<![CDATA[ Latest from What To Watch in Doctor-who ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/sci-fi/doctor-who Sat, 31 May 2025 20:14:31 +0000 en <![CDATA[ 'I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse.' Billie Piper appears to be the new Doctor in shock twist as Ncuti Gatwa exits the TARDIS ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/i-have-always-said-i-would-love-to-return-to-the-whoniverse-billie-piper-appears-to-be-the-new-doctor-in-shock-twist-as-ncuti-gatwa-exits-the-tardis AMetEBpzhYTVd2E9ayXoqa Sat, 31 May 2025 20:14:31 +0000 false false false

Billie Piper has been "revealed" as the new Doctor, although the credits mysteriously didn't call her the Time Lord.

In the Doctor Who season finale "The Reality War", Ncuti Gatwa regenerated into Billie’s apparent new Doctor.

The hugely popular star famously played companion Rose Tyler as the sidekick to the Ninth and Tenth Doctors, Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant.

Billie, assuming she’s confirmed as the Doctor, is the second woman to take on the iconic role after Jodie Whittaker played the 13th Doctor.

Doctor Who Idiot's Lantern Rose Doctor

As Rose with David Tennant's Doctor (Image credit: BBC)

Speaking of her return, Billie says: "It’s no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that TARDIS one more time was just something I couldn’t refuse, but who, how, why and when, you’ll just have to wait and see."

Speaking of the surprise twist, Russell T Davies adds: "Billie once changed the whole of television, back in 2005, and now she’s done it again! It’s an honour and a hoot to welcome her back to the TARDIS, but quite how and why and who is a story yet to be told. After 62 years, the Doctor’s adventures are only just beginning!”

Why did Ncuti Gatwa leave?

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) poses opening the doors to the TARDIS for Doctor Who season 14

(Image credit: BBC Studios/James Pardon/Bad Wolf)

Speaking of his decision to leave, Ncuti said: “You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it. This journey has been one that I will never forget, and a role that will be part of me forever. There are no words to describe what it feels like to be cast as the Doctor, nor are there words to explain what it feels like to be accepted into this iconic role that has existed for over 60 years and is truly loved by so many across the globe.

"The fans are truly the final character and beating heart of this show and I can’t thank the Whoniverse, and the Whovians, enough for welcoming me in, and making this such a touching experience. I’ve loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have. I’ll truly miss it, and forever be grateful to it, and everyone that has played a part in my journey as the Doctor.”

It's not currently clear when Doctor Who will return.

]]> <![CDATA[ 'Oh my gosh, I think it's probably going to be the most dangerous battle the Doctor has faced yet,' Doctor Who's Millie Gibson teases the season 15 finale ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/oh-my-gosh-i-think-its-probably-going-to-be-the-most-dangerous-battle-the-doctor-has-faced-yet-doctor-whos-millie-gibson-teases-the-season-15-finale gvVvGdFcXjEJwgyqNjgUB4 Fri, 30 May 2025 11:16:33 +0000 false false false

Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) hasn't had an easy time of things since she gave up travelling with The Doctor in Doctor Who.

Struggling to readjust to everyday life after experiencing alien planets and major historical events up close — not to mention surviving the near-destruction of the entire human race — she thought she'd finally found a kindred spirit in Conrad Clark (The Tattooist of Auschwitz's Jonah Hauer-King), who had had his own encounter with The Doctor in the past, only for Conrad to turn out to be a conspiracy theorist on a mission to expose the "lies" of UNIT.

Conrad became even more dangerous in the most recent episode, "Wish World", when he joined forces with The Rani (Hijack's Archie Panjabi) and her alter-ego Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson) to turn Earth into a sterile dystopia where the Doctor and current companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) were a married couple with a young daughter, UNIT was an insurance sales company, and Conrad was a god-like figure who steered everyone's behaviour. Ruby was one of the few people who sensed that something was wrong, and her feelings were vindicated when this new reality turned out to be an elaborate scheme of The Rani's, intended to split apart the very fabric of reality and free original Time Lord Omega from the Underverse.

With the Doctor finally having regained his memories of life outside of Conrad's wish world, the season 15 finale will see him battling against the unholy trinity with Belinda and Ruby to save the world — but could it be his last battle?

We caught up with Millie to find out what's in store...

Millie Gibson interview for Doctor Who

What can you tell us about what we can expect from the finale?

"Oh my gosh, I think it's probably going to be the most dangerous battle the Doctor has faced yet, which is really exciting, because you've seen the amount of monsters and villains that have come into this show! This one is pretty epic, Russell [T. Davies] has cooked up an amazing finale as always, and Ruby is still on her quest that follows from episode seven, with this horrible world that Conrad has created. There's a lot of heartbreak, a lot of loss, but also a lot of surprises. It's so hard to whittle down to explain, because Russell has written everything that a Whovian will probably die for, so I'm very excited for people to see it!"

We're seeing a different side to Ruby in the finale — she's on her own, working independently, with a little bit of help from Shirley. Have you enjoyed playing that side of her?

"I have — but you know what, I'm used to it by now! She had her time in 'Lucky Day' when she was kind of by herself, but thankfully she had UNIT to help her, so reuniting with Shirley has been gorgeous. I love working with Ruth [Madeley], and I love that they've played on that dynamic of the two northerners, and that banter. Ruth's delivery is so exquisite, and I loved being kind of a duo with her in the finale — it was a lot of fun."

Shirley Bingham (Ruth Madeley) is at her desk in UNIT HQ, in her wheelchair, with her right hand holding a joystick-style controller. There is a screen behind her showing some sort of map information in green. She is wearing an anorak over a hooded top.

Millie loved working with Ruth Madeley, who plays UNIT's Shirley Bingham (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

How did you feel about the big reveal of Conrad as a villain in 'Lucky Day'?

"Oh my God, it was heartbreaking! I love Jonah so much — he is nothing like Conrad, you'll be happy to know! — but I remember we filmed all the 'nice Conrad' scenes before the big twist, so that was my first time seeing him like that. I was a bit shocked myself, I was like, 'Jonah? Can you come back and be nice again? This is horrible!' That's what makes him such a brilliant actor though, because that twist wouldn't have worked without him being that convincing, kind of klutzy romantic lead, and for him to just turn like that — I remember my mum was like, 'that's so horrible!' Jonah was just incredible, he made that episode."

Were you pleased with the fan reaction to the episode?

"I was really happy! Ruby's like the fans' little sister, and I think because she's never really had a happy ending, everyone's like, 'oh, come on!' It was a gut-punch, for sure."

Conrad Clark (Jonah Hauer-King) and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) are in a smart glass-walled office building with an orange sofa behind them. They are both kneeling on the floor, where some papers have fallen, which Conrad is picking up. He is wearing a backpack, and they are both smiling at each other affectionately.

Ruby's love interest Conrad Clark (Jonah Hauer-King) turned out to be a villain (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

She's on a mission to take Conrad down now — is it personal for her after everything she's been through with him?

"I think it's like, she showed him mercy and now he's ended up ruining the whole world. It's like when you tell your ex you forgive them and then they cheat again, but it's 100 times worse! Even though Ruby's got that kindness streak in her, where she attacked the Shreek instead of him, he's taken things too far, and I think what she's feeling now is anger and betrayal all over again — but we may see a different side to that..."

Have you enjoyed working with Jonah, Archie and Anita as a villainous trio?

"Oh my God, how good do they look?! Honestly, I'd join that side, I don't blame any of them! The three of them as a union just balances out amazingly: Anita plays a delicious villain and she's so sassy and chic with it, and Archie plays The Rani so well, she has this kind of calm presence about her, but it's almost intimidating. And then you've got Jonah as the ex-boyfriend that everyone dreads — it's probably the best villain triangle ever!"

Conrad Clark (Jonah Hauer-King) stands opposite The Rani (Archie Panjabi) in a beige coloured room. He is wearing a stone-coloured suit and she is in a red leather jacket with small gold spikes all across the shoulders.

Conrad is now in cahoots with The Rani (Archie Panjabi) (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

We're excited to finally see Belinda and Ruby working side-by-side in the finale — is there anything you can tell us about that?

"I was super-excited, I love Varada so much, and having her next to me on screen was just an honour. I think it really warms the Whovians to see two companions together, and it's girl power as well! They're so different, but their friendship is unique, and they're both very brave women. They're not damsels in distress, and I like that."

There are rumours that we might see a regeneration for The Doctor in the finale — have you been following those?

"I have! But you know we never give anything away on Doctor Who — we don't want to spoil anything. All I can say is that these episodes are amazing!"

Doctor Who cast members often say that you never really leave the Whoniverse once you're a part of it. Do you feel that way too?

"Oh my gosh, totally. It's not even been that long for me, but when I meet Bonnie [Langford], it's always within her, and I think it's beautiful. The fans are so loyal as well, I think I'll have these beautiful Whovians defending me to the day I die — it's like having friends for life! The fandom is so loyal, and I'll be honoured to play Ruby when I'm 60 or whenever. It will be something that I will always have in my heart."

  • The Doctor Who series 15 finale "The Reality War" airs on Saturday, May 31 at 6.50 pm on BBC One in the UK, with a simultaneous release on BBC iPlayer and on Disney Plus in the US.
]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who's Varada Sethu: "Belinda isn't afraid to stand up to the Doctor!" ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/doctor-whos-varada-sethu-belinda-isnt-afraid-to-stand-up-to-the-doctor mnZYvsJB3YTiEmY2BVkkKD Sat, 12 Apr 2025 05:00:00 +0000 false false false

The universe awaits Varada Sethu as she joins Doctor Who season 15 as the Doctor's newest companion, Belinda Chandra, in the new season. Belinda is a nurse who lives a perfectly normal life — until one night, when she's abducted by alien robots and taken to the farthest reaches of space. That's where she meets the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa), who promises her that he's going to help her escape.

Eagle-eyed fans will know that Varada has been in Doctor Who before as the Anglican soldier Mundy Flynn in the 2024 episode 'Boom' — but exactly how the two characters are connected remains to be seen.

We caught up with Annika and Andor star Varada to find out more about what it was like to return to the show as a full-time companion — and why the Doctor might have met his match in Belinda...

How would you describe Belinda?

"She's a nurse on modern-day Earth, and I think that my favourite thing about her is that she's just so confident in herself; she's very much the main character in her own plot, she's got her own values system and she isn't afraid to stand up to the Doctor. She's super-independent and super-selfless — that's Belinda in a nutshell."

Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) is walking nervously, wearing a lilac t-shirt with a sunflower design on it in black, with grey trousers and a long mustard-coloured coat over the top. Behind her to the left is a very tall red and silver robot which has a neutral but somehow still menacing expression, and behind her to the left is a woman dressed in a sand-coloured smock top and matching trousers.

Belinda (Varada Sethu) is kidnapped by alien robots in the middle of the night (Image credit: BBC Studios/Disney/Bad Wolf)

What can you tell us about the circumstances in which she first meets the Doctor?

"I actually don't think I can say a huge amount about it! But Russell [T. Davies, Doctor Who showrunner] was telling me that it's one of the first times that the Doctor comes looking for the companion. Somebody has told him her name, Belinda Chandra, he comes crashing into her world, and then chaos ensues!"

When did you find out after filming 'Boom' that you'd be coming back to play the new companion?

"When I got to do 'Boom', it was a three-week shoot in Cardiff, and I got along so well with the team. I had so much fun, and I was really sad to leave. I think I probably wrapped on that around March [2023] and then I got on with my life and went travelling over the summer. When I landed home it was the [SAG-AFTRA] strike, so I thought I probably wasn't going to work for a really long time. Then I got a call from my agent going 'do you want to possibly go in for a meeting to potentially talk about maybe becoming the companion?' — it was so vaguely worded! I went in expecting it to be like an audition, and I was ready to pitch myself. Then I realised about 5-10 minutes in that it was actually a pitch to me, so that was amazing. I really, really did not believe that I would get the opportunity to come back — I thought it was a closed door after 'Boom'.

A promotional shot of the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) inside the Tardis. The Doctor is wearing a white t-shirt with a blue pinstripe waistcoat and matching kilt, sitting on the handrail of a curved walkway. His back is to the camera but his head is turned to face it, smiling. Belinda is looking at the Doctor and smiing, with her right hand resting on his leg. She is wearing high-waisted blue denim jeans and a white v-neck top with a collar.

Varada enjoyed working with co-star Ncuti Gatwa (Image credit: BBC)

What was it like working with Ncuti Gatwa?

"I loved working with him, and with Millie [Gibson, who returns as Ruby Sunday later in the season]. They're both such amazing, talented, beautiful people, and they each bring such a special energy. They've got such presences, and as an actor, you want to match it, so you kind of level up your own performance. Yeah, I had the best time."

Did you get much input into the look of your character?

"Yeah! Everyone was super-collaborative. The 1950s yellow dress was already designed, but I fell in love with that, there's nothing else I could say to make that any better. For every episode, Pam Downe, the costume designer, would have a bunch of things on the rail and I would go in and we'd have a discussion about the kind of stuff that someone like Belinda would wear. I just always got the feeling that she is someone who is super-practical. I think she's got a real thing for jumpsuits because it's one outfit and she doesn't waste time putting lots of trinkets on!"

Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) and the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) are running out of a cinema. Belinda is scared and looking upwards, while the Doctor focuses on the way in front of them. Belinda is wearing a 1950s style yellow prom-style dress, while the Doctor is in a 1950s-style blue suit and a pink bow tie.

Varada loved her 1950s-style yellow dress from episode 2 (Image credit: BBC Studios/Disney/Bad Wolf)

And did you get any advice from any former Doctor Who companions?

"Yeah, Mandip Gill [who played the Thirteenth Doctor's companion Yaz Khan] reached out, and I feel like both Millie and Mandip gave me the same advice, which is that it's super-intense and absolutely mad, but to lean in and have as much fun as possible. I was like 'yeah, of course I'm going to have fun', but having now experienced it, you get so swept up and each environment is just so different, so it's quite hard to be able to absorb it all. I'm so glad both of them gave me the advice to make sure I enjoyed it — I would say the same thing to whoever my successor is. It's a great experience!"

  • Doctor Who season 15 launches at 8am on Saturday April 12 in the UK on BBC iPlayer, and on BBC1 the same day at 6.50pm. US viewers can watch the new series on April 12 from 12AM PT/3AM ET on Disney+.
]]> <![CDATA[ How to watch Doctor Who season 2 online: episode release schedule, free options and more for new Ncuti Gatwa season ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/how-to-watch-doctor-who-season-2-online-episode-release-schedule-free-options-and-more-for-new-ncuti-gatwa-season QbEBfcbbDgrEuT79W8VGY5 Fri, 11 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0000 Thu, 17 Apr 2025 14:44:17 +0000 false false false

The new season of Doctor Who is called season 2, season 15 or season 41 depending on who you ask, but whatever you call it, it debuts on Saturday, April 12.

Quick links

US: Disney Plus
UK: BBC One | iPlayer (free)
AU: Disney Plus
Watch abroad with a VPN

This is the second batch of Doctor Who episodes to star fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa, and comes several months after the release of the 2024 Christmas Special.

This new season is set to given the Doctor a new companion, Belinda Chandra, and also bring back Ruby Sunday from the previous season. We know a few guest stars like Alan Cumming, Freddie Fox and Rose Ayling-Ellis will be in the show and some returning faces will appear too.

So here's how to watch Doctor Who season 2 / 15 / 41. But before we get into streaming options, let's look at the episode release schedule.

Episode release schedule

  1. The Robot Revolution — Saturday, April 12
  2. Lux — Saturday, April 19
  3. The Well — Saturday, April 26
  4. Lucky Day — Saturday, May 3
  5. The Story & the Engine — Saturday, May 10
  6. The Interstellar Song Contest — Saturday, May 7
  7. Wish World — Saturday, May 24
  8. The Reality War — Saturday, May 31

How to watch Doctor Who season 2 in the US

Doctor Who fans who live in the US will be able to watch the show on the streaming service Disney Plus.

Every episode of the show will hit Disney Plus on the day listed above, with the first season and Christmas special all already on there.

Disney Plus starts at $9.99 per month for its ad-supported tier, or $15.99 for ad-free streaming. Both options have annual plans: $99.99 or $159.99 respectively, and signing up via the Disney Bundle gets you a subscription to the service, as well as Hulu, for $10.99 monthly.

How to watch Doctor Who season 2 in the UK

If you live in the UK, you don't watch Doctor Who via Disney Plus. Instead you can watch them via BBC online or on TV.

On TV, it'll air on BBC One on the Saturdays listed above. The first episode airs at 6:50pm although it could vary slightly each week.

Alternatively, you can watch online using the BBC's streaming service iPlayer. Episodes will be added at 8am each Saturday, so if you can't wait until the evening to watch the show, this will be your fastest way.

How to watch Doctor Who season 2 in Australia

As is the case elsewhere, Doctor Who season 2 will come to the streaming service Disney Plus in Australia.

Episodes will follow the release schedule above, so you won't need to wait an extra day unlike for some shows.

In Australia, Disney Plus starts at $15.99 or $159.99 per year for its cheapest tier, with a recent price increase pushing that cost a little northward.

]]> <![CDATA[ How to watch the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas Special: release date, streaming options, TV air date and more ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/how-to-watch-the-2024-doctor-who-christmas-special-release-date-streaming-options-tv-air-date-and-more aWCWAUvmRHSXi3UC8Lyt3L Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:00:00 +0000 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:21:45 +0000 false false false

It's time for fans of Doctor Who to reach for their remote, because it's Christmas Day and that means the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas Special is now available to watch.

Quick links

US: Disney Plus
UK: BBC One | iPlayer
AU: Disney Plus
Watch abroad with a VPN

The episode is called Joy to the World and it's about a London woman who accidentally checks into a Time Hotel. There, she meets the Doctor but also one of his old enemies, and he has to save Christmas in many places at once.

As well as current Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, the episode will star Nicola Coughlan as one-off companion Joy and also Joel Fry, Steph de Walley and Jonathan Aris.

So if you're excited for this new festive entry, here's how to watch the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas Special.

How to watch the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas Special in the US

If you live in the US, you can watch the new Doctor Who festive special on the Disney Plus streaming service.

It'll air at exactly the same time that the Christmas Special plays in the UK: that coverts to 12:10 pm ET/9:10 am PT. So you'll be able to catch it pretty early in the morning.

You can sign up for Disney Plus for $7.99 per month, but that's for the ad-enabled tier. To go ad-free, the fee is $16.99 monthly. It may be worth checking to see if there are any Disney Plus deals if you're looking to save money.

How to watch the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas Special in the UK

You can watch the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas Special on TV or online, and both of these options will be available from 5:10 pm on Christmas Day (Wednesday, December 25).

On TV, the special will air on BBC One at 5:10 pm, just after the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special and before Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

You can also watch the show in two ways online, using iPlayer. Firstly, this BBC streaming service lets you stream its live channels so you can watch BBC One over the internet at 5:10 pm. Secondly, Doctor Who Christmas Special will be added to its library at that time as well, so you can catch it whenever you like.

This latter option is something you can do if you're abroad for Christmas, if you have a VPN for streaming.

How to watch the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas Special in Australia

If you live in Australia, you can watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special on Disney Plus, but due to time zone differences it'll only be available to stream from Thursday, December 26.

You can sign up for Disney Plus for $13.99 per month, and a Premium plan is $17.99, though that's mainly for 4K movies and extra perks.

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who Christmas Special 2024: cast, plot, trailer and everything we know ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/doctor-who-christmas-special-2024-cast-plot-trailer-and-everything-we-know SGzN59eybwHUGFrioXjpij Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:20:15 +0000 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:20:16 +0000 false false false

The Doctor Who Christmas Special 2024 is set to light up our screens over the festive season as the Doctor and a new friend go on a mission to save the world.

More Christmas TV

Call the Midwife Christmas specials
Gavin and Stacey Christmas special
Outnumbered Christmas special
All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special
Tiddler
Christmas TV guide 2024

Last year's festive special, "The Church On Ruby Road", was the first full-length adventure for Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor, and also introduced us to companion Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson.

When we last saw the Doctor, he was heading off in the Tardis to continue traveling on his own after Ruby elected to spend some time getting to know her birth parents — but what will his next adventure involve?

Here's everything we know about the festive edition...

Doctor Who Christmas Special 2024 release date

The airdate for the Doctor Who Christmas Special in 2024 has not yet been confirmed by the BBC, but we can assume it will be at some point during the festive fortnight. Last year's special aired on Christmas Day itself, and that would seem to be a fairly safe bet. The Christmas schedules will be confirmed in early December, so check back then for an update!

We also don't have a release date yet for when it will be released on Disney Plus in the US.

Doctor Who Christmas Special 2024 plot and title

The Doctor Who Christmas Special this year is called "Joy To The World", and has been written by former showrunner Steven Moffat.

The story will introduce us to Joy, who checks into a London hotel in 2024 for what she thinks will be a very quiet stay — and she's very wrong about that! When Joy opens a secret door to the Time Hotel, she encounters danger, dinosaurs — and the Doctor. But there's a deadly plan being put into action, in time for Christmas. With an old enemy of the Doctor lurking in the wings, and the whole of human history at stake, can the Doctor and Joy save Christmas everywhere, all at once?

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Joy (Nicola Coughlan) walk through a door into a large stone room. The Doctor is walking down concrete steps, and there are waist-height stone pillars on either side of the steps. The Doctor is using his sonic screwdriver like a torch.

Adventure awaits for the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Joy (Nicola Coughlan) (Image credit: BBC Studios/James Pardon)

Cast

Ncuti Gatwa will of course be returning as The Doctor, and Derry Girls and Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan is playing Joy. Other cast members in the special include Red Eye's Jonathan Aris as Melnak, Our Flag Means Death's Joel Fry as Trev, Casualty's Julia Watson as Hilda, Steph de Whalley as Anita, Peter Benedict as Basil and Niamh Marie Smith as Sylvia.

Is there a trailer for the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2024?

There is! You can watch it below:

The trailer shows us various places across history including The Queen's Hotel in war-torn Manchester in 1940, the Orient Express crossing Italy in 1962 and Base Camp at Everest in 1953, each of which sees unsuspecting travelers being surprised by the arrival of the Doctor brandishing a ham and cheese toastie and a pumpkin latte, only to realize that he's got the wrong room.

Finally, at the Sandringham Hotel in London in 2024 at Christmas, Joy checks into a very pink room. She is caught off guard when an internal door opens and a Silurian in a business suit walks through it, and she points the hotel hairdryer at him in panic. Then the Doctor arrives once again with his ham and cheese toastie and pumpkin latte and smiles at Joy.

There is also a preview clip that was unveiled during this year's Children in Need telethon:

The preview clip shows the Doctor using his sonic screwdriver to reveal a logo on a briefcase belonging to Villengard Conflict Solutions [as featured in the 2024 episode 'Boom'] - the biggest arms manufacturer in history and very old enemies of the Doctor. Joy wonders why a weapons manufacturer would want to create a star, which triggers a Q&A mode explaining that Villengard is involved in the creation of a "functionally infinite" customisable energy source, and Joy recognises the voice as that of the Silurian that was in her room.

The Doctor explains to the Silurian that if a star seed explodes on Earth at any point in history, it will burn every living thing — and adds that they've miscalculated, and they would need to. have started approximately 65 million years ago to allow the star time to grow. The room begins to shake with what seem to be giant approaching footsteps, as Joy tries to get the Doctor's attention — and a giant dinosaur suddenly appears, crashing into the floor of the tree hut that the Doctor and Joy are in. The dinosaur eats the briefcase and its eyes start to glow. The Doctor exclaims "oh, fridge!" as the floor begins to give way and he and Joy slide towards the dinosaur's open mouth...

]]> <![CDATA[ The War Between The Land And The Sea: what we know about the Doctor Who spin-off ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/the-war-between-the-land-and-the-sea-what-we-know-about-the-doctor-who-spin-off XeXQLCDKEFVwPsYqkbDCwd Wed, 31 Jul 2024 15:35:47 +0000 Wed, 31 Jul 2024 15:35:55 +0000 false false false

Since its noughties reboot we've seen a few spin-offs of Doctor Who and the next one has been officially confirmed at Comic-Con. The War Between The Land And The Sea is a new mini-series that shows humanity dealing with a threat without the Doctor.

The War Between The Land And The Sea looks at UNIT, a government organization that sometimes helps and sometimes hinders the Doctor and defends the earth when he's not around.

A five-part miniseries, the show has been confirmed with a few important details, but there's a lot more that we still don't know just yet. 

So here we'll help you figure out everything that's been confirmed about The War Between The Land And The Sea, and we'll update it when new information is shared.

The War Between The Land And The Sea release date

We don't know a release date just yet for The War Between The Land And The Sea, but according to Disney, filming will begin in August. So it's likely that we'll have to wait until the new year to get a glimpse at the show.

We already know how to watch the miniseries though: it'll be released on Disney Plus everywhere around the world except in the UK, where it'll stream on iPlayer and will also air on BBC One.

The War Between The Land And The Sea plot

In The War Between The Land And The Sea, we'll be re-introduced to some returning faces from Doctor Who... except without the titular time traveler to help out.

The show is about a mysterious ancient species living in the Earth's oceans, the Sea Devils, which we've met in classic Doctor Who as well as a Jodie Whittaker episode in 2022 called Legend of the Sea Devils.

When the Sea Devils decide to reveal themselves to humankind, a war quickly erupts between the aquatic creatures and humans.

Trying to stop the war is UNIT, a classic faction from the world of Doctor Who, which has to try and work out what's going on.

The War Between The Land And The Sea cast

A few major names have been confirmed to join The War Between The Land And The Sea Cast — and before you ask no, the Doctor isn't making an official appearance (not ruling out a cameo, though!).

Two returning Doctor Who characters are returning. First up is Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, the commander of UNIT who's a stalwart supporting character in the show. In the rebooted series she's been played by Holby City's Jemma Redgrave.

Then there's Colonel Christofer Ibrahim, a UNIT officer who's been in the last season of Doctor Who. He's played by Alexander Devrient, who you might have also seen in All The Old Knives.

Two new characters have been announced in unspecified roles. One is Russell Tovey, of Being Human and Quantico fame, who's actually already been in the main-series show in the Titanic-themed Christmas special 'Voyage of the Damned' and narrated a Doctor Who narrative podcast series back in 2008. Presumably, his new role has nothing to do with these appearances though.

The other is Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who has a long list of credits including Loki, the Beauty and the Beast remake, The Morning Show, Jupiter Ascending and a lot more. She too has been in Doctor Who before, playing the sister of one of the Doctor's companions, and given this more prominent role, it's possible that Mbatha-Raw will be reprising her old character.

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who season 15: release date, cast, plot, trailer and everything we know ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/doctor-who-season-15-everything-we-know yFe7sW8dTTwwQUuwPSRcYD Fri, 28 Jun 2024 09:32:21 +0000 Sat, 12 Apr 2025 14:24:17 +0000 false false false

Doctor Who season 15 (or season 2 officially) is finally here!

A new addition to the TARDIS is Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu). Plus Emmy Award winner Alan Cumming is among the guest stars.

Belinda is a nurse who lives a perfectly normal life — until one night, when she's abducted by alien robots and taken to the farthest reaches of space. That's where she meets the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa), who promises her that he's going to help her escape.

Varada Sethu tells us: "She's a nurse on modern-day Earth, and I think that my favourite thing about her is that she's just so confident in herself; she's very much the main character in her own plot, she's got her own values system and she isn't afraid to stand up to the Doctor. She's super-independent and super-selfless — that's Belinda in a nutshell."

Here's what our intergalactic time spies have gleaned about the new eight-part series...

Doctor Who season 15 release date

Belinda in the TARDIS in Doctor Who season 15

Belinda in the TARDIS (Image credit: BBC)

Doctor Who season 15 officially launches on Saturday, 12 April at 8 am on BBC iPlayer and will air later that day on BBC One at 6.50 pm in the UK. Episode 2 will air on BBC One at 7.15 pm on Saturday, April 19.

At the same time, those outside of the UK can watch the Doctor and Belinda on their epic adventures on Disney Plus where available.

Who will be the new companion now Millie Gibson has left as Ruby?

Mundy (VARADA SETHU) in Doctor Who

(Image credit: BBC)

Well, despite what looked like an emotional final goodbye at the end of the last episode of season 14, Empire of Death, we haven't seen the last of Ruby Sunday. However, as the Doctor said (or sung, actually) there's always a twist in the tale.

Last April saw the announcement of a new companion for season 15, with Varada Sethu — who was seen as marine Mundy Flynn (above) in the episode Boom in 2024 — confirmed to be traveling with the 15th doctor in the new series. She plays new companion Belinda Chandra.

However, we haven’t seen the last of Ruby, with Russell confirming that Millie Gibson will be back in the new series: “We’ll see the three of them together — three people travelling in this Tardis fighting evil!” he says.

What will be the plot of Doctor Who season 15?

Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) sits on her mum's bed, with an open shoebox in front of her. Ruby is clutching something from inside the box to her chest, as her mother Carla (Michelle Greenidge) - visible in the foreground but out of focus - is talking to her

Millie's birth mum a mystery, but what about her dad? (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

Well, while the finale of Season 14 answered a lot of the questions set up over that run, fans did feel some things were still left hanging or needed more explanation.

So, expect to see Ruby’s parentage explored again, especially with the news late in the final episode of Season 14 that they had discovered the name of her dad.

“There are really crucial stories for Ruby to come and her family — the story of that family hasn’t finished yet,” promises Russell. “Which will all make sense when you see it.”

