Doctor Who's David Tennant explains original plan for flashback special
Russell T Davies originally planned for Tennant and Tate's return to be in an "unseen adventure from years before".
When it was first announced that David Tennant and Catherine Tate would be returning to Doctor Who for its 60th anniversary, fans' minds started racing - when were these new episodes going to be set? How did they fit into the timeline? How could the Doctor and Donna be back together?
Many of those questions were answered for certain during Jodie Whittaker's swan song, The Power of the Doctor, in which her Thirteenth Doctor regenerated into David Tennant, confirming he was playing the Fourteenth Doctor, rather than the Tenth.
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However, it seems this wasn't always going to be the case, as Tennant has now revealed to Radio Times magazine that returning showrunner Russell T Davies originally planned for a flashback episode starring Tennant and Tate, set during season 4.
Tennant explained: "It would have been an unseen adventure from years before. Russell immediately had an idea for a story, which I’m not going to mention because I don’t think it’s yet seen the light of day.
"It certainly wouldn’t have been part of an ongoing story. But I hope one day he does use it, because it sounded great."
Instead of a flashback episode, what fans will be getting is three new episodes set after The Power of the Doctor - The Star Beast, Wild Blue Yonder and The Giggle.
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The Giggle is set to mark the end of David Tennant's new tenure and the start of Ncuti Gatwa's as the Fifteenth Doctor - but that doesn't mean we will definitely never see Tennant as The Doctor again.
Speaking with SFX recently, Tennant admitted it would be "disingenuous to imagine that I might never be asked again, because history would indicate that it was always a possibility".
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He continued, on the potential of another return: "I’m not going to say never, because I don’t think anyone would believe me. That doesn’t mean I know that I ever will.
"But I suppose until I can’t run down a corridor, it’s always a possibility. But I promise to have no plans."
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Authors
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.
