BROADCHURCH and Dr Who star David Tennant was forced to pull out of a Christmas celebration at Winchester Cathedral in aid of The Murray Parish Trust and Breast Cancer Haven – but his sidekick from the Tardis, Catherine Tate, stepped in to take his place.

The actor missed festive celebration as he was “away filming on location”, but the star-studded line-up at the cathedral still included Broadchurch’s Olivia Colman, Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville and acclaimed actor Timothy West.

The event was billed as “an uplifting variety of festive and magical performances”.

It was attended by around 900 people and an impressive £85,000 was raised.

Actress and founder of the Murray Parish Trust, Sarah Parish said: “We were absolutely thrilled with how the event turned out. It was a year in the planning with both charities working closely together to create a truly magical night.”

She added: “We were so lucky to have the support of our amazing high-profile friends who added that extra sparkle to make it a truly unforgettable evening.”

Sally Taylor, BBC South Today presenter and chairman of The Breast Cancer Haven Development Board, said: “Winchester Cathedral was the most magnificent setting for this spectacular concert.

“So many people worked tirelessly to bring the event together from the performers and sound and lighting crew through to volunteers guiding guests to their seats. It was a massive team effort resulting in a great amount of money raised for two important local charities.”