Anita Dobson in a green bodywarmer for Doctor Who season 14

Mrs Flood's waters run deep... (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

There’s also the mysterious Mrs Flood, whose knowledge of events seems far reaching for an elderly neighbour on an ordinary street. And we’re promised we’ll get some answers on that in the news series.

"I can promise you reveals, I can promise you astonishing reveals and a lot of fun with her as well,” says Russel. “[Anita Dobson] is so much fun to work with, so good times with Mrs Flood to come!"

Meanwhile, Anita herself confirmed that we’ll be having some revelations around her character.

“You do actually find out quite a lot about her,” she says “That'll be interesting, to see what people think,"

While the arc surrounding the Gods, which included The Celestial Toymaker, Maestro and, of course, the biggest bad Sutekh, seemed to be over by the end of the previous series, don’t be surprised if it still has some influence over the next series.

What happens in episode 1?

When robots from outer space kidnap Nurse Belinda Chandra, the Doctor embarks on an epic intergalactic quest to get his new friend back home to Earth.

What happens in episode 2?

The Doctor's quest to get Belinda home takes the Tardis to Miami in 1952, where an abandoned cinema is hiding a terrifying secret. Guest starring Linus Roache, with Alan Cumming as the voice of a sinister living cartoon character.

Doctor Who season 15 cast

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Mel (Bonnie Langford) stand in a corridor. Mel is showing him something on her phone and looking over her shoulder. He is looking in the same direction that she is.

Bonnie's back in action... (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

Ncuti Gatwa returns as the Doctor. Hooray! Elsewhere, reports of filming on location seem to suggest there is a big earth-set story in the new series, involving UNIT, the organization the Doctor often hooks up with then he pops back to his favourite planet.

Vanessa Redgrave aka Kate Lethbridge Stewart was spotted filming, while Russell confirmed that Ruth Madeley would be back as scientific advisor Shirley Bingham, after the character failed to feature in the season 14 finale.

Meanwhile, Bonnie Langford [Melanie Bush] has been spotted on set.

Who is new to Doctor Who season 15?

Jonah Hauer-King as soldier Harry in World On Fire season 2.

Jonah is a mystery man in the new run. (Image credit: BBC)

The show has always been very good at keeping its guest stars under wraps until they are ready to announce them as the publicity drive commences for the new season.

However, one of the guest stars has been revealed and that is Jonah Hauer-King, star of Disney’s live-action version of The Little Mermaid.

Rumors are that this character — named Conrad — is a love interest for Ruby. However, he also seems involved in some political or similar organization, with posters spotted during filming emblazoned with slogans such as “Conrad sees our hard work."

Could Ruby be heading for heartbreak if her new love turns out to be some power-crazed villain or an alien threat?

We also know that Emmy Award winner Alan Cumming will guest star in the second episode as Mr Ring-a-Ding. The BBC teases: "He's a happy, funny, singalong cartoon, who lives in Sunny Town with his friend Sunshine Sally. However, in 1952, after years of repeats in cinemas across the land, Mr Ring-a-Ding suddenly looks beyond the screen and sees the real world outside — and the consequences are terrifying."

Plus Rose Ayling-Ellis will feature in the new series. Rose says: "I loved Doctor Who when I was growing up, so being cast in the show was a dream come true. My inner child is ecstatic with excitement! Working with Russell and filming alongside the talented cast and crew has been an incredible experience. Ncuti is a wonderful Doctor, and I can't wait for audiences to see what we have created together."

Also, guesting is Slow Horses actor Christopher Chung. He says: "I'm absolutely thrilled to step into the Whoniverse as Cassio for Season 2! This show is legendary, and getting to be part of this new era feels surreal. Working with Russell and Ncuti has been a dream! This episode is huge — packed with everything Who fans love: heart, adventure, and a touch of madness. I can't wait for everyone to see what's in store — it's going to be iconic. Get ready!"

Christopher Chung in Doctor Who season 15

Christopher Chung in Doctor Who season 15 (Image credit: BBC)

Will there be a season 16 of Doctor Who?

OK, steady on folks, let’s get this season out of the gate first, shall we? But with Doctor Who one of the BBC’s biggest shows, it seems likely the series is set to continue, and Russell confirming he’s already started on scripts.

“I’m working on the fourth script now for season three [aka 16],” he says. “It’s not actually commissioned, that’s still up in the air. But that’s the same for every TV programme. I shouldn’t say we’re confident, because that’s asking for a fall, but we’re very confident, to be honest.”

But there are some doubts about the show's future with The Times reporting that there's no agreement yet. Of course, a good performance by season 15 would greatly enhance the chances of future series.

Is there a trailer?

Yep, here you...

For more on Doctor Who see What To Watch's dedicated Whoniverse page.

Doctor Who is now airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Disney Plus elsewhere.

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who fans are DIVIDED over the season finale with some calling it 'a grand payoff' and others were left 'deflated' ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/doctor-who-fans-are-divided-over-the-season-finale-with-some-calling-it-a-grand-payoff-and-others-were-left-deflated ji9kZs8htQ4vhQSA5LEGKT Sun, 23 Jun 2024 12:01:35 +0000 Sun, 23 Jun 2024 20:00:12 +0000 false false false

Doctor Who reached its conclusion last night and fans have very mixed opinions, with some saying the ending was 'underwhelming'.

The season finale of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor Who, titled Empire of Death landed on BBC iPlayer at midnight on Saturday 22nd June and was broadcast at the usual time of 6.40 pm last night. 

The season's conclusion was highly anticipated after a series run that some viewers have said is the best yet - but with so much build-up, it's no surprise that some viewers were left disappointed. 

One Doctor Who fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter) 'Doctor who season 1 review: (im gonna sound harsh and i’m so sorry…) but this genuinely was the most disappointed i’ve been with a doctor who season. 

'Especially learning the point of this season was trying to do my favorite star wars arc but just misunderstanding it entirely.'

But not everyone was critical, with another writing, 'Empire of Death is such a good indication of why I prefer RTD Who. The ending was emotionally resonant. 

'A grand payoff for both "Just this once everybody lives!" And "everybody knows that everybody dies but no one knows it like The Doctor".'

While another fan said, 'How I felt after that #DoctorWho' alongside a clip from Gavin and Stacey where Alison Steadman’s Pam points at a TV screen and shouts, "Is that it?"

While another wrote, 'Bit deflated by the #doctorwho finale. Not gonna lie. All that build up to Rubys mum? For someone random?!'

And another fan commented, 'Not going to lie, slightly under whelmed by the end of Dr Who. Or maybe I just missed something? Maybe more of this will come back in the next series.'

While another said they were sad to see the end of this series, writing, 'I know I moaned about parts of the finale, but damn I really am gonna miss the show Eight episodes just didn’t feel enough. 

'Doesn’t feel like we’ve seen enough of Ncuti in the role. Now we wait until xmas for more.'

Empire of Death is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

]]> <![CDATA[ Former Doctor Who star Tosin Cole on what makes his new series Supacell stand out ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/former-doctor-who-star-tosin-cole-on-what-makes-his-new-series-supacell-stand-out gs8R7S7UFMVBhvMpjrHSFU Wed, 19 Jun 2024 17:41:32 +0000 Wed, 19 Jun 2024 17:41:36 +0000 false false false

Delivery driver Michael Lasaki (played by former Doctor Who star Tosin Cole) has just one mission in mind when he discovers he can time-travel in new Netflix series Supacell, which follows a group of ordinary South Londoners who inexplicably develop extraordinary powers.  

Created by rapper-turned-filmmaker Andrew ‘Rapman’ Onwubolu, the six-part drama introduces Michael just as he’s living his best life. He’s finally got a house, fancy car, and he’s planning to marry the woman of his dreams, Dionne (played by The Responder’s Adelayo Adedayo). 

But not long after popping the question, his perfect world is rocked when a sudden visit to the future reveals a terrible fate for Dionne. In order to save her, he must find four more super-powered individuals and convince them to join his mission. 

The hunt is on for super-speedy drug dealer Rodney (Calvin Demba), telekinetic nurse Sabrina (Nadine Mills), super-strong dad Andre (Eric Kofi-Abrefa), and gang leader Tazer (Josh Tedeku). They have little in common except for one thing: they’re all Black South Londoners. And all the while, a powerful entity appears to be on their tail. 

What To Watch chatted to Tosin, 31, in a Central London hotel to find out more about Supacell, which also stars Blue Lights’ Siân Brooke and Ray Donovan’s Eddie Marsan...

What makes Supacell stand out?

Tosin: “I thought it seemed original and refreshing, and setting the show in South London made it feel so grounded and real. I loved the fact that it follows these five very different characters from different walks of life, who are all on their own journeys and have their own personal problems. I thought, ‘I can recognise these people; I see these people.’ I was excited just by reading the scripts."

What can you tell us about Michael?

Tosin: “He’s a simple, everyday guy, who works as a delivery driver and is planning to marry his long-term girlfriend, Dionne. But his life begins to unravel on the night of his engagement, when he travels to the future and receives the news that Dionne is going to die. His life literally starts unravelling and he’s desperate to save her.”

Nadine Mills as telekinetic nurse Sabrina.

Nadine Mills as telekinetic nurse Sabrina.  (Image credit: Netflix)

How does he cope with his newfound powers?

Tosin: “He tries to get a grasp on them, because he needs to control and understand them if he stands a chance of saving Dionne. He doesn’t figure it out straightaway. He’s pretty much in the dark. But he must also entice the other four to be a part of his mission.” 

How is his relationship with Dionne affected?

Tosin: “He’s scared and doesn’t want to tell her what’s going on because it’ll change everything. He tries to protect her, but it makes her worry even more. It creates a disconnect that they’ve never had before because he’s withholding information. They did have a loving, open and communicative relationship, but it deteriorates after he gets the news from the future.” 

Michael (Tosin Cole) and Dionne (Adelayo Adedayo) are about to have their perfect world turned upside down.

Michael (Tosin Cole) and Dionne (Adelayo Adedayo) are about to have their perfect world turned upside down. (Image credit: Netflix)

What was it like working with Rapman, whose 2019 crime thriller film Blue Story created enormous buzz? 

Tosin: “His visuals are so brilliant, and he's so clear at what drives the story and how we need to hit certain beats to execute the finale of it all. I remember him comparing one particular scene to The Red Wedding in Game of Thrones, in terms of the shock value. And he’s right, because you never know what’s coming next!”

Supacell creator Andrew ‘Rapman’ Onwubolu.

Supacell creator Andrew ‘Rapman’ Onwubolu. (Image credit: Netflix)

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Tosin: “I watched a [Prime Video] show called Invincible and a character in it called Atom Eve has the power to manipulate matter and just change anything into anything. So, like, you fancy a Coca-Cola, and there it is. Or you fancy some gold, and there it is. You might not value material things as much, but it would make you value things like relationships, people and moments so much more. Yeah, it’s deep!” 

Supacell is a six-part series launching on Netflix from Thursday, June27, 2024.

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who fans share theories after The Legend of Ruby Sunday leaves viewers with 'SO many questions' ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/doctor-who-fans-share-theories-after-the-legend-of-ruby-sunday-leaves-viewers-with-so-many-questions GqpWqCDnWEaU3jPeNZPJ2g Sun, 16 Jun 2024 20:18:30 +0000 false false false

Doctor Who fans have been impressed by the latest instalment of the show, despite it throwing up 'SO many questions'.

In the latest episode of the hit BBC show, 'The Legend Of Ruby Sunday' which aired on Saturday 15th June, we learned more about the story behind the mysterious woman who has been appearing with the Doctor and Ruby all through this season’s adventures, Susan Twist. 

The episode was well received by viewers, who said watching it had got them excited for the season finale. 'The Legend Of Ruby Sunday: RTD is an absolute and no pun intended, God send!' wrote one fan on X (formerly Twitter).

'The way that serials, Nu Who and this season interconnect is amazingly done. Every single theory us fans have had was mentioned in this episode! The finale is going to be awesome!!!!'

While another said, 'The Legend of Ruby Sunday has tension unlike any episode of Doctor Who I've seen in a while, giving us another eerie yet entertaining Part 1 in a classic RTD-style finale that I've always loved. Still mad I got it spoiled, but keen to see how it ends!'

And another wrote, giving their preditction for next week's episode, 'Right. Prediction for next week's #DoctorWho. With all this Susan noise over Sutekh put in, I’d have one final scene. As The Doctor and Ruby leave in the Tardis, there is a crowd seeing them off. At the edge of a crowd, an old woman watches.

They contined, 'As the Tardis departs she whispers, “I love you, grandfather,” and she turns to the camera. It is a very old Susan (still played by Carole Ann Ford). She glances at her hand, where we see the start of the regeneration glow. She smiles. Cut to black. That’s how I’d do it, anyway.'

While another wrote, 'There are SO many questions. How was Susan in all those places in time? Who's Ruby's mum? Why does it keep snowing? How long has Sutekh been around the TARDIS and how did he get there? Who's Mrs Flood? So much that needs to be answered in 45 minutes.'

Doctor Who continues next Saturday 23rd June on BBC1

]]> <![CDATA[ Bonnie Langford Exclusive: Doctor Who was seen as 'weird' now it has 'respect' ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/bonnie-langford-exclusive-doctor-who-was-seen-as-weird-now-it-has-respect VPkgHKT9jCswSeuNmXwicW Fri, 14 Jun 2024 08:27:23 +0000 false false false

When Bonnie Langford joined Doctor Who as new companion Mel Bush in 1986, she wasn't sure if she would be in the show for more than a couple of years — let alone appearing in it nearly 40 years later!

After originally departing the TARDIS in 1987, Bonnie reprised the role of Mel for the 1993 Children in Need special Dimensions In Time, as well as in various Doctor Who audio dramas, but her first canonical return on TV came in 2022's "The Power Of The Doctor", the swansong for Jodie Whittaker's 13th Doctor, when Mel made a cameo appearance in a scene where former companions of the Doctor met in a support group.

However, new showrunner Russell T Davies decided to bring Mel back to the series for the 2023 anniversary specials as a member of UNIT, the military organization that often works alongside the Doctor. As the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) enlists the help of UNIT in this season's two-part finale to help solve the mystery of Ruby's (Millie Gibson) birth, Mel returns to the show once more, so we caught up with Bonnie to find out what it's like to be part of the Whoniverse again...

Bonnie Langford interview for Doctor Who

What can you tell us about the first part of the finale, The Legend Of Ruby Sunday?

"Not a lot! [laughs] They've set up from the Christmas special that Ruby has been trying to discover her birth mother — she feels that her whole life is such a mystery. I don't think she travels with the Doctor for that, but certainly there is that curiosity — and at the very beginning of the series, he'd said 'if you travel with me, that's one thing we can't do', so it'll be interesting whether she gets her wish, to find the missing piece of her life. So that's where we start from — her wish is to go to the place where she just happens to find out who her mum is."

Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) sits on her mum's bed, with an open shoebox in front of her. Ruby is clutching something from inside the box to her chest, as her mother Carla (Michelle Greenidge) - visible in the foreground but out of focus - is talking to her

Will Ruby (Millie Gibson) finally discover the secret of her birth? (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

How do Mel and UNIT feature in the episode?

"Well, as so often happens, UNIT come in either to help the Doctor or for the Doctor to help them — usually the second one! But together, they're all on the same page and they've got the same motive. UNIT are there to support him, and to support one another in every which way they can, but it does become rather massive, and unexpected events get involved..."

How are you enjoying Mel's new life as part of the UNIT team?

"It's really great! I was in the show 37 years ago, and I would never in my life have turned around and said, 'yeah, I'll be back doing that' — the thought of it seems ridiculous now. But it's a very happy, lovely place to work. It's very nice to be able to come back to a character who I always felt was unfinished, or probably unstarted, really — she didn't even get a beginning story! [Mel had already been travelling with the Doctor for some time when viewers met her in 1986's 'Terror Of The Vervoids'.] So there were, I suppose, like Ruby, unanswered questions, and although they're still unanswered, it's very nice to be in a place that feels like home, and is also a story environment where Mel is able to contribute with her skills and feel part of this family that understands who and what the Doctor is."

You were there for Ncuti's first on-screen appearance as the Doctor in the 2023 episode The Giggle. What was it like getting to work with him again?

"Oh it was great, because he'd been able to find his Doctor a bit — it's so difficult taking over any role, but particularly an iconic one. Everyone turns around and goes 'what's your Doctor going to be like?' and frankly, you don't know until you do it! There's no such definite decision when you first start any kind of job, let alone one where every single person has their own opinion.

When we first worked together on 'The Giggle', Ncuti and I instantly bonded — in fact, the very first thing he did was fall into my arms! He's got such a great energy and such a light in his spirit, and he brings that with him on set, and to the Doctor. To work with Millie was delightful too — they're just very charming. I felt weirdly maternal towards them both — although we were all actors doing a job, there was something that was really quite bonding about it all, and there were moments where I was able to perhaps fill in a few gaps about certain lines or stories!"

Ruby (Millie Gibson), the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Mel (Bonnie Langford) stand in a row in front of a room filled with bright lights and displays in the background. All three of them are looking at something off-camera to the right.

Ruby, the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Mel (Bonnie Langford) investigate suspicious happenings (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

Does the show feel very different these days from when you were first on it?

"Well, I mean, yeah, it does! We used to rehearse running up and down corridors in a rehearsal room, it seems daft now! It always felt like we were a little rep company, in that Sylvester [McCoy, who played the Seventh Doctor] or Colin [Baker, who played the Sixth Doctor] and I were sort of the regulars who would welcome everybody in. 'Come to our party! Come and join the fun!' Obviously, technically, everything is completely different, and there seems to be a lot more love for it now. It really is treated with a lot more respect — when I did it, I think it was just regarded as this slightly offbeat, weird show where a small minority of people would watch it, but now it really does feel so inclusive and so open. Of course, when I was in it the first time it was about to be shut down, so there was this sort of tremendous anger and anxiety around the show — there's none of that now."

What are your favourite episodes from your initial run on the show?

"Somebody showed me 'Paradise Towers' the other day, where the little old ladies are trying to fatten me up and eat me — it's hilarious! It's completely camp, totally outrageous and ridiculous, and I had to get in a swimming pool that was completely unheated. 

I think the thing I always enjoyed about Doctor Who was the cast. It was totally cast with all these star names — at one point Stubby Kaye was in it, who I knew from musical theatre. I'd actually met him when I was about nine, I was doing a show and he was touring with another one, and we met by chance in a hotel — and then he was over here in [the 1987 Doctor Who serial] Delta And The Bannermen, and I was thinking, 'Stubby Kaye! Guys And Dolls, musical theatre history, Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat — here he is in Doctor Who!' Ken Dodd was in that episode as well, that was even more bizarre!"

The Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) stands at the bottom of an imposing cliff. Mel (Bonnie Langford) is leaning against him, smiling and resting her chin on the lapel of his jacket.

Mel with the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) in her original stint on the show (Image credit: South West News Service/Shutterstock)

What have you particularly enjoyed about this season?

"I'm very excited that the finale is going to be in cinemas! The series started off all light and jolly and fluffy, and then it's really started to veer in all different directions, because that's what you can do with sci-fi. But what I think is so important — literally, the two hearts of it — is that this incredible being is basically a ray of hope."

  • Doctor Who: 'The Legend Of Ruby Sunday' is available in the UK from midnight on Friday June 14 on BBC iPlayer, and will air on BBC One on Saturday June 15 at 6.30 pm. Internationally, the episode will air on Disney Plus where available from Saturday, June 15.
]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who fans praise Rogue as a 'refreshing change of pace' after 'bleak' episodes ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/doctor-who-fans-praise-rogue-as-a-refreshing-change-of-pace-after-bleak-episodes KXi2KmX5RyPSiKgUhGb5uR Sun, 09 Jun 2024 16:26:36 +0000 false false false

Doctor Who fans have praised the latest episode of the show Rogue as one of the best of the series, applauding the instalment as 'refreshing' and offering a 'marvellous new twist'. 

The Bridgeton-esque episode of Doctor Who introduces a new love interest for the Doctor in the dashing anti-hero Rogue (played by Jonathan Groff) - much to the delight of fans. 

'Weak start to the series, it #DoctorWho has got progressively better as the series goes on & Rogue confirmed that. Finally understand who Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor is…' wrote one fan on X (formerly Twitter). 

While another wrote, 'I'm so happy this latest episode was great again. A few minor problems but nothing that ruins it like the characters in Dot or the plot in 73 Well done Doctor Who, Rogue 7.9/10.'

While another said of the episode, 'I hope at the doctor who headquarters they are aware they can’t give 15 another romantic interest ever again that is not rogue or people will be marching in the streets.'

While another wrote, 'After all the bleak stuff, Doctor Who (Disney+) episode "Rogue" was a refreshing change of pace. What a marvellous new twist in the lore, hope we haven't seen the last of you-know-who...

While another said, 'Doctor Who - Rogue is the episode we needed. Strongest of the season.'

While others responded to an incredible guest performance on the show, with another writing, 'FINALLY watched Rogue omfg Kylie Minogue un Doctor Who!!! Again!!! I liveeed I'm so.'

While another wrote, 'I relate to Rogue cause if Ncuti Gatwa flirted with me by lipsyncing to Kylie, I'd want to make out with him too.'

And another wrote, 'Still spoiler free. Went to bed thinking about Rogue #DoctorWho. I hope we can get more of a certain character because I ended up really liking them. Oh and more from the writers of the episode please and thank you.'

You can tune into the next episode of Doctor Who on BBC One, Saturday 15th June.

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who fans praise THIS scene as the 'most impressive performance' in the show's history ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/doctor-who-fans-praise-this-scene-as-the-most-impressive-performance-in-the-shows-history jFhS9uxNb6rT7qWsHPpPWh Sun, 02 Jun 2024 16:35:42 +0000 false false false

Doctor Who fans have high praise for Ncuti Gatwa in his role of the Doctor after the latest episode showed the actor in some powerful scenes. 

Dot and Bubble aired on Saturday 1st June at midnight on BBC iPlayer and was a Black Mirror-esque take on society, with Callie Cooke appearing as Lindy Pepper-Bean.

Fans were impressed by the dramatic episode, with some calling it 'better Black Mirror than some Black Mirror eps' - praising Ncuti's performance in particular. 

'I really haven’t loved Doctor Who this much in YEARS. Yknow how great this feels?'

While another replied, 'Devil’s Chord, Boom, 73 Yards, and Dot and Bubble have been one of the greatest runs of consecutive episodes in a while,' dispelling previous concerns that pairing 73 yards and Dot and Bubble shouldn't have been back to back. 

And another replied, 'I’m so glad I’m not alone. I feel like I’ve got my show back.'

And another wrote, 'I've been off and on since Capaldi but this feels so new and refreshing in a way that feels like some of the best classic Who. 

'Strong horror influences, each ep would stand well in it's own genre of scary, Dot and Bubble was better Black Mirror than some Black Mirror eps.'

And another wrote, 'Yeah it's odd how for me personally I felt as though it was a low start middle of the road sort of thing but the last three episodes have blown me away.'

Meanwhile, another Doctor Who fan wrote, 'In one short scene, Ncuti Gatwa managed to deliver what is quite possibly the most impressive performance any actor has ever given as the Doctor in the first full episode they shot.'

To which another fan replied, 'I feel like we were falsely promised Ncuti's era would be fun and less dark but these last 3 episodes have been some of the most deep dark and thought provoking episodes of Doctor Who in a long while.'

To which another replied, 'ncuti’s performance is breathtaking but i also love millie’s performance, the way she doesn’t really know what to say or do and tries to comfort him as his friend but knows it’s futile. it’s subtle and well done.'

While another wrote, 'The fact that I've heard multiple people say this was his first scene shot for the entire season makes it even more impressive.'

Meanwhile another said of the powerful episode, 'This Doctor Who Episode is incredibly powerful showcasing the anger & pain many of us feel towards people who would rather be destroyed than stop being hatful. As a Black Trans girl I feel this pain x3 with racism,transphobia, and sexism.'

You can tune into the next episode of Doctor Who on BBC One, Saturday 8th June.

]]> <![CDATA[ Callie Cooke reveals why she's always wanted to be in Doctor Who ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/callie-cooke-reveals-why-shes-always-wanted-to-be-in-doctor-who oPBXUS3KLMruiswbjPoHtK Fri, 31 May 2024 13:17:55 +0000 Fri, 31 May 2024 13:18:04 +0000 false false false

Cheaters star Callie Cooke fulfils a lifelong dream this Saturday by guest-starring in the latest episode of Doctor Who. In 'Dot And Bubble', she plays Lindy Pepper-Bean, a popular resident of Finetime, a seemingly harmonious world where a horrible terror is preying on the inhabitants — but will the arrival of the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby (Millie Gibson) help Lindy and her friends to realise that they are in terrible danger?

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has stated that he had the idea for this episode around 15 years ago, but realised that it wasn't possible to successfully pull it off with the technology and budget available to the show at the time. This Saturday, we'll finally see what Russell has been planning for all these years — and when we caught up with Callie for a chat, she told What To Watch that she thinks 'Dot And Bubble' will be worth the wait.

Here's what Callie had to say about her guest-starring role...

Callie Cooke interview for Doctor Who

What was it like when you got the call telling you that you were going to be in Doctor Who?

"As a kid, I always wanted to be in Doctor Who! I always had this thing at drama school, whenever they asked you what you wanted to, I was like, 'I want to be in Doctor Who'. I feel very privileged that Andy Pryor, the casting director, got me on tape and then it happened very quickly - next thing I knew, I was spending two months in Cardiff! Russell's been so amazing and supportive of me and my career since then, and I don't doubt that we'll work together again. I feel very lucky."

What can you tell us about your character in Dot And Bubble?

"I play Lindy Pepper-Bean — full name! — who I guess you could say lives in the world of influencers in the future. Lindy is incredibly popular and has lots of followers — she's kind of this Love Island, Molly-Mae-style futuristic person. She's incredibly kind, fun and loyal, but also very petulant and neurotic. She exists purely for this app, which is on her Dot — and there's only so much a person can be a real human if they only exist in a Dot."

A close-up of Lindy Pepper-Bean's (Callie Cooke) face in the world of Finetime, where she is surrounded by opaque windows showing other users. There is a window on the left showing the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and one on the right showing Ruby (Millie Gibson).

Lindy (Callie Cooke) connects with the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby (Millie Gibson) in Finetime. (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

So did you watch a fair bit of Love Island and things like that to prepare for the role?

"Well, we wanted to give her layers, because it's easy to just go and play someone who's an influencer that has no personality. I remember Russell always telling me, 'yes, she's a bit of a nightmare, but she's got to be likeable', so I think in terms of basing her, I just tried to imagine what it would be like to never be with people in real life. In the world of Finetime, people are never together talking in person, so you have to think what effect it would have on a person if they're only communicating through an app."

Russell has described this episode as having a bit of a Black Mirror-quality to it — was that a vibe that you got from it too?

"Yeah, definitely: 'what if we became so addicted to our phones that we actually start to kind of live in them?' — which we're not that far away from! Basically, this character can't walk in a straight line without her Dot directing her, so we took that idea of being obsessed with technology and just ran with it, which I think people will definitely enjoy watching, if not be a bit scared by."

Lindy Pepper-Bean (Callie Cooke) steps into an elevator that's decorated in a lot of pastel shades. She has a virtual 'bubble' encircling her head, which contains lots of windows from her app.

Lindy's entire world is within Finetime. (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

Russell also mentioned that it took time to have the necessary budget and technology to do this episode properly. Was that something you got a sense of on set too?

"It's tricky to gauge, because it was the first episode that they shot, but it definitely did feel like people thought it was quite a special episode. People really liked the story and the characters, the world was really fine-tuned — I guess because Russell had so long to work on it. You'll know when you watch it, the beats of the dialogue are pitch-perfect. Lindy doesn't really talk like you and I, they all have this kind of 'influencers gone wild' language that they have developed, and it's really fascinating. He's so consistent with his writing that within the first five minutes of the episode you understand this world, and you don't ask any more questions!"

Is there anything you can tell us about the other characters in this episode?

"Tom Rhys Harries plays a character called Ricky September who is a famous influencer, musician and singer in the world of Finetime. Lindy's obsessed with him, and he's the one everyone fancies. Everyone's following him and liking his videos — he's a really fun character."

Ricky September (Tom Rhys Harries), who is tanned and has wavy dirty blond hair, poses with his hands clasping the collar of his short sleeved Hawaiian shirt

Ricky September (Tom Rhys Harries) is a popular figure in Finetime. (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

Since it had been a dream of yours for a long time, what was it like actually being on the set of Doctor Who for the first time?

"I still have this thing, every time I'm in a studio I'm like 'filmmaking is unbelievable' and I pinch myself — I can't get over it! Walking into the studios at Bad Wolf and seeing the TARDIS — I've got so many videos of me just running around this TARDIS that I've not been able to show anyone for a year! I'll never not be excited when I see a film set, but there's something about seeing the TARDIS and being in that studio. We actually filmed on location a lot, but we also have some unbelievable sets — Lindy's bedroom, which is created in the world of Finetime, is all pinks and purples and everything is really cutesy. Just being in that was so fun."

How did your friends and family react when they found out you were going to be in Doctor Who?

"My brother-in-law is a superfan, so he can't cope! I've done some cool stuff in the last year or so, but Doctor Who is the one some of them can't wait for. I think it's just because it's so relatable. I can't always drag my family to come and see me in a play in some bunker in north London, but they're incredibly proud to see me in Doctor Who."

Lots of actors have said that once you've been in Doctor Who, you're part of the show forever. Is that a feeling you've had from the show?

"I hope so! It really does feel like a family on that job, and like I said, Russell's already been so supportive of me this last year. I would love to stay a part of it, I would love to meet the fans and talk to them. If they respond to the character, then I would love to keep engaging with them forever — that would be amazing."

