'Doctor Who' Christmas special 2016 spoilers, news: Peter Capaldi talks about 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio' and what to expect

"Doctor Who" is gearing up for the release of its annual Christmas Day episode before returning in full force for its tenth season in 2017. Peter Capaldi, who plays the Doctor, recently spoke about the upcoming holiday episode.

During a recent appearance on "The Andrew Marr Show," the actor said that many are looking forward to the arrival of the Christmas episode, even those who do not normally watch the science fiction television series. Many treat it as a holiday tradition as BBC has aired a "Doctor Who" Christmas special every year since 2005.

"I think it provides a nostalgic reminder to people who perhaps don't watch the show that it's still around. It reminds them of their childhood because there's still the TARDIS. And there's still monsters. And there's still a mysterious man who operates the TARDIS. So it's a tradition that is quite a responsibility, really, to deliver now," he said.

According to BBC, the upcoming episode titled "The Return of Doctor Mysterio" will have the Doctor teaming up with an investigative journalist, Charity Wakefield (Wolf Hall), and a superhero to save New York from a deadly alien threat. Justin Chatwin plays Grant, a mild-mannered nanny who also fights crime as The Ghost. Viewers will also see the return of Matt Lucas as Nardole alongside Adetomiwa Edun, Aleksander Jovanovic and Logan Hoffman. The 60-minute episode was written by showrunner Steven Moffat and directed by Ed Bazalgette.

Capaldi also spoke about how much his life has changed since taking on the role of the Doctor. He has been enjoying the experience especially since he is aware that his stint on the show won't last forever. According to Screen Rant, if the actor continues playing the Twelfth Doctor until season 11 in 2018, he will be the longest-running Doctor since the show's revival in 2005.

In season 10, Capaldi will be joined by Pearl Mackie who will portray Bill, the Doctor's newest companion.

The "Doctor Who" Christmas special will air on Sunday, Dec. 25, at 9 p.m. EST on BBC America. Season 10 will premiere in spring 2017.