David Tennant on "joyous" Doctor Who return: "Might've felt awkward"
Tennant will portray the Doctor in three anniversary specials next year.
David Tennant has teased his “joyous” and “fun” return as the titular character in the BBC sci-fi drama Doctor Who.
The actor will be back as the Time Lord following the regeneration twist at the end of The Power of the Doctor back in October.
Tennant will portray a new Fourteenth Doctor – not his original Tenth Doctor – in three anniversary specials which are set to air in November 2023, alongside Catherine Tate as companion Donna Noble, before Ncuti Gatwa takes over the baton as the Fifteenth Doctor later in 2023.
Speaking of his return on ITV’s This Morning to hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, Tennant said: "It was like being handed a very lovely present. It was joyous. It was great fun. It was a very happy joyous time on set 15 years ago, and returning to that could've been - might've felt awkward, it might have felt difficult. I might not have been able to run as fast..."
He continued: "We had a lovely time. Russell T Davies is back running the show, it felt like we'd never been away... That's all you're getting!"
We might still be waiting for specific plot details for the 60th anniversary celebrations, but it certainly seems like all the stops are being pulled out, with each of the specials set to be one hour long, according to Doctor Who Magazine.
The 60th anniversary cast is also shaping up rather nicely, and we can expect plenty of familiar faces as well as some intriguing new arrivals.
Miriam Margolyes is reportedly the latest star to join the cast of the upcoming specials, joining an impressive line-up that includes the aforementioned Tennant, Tate and Neil Patrick Harris in an undisclosed role.
Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney is also set to be a part of the 60th anniversary celebrations and will be portraying a new mysterious character called Rose.
Beyond the 60th anniversary specials, the first official instalment of Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor is expected to be released over the festive period next year.
Read more:
- David Tennant and Catherine Tate's return proves Doctor Who is still full of surprises
- Who is Ncuti Gatwa? Meet Sex Education star to front Doctor Who
- Who is Yasmin Finney? Meet Heartstopper star joining Doctor Who
- How will the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble return to Doctor Who?
Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer with episodes of the classic series also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or our full TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.