Portsmouth uni student launches petition to bring back Doctor Who Christmas special'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹

Niall Moran, 20, has launched a petition for the BBC to bring back the Doctor Who Christmas special, amid speculation that one will not air this year.

The second year film and creative writing student says that watching the Christmas special has become a tradition for many families, and is worried that the move may be permanent.

It comes as a number of changes are made to the popular BBC series, including new music and a change to the Doctor's backstory.

Niall said: '˜I'm a massive fan of Doctor Who '“ I don't agree with all the changes the BBC has made but will always support the show.

'˜At some point though, the changes get too much. I was hoping that the Christmas special would be really good but then we find out that we aren't getting one at all.

'˜If there isn't a Christmas special this year, it would be a huge shame '“ for many people it's a huge family tradition.'

As part of the filming for this year's series, a BBC crew appeared in Gosport earlier this year.

A friend and fellow film student, Lewis Jeffies, submitted pictures to The News of the filming taking place.

Niall is also well-known for sneaking into the The Best Fifa Football Awards 2018, mingling with footballing stars like Didier Drogba and Raphael Varane.

The BBC has not officially confirmed anything, but rumours speculate that there will instead be a special on New Year's Day.

He added: '˜I tend to do things pretty spontaneously, so when Lewis and I were joking about starting a petition I decided to just go ahead with it.

'˜The BBC aren't saying anything at the moment, and even if it's too late for a Christmas special now, it would be nice for one to return next year.'

Currently, Niall's petition has 143 signatures '“ despite him saying that he has not advertised it at all.

He said: '˜I've not really said anything about the petition and only put it up a couple of days ago, so I guess this is something that people feel quite strongly about.'

To sign the petition, people can go to change.org/p/bring-back-our-doctor-who-christmas-special