Lindy Pepper-Bean (Callie Cooke) sits at her desk wearing a purple jacket with furry cuffs. Her hands are resting on a lit-up device on the desk in front of her, which is presumably connected to Finetime.

Callie hopes viewers will respond to her character (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

Finally, how were your two months of filming in Cardiff? Did you get to explore the city much?

"It was very cold! I was there in December and January — it was one of the coldest days of my life in December, and I'm in a miniskirt and I was basically stood in the sea, and it was freezing! But it's all part of it, you've just got to crack on. The second you moan about being cold, you're finished — you can't let it happen! It was fun, Cardiff over Christmas is beautiful and the people are amazing. I had a lovely time!"

Doctor Who: 'Dot And Bubble' is available in the UK from midnight on Friday May 31 on BBC iPlayer, and will air on BBC1 on Saturday June 1 at 6.50pm. Internationally, the episode will air on Disney+ where available from Saturday June 1.

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who fans confused over odd choice of episodes being aired back-to-back ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/doctor-who-fans-condemn-huge-mistake-after-dot-and-bubble-surprises-fans zQbgMarBfU77YNaaLWv2Mm Mon, 27 May 2024 12:59:47 +0000 Tue, 28 May 2024 11:59:32 +0000 false false false

Doctor Who fans have shown their disapproval over the format of the news series saying that the order of episodes means we don't get to see enough of the Doctor. 

Viewers were shown a clip of next week's episode, Dot and Bubble, after 73 Yards aired on Saturday, June 26.

Dot and Bubble, will be released on Saturday 1st June at midnight on BBC iPlayer and at 6:50pm on BBC One and will see a Black Mirror-esque take on society, with less involvement from the Doctor himself and Callie Cooke making an appearance as Lindy Pepper-Bean.

In last weekend's Doctor Who episode, 73 Yards, we saw Ruby Sunday take a trip to the Welsh countryside, where a sinister stranger stalks her. While the episode was generally well received by fans, some viewers think this could have been a 'penultimate episode' of the BBC series. 

One Doctor Who fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter), 'Precisely why I think having these two back to back is a huge mistake, Dot and Bubble could've been episode 3 for example and 73 Yards the penultimate episode before the finale, make it less obvious.'

While another said, 'Two Doctor lite episodes in a row (73 Yards/Dot And Bubble) is a surprise choice.'

And a third wrote, 'Dot and Bubble has been described as "Doctor & Ruby lite-ish". 2 episodes out of only 8 being Doctor-Lite for a new Doctor isn't exactly ideal. The Sex Ed schedule really influenced this block of filming unfortunately.'

Critics have shared their reaction to the episode, also highlighting the link to Black Mirror, but ultimately praising the episode, saying 'Ncuti completely steals the show'. 

One wrote, offering further insight into the episode, 'Dot and Bubble provides some great social commentary on Gen Z, Gen Alpha and the rampant use of Social Media and how much they rely on it. The episode is entertaining but feels too much like Black Mirror for me to claim it as a #DoctorWho episode. 

'Callie Cooke provides an annoyingly good performance as Lindy Pepper-Bean, while Ncuti completely steals the show with one of his best performance yet that easily saves the episode and makes it a good one, accompanied by Murray Gold’s chilling score that has now become my favourite amongst the season.'

While a critic wrote of the upcoming episode, 'Dot and Bubble takes potshots at so many different targets, it ends up not as sharp as it could’ve been. That said, the final scenes - and in particular Ncuti Gatwa’s performance - will stay with you long after the credits roll.'

While another critic said, praising the episode, 'DOT AND BUBBLE is a sweet, yet slimy surprise and includes RTD's effective social commentary which lands so well. 

'Callie Cooke's performance as Lindy is delightful and carries the story throughout, but it is the powerful finale which clarifies once again that Ncuti Gatwa IS The Doctor, backed with some of my favourite music from Murray Gold this season.'

You can tune into the next episode of Doctor Who, Dot and Bubble, on BBC One, Saturday 1st June.

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who fans praise 'fabulous' character for 'breaking boundaries' ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/doctor-who-fans-praise-fabulous-character-for-breaking-boundaries kXNRY6uoPytrn2EdzxiT5g Sun, 19 May 2024 20:02:14 +0000 Mon, 20 May 2024 08:30:18 +0000 false false false

Doctor Who is back on screens and fans have shown their appreciation for the new cast, in particular, the arrival of Jinkx Monsoon. 

Viewers also saw the introduction of Varada Sethu, who is the Doctor's future companion.

American drag queen Jinkx Monsoon plays Maestro, perhaps Doctor Who's most powerful villain yet - and fans are already very impressed. 

'Jinkx Monsoon is smashing stereotypes and taking on Doctor Who with fabulous fierceness!' wrote one fan on X (formerly Twitter). 

While another said, 'i cant believe doctor who got Jinkx Monsoon as one of the villains dskfgjng i want to watch it but i need to go through 3 (???) more doctors before that season.'

And another wrote, 'Late to the party but JINKX WAS SO GOOD IN DOCTOR WHO.'

While another wrote, 'Breaking Boundaries! Jinkx Monsoon, the iconic drag superstar, is making history once again as the FIRST drag artist to join the cast of Doctor Who!'

And another wrote on the social media platform, '8.5 out of 10. The best so far this season not that was a hard thing to beat. Jinkx managed to elevate a rather dull story pretty well in the 2nd episode, but I found Space Babies to be a pure dumpster fire. Boom finally felt like Doctor who again.'

While another wrote,'Watching Doctor Who for the first time because, Jinkx, and I really have no idea what this show is about.'

Jinx says that as a trans queer actor, she feels like Doctor Who was a natural choice. 

"Sci-fi has always been queer. Anyone who tells you otherwise is delusional," she told the BBC. 

"There are prominent writers, directors, producers who are queer in these fields. And it just hasn't really been able to be talked about and a lot of them nowadays are done being silent."

The next Doctor Who episode, 73 Yards written by Russell T Davies, will air next Saturday 25th May at 6.50pm.

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who season 14 episode 2 recap: Meeting Maestro ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/doctor-who-season-14-episode-2-recap-meeting-maestro Qt687XdgRa3JCB93YHr3UJ Sat, 11 May 2024 19:30:36 +0000 false false false

This article contains full spoilers for Doctor Who season 14 episode 2, "The Devil's Chord". Doctor Who has entered a new era, one starring the 15th Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa), and he's headed off on a fresh series of adventures across space and time on the BBC and Disney Plus.

In the second part of the series' two-episode premiere, Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) asks the Doctor to take her back in time to watch The Beatles work on their very first album. What should be an exciting trip ends up being a brush with a truly terrifying foe: Maestro, one of The Toymaker's children.

Having been summoned by a composer in 1927, Maestro set about stealing the music of the world, meaning this particular incarnation of The Beatles is a far cry from the band we all know and love. And when Maestro reappears in 1963, Abbey Road Studios becomes a battleground between the Doctor and his most powerful foe yet. Here's a full recap of everything that happened in Doctor Who season 14 episode 2

Arrival at Abbey Road 

Paul McCartney (George Caple), George Harrison (Philip Davies) and John Lennon (Chris Mason) performing together as The Beatles in Doctor Who season 14 episode 2

The Doctor and Ruby take a trip back in time to see The Beatles. (Image credit: Natalie Seery/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

Episode 2 begins in 1925, with a music teacher sitting at a piano beside a young lad, Henry Arbinger. Disinterested, Henry asks him to play something more interesting: he plays “The Devil’s Chord” and then a piece of music using the chord in context, and the piano lid falls closed. Drake investigates, and Maestro emerges. They explain Henry is their “prelude”, and Maestro promptly removes him from existence, explaining they are music themself. Maestro labels Drake a genius composer… and promptly steals the music from inside him, gobbling it up with delight. 

After the titles, we’re inside the TARDIS. The Doctor asks Ruby where she wants to go next, and she leaps straight to visiting Abbey Road to watch the Beatles record their first album. After a dashing outfit change (and a dance on the infamous street crossing), the pair dash down to the EMI Recording Studios (as it was known in 1963). They sneak in by pretending to be tea workers and walk into the recording booth… but the Beatles they’re watching are a far cry from the Beatles we all know. To check what’s going on, the pair drop in on Cilla Black and then an entire orchestra. It’s safe to say, all the performances are pretty dire. 

In the canteen, the duo discuss the distinct absence of music in the world, and after a peek at the newspaper, the Doctor realizes that music’s disappearance from the world has changed the course of history. From some one-to-one chats between John and Ruby and the Doctor and Paul McCartney, the pair learn that music started going wrong in the 20s or 30s, and these Beatles don’t really see music as anything but a waste of time, really. McCartney does admit that there is a moving collection of notes lingering in the back of his mind, but that’s all that he thinks about. And when he puts words to it, the duo sees Maestro’s face reflected in all the surfaces around the room, and the Doctor knows something's seriously wrong.  

Maestro's plot

Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon) climbing out of a piano in Doctor Who season 14 episode 2

Maestro's drawn out by the sound of music... (Image credit: Natalie Seery/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

The Doctor has some workmen install a piano on the roof to experiment with music and what it might do. Remembering seeing Ruby play the piano in the past, he invites her to play again, as he wants to see what happens when they bring music back. People throw open their windows to listen to Ruby play and are clearly happy to hear some music once more, but the piano jerks away from her mid-song. Before long, an irate Maestro clambers out of the piano. And hearing that distinctive laugh (which you might remember from the third special, helpfully titled “The Giggle”), the Doctor grabs Ruby’s hand and the pair flee Maestro as fast as they can.

The Doctor takes Ruby down to a nearby cellar to hide. Maestro strikes a tuning fork and uses it to search for the mystery pianist. The Doctor tries to waylay Maestro by using his sonic device to temporarily silence the area, but Maestro dips their vibrating tuning fork into a nearby puddle, overriding the effect. But just as they’re about to find our time travelers, an elderly citizen sits down at her piano and plays the opening bars of “Claire de Lune”. Maestro follows the music and silences the poor woman, and our duo leaves their hiding spot.

The Doctor explains why he's so frightened about this new presence: he doesn’t think he could survive another encounter with a being that is on the same power scale as The Toymaker, and he simply does not know how to fight Maestro. Ruby tries to assuage his fears of the world falling to pieces; after all, she’s living proof that the world didn’t end in 1963, as she was born to a world full of music in 2004. But after taking the TARDIS on a quick jaunt to London in 2024, things look decidedly bleak. A nuclear winter has descended on the city. Without music, the Doctor believes the human race went to war as they couldn’t express themselves in any meaningful way. 

Whilst they grapple with the situation they’re ambushed by Maestro and transported to a black void, where the being sits down at a piano. Maestro recognizes the Doctor’s power as that of the same person who trapped their father, the Toymaker, not long ago. Maestro is the essence of music itself, apparently, but Ruby asks how Maestro can call this a win, seeing as the world’s gone and there’s no music left. Maestro counters: music’s not gone, the purest music of all, that of wind passing over or through stuff (known as aeolian tones”), is still there. Every song unsung feeds Maestro’s power, and they aim to steal those few last sounds until there’s no life left. 

According to the laws of fair play established by the Toymaker, the Doctor is entitled to know how Maestro arrived. They explain that a genius composer found the lost chord to summon them to his world, leading the Doctor to reason that a different combination of notes could be used to banish Maestro once more. Maestro knows that only a genius composer could find this, and promptly uses their powers over sound and resonance to take control of the TARDIS. The pair run inside and the Doctor manages to send the TARDIS back to 1963.

Everything ends with a twist

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) with a guitar in Abbey Road Studios in Doctor Who season 14 episode 2

The Doctor faces Maestro in a musical duel. (Image credit: Natalie Seery/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

The pair head back into the studio, determined to record the right frequency, but Maestro’s musical notes grab Ruby and start dragging her through the corridors. Trapped, the Doctor’s forced to smash the recording booth window and chase after Ruby into the orchestra hall. Maestro wants Ruby as she’s the last human with music still in her heart. Unfortunately, when Ruby’s compelled to sing, both the Doctor and Maestro are very confused by the “hidden song” deep in her soul. With a flick of Maestro’s tuning fork, the new song plays: it’s “Carol of the Bells”, the song playing the night Ruby was born.

Snow begins to fall once more, and Maestro starts to fret about how she can possess so much power, mentioning it’s power like “him, the oldest one” (whoever that might be), a mystery figure who could’ve been there near Ruby. Maestro lets Ruby go and tells the Doctor she is “very wrong”. Annoyed, he runs over to the Abbey Road piano, the one the Beatles play on their greatest hits, and he reasons it has the power to send Maestro packing. Cue a musical duel, with the Doctor on the piano and Maestro playing a violin.

Partway through, Ruby joins him on the keys, and Maestro’s violin falls to pieces. At that, the Doctor starts playing some notes, finding the beginnings of the lost chord needed to banish Maestro. The Doctor manages to think up most of the sequence but hits a bum note. This allows Maestro to bounce back and send the piano rolling out of the room with their musical powers, before trapping our time travelers inside some of the studio's instruments. 

Maestro might have the upper hand in the studio, but they forgot to account for the presence of some other nearby musical geniuses: John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Outside, the pair wander past the piano and play the chord that’s magically written out and hovering in mid-air above the instrument. At that, the piano surges back into the room, Maestro is dragged inside it, and Ruby and the Doctor are freed from their homes. As Maestro’s banished, they cryptically proclaim ‘the one who waits is almost here’. Who might that be?

Before they go home, The Doctor and Ruby celebrate the return of music to the world with a big song-and-dance number throughout the studio, stopping for a quick dance on the iconic Abbey Road crosswalk that leads them back into the TARDIS. 

Doctor Who is now airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Disney Plus elsewhere. 

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who season 14 episode 1 recap: Saving the space babies ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/doctor-who-season-14-episode-1-recap-saving-the-space-babies YW6TH8Bmexn39NyVzBdyZB Sat, 11 May 2024 19:00:21 +0000 false false false

This article contains full spoilers for Doctor Who season 14 episode 1, "Space Babies". Doctor Who has entered a new era, one starring the 15th Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa), and he's headed off on a fresh series of adventures across space and time on the BBC and Disney Plus. 

In the first episode of the season, the Doctor whisks Ruby Sunday (new companion Millie Gibson) away for her first proper Whoniverse adventure. And after a brief prehistoric problem, the Doctor invites Ruby to suggest a random date and they head far into the future, finding themselves coming to the aid of a group of space babies who are being terrorized by a creature known only as The Bogeyman. Here's a full recap of everything that happened in Doctor Who season 14 episode 1.

The butterfly effect

Ruby Sunday and The 15th Doctor (L-R) standing in a space station corridor in Doctor Who season 14 episode 1

The Doctor's latest adventure is ago! (Image credit: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

We pick up right at the end of the 2023 Doctor Who Christmas special, with Ruby approaching the TARDIS. Inside, she is amazed to find that yes, it’s much bigger on the inside. The 15th Doctor welcomes her in to look around and she quizzes him about all manner of things: why the TARDIS looks the way it does, why he’s called the Doctor, and where he’s from. Essentially, it's all the classic companion stuff. 

If you need a reminder, that, but if you need a refresh: the TARDIS is meant to camouflage itself to its surroundings but it got stuck looking like a blue British police box due to a malfunctioning chameleon circuit, this Doctor is from Gallifrey, and is the last of their kind, and no, we still don’t know what the Doctor’s real name is. 

With that out of the way, the Doctor whisks Ruby Sunday off for a random trip through space and time, landing 150 million years in the past in what will be North America. Outside, Ruby finds herself staring at a prehistoric Earth… but when she steps on a random butterfly (she was worrying about the butterfly effect just moments before), the Doctor is terrified to see her shape and form change into that of an insect-like form and she starts threatening to kill him. Thankfully, the Doctor breathes some life back into the butterfly, and Ruby reverts back to normal. After that blip, they head forward in time, to the year 21506, and arrive at a huge space station. 

After a brief encounter with a terrifying creature in the bowels of the station, the pair flee to another level of the station where the Doctor realizes they’ve landed on a “baby farm”, built to support the population of the planet Pacifico Del Rio. Whilst the Doctor is distracted trying to figure out what’s wrong with the station, a baby in a stroller rolls in, complaining about temperature fluctuations in the station. The kid mistakenly assumes the Doctor and Ruby are his mother and father, and rushes off to tell the others as they’ve been waiting for mummy and daddy to show up. Naturally, the Doctor is very interested to see what a baby farm run by space babies looks like, so they follow along. 

The baby leads them into a central control room filled with more space babies, all in strollers. Captain Poppy orders them to get back to work ‘to show mummy and daddy what a good job they’ve been doing’ all this time. Turns out the babies took over running the operation when all the crew abandoned ship. The babies “grew up” to take control of the station, but they stayed the same size. When they ask how they’ve done so well, they find out a presence called “Nanny” has been overseeing the babies’ from a remote location on deck. 

At the mention of the creature downstairs, all the babies erupt into cries of fear over The Bogeyman. The Doctor demands to know what the creature’s doing down there, and why it’s so scary. He finds a headset and reaches out to the “nanny”, telling them the station’s in serious trouble as a huge amount of pressure is building up elsewhere on deck. In response, the Doctor is directed to Portal 357, a storage room on this floor. 

Meeting Jocelyn

En route, Ruby frets about getting back to Earth on her birthday as her mum’s waiting for her. The Doctor tells her it’s strange that she was left as a foundling, just like the crew abandoned the space babies: what a coincidence, right? Ruby maintains she doesn’t know anything about her birth mother; whilst she remembers being left, the Doctor witnesses a mysterious woman pointing at him that very night. Ruby interrupts his vision, as there appears to be snow falling in the space station. The Doctor tells her it's like her memory just “came through”... but this is unlike anything he’s seen before. Nanny interrupts their chat and beckons them into the storage room.

Inside, the Doctor and Ruby review footage from the ship’s log, wherein the crew sign off from duty (with many saying they resent having to do so). Nanny (whose real name is Jocelyn) blames the move on the recession: the government closed the station to save money, but the law made it illegal to stop the birthing machines. Jocelyn was the site’s accountant and doesn’t know how to fix the problems on-site. The Doctor plugs in his sonic screwdriver to her computer system; if left to sync up, it should recalibrate the system.

The Doctor asks why she’s hiding: Jocelyn tells them there’s only so much food and air left, so she doesn’t want the babies to see her die. The Doctor is willing to get everyone off the station and to a nearby world… but The Bogeyman stands between them and the TARDIS. None of them know what the creature’s deal is; Ruby says the whole thing seems like a children’s story come to life; at that moment, they’re all horrified to see Eric (the first space baby we saw) riding to confront the Bogeyman on one of Jocelyn’s monitors.

Jocelyn urges Eric to turn around, but he refuses: Eric was particularly taken by Ruby, and he says he’s going to tell the creature off, seeing as she said there’s no such thing as a Bogeyman. Feeling responsible, Ruby (swiftly followed by the Doctor) rushes to his aid. Luckily, the pair find Eric hiding in a cupboard, but all that noise they’d made to attract its attention has the creature on their trail. It traps them in a dead end… but Poppy and some of the other space babies frighten it off with a flamethrower!

Saving the day

The Doctor and Ruby Sunday in the corridors of the space station in Doctor Who season 14 episode 1

Our partners in time save everyone on board, including the Bogeyman! (Image credit: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

With the Bogeyman frightened off, the Doctor tells the babies to get out of the lower levels and tries (unsuccessfully) to send Ruby along with them. Over the radio, Jocelyn explains that the Bogeyman just appeared about six years ago (around the same time the most recent babies were born), but she’s got no idea how it got down there. The time travelers follow some sort of trail of gunk left by the creature to the ship’s parthenogenesis machine.

This machine oversees the whole station environment, and as a very literal computer, it decided to make the creature because children need enrichment and entertainment, so it made the Bogeyman frightening because it brought a children’s story to life, and it was specifically designed to be scary. Fascinating though it is, the Doctor is loathed to reveal that the Bogeyman is made out of… well, snot, from the babies… and a glob of it had fallen in Ruby’s hair. 

The creature emerges and starts to chase them through the corridors. But the sonic screwdriver’s finally recalibrated the system and Jocelyn guides them to safety, trapping the thing inside an airlock, which she intends to use to blast the creature out into space. The Doctor sends Ruby to stop Jocelyn while he climbs inside the airlock, to try and close the exterior doors. 

Moved by the fact the creature is one of a kind, like himself, The Doctor climbs in and manages to close the external door, while Ruby pulls the sonic from her monitoring system. Then, Jocelyn leaves her hiding space behind and meets all the space babies, and the Doctor is pleased to show them their favorite monster is okay, too. In a final flourish, he shows them their world, revealing that the pressure build-up in one of the hulls was a huge build-up of methane from the babies’ nappies. With that gas vented, the ship’s set on course for a trip to their new home, leaving our duo to return to the TARDIS.

Outside, the Doctor offers her a TARDIS key, inviting her to come along for the ride. Happily, she takes him up on the offer. Inside, he tells her the only place they can’t go is the night she was abandoned as a baby because it would make a big paradox and could end up causing a ton of timey-wimey trouble. But Ruby wanted him to take her back to be with her adoptive mother, Carla, not long after she disappeared on Christmas Eve. The TARDIS materializes in their kitchen (much to Carla’s chagrin). Before he comes to meet the rest of the family, the Doctor checks the progress on a DNA scan of Ruby… what is he looking for?  

Doctor Who is now airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Disney Plus elsewhere. 

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who's Millie Gibson on The Doctor and Ruby's 'beautiful friendship' ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/doctor-whos-millie-gibson-on-the-doctor-and-rubys-beautiful-friendship VTN8foxQVKGViN4FZkqbpc Fri, 10 May 2024 11:02:42 +0000 false false false

Millie Gibson is all set for a world of adventure as new companion Ruby Sunday in the latest season of Doctor Who.

We first met Ruby in the 2023 Christmas Special "The Church On Ruby Road" when she was trying to find out more about her origins after being abandoned on the doorstep of a church as a baby, and subsequently fostered by Carla Sunday (Michelle Greenidge). Ruby's investigation led her into the path of a certain Time Lord known as The Doctor, and now her life will never be the same again.

We caught up with Millie to find out more about life in the TARDIS in Doctor Who season 14, and why watching Ruby make her screen debut on Christmas Day was an unforgettable experience...

Millie Gibson interview for Doctor Who

What can you tell us about what's in store in the upcoming season of Doctor Who?

"Every single episode feels like a mini-movie. They're all very different, and there are new monsters — and we go to two different decades, which is really very cool. There are some amazing cameos too!"

What can we expect from the Doctor and Ruby's relationship across this series?

"They'd barely met in the Christmas special, but people have already seen how much chemistry and how much love they have for one another, so yeah, they grow a lot closer on the adventures they have. They meet people, they lose people, and they just stay together through it all. It's a beautiful friendship to watch on screen that's purely platonic."

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby (Millie Gibson) run down the street towards the camera in 60s attire - he's wearing a navy blue double-breasted pinstripe suit, she's wearing a mod-style black-and-white dress

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby (Millie Gibson) on an adventure in 1960s London (Image credit: Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

Your first episode aired on Christmas Day — what was that like?

"Oh my God, it was crazy! There weren't fireworks going off outside my house or anything, but I just had close family with me, and I kept checking the time on my phone and being like, 'there's still five hours until it's on!' It was on my mind constantly, but when it came out, it was like, 'oh — that wasn't too bad!' It was a lovely day, that day will definitely stay with me for the rest of my life."

Have there been any moments during filming when things didn't quite go to plan?

"There was one moment in the Regency episode, it was a really sad scene, and it was awful — we just couldn't stop laughing. And when we're on wires — we just can't take each other seriously!"

There are some fantastic guest stars lined up for this season. Were there any you were particularly excited to work with?

"Jinkx Monsoon! And Indira Varma — she was incredible. She could do improv and she was so quick, I was like, 'I can't keep up, I can't even reply!' She was insane - she is everything as that character."

Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon) clambers out from inside a piano, leaning on the frame and grinning menacingly, wearing a glittery black outfit with lapels that look like a piano keyboard

RuPaul's Drag Race star Jinkx Monsoon plays the villainous Maestro in "The Devil's Chord" (Image credit: Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

What was the moment where it really sank in that you were making Doctor Who?

"For me there was one moment, and it's already aired so I can talk freely about it! When we're in the dance club [in "The Church On Ruby Road"] and Ncuti is twirling around, the whole crew felt the atmosphere in that scene. I wasn't even on camera at this point so it was a wasted performance, but I was just literally crying — I was like 'this is it, this is Doctor Who, this is our era, this is the whole new spice and theme that we've brought to this show', so yeah, that was probably my moment. But the whole crew felt it that day!"

  • The new series of Doctor Who launches at midnight on Saturday May 11 on BBC iPlayer with two episodes, which will be screened on BBC1 at 6.20pm and 7.05pm. Internationally the show streams on Disney+ where available, with the launch set for 7pm ET on Friday May 10 in the US.
]]> <![CDATA[ How to watch Doctor Who: Unleashed — stream the season 14 companion show ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/how-to-watch-doctor-who-unleashed-stream-the-season-14-companion-show v8ep8S6kn97XRZYRdqEphf Fri, 10 May 2024 09:02:39 +0000 Fri, 10 May 2024 09:04:53 +0000 false false false

If you're a huge fan of a certain classic sci-fi series, then you'll want to enjoy it as much as possible by watching Doctor Who: Unleashed when you catch up on episodes of the newest season of the main-series show.

Quick links

UK: BBC Three | iPlayer (free)
International: Not available
Watch abroad with a VPN

Fans couldn't be more excited that Doctor Who season 14 is finally here after a long wait, and we've already got a guide on how to watch Doctor Who season 14 if you haven't yet figured out how you'll catch that.

But Doctor Who: Unleashed is a companion series which lets you peek behind closed doors, finding out how the creators and stars created each episode. Unleashed episodes for season 14 will feature deep dives into the creation of episodes, interviews with the people in front of and behind the camera, and more, all presented by Steffan Powell.

So here's how to watch Doctor Who: Unleashed from wherever you are.

How to watch Doctor Who: Unleashed in the UK

The BBC maintains the rights for all things Doctor Who in the UK, and that includes Doctor Who: Unleashed; in fact, it still makes the show itself.

The show will premiere on TV on Saturday, 11 May on BBC Three. The first episode will air at 8 pm, and the second half an hour later.

As you'll know Doctor Who season 14 proceeds with weekly episodes after the two-episode debut and Unleashed is no different, with episodes playing on Saturdays at roughly the time slots. It varies a little bit, though; episode 3 plays at 7:35 pm, for example, so keep your eye on the BBC's program guide here.

If you're not near your TV but still want to watch Doctor Who: Unleashed live, you can do so online as iPlayer allows for streaming live channels.

Don't care about watching live? iPlayer is still the place for you, as it'll host all of the previous episodes in its library. This is already populated by Doctor Who: Unleashed episodes about the 60th anniversary specials and Children in Need episode, which you can check out too. 

Remember, all these options are free to those who pay their license fee.

How to watch Doctor Who: Unleashed in the US or AU

While Disney Plus is airing episodes of Doctor Who season 14 in most places around the world, it won't be doing the same for episodes of Doctor Who: Unleashed.

No, they remain exclusive to BBC, and there's no evidence that anyone will be airing them outside the UK. Sorry, Whovians, but you'll have to find another way to watch Unleashed...

How to watch Doctor Who: Unleashed everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch Doctor Who: Unleashed, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite show, movie or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

  • Download the app at NordVPN
  • Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
  • Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!
Editors Choice

NordVPN is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to watch what you want, from wherever you want to watch it.

It's straightforward and easy to use, has great security, is available on loads of streaming devices and, best of all, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out 100% risk-free. Give it a go.VIEW DEAL ON

]]> <![CDATA[ How to watch Doctor Who season 14: stream the sci-fi series online ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/how-to-watch-doctor-who-season-14-stream-the-sci-fi-series-online Fz7Rp5nAT3tYTwnV9Tap8N Thu, 09 May 2024 15:43:23 +0000 Fri, 10 May 2024 09:04:20 +0000 false false false

Three years on from the last full series, Doctor Who season 14 sees Ncuti Gatwa properly taking control of the TARDIS after the recent Christmas caper that introduced him to his new companion, Ruby Sunday. 

Quick links

UK: BBC iPlayer (free)
US: Disney Plus
Watch abroad with a VPN

Everything we've learned about the new series has us amped up to see what's in store. Russell T. Davies is back as the showrunner, Steven Moffat has penned one of the forthcoming episodes, and Ncuti certainly seems like he could rank among the very best actors to play the titular Time Lord from what we've seen of him so far. 

This latest set of journeys across space and time will include a meeting with the Beatles and a face-off with the Doctor's 'most powerful foe' yet, along with all the other great stuff that's sure to be in store throughout the rest of the season. And fans who want to see how the show comes together have also got the return of Unleashed to look forward to and here's how to watch Doctor Who: Unleashed if you're interested.

With things looking pretty bright in the Whoniverse, now's the perfect time to get watching. Whether you're a newcomer jumping on board for this new era, or you've been waiting for a full-length season of Doctor Who since the 2021 Flux storyline, here's how to watch Doctor Who season 14 online.

How to watch Doctor Who season 14 in the US

If you want to watch Doctor Who season 14 in the US, you'll need to be a Disney Plus. subscriber. The new season debuts with a two-episode premiere on Friday, May 10 available to stream from 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT. New episodes will debut every week after that. 

