans could expect many more series to follow.

© Photo: ITV

Jenna Coleman plays the young monarch

The Sunday night prime-time drama has been a ratings winner, pulling in an average of 7.7 million viewers each week.

It has been dubbed the "next Downton Abbey" especially as the model of having a Christmas special follows that of the ITV drama. Daisy has said she hopes her show has the potential.

"Downton Abbey is the world's greatest series," she told HELLO! Online and other media outlets at the Victoria press launch. "They're very big shoes to fill. I love Sunday night telly so if people enjoy watching this as much as they did Downton then I feel my work is done."

More TV and Film

See more