'We're like The Three Stooges in Doctor Who'

Arabella Weir has said she, Bill Bailey and Paul Bazely are like The Three Stooges in the Doctor Who Christmas special.

The guest stars enter the story when the Doctor, who's landed in Dorset during the Second World War, tries to give a widow and her two children the best Christmas ever by whisking them away to a magical land via a big blue present.

Unfortunately, they discover the land is dominated by an enchanted forest where something evil lurks.

However, the actors are keen to point out they're not evil - quite the opposite, in fact.

Arabella said: "We're not very frightening. When you first see us we look scary, but really we're more like The Three Stooges. We don't really know what we're doing. We're kind rather than heroic."

Bill added: "And if there are any stunts, it won't be me doing them. When we did a night shoot, we had to go from the studio up to the location. It involved getting into a people carrier, and that was the most difficult thing of the whole night! I had to sort of roll in face down. We didn't look like an elite fighting force at that stage."

Paul said their characters were not 'high end', adding: "We're sort of working for the council."

Doctor Who screens on BBC One on Christmas Day.