David Tennant Talks Doctor Who Return Following Regeneration Twist
Warning! Major spoilers ahead for Doctor Who
David Tennant talks about his return to Doctor Who following the 13th Doctor’s regeneration. The BBC long-running show tells the story of The Doctor, an alien Time Lord who travels through space and time while saving the universe. Doctor Who originally premiered on BBC in 1963, running until 1989 in what is referred to as the classic era of the show. However, in 2005 the BBC resurrected the cult classic series once more, starting with the 9th Doctor, played by Christopher Eccleston.
Part of the show’s mythology is that The Doctor has the ability to regenerate when they are in mortal peril – be it from an injury, old age, or severe illness. Regeneration causes a complete physical and mental transformation to The Doctor, which gave the audience a vast array of different versions and personalities of the character over the years. Now, seventeen years into the new era, the Doctor has regenerated numerous times. Jodie Whitaker has played The Doctor since 2017 – the first time the character displayed a female version – and just had her swan song.
To everyone’s absolute surprise, the character did not regenerate into Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor, as had been previously announced. In a shocking twist, it was David Tennant who came out on the other end of the regeneration process. Tennant previously played The Doctor’s tenth iteration from 2005 until 2010, making him one of the most beloved versions of the character. Following the surprising twist, Tennant talked to BBC Today (via Deadline), and shared what his experience in returning to such an iconic part after twelve years was like:
[I was] worried it would be difficult to get in the groove again, but it has been straightforward. We’ve managed to keep the essence of the show and the world now has a very exciting moment to look forward to. Doctor Who was a wonderful time in my life, and it runs through me like a stick of rock so to be part of that show, go on that journey and return to it when I thought it was a memory has been an absolute present.”
Tennant is confirmed to appear in Doctor Who for three special episodes for the show’s 60th anniversary, currently scheduled to air in November 2023. The actor will play the 14th Doctor, and will be joined by previous companion Catherine Tate as Donna Noble. Following the specials, Gatwa will take over the mantle as the 15th Doctor.
Fans worldwide are delighted to see Tennant return to the show after so many years. The Tenth Doctor is one of the most fun, upbeat versions of the character, garnering faithful fans worldwide over the years. The reason for his return is still shrouded in mystery, as showrunner Russell T. Davies has given nothing away. But one thing is for certain, knowing Tennant and Tate will be back on-screen together as The Doctor and Donna is certainly exciting and a great reason to look forward to these special episodes. Doctor Who returns on November 2023 on BBC.
Source: BBC Today
