Doctor Who's 50th anniversary special to be shown in UK cinemas in 3D version in a simultaneous broadcast with the show's premiere on BBC1, it has been announced.

The Day of the Doctor, a 75-minute episode featuring former Doctor Who cast members David Tennant and Billie Piper alongside current incumbents Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman, as well as John Hurt, is set to be screened in over 200 cinemas across the country on Saturday 23 November. Simultaneous screenings in US and Canadian cinemas have also been confirmed.

Doctor Who is joining the likes of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Bolshoi Ballet and the V&A in exploiting the potential for one-off cinema screenings for major cultural events. It is however, far from the first film appearance for Doctor Who, as two feature films, Dr Who and the Daleks and Daleks – Invasion Earth: 2150 AD, were released in 1965 and 1966 respectively. To mark the 50th anniversary, the BBC have also commissioned a full length film, An Adventure in Space and Time, about the creation of the first Doctor Who series.