David Tennant has officially returned to Doctor Who (Picture: BBC)
David Tennant has returned to Doctor Who after 12 years as Jodie Whittaker bowed out of Doctor Who in style with The Power of the Doctor.
Instead of regenerating into Ncuti Gatwa, who had been announced as the next Doctor, Jodie’s 13th Doctor regenerated into a very familiar face – David, who last played the 10th Doctor.
Ncuti will now play the 15th Doctor, making David the 14th incarnation.
Returning after more than a decade, as the BBC sci-fi sets up its 60th anniversary story, David’s Doctor looked astonished before declaring: ‘I know those teeth… what? What?? What?!’
It’s now been confirmed that David and co-star Catherine Tate, who starred as Donna Noble, will return for three episodes next year to celebrate the 60th anniversary, with a trailer also giving us our first glimpse of Ncuti as the Doctor.
Returning showrunner Russell T Davies said: ‘If you thought the appearance of David Tennant was a shock, we’ve got plenty more surprises on the way!
‘The path to Ncuti’s Fifteenth Doctor is laden with mystery, horror, robots, puppets, danger and fun! And how is it connected to the return of the wonderful Donna Noble? How, what, why? We’re giving you a year to speculate, and then all hell lets loose!’
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The last time David appeared in a Doctor Who episode was in 2010, when he returned for the show’s 50th anniversary special, The Day Of The Doctor, alongside 11th Doctor actor Matt Smith.
He had previously taken over from Christopher Eccleston, making his debut as the 10th Doctor in 2005 and playing the character for four series, until 2010.
In her final episode, Jodie’s Doctor faced the Daleks, the Cybermen and the Master (played by Sacha Dhawan) in the 90-minute epic, which also saw iconic classic Doctors and companions return.
She also said goodbye to companion Yaz, played by Mandip Gill, who has been with her from the beginning.
Outgoing showrunner Chris Chibnall has said of Jodie’s exit: She changed the game. She changed history in terms of Doctor Who. I think what she’s brought is a Doctor Who full of hope, and positivity and generosity and I think that these times really needed that.
A familiar face has returned! (Picture: BBC Studios)
‘I think she’s shown off her incredible sort of clowning side, the humour that she can do, which maybe some people didn’t know her for beforehand. I think she’s enriched the character of the Doctor, as all actors who play the Doctor do, but it’s an incredibly bold and brave performance.
‘And she took responsibility for the Doctor being a woman, she took it on her shoulders and represented and that was not a given, that was her strength and decision and power. I think she has been utterly magnificent, she exceeded all of our expectations.
Jodie’s 13th Doctor regenerated in the epic special (Picture: James Pardon/BBC Studios)
She faced her oldest enemies (Picture: James Pardon/BBC Studios)
‘She’s given a whole generation of young girls and women a chance to feel that they are the Doctor also and that was always the purpose from the start of this era, was to really widen that net.’
Jodie, who was previously known for appearing in TV shows like Broadchurch and films including St Trianians, was first cast as the Doctor in July 2017, becoming the first woman to play the role.
She first appeared in the 2017 Christmas special, Twice Upon A Time, which saw Peter Capaldi’s 12th Doctor regenerate.
The Power of the Doctor is available for catch-up on BBC iPlayer.
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We have a new Doctor!