Doctor Who has previously aired on other US platforms, but the long-running sci-fi show struck up a partnership with the BBC in 2022 that saw episodes (starting with the 60th-anniversary specials) airing exclusively on the Disney platform. 

If you're not already a Disney Plus subscriber, we'd seriously recommend considering the Disney Bundle. It combines Disney Plus and Hulu for just $9.99 a month, with the option of more expensive tiers that include ESPN Plus, too.

How to watch Doctor Who season 14 in the UK

Unlike the rest of the world, Whovians in the show's home country don't need to go anywhere new. That's because the show is still airing in the same place: on the BBC. 

The series will kick things off with a two-episode premiere on Saturday, May 11, with episodes available at midnight on BBC iPlayer, in line with the global release on Disney Plus. 

If you don't want to stay up late, the series will continue to get a primetime Saturday slot on BBC One. The first two episodes will air on BBC One back-to-back at 6.20 pm and 7.05 pm on May 11, right before the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.

This pattern will continue for the rest of the season, with a new episode dropping at midnight on iPlayer before the Saturday night TV slot. 

How to watch Doctor Who season 14 in Australia

As with the US (and wherever else the streamer is available), anyone in Australia looking to take a trip to the Whoniverse will find the series on Disney Plus.

According to a press release from Disney, the forthcoming season will be available to stream on Saturday, May 11, starting with the two-episode premiere and weekly episode drops for the remainder of the series.

Disney Plus costs $13.99 per month for the Standard tier or $17.99 for the premium offering in Australia. 

How to watch Doctor Who season 14 everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch Doctor Who season 14, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite TV shows, movies or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

  • Download the app at NordVPN
  • Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
  • Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!
Editors Choice

NordVPN is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to watch what you want, from wherever you want to watch it.

It's straightforward and easy to use, has great security, is available on loads of streaming devices and, best of all, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out 100% risk-free. Give it a go.VIEW DEAL ON

]]> <![CDATA[ Jinkx Monsoon on playing new Doctor Who villain Maestro ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/jinkx-monsoon-on-playing-new-doctor-who-villain-maestro MZ5R7FmGLa9ZE5VpiNQqJN Thu, 09 May 2024 15:09:58 +0000 Fri, 10 May 2024 14:22:51 +0000 false false false

Jinkx Monsoon plays a brand new Doctor Who baddie called Maestro, a powerful musical villain who's set to wreak havoc in the 1960s and stop the era swinging! The character arrives in "The Devil's Chord", which is the second episode of the 14th Doctor Who series which fans can watch on Saturday May 11 2024.

This American drag queen, known as the Queen of All Queens, found fame when she won the fifth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2013. Then in 2022 she won RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, making her the first two-time winner of the show. She’s also pursued a career in music, releasing two studio albums, and made her Broadway debut in 2023, treading the boards as Matron "Mama" Morton in Chicago 

Now Jinkx Monsoon dons a ginger wig and a tuxedo cape emblazoned with piano keys in a thrilling episode that sees the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and his companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) travel back to 1960s London in order to meet The Beatles, only to encounter the Maestro, who’s seeking to change the course of musical history! Look out for Cilla Black too trying to record a song at Abbey Road Studios! Strictly stars Shirley Ballas and Johannes Radebe rock up too for fun cameos! 

Here Jinkx Monsoon, 36, reveals much more about her Doctor Who character Maestro…


The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby (Millie Gibson) run down the street towards the camera in 60s attire - he's wearing a navy blue double-breasted pinstripe suit, she's wearing a mod-style black-and-white dress

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby (Millie Gibson) in The Devil's Chord adventure set in the 1960s. (Image credit: Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

Jinkx Monsoon in a piano-themed gown for Doctor Who season 14

Jinkx Monsoon in Maestro's piano-themed gown for Doctor Who season 14. (Image credit: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

Jinkx Monsoon interview on playing Maestro

How did you get the part of Maestro in Doctor Who?
Jinkx Monsoon says: "I’ve been friends with Russell T Davies for a long time. He has been to so much of my stuff and has always been so supportive. He came to see my show in Manchester, which is a farce set in the future. Afterwards, he was walking home and he realised he wanted me to play this particular role in Doctor Who. At that moment, he started writing the role a little bit more with me in mind. When I got the script, the character’s description said, one part the Joker, one part Jinkx Monsoon!"

What more can you reveal about Maestro?
"Maestro is exceptionally powerful. When human rules don't apply to you, you get to do whatever you want. You don't have to worry about whether your emotions make sense to people because you don't have to answer to them. And that's really freeing when you’re playing a character. The thing I love about a villain is that what they’re doing is justified because it's for something greater that they've planned. What I love about Maestro is that while objectively evil, they’re an artist, they have a mission statement, and that was really lovely to play."

What did you most enjoy about the role?
"Maestro treats the Doctor like he’s no threat, and that's a really fun thing to work with. When you have someone trying to take you down, but they don't really scare you that much, that’s so enjoyable. It made for a dynamic performance between Ncuti and me. Maestro has a fascination with the Doctor. To get to play against someone who hates you and is trying to tear you down and trying to stop you when you just find them adorable – that’s great to play. It really informs the character of the villain!"

How did you find working on Doctor Who?
"I loved it! Every person I interacted with, from day one until the day I left, was absolutely lovely. Everyone was happy to be there and having fun doing their job. Nothing is worse than when you come to your dream job and everyone else seems to be apathetic. It really felt like we were all doing something we really cared about, and that made for a really lovely environment on set. Ncuti was just so generous and no one cared that this was only my third live-action scripted TV appearance!"

You got into Doctor Who during the pandemic. What do you love about it?
"It’s got this element of camp, and this sci-fi suspension of disbelief, where it's stylized and it's fun, and it's funny. But it's also written so well. Each episode can move you. Every story has got a point and is trying to teach you something, small or large. I'm really excited to be a part of this episode, in a season that's going to really shake the foundation of the Whoniverse!"

Could you describe your experience on Doctor Who in five words?
"Dream job of a lifetime."

* Doctor Who season 14 launches on BBCiPlayer in the UK and worldwide on Disney Plus on Saturday May 11 2024, with the first two episodes being shown from then, followed by a weekly release. Doctor Who series 14 also starts in the UK on BBC1 from Saturday May 11 2024 at 6.20pm with The Devil's Chord starting at 7.05pm.

New Doctor Who star Jinkx Monsoon in a colorful dress

Doctor Who star Jinkx Monsoon as a star drag queen. (Image credit: Alec White)
]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa promises mischievous adventures ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/doctor-whos-ncuti-gatwa-promises-mischievous-adventures dbA6HJvUtaRhDrck7ndxRm Thu, 09 May 2024 13:18:44 +0000 Tue, 20 May 2025 12:12:35 +0000 false false false

It's been a long wait for Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor to take the helm of the TARDIS, but the moment is finally here as Doctor Who season 14 arrives!

After his casting was announced in May 2022, we finally got to see Ncuti as the Doctor for the first time in the 60th anniversary special "The Giggle" in December 2023, followed by his first full-length adventure on Christmas Day in "The Church On Ruby Road", which saw his first encounter with new companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson).

Finally this weekend Doctor Who fans can look forward to a full series of adventures in time and space with the 15th Doctor as the series launches on the BBC in the UK and on Disney Plus internationally on Saturday May 11 with a double bill of episodes, "Space Babies" and "The Devil's Chord" — and as we catch up with Ncuti ahead of the new series, the Sex Education star assures us that the wait will be worth it...

Ncuti Gatwa interview for Doctor Who

How does it feel now that people have finally had a chance to see your Doctor in action?

"I certainly feel like some anxiety has been alleviated. It feels good to have something out there now, it's been such a build up for the pair of us, from getting cast to starting filming, so it's felt very much in limbo. Now it's out there, it feels like, 'okay guys, you've got something now!'"

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) stands on one of the gangways in the TARDIS, wearing a long brown leather coat and leaning on the handrail with his left arm

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) in the TARDIS (Image credit: Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

What can we expect from the Doctor and Ruby's relationship over the course of this series?

"They just love getting up to mischief together. The first time the Doctor sees Ruby, she's jumping on a ladder, and he's like 'this girl is cool — I like her!' They're both up for an adventure constantly, and they're causing trouble wherever they go. Millie and I always say we're very similar to the Doctor and Ruby!"

Each new story on Doctor Who is a different genre and setting — have you enjoyed that challenge?

"Millie and I were saying that all the time during season one — we're prepared for anything now! There's not a job after this that we won't be prepared for — whatever genre or era you want, we've got a showreel for you! It's exciting, there's a new director on each block, so every two episodes, and they bring a new energy into it. You're constantly learning and being challenged in a good way — artistically, creatively, it pushes you."

You and Millie both joined the show at the same time — was it nice to go through that experience together?

"Yeah! I was otherwise occupied, so I had a couple of days on Doctor Who, then I had to go back to my other job and I'd be like [whispers] 'oh my God, I wonder how Millie's getting on? I hope she's okay, I can't wait to see her!' And then we got back together, and I was like 'ah, this feels so good to be here doing this'. It's because it's essentially just us two in the cast for nine months. It's incredible, of course, but it's challenging — you're hanging off wires in the middle of the night and you've got to push each other, keep each other up, and that's what we do for one another."

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) photographed standing back-to-back inside the TARDIS in Doctor Who season 14

Ncuti and Millie kept each other motivated during long shoots on set (Image credit: BBC Studios/James Pardon/Bad Wolf)

Have there been any times on set where things haven't quite gone according to plan?

"Every day — I'm just trying to think of one that's printable! Every time me and Millie are on wires, the crew just despairs — we're going 'wheeeeeee!' But yeah, every day was a ball on that set. The funniest thing is when you watch stuff back after it comes out of the edit, and you're like, 'wow, that monster looks terrifying', but on the day you were acting with a tennis ball on a stick, which always makes me laugh!"

Doctor Who is getting a huge international rollout this season on the BBC in the UK and Disney Plus worldwide. How does that feel?

"It feels good! I feel like the show deserves this moment. Everyone I speak to about Doctor Who says that someone has passed it on to them, like a family member, and they get that look in their eyes when you speak to them about it that's warm and nostalgic. It's such a beautiful show that deserves a lot of love injected into it — I feel like it deserves this time to shine."

  • The new series of Doctor Who launches at midnight on Saturday May 11 on BBC iPlayer with two episodes, which will be screened on BBC1 at 6.20pm and 7.05pm. Internationally the show streams on Disney Plus where available, with the launch set for 7pm ET on Friday May 10 in the US.
]]> <![CDATA[ EastEnders legend Angela Wynter as you've never seen her before in Doctor Who role ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/eastenders-legend-angela-wynter-as-youve-never-seen-her-before-in-doctor-who-role XZEYsbzvh5TsnGhqHMbPMF Wed, 08 May 2024 13:24:40 +0000 false false false

EastEnders favourite Angela Wynter will appear in Doctor Who season 14 as she lands a completely different role from her soap character Yolande Trueman.

Angela is best known for playing Yolande, who made a permanent return to the soap last year and reunited with her life-partner Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker).

Yolande is currently involved in a heartbreaking storyline where she suffered a horrific sexual assault at the hands of Pastor Clayton (Howard Saddler) and finally revealed the devastating secret to Patrick in a special two-hander episode.

Angela made an appearance in the Doctor Who Christmas special last year and now she is set to step back into the TARDIS as her character Cherry in the upcoming series, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary.

Cherry is the adopted grandmother of the Doctor's (Ncuti Gatwa) companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). Ruby was the adoptive daughter of a woman named Carla (Michelle Greenidge) and was living in a large flat with her elderly grandmother Cherry.

Cherry drinking a cup of tea.

Angela Wynter plays Cherry in Doctor Who. (Image credit: Lara Cornell/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios 2023)

Due to Cherry's ailing health, she refused to relocate to Manchester to be with Carla and Ruby, so the pair moved in with Cherry to take care of her everyday needs.

When Carla started to foster a baby named Lulubelle, Cherry was irritated by her presence and was annoyed by Ruby and Carla failing to make her a cup of tea after letting the last one go cold. 

Lulubelle was later kidnapped by goblins who tried to eat her on their ship and the Doctor rescued her, but when he returned to the flat, Ruby had disappeared.

Carla and Cherry had no memory of adopting Ruby nineteen years ago and it was later revealed that the goblins had gone back in time to stop her being found on the steps of a church after being abandoned by her mother.

The Doctor, using his TARDIS, went back in time to stop them and took Ruby back to her home, restoring the original timeline.

Doctor Who season 14 will be getting a two-episode premiere on BBC iPlayer at midnight on Saturday, May 11. Doctor Who also airs on Saturday, May 11 at 7:05pm on BBC One, airing right before the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 Grand Final.

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who teases new companion for 2025 in first-look photo ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/doctor-who-teases-new-companion-for-2025-in-first-look-photo UYdsXfhPUvAzSqKCbVy4ui Fri, 12 Apr 2024 19:00:15 +0000 false false false

We're just under a month out from the return of Doctor Who, but the BBC has already released a first look at the 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, and his companions from the next series, scheduled to air in 2025. 

Ahead of the premiere of Doctor Who season 14, the BBC has confirmed that a third person will be stepping inside the TARDIS and traveling through space and time alongside the Doctor and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) with some new snaps of the trio from a table read. 

We have no information about her role, but we at least know that Varada Sethu will be joining the show for the next series. Sethu already has a number of projects under her belt, including the roles of Cinta Kaz in Andor and Shira in Jurassic World: Dominion. You may also know her from Strike Back, I Came By, Hard Sun, Annika, and Mrs. Sidhu Investigates.  

Sethu is clearly excited to set foot in the TARDIS! She says: "I feel like the luckiest person in the world. It is such an honour to be a part of the Whoniverse, and I'm so grateful to the whole Doctor Who family — because that is what they are — for welcoming me with open arms and making me feel so at home. 

"I couldn't ask for a better team than Ncuti and Millie to be on this adventure with, this is SO much fun!", she added. You can see one of the snaps from the table read for the future series below.

Millie Gibson, Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu (L-R) photographed together at a table read for Doctor Who season 15

Our new TARDIS trio.  (Image credit: James Pardon/BBC)

Returning Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies is just as excited to have Varada Sethu onboard for the future season. Of the casting announcement, he said: "I first worked with Varada on a BBC production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and it's a joy to welcome her on board the TARDIS. 

"Right now in the studio, shooting for 2025, we've got Ncuti, Millie and Varada fighting side by side - we need all three, because the stakes are higher than ever!

Doctor Who returns on Saturday, May 11 to BBC One (with two episodes available to stream from midnight on BBC iPlayer). New episodes will drop on a weekly basis. 

Outside of the UK, the series is streaming on its international streaming home of Disney Plus from Friday, May 10 at 7 pm ET, again with a two-episode premiere. 

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who boss names Jinkx Monsoon's season 14 role ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/doctor-who-boss-names-jinkx-monsoons-season-14-role CRwQWbAPYG6q5aqcMZK2gf Fri, 12 Apr 2024 11:53:40 +0000 false false false

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies has just revealed drag queen Jinkx Monsoon's role in Doctor Who season 14... and it might mean we'll be seeing a new version of The Master very soon! 

When Jinkx Monsoon was originally revealed, her precise role in the Whoniverse wasn't confirmed. All we knew at that time was that Monsoon would be playing a new villain, and her character had been labeled 'the Doctor's most powerful enemy yet'. Beyond that, and some promo shots of the character in a piano key-themed robe, we were left in the dark. But thanks to a recent interview with Empire Magazine, we finally have some fresh info about the character. 

Davies has revealed that the new villain is called... Maestro, and he's described her villainous turn in the show as 'performance and a half'. Given her musical attire, it's perhaps no surprise that Maestro will be doing battle with the 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, in the season 14 episode, "The Devil's Chord". 

This episode is one we already have more info about, as it's the same one that sees the new Time Lord and his companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) crossing paths with the Beatles down at Abbey Road Studios.

"Maestro", crucially, literally translates to "Master". And we've not head from the Doctor's archnemesis since the most recent incarnation (played by Sacha Dhawan) faced off with Jodie Whittaker in the 60th anniversary special, "The Power of The Doctor". 

Could Jinkx Monsoon be on track to bring the beloved villain into the next era of Doctor Who? Or is the similarity purely coincidental? And will the new series contain any sequences worthy of making it onto our round-up of the greatest Doctor Who moments? We'll have to wait until the show returns to find out.  

Luckily, we'll be seeing Ncuti's first full season of Doctor Who very soon. The hit sci-fi series returns on Saturday, May 11 to BBC One (with two episodes available to stream from midnight on BBC iPlayer). New episodes will drop on a weekly basis. 

Outside of the UK, the series is streaming on its international streaming home of Disney Plus from Friday, May 10 at 7 pm ET, again with a two-episode premiere. 

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who season 14 is 'very different to any other series', says Millie Gibson ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/doctor-who-season-14-is-very-different-to-any-other-series-says-millie-gibson CdrJ6M3XGpZjHJhnREdfxj Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:50:05 +0000 false false false

New Doctor Who companion Millie Gibson has teased that Doctor Who season 14 feels 'very different to any other series' ahead of the show's return. 

In an interview in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine (on sale from Thursday, March 28), Millie shared her experience of playing Ruby Sunday, the first companion of the 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa.

Asked what surprised her most about her trip in the Whoniverse, the former Coronation Street star highlighted that returning showrunner Russell T. Davies has dreamt up a series unlike anything we've seen so far.

"I feel like this series in particular is very different to any other series of Doctor Who", she said. "I think the way Russell has written this one... the fans won't be expecting what happens next.

She went on to liken the first episode of season 14 to an episode of Netflix's Black Mirror: does that mean the show could be taking a darker turn? 

"I get so excited when I get the scripts through. Especially the first script I read – I thought, this is on a different level. It feels like a Black Mirror episode to me. It's such a different concept to, like, Daleks and stuff. This series is completely different. But there's still plenty of running from monsters, in a crazy Doctor Who way." (Quotes via Doctorwho.tv)

Doctor Who's Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) and The 15th Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) in 2023 Christmas Special The Church On Ruby Road

Ruby Sunday and the 15th Doctor are heading off on their adventures in just over a month's time.  (Image credit: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

This interview comes just after the new Doctor Who trailer for the new series landed recently. That short teaser showed some of the periods that our new duo would be traveling to... and teased some of the foes that the Doctor would be confronting. Even if this season's about to be 'very different' from what's come before, our new Doctor seems to be just as good at getting into trouble as their past selves have been!

Just days before that trailer dropped, we finally got the release date for Ncuti Gatwa's first season of Doctor Who: Saturday, May 11. Controversially, there's been a big change to the show's release schedule, as the show's now going streaming-first.

For the first time in Doctor Who history, the new series will get a two-episode premiere on BBC iPlayer, with the episodes available to stream from midnight on the day to give Whovians the chance to watch when they want. 

Fans who prefer watching the show week to week need not fret: Doctor Who will also have a primetime slot on BBC One on Saturday nights. The season premiere is airing ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final on May 11. New episodes will continue to follow this pattern on a weekly basis, releasing on iPlayer before airing the following Saturday.

Doctor Who fans outside of the UK will be able to watch the series on its new home, Disney Plus (where available). It's getting a global launch, and the first two episodes will be available from 7 pm ET on May 10.

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who release date for first Ncuti Gatwa series revealed... and there's a twist ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/doctor-who-release-date-for-first-ncuti-gatwa-series-revealed-and-theres-a-twist oGhs4mb7iB38BVk2nPTDqP Fri, 15 Mar 2024 14:00:55 +0000 false false false

The Doctor Who team has just revealed when we'll be returning to the Whoniverse for our next adventure with the 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa... and it's not far away!

The BBC announced that Doctor Who season 14 would be making "an explosive return" to our screens this spring. Our new time traveler's first full series of adventures kicks off on Saturday, May 11, before the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final. 

There's been a big scheduling change for the show this time around, too. For the first time in the show's history, the new series of Doctor Who will launch with a two-episode premiere available to stream from midnight on BBC iPlayer on the day.

After the big launch, UK viewers can either tune in to Doctor Who at primetime on Saturday nights on BBC One, or watch whenever and wherever they choose, as new episodes will continue to be made available from midnight on Saturdays. 

Outside of the UK, fans can catch up with the Doctor's adventures in time and space on Doctor Who's new home: Disney Plus. The series premieres on May 10 at 7 pm ET on Disney Plus (where available) meaning the series will launch globally simultaneously. 

Russell T. Davies, returning Doctor Who showrunner, says of the announcement: "At last, it’s my great delight to unleash a whole new season of the Doctor and Ruby’s adventures together. Monsters! Chases! Villains! Mysteries! And a terrifying secret that’s been spanning time and space for decades.  Don’t miss a second!”

Along with all this exciting info, the BBC has offered up a brief teaser for the new series. Following the Doctor and Ruby Sunday's (Coronation Street star Millie Gibson) adventure in the 2023 Doctor Who Christmas Special, the new dynamic duo will be journeying off through time and doing battle with all kinds of foes. 

The full synopsis reads: "Within the upcoming series, audiences will see the Doctor and Ruby travel through time and space on adventures to unknown lands, to the Regency era in England, to outer space worlds and the sixties. 

"This season will also see the return of Michelle Greenidge as Carla Sunday, Angela Wynter as Cherry Sunday and Anita Dobson as Mrs Flood as well as featuring an array of special guest stars including Jinkx Monsoon, Aneurin Barnard, Yasmin Finney, Jonathan Groff, Bonnie Langford, Jemma Redgrave, Lenny Rush and Indira Varma with more to be announced soon. "

Will any of the Doctor's new adventures manage to bag a spot in our round-up of Doctor Who's best moments? Only time will tell...

]]> <![CDATA[ Celebrity Bake Off 2024 confirms star-studded line up including Doctor Who legend ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/celebrity-bake-off-2024-confirms-star-studded-line-up-including-doctor-who-legend Q9w2ewJfAiwvBKe5vVkAYe Mon, 05 Feb 2024 10:05:21 +0000 false false false

Celebrity Bake Off 2024 is on the way and there's a great line-up competing this year, including stars from Doctor Who, Heartstopper, and This Morning.

20 new celebrities have been announced to take part in the Great British Bake Off 2023 spin-off, which is once again in aid of the charity Stand Up To Cancer.

Channel 4 has confirmed that this year's line-up features former Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker, presenter Dermot O'Leary and Heartstopper lead Joe Locke, who will all be hoping they've got what it takes to be crowned star baker.

Meanwhile, The Last Leg's Adam Hills, EastEnders legend Danny Dyer, comedian David O’Doherty, and Taskmaster's Fern O’Brady are all keen to compete against them.

Completing the line-up are Radio One presenter Greg James, Leigh Francis, Mel B, satirist Munya Chawawa, Oti Mabuse, Paloma Faith, The Reverend Richard Coles, Rhod Gilbert, broadcaster Sara Cox, reality star Spencer Matthews, comedian Suzi Ruffell, and presenter and documentary filmmaker Yinka Bokinni.

Alison Hammond, who has previously appeared on the spin-off and now hosts the main show, said: "I’m totally in awe of this year’s celebrity bakers, all putting their baking skills, or in some cases lack of, under nationwide scrutiny to raise money for Stand Up To Cancer.

"And as someone who proved to be something of a baking genius when I baked in the tent a few years ago, I was delighted to show them the ropes and where the oven doors were. On your mark, get set, Bake for Stand Up To Cancer."

Judge Prue Leith also teased what's to come, saying: "Brace yourself for a delectable lineup of bakers, each with their own unique flair in the kitchen – some are, admittedly, a bit more flour-savvy than others."

An air date for this year's Celebrity Bake Off has not yet been confirmed by the broadcaster, but now we have the confirmed line-up, hopefully, we won't have long to wait!

This year's line-up is all hoping to follow in the footsteps of other Celebrity Bake Off Star Bakers including Fool Me Once star Michelle Keegan, comedian  Joe Wilkinson, and Dragon's Den's  Deborah Meaden. But it's no easy task, of course!

Previous seasons of Celebrity Bake Off are available on demand via Channel 4.

]]> <![CDATA[ How to watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special online or on TV ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/how-to-watch-the-doctor-who-christmas-special-online-or-on-tv 9eWCXnccdWce4NhtPRG9nR Sun, 24 Dec 2023 12:00:28 +0000 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:21:45 +0000 false false false

After the three handover specials between him and David Tennant, Ncuti Gatwa will get to enjoy his first adventure as The Doctor in the 2023 Doctor Who Christmas Special which airs on Christmas Day.

Quick links

UK: BBC One | iPlayer (free with license fee)
US: Disney Plus
AU: Disney Plus

Joined on his debut adventure by new companion Millie Gibson, Ncuti Gatwa was teed up for this role in the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials but is now taking the title fully from David Tennant.

This new adventure involves goblins and an introduction to Gibson's companion Ruby Sunday, but little else is known about the Christmas Special just yet. This is the first festive episode Doctor Who has enjoyed since 2017, though, so it's a big entry into the Christmas TV line-up.

So here's how to watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special, whether you live in the UK or elsewhere, and want to watch it online or on TV.

How to watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special in the UK

In the UK, you can watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special live online or on TV.

On TV, you'll have to tune into BBC One on Christmas Day (that's Monday, December 25) at exactly 5:55 pm which is when the special will begin. Online, you can use iPlayer's live TV function to stream from BBC One at exactly the same time. iPlayer works on smart TVs, computers, tablets, phones and many more screens.

If you miss the Christmas Special, you can catch up using iPlayer with its video-on-demand service. 

How to watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special in the US

In the US, there's unfortunately no way of watching the Doctor Who Christmas Special using cable TV; instead, you will have to stream it online. But thankfully, it releases at exactly the same time as in the UK.

You can watch the new Doctor Who episode using Disney Plus, where it'll be uploaded at the same time it airs in the UK. That converts to 12:55 pm ET / 9:55 am PT.

Disney Plus costs $7.99 per month for its ad-enabled tier and $13.99 monthly for its ad-free one, with annual options for $79.99 and $139.99 respectively. Many people choose to sign up as part of the Disney Bundle which combines Disney Plus with Hulu for $9.99 per month, or with Hulu and ESPN Plus for $12.99 per month.

How to watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special in Australia

As in the US (and most regions outside of the UK), the Doctor Who Christmas Special will be released on Disney Plus day and date with its UK release. That's 4:55 am on Tuesday, December 26, due to how time zones work.

Disney Plus costs $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year for a subscription, and at the time of writing, there's no ad-enabled streaming tier.

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson promise 'feelgood' Christmas special ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/doctor-whos-ncuti-gatwa-and-millie-gibson-promise-feelgood-christmas-special VdPrGLDBAuK5tQTHojuWdm Fri, 22 Dec 2023 15:38:41 +0000 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:21:03 +0000 false false false

Doctor Who gave us our first glimpse of Ncuti Gatwa as The Fifteenth Doctor in "The Giggle" earlier this month, and now he's off on his first full-length adventure in the 2023 Christmas special, "The Church On Ruby Road". The BBC has also revealed that a new trailer will follow its broadcast giving a glimpse of the new season ahead.

The special sees foundling Ruby Sunday (Coronation Street's Millie Gibson), who was found on the steps of a church as a baby, on a mission to find out where she came from — but her quest brings her into the path of The Doctor, and her life will never be the same again.

We caught up with Ncuti and Millie ahead of this year's festive special...

Doctor Who Christmas Special interview with Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson

What kind of Doctor will the Fifteenth Doctor be?

Ncuti: "Oh, I don't want to say, because I don't want to paint anyone's perception of what my Doctor will be. But also, I don't quite know until it's released and I see it. But what I hear is that he's very human, he's quite emotional, he's a bit of a joker — and that's all you're getting!"

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) stands in a garden with snow falling all around him and Christmas lights in a tree. behind him. He is wearing a long brown leather coat.

The Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) will be very emotional but also a bit of a joker (Image credit: BBC)

What's the relationship like between The Doctor and Ruby?

Millie: "I've said this before, they are like two schoolgirls gossiping and plotting! It's very platonic, and I think you see their love for each other from the beginning, and how much they care for one another. I think people will be thinking about their best friends when they watch."

You've both come from shows with massive audiences — has that prepared you for Doctor Who, or is this a very different beast?

Ncuti: "I have been part of large projects in the past, but this is something particularly different, because it sits so deeply in the heart of the British public, so you want to care for it and nurture it. There's such weight to this, there's 60 years of legacy, and you want to protect that — it's like we've been passed a baton and we have to keep it up. I've never worked on a show with such a dedicated fandom before, which is another thing to look after."

Millie: "Yeah, I think when this show comes to mind, it's different for everyone. You see a certain face — when you think of Doctor Who, you think of your Doctor, so I think it's really flattering that when this new generation will watch it, they'll think of your face. It's going to be a really cool thing to be someone's Doctor, or someone's companion."

Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) is walking down a residential street carrying a bag of shopping in each hand. The Tardis is right next to her on the pavement and she is looking up at it with curiosity.

The arrival of the TARDIS spells adventure for Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) (Image credit: BBC)

What was the casting process like?

Ncuti: "I just remember thinking this is such a fun role, and the audition scene that I got had everything — there was craziness going on, but there was also a really nice, human moment with the Doctor and the companion, and it was really funny, and sweet, and then heartwarming, and then danger and high stakes again. That felt very Doctor Who to me. It's interesting, all the jobs I've got have been the ones I never thought I would get, and because I didn't think I would get them, I went in thinking 'I'm just gonna go for gold', and I guess that's..."

Millie: [in a Californian accent] "That's what you did, honey!"

Ncuti: "This is what I did!"

