The BBC has confirmed that Kylie Minogue will be joining the Doctor Who cast in a major lead role in an hour-long Christmas special to be broadcast in December 2007 on BBC One.

Kylie will be joining David Tennant for the episode, Voyage Of The Damned, which starts filming in July in Cardiff.

The production team has also confirmed that the storyline will follow on directly from the ending of series three where viewers witnessed The Titanic crash through the Tardis walls…

The episode has been written by Doctor Who's Executive Producer and Head Writer Russell T Davies.

He says: "We are delighted and excited to announce that Kylie Minogue will be joining the Doctor.

"Doctor Who Christmas specials are always a joy and we feel very confident that this will be the most ambitious and best Christmas episode yet."

Kylie says: "It is an incredible thrill to be joining David and the entire Doctor Who production for this year's Christmas special.

"Doctor Who enjoys a unique history and it is going to be very exciting to be a part of that."

Full details are currently under wraps with more information to be announced shortly.

The fourth series of Doctor Who will be back in Spring 2008.

The Doctor gets up close and personal with his Christmas companion, Astrid Peth, in the long-awaited Doctor Who Christmas special, Voyage Of The Damned, on BBC One.

The Doctor, played by David Tennant, wastes no time in getting acquainted with Kylie Minogue's Astrid in the drama which goes out at 6.50pm on Christmas Day.

Kylie will star as Astrid, a waitress on The Titanic, alongside David Tennant in a story that follows on directly from the ending of series three where viewers witnessed The Titanic crash through the Tardis walls...

The episode has been written by Doctor Who's Executive Producer and head writer Russell T Davies.

Kylie Minogue comments: "It is an incredible thrill to be joining David and the entire Doctor Who production for this year's Christmas special.

"Doctor Who enjoys a unique history and it is going to be very exciting to be a part of that."

Voyage Of The Damned launched last night (Tuesday 18 December) with a celebrity-packed gala premiere at the Science Museum in London.

Celebrity fans in attendance included Jo Whiley, John Simm, Tamsin Greig, Nick Cave and Richard Curtis.

In the Christmas Doctor Who two of Britain's best-loved actors, Geoffrey Palmer and Clive Swift, will also play lead roles.

Geoffrey Palmer, perhaps most famous for his role in the BBC comedies Butterflies and As Time Goes By, will play the Captain of the Titanic.

Voyage Of The Damned will also feature Coronation Street star, Debbie Chazen, who also starred in BBC Three comedy series The Smoking Room; Olivier Award-winner Clive Rowe; Russell Tovey from the smash hit film The History Boys; Jimmy Vee, who has previously been in Doctor Who as the Moxx of Balhoon; and George Costigan who starred in BBC drama The Long Firm and the acclaimed film Rita Sue And Bob Too.

The Producer is Phil Collinson; Executive Producers are Head of Drama Wales and Drama Commissioning Julie Gardner and Russell T Davies.

Doctor Who: Voyage Of The Damned, BBC One, Christmas Day, Tuesday 25 December 2007, 6.50pm