Whovians are in for a treat when theDoctor Whosixtieth-anniversary episode rolls around next year. Back in May, it was revealed thatDavid Tennantwould bemaking his return to the franchise alongside his former companionDonna Noble (Catherine Tate) and now it looks like he’ll also be joined byNeil Patrick Harris… Yes, you’ve read that correctly!
Tennant and Tate aren’t the only familiar faces to return toDoctor Who.The anniversary special will also mark the return of veteranDoctor WhoshowrunnerRussell T. Davies, who has returned to helm the series once more, followingChris Chibnalltenure as showrunner duringJodie Whittaker’s time as the Thirteenth Doctor. With Whittaker’s final appearance as the Doctor set for later this year, a new regeneration will soon be arriving in the form ofSex EducationstarNcuti Gatwa,who was announced as the Fourteenth regeneration in May.
As with past regenerations, Gatwa will also be joined by a new companion, and this time, she has a familiar name. Shortly after Gatwa was announced as the next Doctor, Davies revealed thatHeartstopper’sYasmin Finneywould bejoining the series as “Rose.“While very little is known about who Rose may be, some fans have speculated that she could be Donna Noble’s daughter, with some speculating that Donna could have remembered Rose Tyler’s (Billie Piper) name following the devastating DoctorDonna meta-crisis event that wiped her memory of her time with the Doctor. With a little wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff, the timing could work out, considering Donna married Shaun Temple (Karl Collins) in 2010.
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Davies and Harris previously worked together onIt’s a Sin,which chronicled the height of the AIDS pandemic in London between 1981 and 1991. In a press release about the unexpected addition to the episode, Davies shared his thoughts about Harris' inclusion saying:
“It’s my huge honour to open our studio doors for the mighty Neil Patrick Harris… but who, why, what is he playing? You’ll just have to wait. But I promise you, the stuff we’re shooting now is off the scale. Doctor beware!”
While a full cast release has not yet been announced for the sixtieth-anniversary, eagle-eyed fans spottedBernard CribbinsandJacqueline Kingon set in Camden Market, where filming was underway in May. The pair played Donna Noble’s grandfather Wilfred Mott and mother Sylvia Noble.
An official release date has not yet been given for theDoctor Who: 60th Anniversaryspecial, but it is set to arrive sometime next year.