Millie: "I remember being in my room watching the Bafta awards when you got announced and thinking 'oh, he'll be great, I'm buzzing with that' — then going to bed and not thinking about it again! When I got the audition through, I did a self-tape and my agent thankfully went 'do that again, because they won't like that', so I was like 'okay, lovely, I'll try again!'. I actually put this vest on which looked like the TARDIS, and I was like, 'this'll get 'em!'. Obviously I got the recall, and I've never been so nervous for an audition. I remember being in a Caffè Nero opposite, going on my phone to take my mind off it, and [showrunner Russell T Davies] had posted a picture of everyone in the room — that just made me even more nervous! And then as soon as I went in the waiting room, I heard your laugh and I was like, 'I'm gonna be fine'. I walked in and I was completely at ease, and then I didn't hear back for ages. It was a quick audition process compared to many, but it also felt like the longest waiting experience ever!"

In a room that appears to be decorated for a Christmas party, Ruby (Millie Gibson) reacts with surprise when she encounters the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa)

Ruby's encounter with the Doctor will change her life forever (Image credit: BBC)

Ncuti, the day that you were unveiled, you had a call with David Tennant and Jodie Whittaker. What advice did they give you?

Ncuti: "What happens between Doctors stays between Doctors! They were just very warm and lovely and welcoming, it felt like I have known them forever. They just gave me the best advice, which is like 'this is the best role, enjoy it, there will be a lot more intense attention on you than there's ever been before'. And I was like 'that can't be right, I've just worked with Ryan Gosling [in Barbie], there's no way' — then I went home and there were paps outside my house!"

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) stands in profile wearing a long leather coat. Snow is falling all around him and there are Christmas lights in a tree in the distance.

The Church On Ruby Road is a "Christmassy" and "feelgood" episode (Image credit: BBC)

How excited are you that your first adventure together is airing on Christmas Day?

Millie: "Oh gosh, I think a lot of people are probably going to be watching, and that's terrifying! It's Christmas Day, so even people who don't watch Doctor Who are going to be like, 'do you want to whip the new Christmas special on?' just to see, because it's Christmassy and it's feelgood. I'm just hoping people will be very jolly on Prosecco when they're watching it!"

  • Doctor Who: The Church On Ruby Road is on BBC1 on Christmas Day at 5.55pm. In the US it will be available on Disney Plus.
]]> <![CDATA[ Millie Gibson opens up about why starring in Doctor Who is 'life-changing' ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/millie-gibson-opens-up-about-why-starring-in-doctor-who-is-life-changing 8tQAnGqChuasGFKtr7psMa Mon, 18 Dec 2023 10:26:58 +0000 false false false

Millie Gibson has spoken about how she feels about making her Doctor Who debut as new companion Ruby Sunday, alongside Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor.

After stepping down from her role as Kelly Neelan in Coronation Street, Millie will play the new companion traveling across time and space with The Doctor, stepping into the shoes of many famous faces.

Her role was first announced as part of Children in Need 2022, where she appeared on the stage in a TARDIS and confirmed that she would be the next person accompanying the Time Lord. 

She has since admitted that it was a difficult thing to come to terms with and that she has been "preparing" for her life to change when her debut episode as Ruby Sunday airs on BBC One.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, Millie said: "So many people have sat me down and said, ''Look, your life will change.'' It is hard to accept that.

"It's a baffling thing to be told, to be honest. The first part was actually doing the job, and preparing for that. And then the second part will be preparing for when it comes out."

Millie also opened up about leaving Coronation Street and said: "It's really easy to get too comfy there and a part of me was like, "If I don't leave now, I won't leave for a while. They didn't kill me off, which is lovely. So if it all goes wrong I can come crawling back."

Ncuti Gatwa stands in an unbottoned white shirt with a tie in Doctor Who

Ncuti Gatwa is the 15th Doctor. (Image credit: BBC Studios)

Elsewhere, co-star Ncuti Gatwa said it was "surreal" taking over from David Tennant, who he described as a "childhood hero". The two first appeared together in The Giggle, opposite Neil Patrick Harris' Toymaker villain. 

He told The Big Issue: "It feels like it's come full circle — because David was my Doctor and such a great inspiration to me as an actor.

"I would have been 13 — a pivotal time. So for him, of all people, to be handing the baton over — it just feels really surreal. Because I just loved his Doctor so much…"

The Doctor Who Christmas special lands on Christmas Day on BBC One in the UK (see our Christmas TV guide for all the top festive shows). It's on Disney Plus in the US.

]]> <![CDATA[ Ncuti Gatwa: things you didn't know about the Doctor Who star ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/ncuti-gatwa-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-doctor-who-star Ape4pSLGHywJ8RKEeoTsu Fri, 08 Dec 2023 17:23:53 +0000 false false false

Ncuti Gatwa is fast becoming a huge name in the entertainment world. Before skyrocketing to fame as Eric Effiong in Netflix's Sex Education, most of his acting roles were on stage. 

But as Eric, he quickly gathered a huge following, and his career has gone from strength to strength. His Sex Education performance earned him plenty of awards interest, including BAFTA TV, BAFTA Scotland and Rose d'Or awards.

In 2023, he played a prominent role in Barbie, one of the biggest movies of the year; the year before, he was confirmed to be the 15th Doctor and helming Doctor Who starting with the 2023 Doctor Who Christmas Special.

Since he's bound to become an even bigger presence from here, we've looked at his life so far, and found some interesting facts that you may not have known about Ncuti Gatwa...

Ncuti was couch-surfing before he booked Sex Education

As part of his Vogue interview earlier in the year, Ncuti discussed the period between his early stage work and starring in Sex Education where he wasn't getting many acting opportunities, to the point that he was forced to couch-surf and rely on money from his friends for food. 

"My self-worth felt very drained", Ncuti said. "I was like, 'If I'm not working, what am I doing with my life?". He went on to admit that landing the role of Eric Effiong came at "just. The. Right. Time".

Ncuti Gatwa as Eric Effiong in Sex Education season 4

Ncuti Gatwa as Eric Effiong in Sex Education season 4. (Image credit: Samuel Taylor/Netflix)

He kept accidentally leaking his Doctor Who casting news 

A regeneration in Doctor Who is always such a big deal; it's amazing to think that Ncuti's casting was kept a secret for so long... especially as he apparently kept leaking it himself!

Speaking to British Vogue, he let slip that he struggled to keep his casting a secret. "Keeping it a secret until the announcement was very difficult", he said. "I'd often get a little tipsy in Soho House, make a new best friend in the bathroom, tell them and run off. Thankfully, it never got out."

Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor for Doctor Who season 14

Our first look at Ncuti Gatwa in costume as the Doctor. (Image credit: BBC/Bad Wolf)

Ncuti would love to play a villain

The closest Ncuti has come to being a villain so far is being one of the Kens who've taken over Barbieland, but he's keen to take on some very different roles.

While speaking to Rolling Stone UK, he talked about wanting to play a villain, because he loves the "transformative" element of acting, and wanted to play something (or someone) completely different to himself. 

In particular, he teased that he'd be interested in playing a Bond villain; he also said he'd be open to playing "The Shadow Man" — aka Dr. Facilier — if and when Disney gets around to the live-action version of The Princess and the Frog!

A post shared by Ncuti Gatwa (@ncutigatwa)

A photo posted by on

Russell T. Davies says he 'stole' the role of the Doctor 

On the red carpet of the 2022 BAFTA TV Awards (shortly after Ncuti had been confirmed as Jodie Whittaker's replacement), returning Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies explained that the team thought they already had someone lined up for the role... until Ncuti walked through the door!

"It was the most blazing audition", Davies said. "It was our last audition. It was our very last one. We thought we had someone and then in he came and stole it."

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) side on in the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023

Ncuti might not be playing a villain any time soon; he's about to become the Doctor! (Image credit: James Pardon/BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

Ncuti's first name means 'hope'

In an interview with The Big Issue, Ncuti talked about how he's always embraced the sense of hope and joy that he feels Davies brings to Doctor Who. And that's probably no surprise since Ncuti's first name, Mizero [his full name is Mizero Ncuti Gatwa] means hope. 

As he explained: "You know, the way he [Davies] writes – he’s dealing with such existential crises and huge issues channelled in a really artistic, creative sci-fi way. But hope is certainly something he has put into these scripts. He told me the other day that you have to have hope in life... Hope is what saves us. 

"My mum says the same thing. And that's what my name means. Mizero means hope. So I must remember to have hope. Because what else is there? And this show always reminds me of that."

Emma Mackey and Ncuti Gatwa photographed at the European Premiere of Barbie in 2023

Emma Mackey and Ncuti at the Barbie European Premiere in London on July 12, 2023. (Image credit: Getty Images)

He has an honorary doctorate from the RCS

In 2013, Ncuti Gatwa graduated from the BA Acting programme at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; in 2022, the same institution awarded him an honorary doctorate. Outlander star Sam Heughan was also awarded an honorary doctorate in the same ceremony.

During his speech, he paid tribute to the 300+ students who had completed their studies that year; he labelled them "artistic superheroes" for completing their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Studying at the RCS also offers him another Whoniverse connection, as this was the same place David Tennant studied acting!

A post shared by Ncuti Gatwa (@ncutigatwa)

A photo posted by on

Ncuti Gatwa fact file...

Answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Ncuti Gatwa...

How old is Ncuti Gatwa?

Ncuti Gatwa is 31; he was born on October 15, 1992. 

Is Ncuti Gatwa married?

Ncuti Gatwa has not publicly spoken about his dating life, so we don't know if he has a partner at the moment!

Does Ncuti Gatwa have any children?

Ncuti Gatw does not have any children.

Where was Ncuti Gatwa born?

Ncuti was born in Nyarugenge, Kigali in Rwanda. His family moved to Scotland when he was just two years old.

How tall is Ncuti Gatwa?

Ncuti Gatwa is around five foot eight inches tall.

Instagram: @ncutigatwa

We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.

]]> <![CDATA[ How to watch Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials episode 3 – stream The Giggle online ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/watch-doctor-who-60th-anniversary-specials-episode-3-the-giggle-online sQQJJychm5GUeLEnVqvt7Q Fri, 08 Dec 2023 11:24:16 +0000 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:23:37 +0000 false false false

It's just over two weeks ago since the Doctor and Donna (David Tennant and Catherine Tate) turned up to save us all once again, but they’re not done yet. The Giggle – episode 3 of the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials – airs tonight on BBC One in the UK and Disney Plus around the world: 6.30pm UK / 1.30pm ET / 10.30am PT / 5.30am AEDT

Quick links

UK: iPlayer (free with licence fee)
US/AUS: Disney Plus
How to use a VPN to watch any stream

This time our favorite Time Lord encounters the Toymaker (played by Neil Patrick Harris), a formidable foe the Doctor has not faced in a televised adventure since the first Doctor (William Hartnell) encountered him 57 years ago.

Indeed, Hartnell and the original Toymaker (Michael Gough) appear in a powerful flashback - a hat tip from showrunner Russell T Davies as he, once again, revitalizes the franchise for yet another generation.

Following on from the bug-eyed, liquifying horror of last week's Wild Blue Yonder (episode 2), the Toymaker, an unsettling but smiling lunatic responsible for the anarchy and chaos on Earth, demands an immediate and effective response.

And as if that wasn’t enough, we also get to bid farewell to Tennant and Tate for the last time (probably) and welcome the new Doctor - Ncuti Gatwa.

So brace yourselves. It all happens tonight and all the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials are available for FREE in the UK on the BBC iPlayer streaming service. But don't worry if you're on holiday because you can watch The Giggle from anywhere with a VPN.

Keep reading for all the information you'll need to stream online, including the Doctor Who episode 3 release schedule and watching when overseas.

How to watch Doctor Who in the UK for free

The Doctor Who special episode 3 – The Giggle – is out tonight. You can watch it live and on-demand on BBC iPlayer.

Need to catch up? You can watch the first two episodes on iPlayer right now You can also head to iPlayer to watch every Doctor Who episode ever made.

BBC One and iPlayer are free to watch for licence fee payers. As well as web browsers and its smartphone/tablet app, the iPlayer has apps for most streaming devices – from Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast, to games consoles and Smart TVs.

If you're trying to access iPlayer while outside the UK, you might want to try a VPN to allow you to watch from abroad. More details below.

How to watch Doctor Who in the US and Australia

For the first time, new episodes of Doctor Who will exclusively land on Disney Plus for Whovians outside the UK.

Disney Plus prices start at $7.99 / £13.99 per month, with the value getting better if you sign up for an annual plan.

If you're in the US, you also have the option of paying a little more and getting the Disney Plus bundle. For $9.99 a month, it adds Hulu to the package (with higher-price plans throwing in ESPN Plus and ad-free streaming too).

The trilogy of new Doctor Who episodes will be available to watch on Disney Plus on the same day and time as they go out on the BBC in the UK (1.30pm ET / 10.30am PT / 5.30am AEDT (on the Sunday in Australia), with episodes one and two available right now.

How to watch Doctor Who from anywhere with a VPN

You can watch Doctor Who on any of the streaming services above no matter where you are in the world, and all with one clever little tool. And it's not a sonic screwdriver!

Normally a streaming service will know where you are trying to tune in from and block you if you're not in the right country but a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an app that hides your location. That means you can access your usual sports and entertainment services even while you're traveling abroad.

The best VPN deal around right now is ExpressVPN, which is rated as a top VPN according to our sister site, TechRadar. There's a helpful guide on the best VPN services on TechRadar if you'd like to know more.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

  • Download the app at NordVPN.
  • Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
  • Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!
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What is the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials release date?

The trilogy of Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials are set to go out on three consecutive Saturdays, and started on November 25. Episode 3 – The Giggle - is available tonight, 9 December.

Episodes will be broadcast on BBC One and land on iPlayer in the UK and Disney Plus globally at 6.30pm UK / 1.30pm ET / 10.30am PT / 5.30am AEDT.

All you need to know about Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials

Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials, episode two trailer

When is the next full series of Doctor Who?

Following the 60th anniversary episodes and upcoming 2023 Christmas special, the full adventures of the 15th Doctor will begin in 2024.

The season 14 air date is yet to be revealed, but is expected in the spring.

Who is the 15th Doctor?

31-year-old Rwandan-Scottish actor Ncuti Gatwa will enter the TARDIS for the first time as the 15th Doctor during the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials.

Gatwa is best known for his role as Eric Effiong in the Netflix series Sex Education. he also appeared as one of the Kens in 2023's Barbie movie.

He will be the first black actor to portray the Doctor, as well as the first openly gay person to do so.

Gatwa's companion will be Millie Gibson, playing Ruby Sunday. Gibson is best known for award-winning turn as Kelly Neelan in British soap Coronation Street.

Where can I watch other Doctor Who epsiodes?

The whole Doctor Who catalog (barring a few rogue episodes) was put on to the BBC iPlayer in the UK in November 2023.

Around the world, Doctor Who episodes are generally available for purchase or rental on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and iTunes. And all of the 2005 onwards episodes are available on Max in the US and Foxtel, Binge and Stan in Australia.

For more information, visit our dedicated guide on how to watch Doctor Who online.

Was there a Doctor Who 50th anniversary special?

To celebrate 50 years of the Doctor, the BBC broadcast a special episode one-off episode called The Day of the Doctor on November 23, 2013.

As well as the current Doctor at the time Matt Smith, it also saw appearances of David Tennant and the then next-Doctor Peter Capaldi.

You can watch The Day of the Doctor on BBC iPlayer in the UK and HBO's Max platform in the US.

What geography lesson did the ninth Doctor give his sidekick?

Rose (Billie Piper) asked Christopher Eccleston, "If you are an alien how come you sound like you're from the North?" And he responded...

"Lots of planets have a North."

Is Tom Baker still alive?

Now 89, Tom Baker – the scarf-wearing, recording-breaking fourth Doctor – lives in Sussex on a farm with his third wife Sue Jerrard, a former assistant editor on Doctor Who who he met at the BBC. As the much-loved and even venerated fourth incarnation of the Doctor, Baker holds many records associated with the role other than that of being the oldest living actor to have played the role, including:

 His span as the Doctor from 1974 to 1981 is the longest so far.

In that time, he recorded a record number of episodes (172).

'City of Death’, broadcast in 1979 and starring Baker, has the highest viewing figures of any Doctor Who story ever (16.1m people watched part IV).

He remains the tallest Doctor, at 6ft 3in.

And, with his long scarf and Poet Fedora hat, he is still the most iconic.

VPN services warning

]]> <![CDATA[ BBC One's Christmas Day schedule revealed: Call the Midwife and Doctor Who lead line-up ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/bbc-ones-christmas-day-schedule-revealed-call-the-midwife-and-doctor-who-lead-line-up K6hn83WrRJckVuVy2NLy33 Tue, 05 Dec 2023 15:43:46 +0000 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:19:30 +0000 false false false

The BBC One Christmas Day schedule has been revealed with the Call the Midwife and Doctor Who Christmas specials taking centre stage.

In a heavyweight Christmas Day line-up, the BBC will also broadcast the final ever episode of Ghosts, plus there's the traditional Strictly Come Dancing festive episode to enjoy.

The Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023 sees Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday team up for their first adventure. 

While this year's Call the Midwife special sees Christmas 1968 getting underway but while newlyweds Matthew (Olly Rix) and Trixie Franklin (Helen George) are looking forward to their first Christmas together as a married couple, they are soon sprung with an unexpected visitor - Trixie's brother Geoffrey (Christopher Harper)! 

Other highlights include a special of The Wheel and a Christmas Day outing to Albert Square in EastEnders. Plus there's a Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas special to enjoy. 

The Christmas Day movies on BBC One are the 2015 version of Cinderella, The Addams Family 2 and Toy Story 4. Younger audiences will no doubt enjoy Tabby McTat, the latest festive animation by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffer. While The King's Christmas broadcast will go out at 3 pm.

We have our Christmas TV Guide with all the best shows on over Christmas and the New Year.

Here's BBC1's Christmas Day afternoon and evening schedule:

12:55 The Addams Family 2

14:20 BBC News

14:30 Weather

14:35 Tabby McTat

15:00 The King's Christmas Broadcast

15:10 Toy Story 4

16:40 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special

17:55 Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road

18:50 Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel

19:45 Ghosts Christmas Special 2023

20:15 Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023

21:45 EastEnders

22:45 Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Special

Ncuti Gatwa as the Time Lord in Doctor Who Christmas special 2023 the

Ncuti Gatwa as the Time Lord in Doctor Who Christmas special (Image credit: BBC)

Meanwhile, ITV1's Christmas Day schedule features festive outings to Emmerdale and Coronation Street. Plus The Masked Singer Christmas special and a festive edition of the Lee Mack quiz The 1% Club. 

Here's ITV1's Christmas Day afternoon and evening schedule:

1200 JAMES MARTIN'S CHRISTMAS DAY

1400 AINSLEY'S FESTIVE FLAVOURS

1500 H M THE KING

1510 YOU'VE BEEN FRAMED! CHRISTMAS CRACKERS 

1540 ITV NEWS AND WEATHER

1545 IN FOR A PENNY: CHRISTMAS CRACKERS

1630 SING 2

1830 EMMERDALE

1900 CORONATION STREET

1930 THE MASKED SINGER: CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

2100 THE 1% CLUB CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

2200 BARRY HUMPHRIES: THE LAST LAUGH

Our TV Guide has full listings for the festive period.

]]> <![CDATA[ Ncuti Gatwa: 'Surreal' taking over Doctor Who from childhood hero David Tennant ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/ncuti-gatwa-surreal-taking-over-doctor-who-from-childhood-hero-david-tennant CYh2X3Sz3bPDuBoupWRd3E Mon, 04 Dec 2023 10:48:13 +0000 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:21:49 +0000 false false false

Ncuti Gatwa, Doctor Who’s 15th Doctor, says it's a "surreal" experience to be taking over from David Tennant in the TARDIS.

The hugely popular star, who will enjoy his first full adventure in the Doctor Who Christmas special 2023, says as a child David was his Doctor.

He told The Big Issue: "It feels like it's come full circle — because David was my Doctor and such a great inspiration to me as an actor.

"I would have been 13 — a pivotal time. So for him, of all people, to be handing the baton over — it just feels really surreal. Because I just loved his Doctor so much…"

Ncuti admits a range of emotions about people, at last, getting to see his Time Lord.

"It's felt like I've been the Doctor and also had to hold off from being the Doctor for most of the last two years.

"So how do I feel about people seeing it? I feel ready. But I'm sooooo nervous. It's been so long now that I'm like, 'No, no, no, no. Don't look! Nothing to see here.'"

A mysterious goblin in the Doctor Who Christmas special

The Doctor faces a mysterious goblin (Image credit: BBC)

The festive special will see the 15th Doctor meeting his new companion, Ruby Sunday (Coronation Street's Mille Gibson). The BBC has finally teased some plot details, saying: "The episode sees the Doctor come face-to-face with the mythical and mysterious goblins as his life collides with Ruby Sunday."

Adding: "Little is known about Ruby Sunday as she was abandoned on Christmas Eve as a baby. Now living with her mum, Carla and grandmother, Cherry her world is about to be turned upside when she encounters the Doctor and the two set off on their first adventure together…"

Davina McCall will be playing herself as she joins the cast alongside Michelle Greenidge as Ruby’s mum Carla, Angela Wynter as Ruby’s grandmother Cherry and Anita Dobson as Mrs Flood.

Davina says: "It is beyond an honor to be asked to appear in not only Doctor Who but also Ncuti's first episode as the new Doctor. It was such an extraordinary experience and Russell has written you all a Christmas delight! Now I just can’t wait for everyone to see it!"

The Doctor Who Christmas special lands on Christmas Day on BBC One in the UK (see our Christmas TV guide for all the top festive shows). It's on Disney Plus in the US.

]]> <![CDATA[ How to watch Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials episode 2 – stream Wild Blue Yonder online tonight ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/watch-doctor-who-60th-anniversary-specials-episode-2-wild-blue-yonder 639BmpRsufdLQLCZECmGNm Fri, 01 Dec 2023 20:15:56 +0000 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:23:37 +0000 false false false

And so David Tennant is straight back in the Time Lord groove with the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials streaming weekly. Episode 2, Wild Blue Yonder, airs today on BBC One in the UK and Disney Plus around the world.

Quick links

UK: iPlayer (free with licence fee)
US/AUS: Disney Plus
How to use a VPN to watch any stream

The second of the Anniversary Specials, Wild Blue Yonder, has been almost completely leak free but expectations are running very high and you can expect the same fabulous Donna/Doctor chemistry.

Showrunner Russell T Davies has promised that Wild Blue Yonder will be "a bit weird... it’s scary, it’s freaky, it pushes the show into areas it’s never quite been into before." The Doctor himself, David Tennant, adds: "There’s a very fun scene with an apple very early on!" 

Not long to wait now. We can all find out for ourselves from Saturday, December 2 and all the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials are available for FREE in the UK on the BBC iPlayer streaming service. But don't worry if you're on holiday because you can watch Wild Blue Yonder from anywhere with a VPN.

Keep reading for all the information you'll need to stream online, including the Doctor Who episode 2 release schedule and watching when overseas.

How to watch Doctor Who in the UK for free

The Doctor Who special episode 2 – Wild Blue Yonder – is out tonight. You can watch it live and on-demand on BBC iPlayer.

Need to catch up? You can watch the first episode on iPlayer right now You can also head to iPlayer to watch every Doctor Who episode ever made.

BBC One and iPlayer are free to watch for licence fee payers. As well as web browsers and its smartphone/tablet app, the iPlayer has apps for most streaming devices – from Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast, to games consoles and Smart TVs.

If you're trying to access iPlayer while outside the UK, you might want to try a VPN to allow you to watch from abroad. More details below.

How to watch Doctor Who in the US and Australia

For the first time, new episodes of Doctor Who will exclusively land on Disney Plus for Whovians outside the UK.

Disney Plus prices start at $7.99 / £13.99 per month, with the value getting better if you sign up for an annual plan.

If you're in the US, you also have the option of paying a little more and getting the Disney Plus bundle. For $9.99 a month, it adds Hulu to the package (with higher-price plans throwing in ESPN Plus and ad-free streaming too).

The trilogy of new Doctor Who episodes will be available to watch on Disney Plus on the same day and time as they go out on the BBC in the UK (1.30pm ET / 10.30am PT / 5.30am AEDT (on the Sunday in Australia)), with episode one available right now.

How to watch Doctor Who from anywhere with a VPN

You can watch Doctor Who on any of the streaming services above no matter where you are in the world, and all with one clever little tool. And it's not a sonic screwdriver!

Normally a streaming service will know where you are trying to tune in from and block you if you're not in the right country but a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an app that hides your location. That means you can access your usual sports and entertainment services even while you're traveling abroad.

The best VPN deal around right now is ExpressVPN, which is rated as a top VPN according to our sister site, TechRadar. There's a helpful guide on the best VPN services on TechRadar if you'd like to know more.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

  • Download the app at NordVPN.
  • Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
  • Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!
Editors Choice

ExpressVPN is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to watch what you want from anywhere you want to watch it.

It's straightforward and easy to use, has great security, is available on loads of streaming devices and, best of all, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out 100% risk-free.VIEW DEAL ON Express VPN

What is the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials release date?

The trilogy of Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials are set to go out on three consecutive Saturdays, and started on November 25. Episode 2 – Wild Blue Yonder - is available today.

Episodes will be broadcast on BBC One and land on iPlayer in the UK and Disney Plus globally at 6.30pm UK / 1.30pm ET / 10.30am PT / 5.30am AEDT.

All you need to know about Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials

Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials, episode two trailer

When is the next full series of Doctor Who?

Following the 60th anniversary episodes and upcoming 2023 Christmas special, the full adventures of the 15th Doctor will begin in 2024.

The season 14 air date is yet to be revealed, but is expected in the spring.

Who is the 15th Doctor?

31-year-old Rwandan-Scottish actor Ncuti Gatwa will enter the TARDIS for the first time as the 15th Doctor during the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials.

Gatwa is best known for his role as Eric Effiong in the Netflix series Sex Education. he also appeared as one of the Kens in 2023's Barbie movie.

He will be the first black actor to portray the Doctor, as well as the first openly gay person to do so.

Gatwa's companion will be Millie Gibson, playing Ruby Sunday. Gibson is best known for award-winning turn as Kelly Neelan in British soap Coronation Street.

Where can I watch other Doctor Who epsiodes?

The whole Doctor Who catalog (barring a few rogue episodes) was put on to the BBC iPlayer in the UK in November 2023.

Around the world, Doctor Who episodes are generally available for purchase or rental on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and iTunes. And all of the 2005 onwards episodes are available on Max in the US and Foxtel, Binge and Stan in Australia.

For more information, visit our dedicated guide on how to watch Doctor Who online.

Was there a Doctor Who 50th anniversary special?

To celebrate 50 years of the Doctor, the BBC broadcast a special episode one-off episode called The Day of the Doctor on November 23, 2013.

As well as the current Doctor at the time Matt Smith, it also saw appearances of David Tennant and the then next-Doctor Peter Capaldi.

You can watch The Day of the Doctor on BBC iPlayer in the UK and HBO's Max platform in the US.

Is Tom Baker still alive?

Now 89, Tom Baker – the scarf-wearing, recording-breaking fourth Doctor – lives in Sussex on a farm with his third wife Sue Jerrard, a former assistant editor on Doctor Who who he met at the BBC. As the much-loved and even venerated fourth incarnation of the Doctor, Baker holds many records associated with the role other than that of being the oldest living actor to have played the role, including:

 His span as the Doctor from 1974 to 1981 is the longest so far.

In that time, he recorded a record number of episodes (172).

'City of Death’, broadcast in 1979 and starring Baker, has the highest viewing figures of any Doctor Who story ever (16.1m people watched part IV).

He remains the tallest Doctor, at 6ft 3in.

And, with his long scarf and Poet Fedora hat, he is still the most iconic.

VPN services warning

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials guide: how to watch, cast, plot, trailers and more ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/doctor-who-60th-anniversary-special b2oSR3byzvmNqDmWuv5RFb Fri, 01 Dec 2023 15:15:27 +0000 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:19:04 +0000 false false false

After all that waiting, it's hard to believe the three Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials have already been and gone. But with that regeneration twist, the stage is set for the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023 with our new lead star, Ncuti Gatwa.

These three adventures saw David Tennant's 14th Doctor crossing paths with a slew of villains, including an adorable creature who wasn't quite as friendly as they first appeared, plus some terrifying creatures from the edge of the universe and, of course, Neil Patrick Harris' flamboyant version of The Toymaker, who arrived in a sequence so fabulous it might well sneak onto our list of Doctor Who's 60 greatest moments...

We've got plenty of coverage from this landmark miniseries, including a full Doctor Who episode 1 recap for "The Star Beast" and a guide detailing how to watch the Doctor Who specials if you're not quite caught up just yet. But without further ado, here's everything you need to know about the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials...

Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials release date and how to watch

All three of the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials have now aired, but you can find them all as part of the Whoniverse section on BBC iPlayer. 

The first special arrived on Saturday, November 25 (just two days after the series' actual 60th anniversary on November 23) in a primetime slot at 6.30 pm. The rest of the series followed suit, releasing in the same timeslot on a weekly basis. 

Fans can also watch Tales of the TARDIS, a series reuniting former Doctor Who stars which is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.

Are the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials on Disney Plus?

Yes! If you haven't heard already, Doctor Who's got a new home outside of the UK. 

Thanks to a partnership between Disney Branded Television and the BBC, Disney Plus has become the new streaming home for Doctor Who in the US and around the world, and this also started with the 60th-anniversary specials.

If you're looking to time travel back to some of the Doctor's earlier adventures, past seasons of Doctor Who are still available to stream on Max, whilst the classic series is available on BritBox (and now iPlayer in the UK). 

