We’ve been telling you for months, near continuously, about the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas Special to air on BBC America at 9/8c on Christmas Day. Now word comes from Syfy that they are joining into the Whovian holiday celebration with their marathon premiere US airing of British Doctor Who spinoff K9.

And a quick note – yes, K9 is sporting a different look from the classic we know and love, but we understand that they do explain it. We won’t spoil, though.

SYFY FETCHES U.K. SERIES K9 FOR CHRISTMAS DAY MARATHON

U.S. PREMIERE OF ALL 26 EPISODES OF DOCTOR WHO SPINOFF SERIES TO AIR DECEMBER 25 FROM 10:00 AM ET/PT TO AIR DECEMBER 25 FROM 10:00AM ET/PT TO 11:00PM ET/PT

NEW YORK – December 17, 2012 – Syfy has acquired the exclusive U.S. broadcast rights to the Doctor Who spinoff K9 which have its U.S. premiere on the channel with a full series marathon on Christmas Day –Tuesday, December 25 – from 10AM-11PM ET/PT.

K9 follows the adventures of the robotic canine created by British writers Bob Baker and Dave Martin and first seen in the original 1978 BBC TV series Doctor Who series. The show mixes live action with stunning CG and special effects and pits the robot dog K9 and his teenage friends against a number of human and alien adversaries. The new dog is voiced by the legendary John Leeson, who voiced the original K9 from the 1978 Doctor Who series.

Bob Baker has won a number of BAFTAs for his co-writing of the hugely successful Wallace and Gromit shorts and feature, and together with his business partner Paul Tams, was closely involved in the creation of the new K9 series.

For more information on K9 please visit the show’s website www.k9official.com.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

Sorry kids, but the K9 marathon on Syfy does in fact run right through the Doctor Who Christmas Special on BBC America. Get those DVRs humming!

The K9 marathon, starring Robert Moloney, Keegan Joyce, Philippa Coulthard and Daniel Webber, airs Christmas Day, Tuesday, December 25, from 10AM/9AM c -11PM/10PM c on Syfy.