This week's Doctor Who special The Power of the Doctor is not only momentous because its Jodie Whittaker's final episode, nor because it's Chris Chibnall's last outing as showrunner.
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There is also the not so small matter of returning stars Janet Fielding and Sophie Aldred, who are back in their roles as Tegan and Ace for the first time since 1984 and 1989 respectively
Given this momentous occasion, Aldred and Fielding were asked in an interview with this week's Radio Times magazine how their former Doctors, Sylvester McCoy and Peter Davison, reacted to the news.
Aldred, whose character Ace was last seen on screen with Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor, said: "Sylvester was delighted — he was one of the first people to text me. He’s an emoji king, so there were loads of little symbols and 'Congratulations, I can’t wait to see it'."
Janet Fielding as Tegan Jovanka, Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor, and Sophie Aldred as Ace in The Power of the Doctor. James Pardon/BBC Studios
Meanwhile Fielding, whose character Tegan was the Fifth Doctor's companion, said: "I’ve seen Peter, and I don’t think gloating is a very attractive thing to do, but there are times when you just have to... We are great mates. But we do spend a lot of time trying to take the mickey out of each other."
It's a busy time in the Whoniverse right now - we've got a departing Doctor, plenty of returning friends and foes, plus the reintroduction of David Tennant's Doctor through what we're sure will be some timey wimey shenanigans.
Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor will air at 7:30pm on Sunday, 23rd October on BBC One. The series 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.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
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James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