How many Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials are there?

The Doctor (David Tennant)

What (or should that be Who?) has the Doctor looking so worried? (Image credit: James Pardon/BBC Studios)

The sci-fi show's big anniversary was marked by three special episodes. The titles are below, and you can find the official posters from each episode below, too.

  • Special One: The Star Beast
  • Special Two: Wild Blue Yonder
  • Special Three: The Giggle
The new post for the Doctor Who 60th anniversary special The Star Beast, featuring Tennant's 14th Doctor facing some aliens and crouching in front of Donna (Catherine Tate) and Rose (Yasmin Finney)
The Star Beast poster.BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/Disney
The poster for the second Doctor Who 60th anniversary special, Wild Blue Yonder.
The Wild Blue Yonder poster.BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/Disney
The poster for the third Doctor Who 60th anniversary special, The Giggle, featuring the Doctor and Donna crouched in front of The Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris) who is throwing playing cards towards the screen
The Giggle poster.BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/Disney

In an Empire interview, Tennant teased that these episodes felt 'like the band getting back together for one last hurrah.', adding: "I was surprised when I saw what that first script was based on, then I read the second script, which is unlike any Doctor Who episode ever. These new specials are Russell off the leash.”

Is there a Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials trailer?

There were plenty of trailers released for the specials. Below, you can find the latest one:

A trailer for the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials also aired ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 Grand Final earlier in the year. In it, we see the Doctor, Donna and Yasmin Finney's Rose confronted by all manner of creatures, and learn the episode titles for our three specials. Check it out below:

We were treated to a new trailer on Christmas Day, and it gave us a much better look at what to expect from the new series. Everything seemingly hinges on Donna Noble, and her not remembering who the Doctor was, as she's at great risk. As you'd expect, there's plenty of running and monsters, and our first look at Neil Patrick Harris' mystery villain in action, too!

Our first look at the forthcoming Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials came at the end of Jodie's final adventure. Check it out:

Which Doctors returned?

The biggest news surrounding the miniseries was that David Tennant and Catherine Tate were making a comeback to the Whoniverse after their tenure early in new Who.  

David wasn't playing his Tenth Doctor self, but a new version of the character who just so happened to take his familiar form. By all accounts, David was thrilled to be back in the driving seat of Doctor Who. 

Talking about the regeneration twist, David called his return a "treat" and said: "What a lovely, lovely thing to get to revisit. It was such a wonderful, happy, significant time in my life... to be able to revisit that and get another shot, it was a total joy from start to finish!"

In July 2023, the BBC teased the 14th Doctor's newly revamped sonic screwdriver in a slick teaser that took us up close and personal with his new device. 

David Tennant stands in front of the TARDIS in The Power of the Doctor.

David Tennant's return in The Power of the Doctor was a huge shock. (Image credit: BBC Studios)

Doctor Who's executive producer, Phil Collinson, all but confirmed that the 60th anniversary specials wouldn't be a multi-Doctor story, which was mostly true (not counting the climactic bi-generation conclusion to the saga!)

Speaking to SFX, Collinson talked about honoring the legacy of the show. While he shared how the new episodes were 'a massive celebration' of the show's past, he was keen to point out that they're also 'forward-looking' and not necessarily doing what's come before. 

"It's all definitely about wanting to look forward", he said, "but as I think Russell does so brilliantly, it's not looking forward without forgetting where you came from. Because you just can't with this show.

"He flies around in a blue box, and, like I say, the enemy they face is someone who goes right back to almost the genesis of the show - so it's definitely there. It's just not multi-Doctors. I love multi-Doctor shows. But we don't need to do it, it's been done." 

The 14th and 15th Doctors separating during bigeneration in the third of the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials

Ncuti Gatwa made his debut when the two Doctors separated in "bigeneration". (Image credit: Alistair Heap/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

Ncuti Gatwa's 15th Doctor also made an appearance in the specials. After The Toymaker shot The Doctor with a laser, he started regenerating. He then asked two of his companion to help "pull" the other Doctor out in a process known as bigeneration. Together, the Doctors then defeated the Toymaker in a climactic game... of catch.

Ncuti's Doctor was compassionate and caring, and even got to send the 14th Doctor off to relax in his own TARDIS, and we'll be seeing more of him when he takes center-stage in this year's festive special, ahead of his first full series, Doctor Who season 14. 

When he was first revealed as the Doctor, Ncuti said: "There aren't quite the words to describe how I'm feeling. A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared. This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care".

"Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show", he added.. 

Who else was in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials cast?

A big casting reveal was the addition of Heartstopper's Yasmin Finney as Rose. Before "The Star Beast" revealed Rose Noble was Donna's daughter (and had inherited part of her mother's Human-Time Lord Metacrisis abilities).

Prior to that reveal, Russell T. Davies teased: "Life on Doctor Who gets brighter and wilder, how can there be another Rose? You'll find out in 2023, but it's an absolute joy to welcome Yasmin to the Doctor Who set. We all fell in love with her in Heartstopper, one of those shows which changes the world - and now Yasmin can change the Whoniverse!" 

Yasmin Finney as Elle Argent in Heartstopper.

Yasmin Finney in Heartstopper. (Image credit: Netflix)

In one of his final appearances, the late Bernard Cribbins reprised his beloved role as Wilfred Mott, Donna's grandfather, along with Jacqueline King and Karl Collins as Donna's mother and husband. Jemma Redgrave is back as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart.

The Doctor (David Tennant), Rose (Yasmin Finney), Shaun (Karl Collins), Sylvia (Jacqueline King), Donna (Catherine Tate) and The Meep in the first of the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials

The Doctor, Donna, Sylvia, Shaun and Rose meet the Meep in the first special.  (Image credit: Alistair Heap/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

Miriam Margoyles was also part of the cast. She voiced The Meep, a creature adapted from "The Star Beast" comic strip, and Ruth Madeley was on board as Shirley Anne Bingham, a member of UNIT.

Shirley (Ruth Madeley) in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials

Ruth Madeley as Shirley. (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/Disney)

In addition, Jemma Redgrave reprised the role of Kate Stewart, plus Bonnie Langford reprised the role of ex-companion, Melanie Bush.

Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials episode guide and plot

For the longest time, we had precious little info about the plots of these three specials. 

The only official info we had to go off ahead of the series' release came in the form of a short logline, but that only really offered up info that we already knew: that the Doctor's regenerated into a familiar face, and that Donna remembers him, even though the 10th Doctor wiped her mind over a decade ago to save her life. 

It read: "The Doctor finds himself with an old face and something is very wrong. How can Donna remember him and why has he got one of his old faces back?" 

After "The Power of the Doctor" aired, Russell 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!”

Now that the three episodes have been and gone, we've included the episode summaries below:

  • The Star Beast: "The Doctor lands in London to find an old friend, a new enemy and aliens wreaking havoc."
  • Wild Blue Yonder: "An out-of-control TARDIS takes the Doctor and Donna to the furthest edge of adventure."
  • The Giggle: "The Doctor is powerless as the terrifying Toymaker holds the human race in his grasp."

Who's the big bad?

The Toymaker (Neil Patrick Haris) surrounded by trinkets in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials

Neil Patrick Harris cuts a menacing figure as our new villain the Toymaker. (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf)

On June 13, Russell T. Davies posted a photo on Instagram welcoming Neil Patrick Harris sporting some spectacles and wearing some old-fashioned clothes and an apron. 

As was speculated, we eventually learned he was playing The Toymaker, a classic villain from Doctor Who's past. The Toymaker is an extremely powerful being who uses his powers to trap people in childish games for his amusement. Those who are trapped are forced to compete for their freedom, though the games are always rigged in the Toymaker’s favor. He cropped up in the third special.

From the sounds of things, this version of the Toymaker will make quite an impression when he arrives in the show. In a chat with Total Film, Davies talked up Harris' performance.

"You need an extraordinary actor to match David at the height of his powers", Davies said. "Bear in mind that this is David's TARDIS, his Doctor, his name in the titles. It's not easy for guest stars to come into that. 

"You need that size, you need that experience, you need that skill to match him, otherwise you're in danger that the Doctor will tapdance all around you. That's what Neil brings... a vast performance that is properly terrifying." 

The Toymaker wasn't the only villain, though! The 14th Doctor was also tangled up with two other foes in the specials: one was "The Meep", a less-than-friendly alien life form, and then there were the "not-things" that copied the Doctor and Donna's visages at the edge of the universe.

A post shared by Russell T Davies (@russelltdavies63)

A photo posted by on

Listen to the new Doctor Who theme song!

The BBC revealed a revamped version of the Doctor Who theme tune ahead of the specials' arrival in November 2023. It's a great update on the theme that feels even more energetic, though it has still preserved that classic Who melody underneath.

What else did the BBC do to celebrate Doctor Who's 60th anniversary?

Although the three specials were the main event, the BBC prepared a slew of other projects to help mark the big Doctor Who anniversary.

On November 1, 2023, BBC iPlayer welcomed the single biggest collection of Whovian content, with over 800 episodes of Doctor Who programming arriving on the platform for viewers to enjoy before (and after!) the new specials aired. 

It was all part of the new dedicated "Whoniverse" iPlayer hub, which now plays host to stories from both the classic and modern eras of the main show, spin-offs, and even every episode of the behind-the-scenes show, Doctor Who: Confidential. 

And if you enjoy stepping behind the scenes, you'll be pleased to know that a new access-all-areas show has launched, too. Hosted by Steffan Powell (BBC Gaming Correspondent), Doctor Who: Unleashed takes viewers on a journey to show how the long-running sci-fi is put together. 

Unleashed features exclusive interviews with the stars in front of and behind the camera, and began airing immediately after the first special on November 25. 

David Tennant in front of the Tardis with Steffan Powell for Doctor Who: Unleashed

David Tennant and Steffan Powell.  (Image credit: BBC Studios/ Alistair Heap)

At the start of November, we were also treated to Tales of the TARDIS, a new six-part series that reunited Doctor Who duos and invited them to step back into character, reflecting on their adventures across space and time. 

Of the show, Davies said: "Tales of the TARDIS is one of the greatest delights of my career - to see old Doctors and companions reunited, still fighting the good fight, is a perfect way to celebrate the Doctor’s 60th birthday!"

As if that wasn't enough, the BBC has also unveiled an artistic colorisation of "The Daleks", the second serial from the First Doctor's adventures. As you'd expect, the particular adventure introduced one of the Doctor's deadliest foes after the First Doctor (William Hartnell) and his companions explored a mysterious metal city. 

The revamped version was woven together into one 75-minute blockbuster, with a new score from Mark Ayres. It aired on BBC Four on Doctor Who's actual 60th anniversary, November 23, and is available on BBC iPlayer, along with the original black-and-white serial.

The 14th Doctor also cropped up in a short scene that was part of Children in Need 2023, and they are due to read "The Way Back Home" by Oliver Jeffers as a CBeebies Bedtime Story on Friday, November 24. 

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who: The Star Beast recap ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/doctor-who-the-star-beast-recap ihWELMQo7StkE2UUHjJ8Fd Mon, 27 Nov 2023 18:52:02 +0000 false false false

Doctor Who: The Star Beast kicked off a three-episode "mini-season" of Doctor Who in celebration of the show's 60th anniversary, reuniting former stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate as they once again foiled an alien threat against Earth — and set up some intriguing story arcs for the next two weeks in the process.

We began with the newly-regenerated Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant) recapping his adventures with former companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate), reminding us that she once saved the world by taking the power of the Time Lords into her mind — but doing so took such a terrible toll on her human body that the Doctor had to wipe all her memories of their time together in order to save her life, and that if she ever remembered him, it would kill her. In between this, we also got a few shots of Donna telling us that she sometimes dreams of creatures and adventures — that she has a nice life now, but something is missing. The Doctor ended this reflection by pointing out that he's got an old face back, and he doesn't know why — but he suspects it's because this particular story isn't over yet.

The Doctor then touched down in London's Camden Market where he spots a woman struggling with a pile of boxes so high it covered her face, so the Doctor rushed over to help — only to realize that this woman was in fact Donna, so he immediately put the boxes back, much to her annoyance. Fortunately, it was clear that Donna didn't recognize or remember the Doctor, but he was confused when she started calling out for Rose, thinking she was addressing another of his former companions (played by Billie Piper) — but in fact, she was calling out for her daughter, Rose Noble (Heartstopper's Yasmin Finney), who she was carrying the boxes for, because Rose has an online business making stuffed toys and had been shopping for supplies.

At that moment, a spaceship flew overhead to the amazement of everyone — except Donna, who missed it because she was too busy rearranging the boxes. The Doctor then heard someone else shouting out for Rose — and this time it was Shaun Temple (Karl Collins), Donna's husband, Rose's father and a London cabbie. The Doctor promptly hopped into Shaun's cab and directed him to the site of the spaceship's landing — an old steelworks. During the journey, the Doctor pretended that he knew Donna via a friend of a friend — Nerys — and found out that Donna and Shaun had won £166m on the lottery, but that after they'd bought their house, Donna had given the rest away to charity. Arriving at the steelworks, the Doctor overheard UNIT scientist Shirley Anne Bingham (Years And Years star Ruth Madeley) observing that the ship seems to have parked rather than crash-landed.

Rose (Yasmin Finney) crouches next to some bins as a furry white arm with fleshtoned fingers emerges from between them

Rose (Yasmin Finney) meets the Meep for the first time (Image credit: Alistair Heap/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

On their way home, Rose received transphobic abuse from some local kids, but Donna told her in no uncertain terms that she would do anything to protect her. Back at Donna's house, her mum Sylvia (Jacqueline King) was preparing dinner, and was very quick to shut down any of Rose's talk of spaceships because, unlike Rose, she knows all about Donna's adventures with the Doctor and how remembering any of it could kill her. Meanwhile outside, Rose's friend and neighbour Fudge (Dara Lall) told her that a part of the spaceship had broken off — what looked like an escape pod. In an alleyway behind their house, Rose discovered an alien creature called The Meep (voiced by Miriam Margolyes), a sweet, furry creature with enormous eyes, who told her that it was not safe because monsters were in pursuit and hunting the Meep. Sure enough, we then saw the fearsome Wrarth Warriors descending to Earth in search of the Meep.

Finally meeting the Doctor, Shirley asked him why he was hiding, and the Doctor admitted that he doesn't know who he is any more — he has an old face, but feels like a different person. He also felt deeply concerned that whatever was going on, it was all heading for Donna — but he didn't want to get involved, because he didn't want to be responsible for her death. Returning to her troops, Shirley sent them up to gain entry to the ship — but as the door opened, a swirling energy force shot out of the ship and into the soldiers, making their eyes glow, something they quickly concealed by flipping their visors down.

Rose took the Meep to the shed in the back garden where she makes her toys, and the two of them bonded briefly over feeling lost and alienated. When Donna came in to fetch Rose, the Meep hid in Rose's stash of toys, but Donna was so impressed with how realistic this one was that she went in for a closer look — and saw it blinking. Cue chaos as the Meep screamed, Donna screamed, and Sylvia came rushing out of the house frantically trying to convince Donna that absolutely none of this was real. The Doctor chose this moment to knock on the front door, only to be told in no uncertain terms to go away by Sylvia. When he used the sonic screwdriver to let himself in, she walloped him — but wasn't quick enough to stop Donna from seeing him.

Sylvia (Jacqueline King) stands with her back pressed up against the front door, while the Doctor (David Tennant) peers through the glass of the window from outside

Sylvia's (Jacqueline King) efforts to keep the Doctor away from Donna were in vain (Image credit: Alistair Heap/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

Donna questioned the Doctor about why he kept showing up everywhere, and he tried to keep to his cover story of being a friend of "Nerys". He asked after Wilf (Donna's grandfather, played by the late Bernard Cribbins), and was told by Donna that "he's not with us any more" — but after the Doctor took this to mean he was dead, Donna and Shaun clarified that he'd moved into sheltered accommodation, which a lovely woman called Kate (clearly a reference to UNIT's Kate Stewart, played by Jemma Redgrave) had arranged for him for next to nothing in light of him being an old soldier.

The Meep explained that the Wrarth Warriors were pursuing it because they hunt Meepkind for their beautiful fur, despite this having been intergalactically outlawed. At this point, the Wrarth Warriors arrived in the back garden, just as the Doctor realised that the UNIT soldiers out the front were possessed — and both sides opened fire on the house. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to create a set of forcefields across the hallway allowing Donna, Shaun, Rose, Sylvia and the Meep to escape up into the attic, where they could make their way to the house five doors down (again with a bit of help from the sonic screwdriver to move some bricks) next to where Shaun had parked his taxi — but unfortunately Donna's house was pretty much a write-off by the time they got away.

The Doctor (David Tennant) points the sonic screwdriver at the ceiling in Donna's living room, while Shaun (Karl Collins), Donna (Catherine Tate), Sylvia (Jacqueline King) and the Meep step back

The Doctor's sonic screwdriver enables Shaun (Karl Collins) and Donna (Catherine Tate) to escape with their family (Image credit: Alistair Heap/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

As the Doctor drove Donna, Shaun, Rose, Sylvia and the Meep away in Shaun's taxi, one of the soldiers was shot behind them and fell to the ground, and the Doctor made an observation: "Either we've escaped, or we've got things very wrong." He drove them to a car park where he pulled a judge's wig out of his coat and proceeded to invoke protocols 15, P and 6 of the Shadow Proclamation, summoning the two main Wrarth Warriors while he attempted to get to the bottom of things. The Doctor had noticed that the taxi showed no signs of damage, despite being shot several times, and that the UNIT soldier was merely unconscious, and not dead — so the Wrarth Warriors' weapons were merely stun guns. The Meep protested that they were clearly there to kill the Meep — but the Doctor pointed out that the only people  there who were looking to kill were the soldiers with the swirling eyes, so were they coming to kill the Meep... or to save it?

While the Meep continued protesting, the Wrarth Warriors took over the story, explaining that the Meep's home planet basked in the light of a living sun — but one day that sun turned psychedelic, and the radiation it emitted caused all of Meepkind to mutate, turning them all into "cruel beasts who live for conquest". The Meeps proceeded to behead and eat the Galactic Council, and the Wrarth Warriors were summoned to get them under control, but the Meeps chose to die rather than surrender, and the only one who survived was their leader — the cruellest of all. At this point the Meep's eyes changed colour and it revealed a sinister set of sharp teeth — as well as a very real, very lethal gun which it used to kill the two Wrath Warriors!

The Meep, along with its hypnotised soldiers, captured the Doctor, Donna, Rose, Shaun and Sylvia and bundled them into a truck. While they were travelling, Donna wanted to know who the Doctor really was, and why Sylvia was acting like she knew him. The Doctor continued to be evasive, and Donna revealed that the reason she had given away her lottery win was because she knew there were people out there in danger, pain and fear, and she knew she could help — "it felt like the sort of thing he would do." The truck then took them all back to the steelworks, where the Meep revealed its evil plan: it had come to Earth for the ship to be mended, and in order for the ship to take off again, it would need to activate its double-bladed dagger drive — which extracts power by stabbing down, which would result in the entirety of London being destroyed and the certain death of the nine million people who live there (and presumably also any visitors who had the misfortune of being there at that specific moment).

Shirley Anne Bingham (Ruth Madeley) positions her wheelchair at a door ready to fire weapons while Sylvia (Jacqueline King), Donna (Catherine Tate) and the Doctor (David Tennant) stand back

Shirley Anne Bingham (Ruth Madeley) comes to the rescue of Donna and the Doctor (Image credit: Alistair Heap/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

The Meep intended for the Doctor and Donna and her family to be taken aboard the spaceship to become an in-flight meal, but Shirley intercepted the possessed soldiers who were escorting them and took them out with some rather nifty stun darts that she had hidden in her wheelchair. She told Donna and her family how they could escape, and informed the Doctor that his help was needed in the spaceship's engine control room to stop it from taking off. While Donna went with her family to the exit, she had a change of heart and told Shaun to get Rose to safety while she went back to help because "if the Doctor can't save the city, we'll all die" — and Sylvia realised with horror that Donna had called him "the Doctor".

Just as the Doctor activated the deadlock to the Meep ship's control room, Donna jumped inside and said she wanted to help. The Meep then activated a glass barrier that split the control room in two with Donna on one side and the Doctor on the other. As the Meep and its enslaved minions activated the ships' engines, the streets of London started to crack open, and Donna insisted that she wanted to help. The Doctor told her that the two of them could stop the ship together, but that it would result in Donna's death — but when Donna remained resolute, the Doctor began reciting the code words that would cause her to become the DoctorDonna again. As she started to recognise them, they began chanting the words together until Donna finished the final three words by herself: "binary, binary, binary", completing the restoration of her Time Lord powers.

Hilariously, DoctorDonna's initial reaction to the restoration of her memories was fury at the realisation she'd given away her lottery win: "I gave away all my money! And do you know why, Doctor? I gave it away to be like you - so I could be kind, so I could be nice, so I could be helpful. I had a subconscious, infracutaneous retrofold memory loop making me act as soft as you and give away £166million!" Nonetheless, once she'd got over that particular piece of trauma, she leapt into action and the two of them began the extremely complicated process of shutting down the Meep's ship, including this rather heartbreaking exchange:

DOCTORDONNA: "How long have I got to live?"

THE DOCTOR: "55 seconds."

DOCTORDONNA: "Best 55 seconds of my life, because I get to do this!"

Sure enough, the two of them managed to deactivate the dagger drive and the streets of London returned to normal, much to the Meep's fury — but it seemed like a hollow victory as the DoctorDonna collapsed in the Doctor's arms. The Meep sent in soldiers to capture them, but just as the Meep called for the Doctor's destruction, the swirling lights disappeared from the soldiers eyes, much to everyone's confusion — including a suddenly awake Donna. It turned out that this was the handiwork of Rose, who had taken over the control panel on the ground, broken the Meep's hypnosis and generally rendered any Earthbound threat to be null and void.

Donna (Catherine Tate) and Rose (Yasmin Finney) stand inside Rose's shed, surrounded by her stuffed toys and her toy-making equipment

Rose's shed was a representation of her memories of the TARDIS (Image credit: Alistair Heap/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

As the Doctor and Donna came down to ground level where Donna rejoined her family, the Doctor had a realisation: the Time Lord knowledge was too much power for one person, but in having a child, Donna had passed down the metacrisis and it had become a shared inheritance. Donna realised that it had always been there — in Rose choosing her own name, in the shed that represented Rose's memories of the TARDIS, in the toys she created that resembled all the aliens Donna had met on her travels. The Doctor pointed out that while Donna was binary, Rose was not — because the Doctor is male and female, and neither, and more. The Meep threatened to activate the ship's engine again — and the Doctor responded by triggering the ship's ejector pod, parachuting the Meep back down to Earth.

For the attempted destruction of London as well as the murder of two Wrarth Warriors, the Meep was sentenced to 10,000 years in prison, but it had this parting shot for the Doctor: "A creature with two hearts is a rare thing. Just wait till I tell... The Boss!" (The Doctor's response? "Cryptic! I hate that.") The Doctor remained concerned that the metacrisis energy would still be too much for both Donna and Rose to contend with — but Rose and Donna had already come up with a solution by themselves, one that "a male-presenting Time Lord will never understand", and they simply chose to let go of it, allowing it to dissipate out of their bodies, with Rose remarking that she finally felt like herself.

Returning to Camden, the Doctor informed Donna that UNIT's excellent insurance would take care of the damage to her house, and offered her a trip in the TARDIS while the work was being done. Donna initially declined, stating her family responsibilities (while also telling Rose she wasn't allowed to step inside the TARDIS because "you'll end up on Mars with Chaucer and a robot shark"), but the Doctor suggested he and Donna could take one very quick trip to visit Wilf, who would be delighted to know they were together again. Despite Sylvia's reluctance, Donna couldn't resist the temptation of one very last, very tiny trip together.

Stepping inside, the Doctor was delighted to discover the TARDIS had changed again to a cavernous, white interior full of walkways — it even had a coffee machine, which Donna took advantage of, remarking that she lost her most recent job when she spilled coffee on a computer. Donna suggested to the Doctor that even if this was their last trip together, it didn't have to be the end, that he could pop by and visit her and the family from time to time, that they could be friends — what could go wrong? And at that precise moment, Donna spilt her coffee on the TARDIS console, causing it to go absolutely haywire and transport the two of them to an unknown destination, that the Doctor admitted could be absolutely "anywhere in time and space"!

What happens next? Where will the Doctor and Donna end up? Who is the boss that the Meep was referring to? Why does the Doctor have an old face back? Does the TARDIS's coffee machine do hot chocolate as well? We'll hopefully find out the answers to at least some of these questions in the next episode, Wild Blue Yonder...

]]> <![CDATA[ How to watch Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials – episode one available now ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/how-to-watch-doctor-who-60th-anniversary-specials u7F8kcXfrQMrxZHH2UAqnN Sat, 25 Nov 2023 15:30:49 +0000 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:23:13 +0000 false false false

Considering he's approaching his 60th birthday, the time-shifting Doctor is looking rather good! David Tennant is back in the TARDIS to mark six decades of one of the BBC's most beloved shows, with the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials streaming weekly from Saturday, November 25 until December 9, with episode one, "The Star Beast", available now.

You can catch the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials for FREE in the UK on the BBC iPlayer streaming service. But don't worry if you're on holiday because you can watch Doctor Who on BBC iPlayer from anywhere with a VPN.

Quick links

UK: iPlayer (free with licence fee)
US/AUS: Disney Plus
How to use a VPN to watch any stream

To celebrate Doctor Who's landmark anniversary, the BBC is airing a trilogy of brand new episodes between November 25 and December 9. Tennant will reprise his titular role, becoming the first actor to play two incarnations of the Doctor (10th and 14th). Catherine Tate will also return to her companion role as Donna Noble and it's expected that Ncuti Gatwa will make his much-anticipated first appearance as the Doctor.

And it's not just the actors who are back. Showrunner Russell T Davies returns to the hot seat, too, after leaving the show in 2010 to work on shows such as A Very English Scandal, Years and Years and It's a Sin.

In addition to Tennant, Tate and Gatwa, the inimitable Neil Patrick Harris joins the cast to play the specials' main antagonist, the fiendish Toymaker. And the much loved English character actor Bernard Cribbins – who passed away last year – will also appear as Wilfred Mott.

Can't wait to watch the celebratory new Doctor Who trilogy? Here's how to watch Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials from anywhere in the world. Keep reading for all the information you'll need to stream online, including the episode release schedule and watching when overseas.

How to watch Doctor Who in the UK for free

The BBC began airing the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials on BBC One at 6.30pm UK for three consecutive Saturday evenings on November 25.

All three episodes will also be available to watch online on BBC iPlayer, in fact, you can watch the first episode right now! You can also head to iPlayer to watch every Doctor Who episode ever made.

BBC One and iPlayer are free to watch for licence fee payers. As well as web browsers and its smartphone/tablet app, the iPlayer has apps for most streaming devices – from Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast, to games consoles and Smart TVs.

If you're trying to access iPlayer while outside the UK, you might want to try a VPN to allow you to watch from abroad. More details below.

How to watch Doctor Who in the US and Australia

For the first time, new episodes of Doctor Who will exclusively land on Disney Plus for Whovians outside the UK.

Disney Plus prices start at $7.99 / AU£13.99 per month, with the value getting better if you sign up for an annual plan.

If you're in the US, you also have the option of paying a little more and getting the Disney Plus bundle. For $9.99 a month, it adds Hulu to the package (with higher-price plans throwing in ESPN Plus and ad-free streaming too).

The trilogy of new Doctor Who episodes will be available to watch on Disney Plus on the same day and time as they go out on the BBC in the UK (1.30pm ET / 10.30am PT / 5.30am AEDT (on the Sunday in Australia)), with episode one available right now.

How to watch Doctor Who from anywhere with a VPN

You can watch Doctor Who on any of the streaming services above no matter where you are in the world, and all with one clever little tool. And it's not a sonic screwdriver!

Normally a streaming service will know where you are trying to tune in from and block you if you're not in the right country but a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an app that hides your location. That means you can access your usual sports and entertainment services even while you're traveling abroad.

The best VPN deal around right now is NordVPN, which is rated as a top VPN according to our sister site, TechRadar. There's a helpful guide on the best VPN services on TechRadar if you'd like to know more.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

  • Download the app at NordVPN.
  • Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
  • Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

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Nord is compatible with a whole host of devices, a few of which includes Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation, and iOS and Android software.

Once installed, just pick the location of your home country, and click connect. You’ll then be free to enjoy the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials online no matter where you are.

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What is the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials release date?

The trilogy of Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials are set to go out on three consecutive Saturdays, and started on November 25.

They will be broadcast on BBC One and land on iPlayer in the UK and Disney Plus globally at 6.30pm UK / 1.30pm ET / 10.30am PT / 5.30am AEDT.

  • Episode 1: The Star Beast – Available now
  • Episode 2: Wild Blue Yonder – December 2
  • Episode 3: The Giggle – December 9

All you need to know about Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials

Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials, episode two trailer

When is the next full series of Doctor Who?

Following the 60th anniversary episodes and upcoming 2023 Christmas special, the full adventures of the 15th Doctor will begin in 2024.

The season 14 air date is yet to be revealed, but is expected in the spring.

Who is the 15th Doctor?

31-year-old Rwandan-Scottish actor Ncuti Gatwa will enter the TARDIS for the first time as the 15th Doctor during the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials.

Gatwa is best known for his role as Eric Effiong in the Netflix series Sex Education. he also appeared as one of the Kens in 2023's Barbie movie.

He will be the first black actor to portray the Doctor, as well as the first openly gay person to do so.

Gatwa's companion will be Millie Gibson, playing Ruby Sunday. Gibson is best known for award-winning turn as Kelly Neelan in British soap Coronation Street.

Where can I watch other Doctor Who epsiodes?

The whole Doctor Who catalog (barring a few rogue episodes) was put on to the BBC iPlayer in the UK in November 2023.

Around the world, Doctor Who episodes are generally available for purchase or rental on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and iTunes. And all of the 2005 onwards episodes are available on Max in the US and Foxtel, Binge and Stan in Australia.

For more information, visit our dedicated guide on how to watch Doctor Who online.

Was there a Doctor Who 50th anniversary special?

To celebrate 50 years of the Doctor, the BBC broadcast a special episode one-off episode called The Day of the Doctor on November 23, 2013.

As well as the current Doctor at the time Matt Smith, it also saw appearances of David Tennant and the then next-Doctor Peter Capaldi.

You can watch The Day of the Doctor on BBC iPlayer in the UK and HBO's Max platform in the US.

VPN services warning

]]> <![CDATA[ The Top 10 Doctor Who Companions… ever! ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/the-top-10-doctor-who-companions-ever ZaNdgSvB3yRJ8ECVAaTqeh Fri, 24 Nov 2023 16:34:49 +0000 Mon, 27 Nov 2023 11:57:40 +0000 false false false

The debate over who is the best Doctor Who has raged for decades, but what about their trusty companions?

Those plucky fellow travellers have risked life and limb to help the Doctor in the crusade to bring justice to the universe for 60 years now.

So, with the show's big diamond anniversary upon us, it's time to decide which of the Time Lord's pals makes it to the top tier of sidekicks? 

Read on as we reveal the top 10 Doctor Who companions ever…

10. K9 (John Leeson/David Brierly, first appeared 1977)

K9 Doctor Who

It's a dog's life for the Doc's faithful friend. (Image credit: BBC)

The mid-70s saw sci-fi sensation Star Wars make cute robots the order of the day, and Doctor Who came up with its own take — on a BBC budget, of course!

Tom Baker’s fourth Doctor and metal mutt K9 made a great team (though Baker wasn’t keen on the dog stealing his focus) and the tin dog was quickly promoted from the one-off appearance to series regular.

Junior viewers immediately gave the Doc's new best friend a big "affirmative", but older fans cringed at the rather rickety robot, worrying the show was leaning too much into comedy at the time (not surprising, as K9’s era saw Douglas Adams of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fame work as script editor on the show). 

K9 certainly brought thrills to the screen, often saving the day with his ray gun concealed in his nose. And like all good companions, he required rescuing by the Doc from many a hairy situation, including decapitation, the white heat of a furnace and an almost drowning off Brighton Beach. 

K9 is now one of the show’s most recognizable icons, making return appearances in both the classic and the modern versions of Doctor Who. 

Spin-off show, K9 and Company, even saw him steal top billing from his co-star Sarah Jane ­– but she got her own back when K9 became a recurring feature in her show, The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Essential viewing: The Androids of Tara

At first, K9 appears as an anomaly in the seemingly medieval world of Tara. But appearances can be deceptive, and in a story centered around android doubles, K9‘s skills are essential in identifying the bad guys and rescuing the Doc from some deadly dramas.

9. Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie, first appeared 2017)

The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Nardole (Matt Lucas) trying to pull Bill (Pearl Mackie) back into the TARDIS in Doctor WHo

This one certainly fitted the Bill when it came to the Tardis team. (Image credit: BBC/BBC Worldwide/Shutterstock)

The Doc’s relationship with companion Clara had turned rather stifling and dark in its final days, eventually leading to Clara’s downfall via a shocking death sentence. So, when the 10th series of the modern series opened, new companion Bill was a much-needed breath of fresh air.

Wide-eyed with enthusiasm, sci-fi fan Bill was unfazed by the doctor's intergalactic life. She brimmed with opinion and dared to ask the questions others wouldn’t (she’s the only companion we can recall asking to use the TARDIS toilet!). Alongside Matt Lucas’ Nardole, the trio made a jolly Tardis family, despite some dark stories. 

Sadly, Bill’s exit was one of the most shocking and brutal ever seen in Doctor Who (she was shot through the chest and then graphically converted into a Cyberman). However, Bill did get a Doctor Who happy ending of sorts. Her water creature girlfriend Heather managed to transform her into a creature like her, allowing the lovers to float around the universe together.

 Essential viewing: The Pilot

This opening episode is the perfect soft reboot for the show, and introduces Bill brilliantly, featuring some of her best lines — you just know that you are going to love travelling the universe with this one.

8. Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding, first appeared 1981)

Janet Fielding, Mark Strickson, Peter Davison

Tegan's clothes were the brightest thing about her time in the Tardis. (Image credit: BBC)

The chance to hurtle through space and time on thrilling adventures is usually embraced by those lucky companions. Not so for Tegan Jovanka, the bolshy Australian air hostess who stumbled on board the Tardis thinking it was a real police box then proceeded to moan and gripe about her travels through time and space for the next three years. 

But it was her attitude that what made Tegan so entertaining. She had a sharp tongue, didn’t suffer fools and certainly had a “brave heart”, as the Doctor used to put it, when it came to the horrors she faced. 

Tegan left as quickly as she arrived. Finally pushed over the edge by the death and destruction she witnessed courtesy of the Daleks, she put her money where her moany mouth was and said her rushed goodbyes. 

However, those adventures with the Doctor never leave you, and when we meet Tegan 30 years later in 2022’s The Power of the Doctor, she was embarking on a battle with the Cybermen, her nature as spiky as ever.

Essential viewing: Kinda 

As if travelling in the Tardis wasn’t trouble enough for Tegan, this complex adventure saw her taken over by an entity known as The Mara, with Janet putting in an impressively sinister performance as the possessed Tegan.

 

7. Amy Pond (Karen Gillan, first appeared 2010)

Amy Pond and The Doctor, Doctor Who Matt Smith and Karen Gillan

Pond life was just the ticket for Amy. (Image credit: BBC)

Amy’s whole life had been defined by the Doctor. She was visited at the age of seven by a disheveled eleventh when he crash-landed in her garden soon after his regeneration. The Doctor disappeared as quickly as he arrived, promising to come back for her, and Amy then waited patiently for her "raggedy man" to return.

When he did return (just the 12 years later!), the Doctor whisked Amy off on adventures through time and space. Together with Amy’s hapless fiancé Rory, the trio formed a classic TARDIS team, helping to relaunch the show into the dark fairy-tale of new showrunner Steven Moffatt's era.

Amy’s final scene with her "raggedy man" — where she allows the Weeping Angels to send her back to the 1930s so she can live her life out with a trapped Rory — is one of the show’s most emotional ever.

Essential viewing: The Girl Who Waited

Amy is trapped in an accelerated time stream and Rory meets this older Amy, who he must sacrifice to regain the younger Amy he knows and loves. This features an amazing performance by Karen Gillan as the older Amy.

6. Jo Grant (Katy Manning, first appeared 1971)

Jon Pertwee, Katy Manning, Doctor Who Jo Grant

Jo was by the side of the third Doctor for most of his era. (Image credit: BBC)

With the Doctor banished to the Earth by the Time Lords, he began working with military organisation UNIT and hanging out with some rather foe-faced military types. So, producers decided they needed to bring something a bit more fun into the mix — enter Jo Grant, big-hearted, brave, clumsy and the perfect chick for Jon Pertwee’s mother hen Doctor to take care of

Over her three years, we saw Jo and the Doc take on the world — and the universe — before she fell in love with Clifford Jones — a clever, charming, principled professor with more than an air of a young Doctor about him.  

Jo’s departure to head down the Amazon with Cliff was only the beginning of her story. When we meet her again in spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures 30 years later, we discover Jo has dedicated her life to fighting for environmental causes alongside her ever-expanding family. The Doctor would approve.

Essential viewing: Planet of the Daleks

With the Doctor in a coma after being shot by The Master, this story opens with Jo having to step up to the Doctor role, going solo as she navigates a hostile planet and wins allies to gain the help she needs.

5. Jamie McCrimmon (Frazer Hines, first appeared 1966) 

Jamie Zoe Doctor Who Frazer Hines Wendy Padbury

Jamie had more than one co-companion, but he always stayed the Doctor's no.1 fella. (Image credit: BBC)

The traditional view of the Doctor and companion set-up tends to be the Doc traveling with a younger female (although there have been many variations over the years, and Jodie Whittaker's 13th Doctor turned that completely on its head!). 

However, Patrick Troughton’s second Doctor took a different approach, his long-standing partnership in space and time being his "bromance" with Jamie McCrimmon, an 18th-century Scottish bagpiper. 

The pair traveled together through all but one of the second Doc’s adventures. At times they could behave like two naughty schoolboys, with the actors real-life relationship bleeding into some entertaining on-screen clowning. 

However, when the going got tough, the Doctor was the brains and brave Jamie was the brawn, the soldier never flinching at terrors from the future like Cybermen and Ice Warriors, or mythical horrors from the past including the Minotaur and Medusa. 

Essential viewing: The Evil of the Daleks

This seven-episode epic, supposed to be the final Dalek serial ever, and sees some great scenes for Jamie as his faith in the Doctor is tested to the limit when his friend appears to be collaborating with the Daleks ­­— the sort of character moment rarely seen in Doctor Who at that time. 

4. Donna Noble (Catherine Tate, first appeared 2006)

The poster for the second Doctor Who 60th anniversary special, Wild Blue Yonder.

In a Noble act, Donna returns to the Doctor's side this year. (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/Disney)

Comedian Catherine’s first appearance came in the 2006 Christmas special, with her character Donna a gobby bride-to-be, angry that she had been spirited away by extra-terrestrial forces on her wedding day. 

When it was revealed that Donna was to return for a full series of adventures, fans were worried Donna’s overbearing manner could soon wear thin. But how wrong they were, with Donna proving both not only one of the funniest companions the show has ever seen, but also one of the most heart-breaking. 

Donna’s initial reunion with the tenth doctor in Partners in Crime is arguably the most hilarious moment in the series' history, with not a line spoken as they mime to each other through a window. 

Meanwhile, the sequence at that series' end when the Doctor is forced to save Donna’s life by wiping her memory of their time together is nothing short of devastating. 

Donna returned for the Tenth Doc’s final episodes The End of Time, and has more than earned the honor of taking center stage again in the 60th birthday episodes.

Essential viewing: Turn Left

A tour de force for Catherine Tate in a Doctor-less episode which sees a simple choice Donna makes create an alternative timeline. In it, the Doctor has died, and Donna must face the destruction of London before sacrificing herself to save the world.

 3. Ace (Sophie Aldred, first appeared 1986)

Doctor Who Sylvester McCoy Sophie Aldred Ace

Ace and the Doctor were the final TARDIS team of the show's classic episodes. (Image credit: BBC)

Doctor Who companions have often been branded "screamers" (in fact, Bonnie Langford, playing Ace’s predecessor Mel, was even instructed to scream in the same pitch as the show's theme tune!), but Ace broke that mold.

A streetwise teen (albeit with a cringy line in BBC-friendly "slang"), Ace had to be held back from battering Daleks or blowing up enemies with her homemade explosive. 

Ace is a real foreshadow of what lies ahead in 21st century episode. The classic series didn’t much go in for story and character ‘arcs’ the same way sci-fi series do these days. However, over the course of Ace’s stories, we discover the teen from West London has been manipulated onto her intergalactic path by the Doctor’s ancient enemy, Fenric. Meanwhile, through their travels together, the Doctor forces Ace to face her fears over her troubled past.

Essential viewing: The Curse of Fenric

When Ace travels back to wartime England, she bonds with a baby, only to discover the tot will grow up to be the mum Ace hates — a plot worthy of the modern-day show.

2. Rose Tyler (Billie Piper, first appeared 2005)

David Tennant and Billie in The Christmas Invasion

Why does the Doctor travel with Rose? Because he wants to, of course! (Image credit: BBC)

Bringing back a creaky old sci-fi show after 20-odd years off-screen was certainly a challenge for Russell T Davies.

While the casting of Christopher Eccleston brought a big wad of gravitas to the upcoming series, bringing in a pop-star-turned-actor as the companion seemed exactly the sort of lightweight stunt this big-budget revival should be trying to avoid. But Billie Piper as Rose was Russell’s masterstroke. 

Likeable, relatable, funny and brave, the character won viewers' hearts from the word go. 

Rose then took centre stage to bridge the gap during the modern show’s first change of lead character, as Chris Eccleston became David Tennant. Later, she left viewers in bits as she and Doc No. 10 were ripped apart after she ended up trapped in an alternative reality. 

By the magic of the Who-niverse, Rose has since managed to make two returns to the show. Meanwhile, Billie Piper’s stellar career path has proven Russell’s eye for talent was spot on.

Essential viewing: Father’s Day

The revived series showcased the emotional depths it could now reach in this episode from the first series, as Rose travelled back to 1987 to catch a glimpse of her father on the day he died — with disastrous consequences for the timelines.

1. Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen, first appeared 1973)

Doctor Who Sarah Jane Smith and The Doctor played by Elisabeth Sladen and Tom Baker

The Doctor and Sarah were the perfect pair. (Image credit: BBC)

The absolute top-tier companion, Sarah Jane has spent more time on the Who-niverse than any other, spanning the classic and the modern series, as well as featuring in two spin-off series, K9 and Company and The Sarah Jane Adventures. 

Sarah first arrived on the show back in 1973, with the series already on a high under Jon Pertwee’s Doc. However, the combination of Sarah and the fourth Doctor, played by Tom Baker, saw the show soar even higher.

Sarah was forthright and contemporary (well, for the time anyway — she may have been a women’s libber and a successful journalist, but she was still prone to the odd scream and twisted ankle). The fourth Doctor describes her as his "best friend".

Sarah returned for 20th birthday shindig The Five Doctors in 1983, but her real renaissance came when she became the first companion from the classic show to return for the modern era in the episode School Reunion.

Soon, Sarah headed off to her own spin-off, The Sarah Jane Adventures, which ran for five series, with more to come were it not for the untimely death of much-loved actress Elisabeth Sladen in 2011 aged 65, whose faultless performance as Sarah was the driving force behind the success of this legendary character from her very beginning.

Essential viewing: The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith

It's a bit of a cheat as it’s not a Doctor Who episode, but this Sarah Jane Adventures episode — where Sarah is tricked into preventing the untimely death of her parents ­— sees one of Elisabeth’s best performances in the role.


]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who's 60 greatest moments from across time and space ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/doctor-whos-60-greatest-moments-from-across-time-and-space KnSSG8359K9bvb4DEPpLEG Tue, 21 Nov 2023 17:39:43 +0000 Mon, 27 Nov 2023 11:59:17 +0000 false false false

In celebration of Doctor Who's big 60th anniversary, we've traveled back through time to look at the show's lasting legacy and chart some of the many high points from the series to date. 

So far, we've seen 13 Doctors in action. Across more than 800 episodes, our Time Lord has done battle with all kinds of terrifying foes and saved countless lives on Earth and throughout the galaxy, finding fans around the world in the process. By the looks of things, the future of Doctor Who is just as bright!

Russell T. Davies has made a comeback to the franchise and the big birthday is being marked with three Doctor Who's 60th anniversary specials with the 14th Doctor (played by returning fave, David Tennant) at the helm. Plus, our 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, is stepping into the frame as part of the Christmas TV schedule in the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023

But before we journey into the future, we're looking back at those old adventures. With so many moments to choose from, it was all but impossible to include every single highlight from Doctor Who, and there are bound to be some faves that have slipped through the gaps. 

Nevertheless, we've tried our best to include a range of iconic moments from throughout the Doctor's on-screen adventures. So, without further ado, here are our picks for Doctor Who's 60 best moments!

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60. Rowan Atkinson is the Ninth Doctor?!

  • Episode: "The Curse of Fatal Death" 
  • Release year: 1999

A screenshot of the Ninth Doctor (Rowan Atkinson)

We briefly had a very different actor in play as the Ninth Doc... (Image credit: BBC)

Okay, yes, "The Curse of Fatal Death" is technically a Comic Relief story, rather than a proper installment of the show, but if not had a chance to check it out, you absolutely should. 

In this short spoof adventure, the Ninth Doctor (primarily played by Rowan Atkinson) and his companion, Emma face down two of his greatest foes. The special was Who's first return after the infamous TV movie, but features several big names taking on the title role including Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant, and even Joanna Lumley!

"The Curse of Fatal Death" is very, very silly and is packed with innuendo and raunchy jokes and best suits any fans who prefer Doctor Who's lighter side. You can find it all on YouTube if you've skipped over it. 

59. The Insidious Sil

  • Episode: "Vengeance on Varos" Part Two
  • Release year: 1985

"Vengeance on Varos" is a notable Sixth Doctor story, thanks in no small part to the fact that this is a story in which the Doctor dispatches two guards by throwing them into an acid bath.

The story also gave us a truly nasty alien foe: Sil, the Mentor from Thoros Beta. Like his contemporaries, Sil was a ruthless businessman who sought to exploit Varos both for its minerals and for its controversial "video nasty" type torture videos from the planet's so-called Punishment Dome. 

And as if to cement Sil's legacy as a particularly memorable foe, actor Nabil Shaban dreamed up a deeply uncomfortable evil laugh for the creature that has stayed with me ever since I first heard it. 

58. The Doctor strangles his companion

  • Episode: "The Twin Dilemma" Part One
  • Release year: 1984

In general, this is a list filled with high points from the series; notable character entrances, thrilling cliffhangers, and so on. But when it came to the Sixth Doctor years, there was one moment I felt I had to include because of its infamy: when the Doctor attacks his companion, Peri Brown in this much-maligned serial.

Following his regeneration, Colin Baker's Doc began behaving erratically and stranger than usual. This all came to a head when he decided Peri was evil and some sort of alien spy, so he attacked her, out of the blue.

It's a shocking turn for the character, and hints at the darker edge that manifested in some of his later incarnations. 

57. The Master claims a new body

  • Episode: "The Keeper of Traken" Part Four
  • Release year: 1981

At the end of his original regeneration cycle, the Doctor's nemesis set out to find a way to restore his decayed body, and in "The Keeper of Traken", the Master finally pulled off this scheme. 

Right at the end of the serial, the Trakenite Tremas comes across a mysterious grandfather clock (the Master's TARDIS). But when he goes to investigate it, he finds himself rooted in place. Then, the decayed Master emerged from the TARDIS and merged with Tremas' body, finally restoring his true form in the new guise of Anthony Ainley.

56. Sutekh's gift... of death!

  • Episode: "Pyramids of Mars" Part Four 
  • Release year: 1975

A cracking Who cliffhanger, the Servant of Sutekh's arrival is still the stuff of nightmares. 

Cultist Ibrahim Namin was instructed by the Osiran figure, Sutekh, to prepare the stately home of Marcus Scarman for the alien's arrival. At the end of episode one of this top-quality adventure, "Sutekh" arrives via a lodestone. But when Namin looks up, he finds himself face-to-face with the Servant of Sutekh instead. 

Despite his pleas, the Servant clasps his hands on Namin's shoulders and proceeds to burn him alive, all while the Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith, and Laurence Scarman watch on in horror. 

55. 'Four days, and I am still in your lounge!'

  • Episode: "The Power of Three"
  • Release year: 2012

Rory (Arthur Darvill), The Doctor (Matt Smith) and Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) sitting on a sofa in Doctor Who series 7

The Eleventh Doc doesn't handle boredom too well! (Image credit: BBC)

This manic montage is a great example of the Doctor's sillier side. While monitoring some cubes that have appeared all over the world, the Doctor grows bored sitting alongside Amy and Rory. Petulantly, he leaves Amy and Rory to keep watch while he disappears to keep himself entertained by, among other things, playing keep-ups, painting the Ponds' fence, and vacuuming. 

"Nothing like a bit of activity to pass the time," he says, triumphantly sitting back down in between Rory and Amy... before the former reveals he's only kept himself occupied for a single hour. 

54. 'Would you like a jelly baby?'

  • Episode: "Robot" Part Four
  • Release year: 1975

The Second Doctor might have been fond of the occasional sweet treat, but he really took to offering around some jelly babies when in his fourth incarnation in what quickly became a signature move for this particular Doctor. 

Sarah Jane Smith chided the Doctor for being 'childish' and leaving in the TARDIS before he could be made to go to Downing Street with the Brigadier. However, his excitement at heading off into the cosmos brought her around, and she quickly took him up on an offer of a jelly baby and a trip across time and space, with Harry Sullivan joining them in the TARDIS a few moments later. Before long, the Doctor was offering them to practically anyone he could, including Davros! 

53. The Doctor outsmarts the Toymaker

  • Episode: "The Celestial Toymaker: The Final Test"
  • Release year: 1966

With the Toymaker returning to plague the 14th Doctor in the 60th anniversary specials, it pays to look back at his first appearance.

The Toymaker had the Doctor trapped in one of his games and almost tricks him into making the final move that would have destroyed the Toyroom and everything in it.

However, thanks to a suggestion from Steven to "talk our way out of this", the First Doctor dreams up an escape plan. He orders Steven to preset the TARDIS for dematerialization, and mimics the Toymaker's voice to solve the Trilogic Game so they can flee as his world is destroyed.

52. The Doctor saves River Song

  • Episode: "Forest of the Dead"
  • Release year: 2008

In this excellent two-parter, both viewers and the Tenth Doctor were introduced to fellow time traveler (and the Doctor's future wife), River Song. 

Having decided not to "spoil" his forthcoming adventures with River, he suddenly comes rushing back, realizing that one of his future selves must have dreamed up a way to save her. And, after checking River's sonic screwdriver, he finds a hidden compartment containing a neural relay that contains her consciousness. 

Cue a mad dash through the corridors of the library as the Tenth Doctor takes River on one last run to the core so he can "save" her by uploading her data to the Library's computer. 

51. 'Come on Ace, we've got work to do'

  • Episode: "Survival" Part Three
  • Release year: 1989

This poignant represents where the show came to its end and this final walk-off shot serves as a poignant end to the classic series as we know it. 

With the Cheetah people (and the Master) dealt with, Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor comes to Ace's side, offering a coda to their adventures so far, whilst leaving the door open in a way for the series to return: 

"There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, where the sea's asleep, and the rivers dream. People made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there's danger. Somewhere there's injustice. And somewhere else the tea's getting cold. Come on Ace, we've got work to do!"

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50. Donna and the Doctor's reunion

  • Episode: "Partners in Crime"
  • Release year: 2008

Tenth Doctor David Tennant looking through a window in Doctor Who episode

Ten lays eyes on his final companion in this hilarious exchange. (Image credit: BBC)

“Partners in Crime” features a top-quality bit of Whovian humor and is such a stellar example of David Tennant and Catherine Tate’s on-screen chemistry. The episode sees the Doctor and would-be companion Donna Noble both leading separate investigations into the diet pill company, Adipose Industries. 

Partway through, the pair spot one another through windows in the building, and wordlessly catch up about how they’ve been since their first caper four years prior in “The Runaway Bride”... completely under the watch of Adipose Industries’ director, “Miss Foster”.

49. Death by plastic chair

  • Episode: "Terror of the Autons" Part Two
  • Release year: 1971

I simply couldn't exclude one of the most memorable deaths from the entire franchise. In his first-ever appearance in the show, the Master takes charge of Farrel Autoplastics, a small plastics production plant and begins using it to produce Auton artifacts including daffodils, dolls... and chairs. 

In the serial's second episode, the Master demonstrates the effectiveness of one such artifact to the plant's production manager, James McDermott. He shows him a self-inflating plastic chair and forces McDermott to take a seat. Horrifically, the thing then collapses and suffocates him, whilst Delgado's Master watches over him, silently. 

48. 11 confronts the Atraxi

  • Episode: "The Eleventh Hour"
  • Release year: 2010

Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor had a monumental act to follow, but he certainly made his mark as "The Madman with a Box" in his first episode. After having tracked down Prisoner Zero, this episode saw the Doctor in a stand-off with the Atraxi (a galactic police force). 

While trying to retrieve their escaped alien prisoner, the Atraxi had threatened to destroy Earth if it wasn’t handed over to them. Furious, the Doctor encourages the Atraxi to search their database for info about Earth’s protector and scares them off with an ice-cold final line: "Hello, I’m the Doctor. Basically…run". His reputation alone is enough to make them disappear, fast.

47. 13 Transforms into an Angel

  • Episode: "Village of the Angels"
  • Release year: 2021

In Jodie's final full season in the TARDIS, we were treated to one of new Who'sbest cliffhangers in the series. A rogue Weeping Angel hijacked her TARDIS and caused it to crash down in the "Cursed Village" of Medderton. It had brought the 13th Doctor there seeking help; a group of Angels that worked for The Division (a shadowy organization the Doctor was once affiliated with) were hunting it down.

Eventually, the rogue Angel betrays the Doctor. It made a deal with the extraction squad, exchanging its freedom for a better target: the Doctor. Before our eyes, the Doctor then transformed into an Angel as she was recalled to Division.

46. 'These shoes! They fit perfectly!'

  • Episode: Doctor Who: The Movie
  • Release year: 1996

Paul McGann might have felt somewhat responsible for Doctor Who's end, but his Doctor has become a favorite to many in the years since the ill-fated movie. 

Wrestling with amnesia post-regeneration in this scene, the Eighth Doctor takes a stroll with Grace Holloway, trying to recall his past (and trying out a new pair of shoes). 

As he recalls a memory of watching a meteor storm on Gallifrey, his excitement starts to overcome him. And as the music swells, we see what's truly made him so happy: "These shoes! They fit perfectly." 

It's an innocent, childlike moment of happiness and one that captures how charming McGann's Doctor is. 

45. The Tenth and Eleventh Doctor Meet

  • Episode: "The Day of the Doctor"
  • Release year:  2013

The Tenth and Eleventh Doctors with sonic screwdrivers drawn being threatened with halberds in the Doctor Who episode

Two of modern Who's best stars formed a double act when they first crossed paths.  (Image credit: BBC)

The 50th anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor" was full of great moments, but my fave remains the meeting between the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors where they essentially form a comedy double act of sorts. 

Whilst investigating the National Gallery with Kate Stewart and Clara, the Eleventh Doctor spots a time fissure opening up and throws his fez into it. After recognizing where it leads, he excitedly dives through the fissure, coming face to face with his previous self in the 16th Century. 

There, the Doctors mirror one another; Eleven attempts to show off his flashier sonic screwdriver, but Ten coolly asks if he's "compensating for something", and the chemistry between them only grows from there. 

44. Eleven reboots the universe

  • Episode: "The Big Bang"
  • Release year: 2010

Season 5 of new Who saw the Doctor being sealed away inside the Pandorica by his old foes in a (failed) effort to prevent the end of the universe.

Cue the very, very timey-wimey second part of this story, in which the Doctor used that same prison to restore everything in what called "Big Bang Two". Using River Song's vortex manipulator, he flew the Pandorica into the heart of his exploding TARDIS, the true source of the total event collapse that ended the universe in the first place.

In doing so, the atoms of the preserved universe inside the device were scattered throughout time and space, and the universe is restored, whilst his personal timeline started to unravel. 

43. 13 forges her 'sonic swiss army knife'

  • Episode: "The Woman Who Fell To Earth"
  • Release year: 2018

Like many of her previous counterparts, the 13th Doctor got a newly redesigned sonic screwdriver for her adventures. However, unlike some of her counterparts, she couldn't rely on the TARDIS to spit a new one out for her. 

That realization led to this grand montage (set to the 13th Doctor's stirring theme) that treats the device with reverence. Having lost everything in her pockets during the fall in "Twice Upon a Time", Jodie's Doctor decided to take matters into her own hands and combined a bit of alien tech with whatever she had to hand in Sheffield to make a far more unique sonic device. 

42. 'What? WHAT?!'

  • Episode: "The Power of the Doctor"
  • Release year: 2022

This was a fantastic bait-and-switch moment from Jodie Whittaker’s final adventure. Jodie’s regeneration scene was grand and optimistic, set against a stunning sunset atop the Durdle Door arch, and it ended with one hell of a twist. We'd already learned that Ncuti Gatwa would be taking over as the 14th Doctor, so we were all expecting to see him cropping up at the end of "The Power of the Doctor". So when the burst of energy subsided and Jodie was replaced by none other than David Tennant, jaws hit the floor, and excitement for the new era under returning showrunner Russell T. Davies hit fever pitch very quickly indeed. 

41. Doctor, meet Rose Tyler 

  • Episode: "Rose" 
  • Release year: 2005

The very first episode of new Who proved that Doctor Who deserved its spot on the TV schedule, and Christopher Eccleston’s very first scene as The Doctor is still a favorite of mine! 

Here, the Ninth Doctor manages to save his soon-to-be companion Rose from the Autons just in the nick of time, before the pair start running away from their living plastic pursuers and Rose receives a very frenetic explanation of what’s going on. It’s a fast-paced entrance and throws new and old viewers alike into the deep end. 

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40. Ian Chesterton's record-breaking return

  • Episode: "The Power of the Doctor"
  • Release year: 2022

William Russell as Ian Chesterton in Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor

Ian (William Russell) as he appeared in The Power of the Doctor. (Image credit: BBC)

As "The Power of the Doctor" was a big part of the BBC's Centenary celebrations, and fittingly included several throwbacks, cameos, and references to Doctor Who's past, but the companion support group contained the greatest surprise of them all.

Following his adventures with the Thirteenth Doctor, Graham and Dan assembled a group where they could share their stories about traveling through time and space together with their respective Doctors. 

There were plenty of former stars in attendance, but the biggest surprise had to be the record-breaking reappearance of Ian Chesterton, a companion of the very first Doctor! William Russell returned to play the role, earning himself a Guinness World Record for the longest gap between TV appearances.

39. The 'Two Doctors' fade to color

  • Episode: "The Two Doctors" Part One
  • Release year: 1985

Next to many of the key character moments or tense cliffhangers that we've slotted in throughout this list, this bit of technical wizardry might not seem as impressive on paper. 

At the opening of "The Two Doctors", we rejoined Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor and his Highlander companion, Jamie McCrimmon in the TARDIS, en route to a space station to pay a visit to Dastari, the Head of Projects. The pair picked up their roles effortlessly,

Since the first Doctor Who story to be broadcast in color was Pertwee's "Spearhead from Space" in 1970, this intro scene includes a nice throwback to the series' monochrome days, one which didn't occur when Patrick Troughton returned for earlier specials. 

38. 'There is one thing you never, ever put in a trap'

  • Episode: "The Time of Angels"
  • Release year: 2010

The Eleventh Doctor treated us to a fair few epic stand-offs with his many foes during his tenure (as you have already seen on this list!), but this is one of his best. Doctors from the new Who era have generally been more gun-averse than their classic Who counterparts, which is what made this scene so surprising. 

In “The Time of Angels”, The 11th Doctor and Amy Pond rescued River Song and landed on Alfava Metraxis, where they were soon attacked by Weeping Angels. Chased into the Maze of the Dead, it looks like the Angels have the Doctor and his associates trapped… until the Doctor shoots a gravity globe, delivering his stern warning.

37. A functional chameleon circuit

  • Episode: "Attack of the Cybermen" Part One
  • Release year: 1985

The Doctor's TARDIS is meant to change forms so that it can effectively blend into its surroundings in space and time, though thanks to a fault with its chameleon circuit, it had been stuck in the form of a blue police box since the very first episode of the series... until this episode.

The Sixth Doctor decided he would carry out some repairs on the ship, though they don't appear to have gone right. When the TARDIS is drawn towards Earth in 1985 and lands in the scrapyard where it all began in 76 Totter's Lane, it attempts to blend into its surroundings... and adopts the form of a french dresser.

36. Meeting the Solitract

  • Episode: "It Takes You Away"
  • Release year: 2018

This is a genuinely heartfelt scene wherein Jodie Whittaker put her stamp on the Doctor role by comforting a consciousness being whose preferred form was that of a little frog. 

The TARDIS fam crossed paths with the Solitract in Norway in 2018, where it had been luring travellers to learn about the universe it had been banished from. When the Doctor finally came face-to-face with it, she was fascinated, but couldn't stick around. 

The Solitract's plane was destabilizing because of the presence of incompatible presence in the other plane was destabilizing it, and if she didn't leave, the universe would kill them both. So, she promised to be its friend forever, but had to be let go, right after forging a new friendship. It's a genuinely emotional, but also mad as a box of, well, frogs. 

35. The Time Lord Victorious

  • Episode: "The Waters of Mars"
  • Release year: 2009

The Doctor and Captain Adelaide with sonic screwdriver and gun (respectively) drawn in the Doctor Who episode

Captain Adelaide challenged the Doctor's ego in this pivotal scene.  (Image credit: BBC)

Nearing the end of his time as this particular incarnation, a darker side of the Tenth Doctor emerged. He began to regard himself as the "Time Lord Victorious", a figure who is above the Laws of Time and therefore able to control how they flow. 

To demonstrate this, he decided to save the lives of several workers working at Sanctuary Base 6 on Mars from The Flood, a viral species inhabiting the waters of the planet, including Captain Adelaide Brooke. 

But when he declares his newfound believe to Adelaide after returning her to Earth, she is horrified by his arrogance. She defies his interference in the time by taking her own life, forcing the Doctor to recognize where he was going wrong. 

34. 'Sit down and TALK!'

  • Episode: "The Zygon Inversion"
  • Release year: 2015

There are other Twelfth Doctor highlights on this list, but if there's one defining moment for his character, I'd wager it's this. 

Kate Stewart and Bonnie, leader of a radical group of Zygons, are in a stand-off. Their hands as hovering over the "Osgood Boxes", devices that act as safeguards (or countermeasures) against both species, should the peace treaty between them ever break down. 

With neither person willing to back down, the Doctor launches into a polemic about war and its consequences, in an effort to get them to do what they should have been doing all along: to 'sit down and talk!'

33. The Brigadier confronts the Destroyer

  • Episode: "Battlefield" Part Four
  • Release year: 1989

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart has been by the Doctor's side for many adventures, but he returned to active duty in this serial to assist UNIT in the battle against Mordred's forces.

As the story unraveled, a demon from outside of time known as The Destroyer was summoned by his mother, Morgaine. The Doctor surmises the creatures weakness to silver, prompting the Brigadier to knock him out and takes a gun loaded with his silver bullets from him to alleviate the Doctor of the responsibility of killing the Destroyer.

After the demon blasts him as a "pitiful" champion for Earth, the Brigadier coolly tells it "I just do the best I can" unloading the weapon and killing the Destroyer in a blast of green fire which he miraculously survives. 

32. 'So you're my replacements... a dandy and a clown'

  • Episode: "The Three Doctors" Part One
  • Release year: 1972

Multi-Doctor stories are always a treat, and “The Three Doctors was the first of its kind. Under threat from a dangerous foe, the Time Lords break the First Law Of Time —not letting a Time Lord cross into their own timeline — and recruit the Second Doctor from the past to assist the Third in seeing off the latest threat. But because they weren’t playing nice, the Time Lords were forced to bring in the First Doctor to help keep them in check. 

Although he was locked in a “time eddy” and only able to tune in via a monitor, William Hartnell still delivered this iconic put-down in what became his final appearance as the Time Lord. 

31. The Silurians plague spreads

  • Episode: "The Silurians" Part Six
  • Release year: 1970

In this Third Doctor story, Jon Pertwee lives up to his Time Lord title rather literally as he and Liz work against the clock to try and manufacture a cure for a deadly virus that's been unleashed by the Silurians. 

By modern standards, the actual Silurian costumes might not appear all that threatening, but their deadly plague certainly is. The episode is littered with clips of the virus wreaking havoc on the city as more and more Londoners succumb to it; arguably the most haunting one is the lingering shot of Masters collapsing against the railing of a pedestrian walkway after fleeing two police officers.

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30. Clara jumps into the Doctor's Timestream

  • Episode: "The Name of the Doctor" 
  • Release year: 2013

Clara in the Doctor's timestream in

We finally learned how Clara became the Impossible Girl in this climactic moment. (Image credit: BBC)

The season-long "Impossible Girl" mystery was a fascinating era of New Who, and it all came to a head in "The Name of the Doctor". The episode saw The Great Intelligence planning to change every single one of the Doctor's successes into failures.

With the Eleventh Doctor writhing in pain on the floor, Clara decides to sacrifice herself to save him and steps into his timestream. She's scattered throughout his timeline, with the time winds tearing her apart.  

Subsequently, we watch as echoes of her appearing at points in his timestream, always managing to steer the Doctor back on track where it counts. 

29. Meeting Sarah Jane Smith

  • Episode: "The Time Warrior" Part One
  • Release year: 1973

Not only did "The Time Warrior" bring The Sontarans into being, but it also introduced us to investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith. 

Having posed as her aunt, virologist Lavinia Smith, Sarah Jane had infiltrated UNIT HQ on the hunt for a great story. She'd managed to fool UNIT's officers, but the Doctor knows better, as he's familiar with one of Lavinia's papers. 

Instead of giving her away, though, the Doctor recognizes her inquisitiveness and teases her about becoming the designated coffee-maker. Before long, she's stowing away in the TARDIS, traveling back in time and helping the Doctor to defeat Jago Linx. 

28. The TARDIS says 'Hello'

  • Episode: "The Doctor's Wife"
  • Release year: 2011

In this adventure, the Eleventh Doctor finds himself face-to-face with a human version of the TARDIS after the TARDIS-eating entity known as House extracted the Doctor's TARDIS matrix and implanted in the body of a woman called Idris (played by Suranne Jones). 

Shortly after Idris' death, she got to have one final heartfelt exchange with her pilot: "There's something I didn't get to say to you... Hello. Hello, Doctor. It's so very, very nice to meet you". 

This tearjerking moment gives you such a clear picture of the Doctor's relationship with his TARDIS, and the emotional heft of the scene is effortlessly carried off by Jones and Matt Smith. 

27. The first use of the sonic screwdriver

  • Episode: "Fury of the Deep" Part One
  • Release year: 1968

Over the years, the Doctor has used this particular piece of kit to get them out of all manner of scrapes; it's now so synonymous with the Doctor that the BBC gave the 14th Doctor's sonic screwdriver its own trailer!

And whilst the device has gotten flashier and been used to do all kinds of tasks over the years, it had some pretty humble beginnings. Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor put it to use for its primary use (as a screwdriver) whilst investigating a refinery off the English coast. 

Whilst all six of these episodes are currently missing, you can at least still experience the story as this is one of the stories that's been reconstructed and animated by the BBC.

26. The Doctor enters the Matrix

  • Episode: "The Deadly Assassin" Part Two
  • Release year: 1976

Having been summoned back to Gallifrey by the Time Lords, the Doctor finds himself in hot water as he’s implicated in the assassination of the Time Lord President.

During his investigation, he reasons that the Master has unauthorized access to the Matrix of Time, and must be hiding within; against all warnings, he enters the Matrix to pursue his foe. 

After a psychedelic screen wipe, the Fourth Doctor awakens inside the assassin’s world, where he faces all manner of threats — a samurai warrior, a bombing run, a speeding train, and, of course, a rubber crocodile — as the battle of wits between them commences. 

25. Dr Constantine's Transformation

  • Episode: "The Empty Child"
  • Release year: 2005

Richard Wilson as Doctor Constantine in Doctor Who episode

Richard Wilson played the noble Dr. Constantine.  (Image credit: BBC)

Doctor Who might be a family show, but that hasn’t stopped the series from introducing some truly chilling entities over the years. One such foe came in the form of The Empty Child, a young boy called Jamie whose touch could transform you into a humanoid creature with a gas mask fused to your face. 

The Doctor learned some crucial info about this plague from Dr. Constantine, a noble figure who revealed that Jamie had been the source… before succumbing to the affliction himself and transforming before the Doctor’s very eyes in a scene that’s still nightmare fuel even now.   

24. The Doctor is banished to Earth 

  • Episode: "War Games" Part Ten
  • Release year: 1969

The end of this epic serial culminates in the Second Doctor being put on trial by a group of Time Lords for, in their eyes, breaking the laws of non-interference.

Patrick Troughton's Doctor remains steadfast in his final moments. He's proud of having confronted many evils over his time. Recognizing his role in the ongoing battle against the forces of evil, the Time Lords modify his punishment. 

The Doctor is to be banished to Earth; he'll also lose the secret of the TARDIS and his appearance will be changed. Cue an impassioned speech wherein he rejects his new options, one that's cut short as the change takes place, leaving him spiralling (quite literally) out of control...

23. Ace batters an Imperial Dalek

  • Episode: "Remembrance of the Daleks" Part Two
  • Release year: 1988

This is just one of many memorable moments from the Seventh Doctor's standout serial.

Having returned to Coal Hill School to retrieve her stereo system, Ace found herself being pursued by an Imperial Dalek. However, she'd not come empty handed: this time, she was armed with a metal baseball bat imbued with the power of a Time Lord artefact.

The companion promptly used this to batter her pursuer, smashing its eyestalk and blinding it so she could slip away.

This scene was quite so iconic that it ended up being one of many classic Who beats that was referenced in "The Power of the Doctor", where Ace teamed up with Graham (Bradley Walsh) to disrupt the Daleks' volcanic plans. 

22. The Master's debut

  • Episode: "Terror of the Autons" Part One
  • Release year: 1971

Roger Delgado had the job of debuting the figure who would go on to become one of the Doctor’s archnemeses, the Master, and his debut marks him out as a menacing presence in the Whoniverse from the off. 

Stepping out of his own TARDIS (which materializes as a horse box), Delgado’s Master cuts an imposing figure in his all-black attire. Provoked by circus owner Luigi Rossini (real name, Lew Russell), the rogue Time Lord easily overpowers the ‘insolent’ businessman and promptly hypnotizes him so that Russell can start doing his bidding.

21. The Cybermen take London

  • Episode: "The Invasion" Part Six
  • Release year: 1968

"The Invasion" sees the Second Doctor confronting, well, an invasion, and features this truly iconic moment that sees the evil robotic creatures bursting out of London's sewers. 

In the climax of the sixth part of this serial, the Cybermen put their plan to take over Earth into action. Their hypnotic signal blasts in the background, knocking the Second Doctor out of action and hypnotizing everyday people into inaction. As the Doctor's companions rush to his aid, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart returns to deliver some shocking news: hundreds of Cybermen have emerged.

As the episode ends, we watch as one Cyberman effortlessly tosses a manhole cover aside. Then the creatures begin stalking the streets of London, including the classic shot of them descending the steps outside St Paul's Cathedral. 

20-11

20. Breaking through Azbantium

  • Episode: "Heaven Sent"
  • Release year: 2015

Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor stands in front of the Azbantium wall in the Doctor Who episode

The Doctor fights through his grief in this moving sequence. (Image credit: BBC)

Following the death of his companion, Clara Oswald, the Doctor finds himself trapped inside an old castle, pursued and killed by a mysterious veiled creature that takes the form of a creature from his nightmares. 

In reality, the Doctor has been locked inside his confession dial, in an effort to get him to confess his deepest secrets. This melancholic puzzle-box of an episode wraps up in a hopeful way; over the course of his four-and-a-half-billion-year imprisonment, the Doctor comes to terms with Clara’s death and punches his way through an Azbantium wall, eventually escaping out of the castle onto Gallifrey to confront the Time Lords who locked him away.

19. 'I don't want to go'

  • Episode: "The End of Time" Part Two
  • Release year: 2010

David Tennant is still one of the most popular actors to ever star in the show, so his departure was always going to be a big one. Having saved the life of Wilfred Mott and absorbed a huge amount of radiation in the process, the Doctor goes on a sort of victory lap, paying a visit to many of his old companions. 

As the regeneration begins in the TARDIS, he tearfully admits: "I don't want to go", before the energy bursts out of him and the regeneration finally takes place. 

This scene has gone on to be a divisive one (at least in part because it put his successor, Matt Smith, under a lot of pressure to be a bigger, better Doc), but the raw emotion on display still wins me over every time. 

18. Davros' thirst for power

  • Episode: "Genesis of the Daleks" Part Five
  • Release year: "2005"

There are a fair few Dalek entries on this list, but we couldn't skip over their megalomaniacal creator, Davros. 

Following his menacing debut earlier in the serial, this scene sees the Doctor begs Davros to halt development on the Daleks, and presents him with a hypothetical scenario: if he possessed a virus capable of wiping out all other life forms, would he put it to use? 

Actor Michael Wisher gets Davros' evil nature across brilliantly, as the villain proudly declares that he would, as that power would place him above the gods, leading the Doctor to threaten to switch off his life support systems.

17. 'Is this death?'

  • Episode: "The Caves of Androzani" Part Four
  • Release year: 1984

In his final adventure, the Fifth Doctor makes a noble sacrifice to save his companion's life. The pair had made their way to Androzani Minor and contracted spectrox toxaemia in the process.

Thankfully, the Doctor had managed to get his hands on some antitoxin but ended up not having enough to save them both. At death's door, he opted to feed what he had left to Peri, before collapsing on the floor of the TARDIS in a moment where he feared he might not be able to regenerate at all.

Thankfully, she recovered very quickly, giving him just enough time to say goodbye before succumbing to the poison. But, buoyed by the words from some of his former companions (and ignoring the Master's call for him to die), he managed to thwart death and regenerate into Colin Baker.

16. Rose destroys the Daleks 

  • Episode: "The Parting of the Ways"
  • Release year: 2005

In this climactic season finale, everything came full circle. The Doctor might have saved her from the Autons, but when he looked to be out of options, the TARDIS brought her back to his side just as the Daleks prepared to exterminate him.

Having stared right into the heart of the TARDIS, Rose emerged from the ship as the Bad Wolf. Imbued with power, she proceeds to wipe out the remaining Daleks and declares the Time War to be at an end. 

That much power quickly starts taking its toll on Rose, prompting the Ninth Doctor to step in and absorb it as the pair share a kiss, shortly before he's forced to regenerate into a new form. 

15. K-9's explosive return

  • Episode: "School Reunion"
  • Release year: 2006

The Doctor was reunited with an old friend in this New Who ep.  (Image credit: BBC)

In "School Reunion", the Doctor was delighted to run into Sarah Jane Smith whilst investigating the Krillitane occupation of a high school.. even if it did prompt some difficult conversations about why they parted ways.

She wasn't the only old friend who cropped up here, though; Sarah went on to surprise the Doctor with an old, inactive K-9 Mark III. The delightful robotic companion then proved instrumental in defeating the alien threat when he blew up their stores of Krillitane oil.

And whilst he was presumed dead in the blast, the Doctor had one last surprise in store: he left his old companion with a brand new, upgraded K-9 Mark IV, who served his new master well in The Sarah Jane Adventures spin-off. 

14. 'If we fight like animals, we'll die like animals!'

  • Episode: "Survival" Part Three
  • Release year: 1989

In this climactic scene, the Doctor nearly offed his archnemesis for good. Imbued with the power of the Cheetah World, the Master takes his rival to the planet with the view of dealing with the Doctor once and for all. Unfortunately for him, the Seventh Doctor gains the upper hand in the fight and raises a skull, ready to kill him. But in a moment of clarity, he resists the planet's pull. He attempts to convince the Master to stop the fighting as they'll destroy the planet if they continue. 

Still, the Master spitefully refuses, leaving the Doctor to melodramatically scream: "If we fight like animals, we'll die like animals!" as his rival goes for the finishing blow. Luckily, the Doctor is teleported back to Earth just in the nick of time, leaving the Master stranded on the dying world. 

13. The Daleks take flight

  • Episode: "Remembrance of the Daleks" Part One
  • Release year: 1988

For a time, it was really easy to assume you could thwart one of the Doctor's most formidable foes simply by dashing up the nearest flight of stairs. And yet, in the closing moments of "Remembrance of the Daleks'" first episode, the series proved this theory wrong.

After tapping into the transmat that's bringing Imperial Daleks into Coal Hill School, Ace and the Seventh Doctor were set upon by one of the incoming Daleks. The pair tries to flee upstairs, but the Doctor comically trips and falls up the steps. Meanwhile, the Headmaster knocks out Ace and bolts the door, leaving the Doctor to watch on in horror as the creature conquers the steps and advances on him, ready to exterminate its mortal enemy. 

12. Adric's Death

  • Episode: "Earthshock", Part Four
  • Release year: 1982

Adric is certainly one of the show's least fondly remembered companions but you can’t deny that his death was a shocking moment from Doctor Who’s past. This super-intelligent youngster from E-Space accompanied the Fourth and Fifth Doctors on their journeys but met his end in "Earthshock". 

He was busying himself at a computer console trying to stop a spaceship from crashing into planet Earth when a Cyberman destroyed it, leaving him trapped on the freighter that became the ‘meteor’ that wiped out the dinosaurs whilst the companions watched on in horror.  

11. "A tear, Sarah Jane?"

  • Episode: "Planet of the Spiders" Part Six
  • Release year: 1974

Sure, modern Who fans probably shed a tear over David Tennant's departure, but I think the third Doctor's farewell to one of the best-ever companions is also a standout moment. 

The Third Doctor's journeys came to an end when he received a lethal dose of radiation on Metebelis III. Although he was waylaid in the time vortex for several weeks, the Third Doctor tumbles out of the TARDIS in UNIT HQ in front of the Brigadier and Sarah Jane Smith. 

The Brigadier attempts to comfort him, whilst Sarah Jane begins to cry and beg him not to die, prompting him to try and comfort her with his last words: "A tear, Sarah Jane? Now, don't cry. While there's life, there's..."

10-1

10. Paul McGann's return

  • Episode: "The Night of the Doctor" 
  • Released in: 2013

Paul McGann looks skyward in the Doctor Who episode

Paul McGann made a shock return to the franchise and owned his role in just a few minutes.  (Image credit: BBC/Adrian Rogers)

"I'm a Doctor... but probably not the one you were expecting." He wasn't kidding!

17 years on from his sole on-screen adventure, Eighth Doctor Paul McGann uttered these words when he returned to our screens in this 2013 minisode that helped mark Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary. This short depicts this Doctor’s final moments, urged into ending the climactic Time War by the Sisterhood of Karn.

He consumes an elixir that allows him to control his own regeneration and choose one more suited to the Time War. Short-lived though it was, this moment gave McGann his chance to finally make his mark as the Doctor, and he ran through the whole gamut of emotions as he mulled over his response to the ongoing battle.   

9. Vincent van Gogh visits the museum

  • Episode: "Vincent and the Doctor"
  • Release year: 2010

The Eleventh Doctor’s trip to the Musee d’Orsay with Amy Pond and Vincent van Gogh — played with real warmth by Tony Curran, who looks uncannily like the real-world painter —  remains a real tearjerker moment from Who's past. 

After working with the renowned painter to defeat an invisible monster that only van Gogh can see, the Doctor takes both him and Amy to the Parisian museum. In a stirring scene, he sees visitors marveling at his paintings and is reduced to tears as he listens to art expert Dr. Henry Black (Bill Nighy) heap praise upon his life and work.

8. 'I do what I do because it's right!'

  • Episode: "The Doctor Falls"
  • Release year: 2017

Taunted by two versions of his archnemesis in the form of both the Saxon Master and Missy, the Twelfth Doctor exploded into just one of his many brilliant monologues wherein he extols his virtues. 

In the face of their mocking (and staring down his imminent death), Capaldi's Doctor delivers this barnstorming monologue, explaining that he always tries to do the right thing precisely because it's the right thing to do. 

Whilst he fails to win over the Saxon Master, his words do appear to have an impact on Missy; later in the episode, she betrays the other Master and explains she'd decided to make a stand with the Doctor... but her previous incarnation refused to let her. 

7. 'You belong to us. You shall be like us.'

  • Episode: "The Tomb of the Cybermen" Part Two
  • Release year: 1967

"You belong to us. You shall be like us." Those are the chilling words delivered by the Cyber Controller after forcing Eric Klieg — one of the men who sought to reawaken the Cybermen on the planet Telos— to his knees. 

Patrick Troughton's Doctor confronted the Cyber-menace several times during his tenure, but for my money, this is one of the creatures' most chilling appearances. George Pastell looks utterly terrified as he confronts the figure, and for good reason! That inhumane, monotone delivery is haunting, and the blank, expressionless close-up of the Cyber Controller betrays not a hint of emotion whatsoever. 

6. Barbara attacked by Daleks

  • Episode: "The Daleks: The Dead Planet"
  • Release year: 1963

Another truly iconic Who cliffhanger, this is a significant moment for containing the first-ever on-screen appearance of Doctor Who's most recognizable foes: the Daleks.

Whilst exploring the corridors of the mysterious city, Barbara got separated from the First Doctor, Ian, and Susan. She soon found that the doors were closing behind her, leaving her split off from the rest of the gang.

Barbara's panic sets in as she realizes she's become trapped. The scene then concludes with a point-of-view shot from the perspective of what we'd come to learn is a Dalek; something with a plunger arm is advancing on her, and Jacqueline Hall's terrified scream sells just how horrifying the alien creature is. 

5. 'You would make a good Dalek'

  • Episode: "Dalek"
  • Release year: "2005"

A Dalek hovering up the stairs from the Doctor Who episode

The Doctor's mortal enemy had some chilling words for him. (Image credit: BBC)

New Who gave us a fantastic introduction to Daleks in the first season’s sixth episode. The Doctor thought these evil creatures (along with all other Time Lords) had been wiped out in the Last Great Time War... before discovering a lone survivor that began wreaking havoc in collector Henry van Statten’s bunker. 

Over comms, the lone Dalek communicates with the Doctor, who explains all other Daleks are dead (or so he thought). The Ninth Doctor explodes with rage in this moment, blasting the creature and ordering it to take its own life since they're mortal enemies. Recognizing this hatred, the escaped Dalek delivers a shocking line of its own: “You would make a good Dalek.” 

4. Rose and the Doctor say goodbye

  • Episode: "Doomsday"
  • Release year: 2006

This tearful goodbye is also from Tennant's era, but stings even more because it was saying goodbye to one of the series' best-ever companions.

The Doctor, Rose and their allies in our universe and in Pete's World had managed to fend off the warring Dalek and Cybermen forces. Unfortunately, the Doctor and Rose ended up being separated across time and space in the process. 

Months later, Rose follows messages to a beach in Norway, and the pair got to reveal how much they truly mean to one another as they say goodbye for what they thought would be the last time. 

3. Meeting the Doctor for the very first time

  • Episode: "An Unearthly Child" Part One
  • Release year: 1963

When you look back at it, An Unearthly Child feels so far removed from the action-packed openings that some of the subsequent Doctors got. The first-ever episode is laden with intrigue and makes for a great introduction to the series because we get to experience first-hand just how bizarre meeting the Doctor and trying to comprehend the TARDIS really is.

The bulk of episode one aligns us with Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright, two school teachers (and would-be companions). The pair of them are concerned about one of their students, Susan, who has grown frustrated about the things she's learning at school. When they follow her home, they end up coming across the TARDIS and encounter the First Doctor, before being whisked back in time to 100,000 BC.

  • Episode: "Blink"
  • Release year: 2007

Including a moment from a Doctor-lite episode this far up the list almost feels like cheating, but "Blink" remains a high point from the show to date. 

With the Doctor trapped in the past, it's up to Sally Sparrow (Carey Mulligan) and her friend Larry to reunite him with the TARDIS. The only problem? They're being pursued by the Weeping Angels and only have half a conversation with the Doctor (from some DVD Easter eggs) to help guide them.

When Sally finally realizes the conversation is meant for her, the angels begin closing in. It's a tense episode from the off, but when the pair finally come face-to-face with the aliens, the brakes come off and the pair race to send the TARDIS back with the Angels at their heels. 

1. 'Do I have the right?'

  • Episode: "Genesis of the Daleks" Part 6
  • Release year: 1975

Over the years, the Doctor has delivered some truly epic monologues over the years, but this moment of hesitation is still his best. Following that tense confrontation with Davros we mentioned earlier, the Fourth Doctor Tom Baker faces a terrible moral quandary. 

Simply by touching two wires together, he could wipe out the Daleks, one of his most notorious foes… but should he? Sarah Jane-Smith certainly believes it’s the right thing to do; the Daleks are evildoers, ruthless killing machines who are only capable of destruction. 

And even though the Doctor doesn't dispute those statements, he's still left wondering whether he should have the power to remove them from existence, either. 

In this moment of indecision (and, incredibly, in his first series as the Time Lord), Baker delivers an incredible performance as he weighs up the impact of his potential actions. It's easy to see from this moment alone why for many fans, Tom Baker will always be the Doctor. 

The show returns this November with the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials. Our 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, makes his debut in the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023, and will return in 2024 for Doctor Who season 14.

]]> <![CDATA[ How to watch Doctor Who online and watch every available episode for free ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/watch-doctor-who-online-for-free Fkt8BTBevbBj7rTAKPE2fL Fri, 10 Nov 2023 17:17:58 +0000 Wed, 18 Dec 2024 09:44:01 +0000 false false false

Here's how to watch Doctor Who, the 2024 Christmas Special and the upcoming season 15 online from anywhere. In great news for Whovians, the entire Doctor Who archive is available via BBC iPlayer currently. Yes, you really can watch all the series from William Hartnell's first Time Lord to Ncuti Gatwa's current Doctor. It really is an absolute treasure trove for fans, so what not dive in?!

You can watch Doctor Who episodes for FREE in the UK on the BBC iPlayer streaming service. But don't worry if you're on holiday when you want to watch because you can watch Doctor Who on BBC iPlayer from anywhere with a VPN.

Quick links

US: Max / Britbox
UK: iPlayer (free with licence fee)
AU: Binge / Foxtel Now / Stan
How to use a VPN to watch any stream

Whoever your Doctor is (Sylvester McCoy for this author!), clear a space behind the sofa and prepare to indulge in pure nostalgia. Or perhaps you're a completist who still has some episodes to tick off the list. And if you're coming to Doctor Who for the first time, there's over 800 episodes to work through...

There's even more coming soon, too, with the 2024 Christmas special "Joy to the World" with Nicola Coughlan releasing on Christmas Day, and season 15 expected to follow in 2025.

In addition to canonical Doctor Who episodes, BBC iPlayer has also added loads more associated programming such as Torchwood, Class, The Sarah Jane Adventures and loads of documentary content, too.

Ready to settle in with K9 and start watching? Here's how to watch Doctor Who from anywhere in the world. We've got all the information you'll need below.

How to watch Doctor Who in the UK for free

It's free to watch the BBC's vast Doctor Who archive and the upcoming episodes in the UK thanks to the brilliant BBC iPlayer (so long as you have a valid TV licence, of course).

As well as web browsers and its smartphone/tablet app, the iPlayer has apps for most streaming devices – from Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast, to games consoles and Smart TVs.

If you're trying to access iPlayer while outside the UK, you might want to try a VPN to allow you to watch from abroad. Instructions below...

How to watch Doctor Who in the US

Things are a little more disjointed for Doctor Who fans in the US. All of the historic episodes are available to watch, but they're spread across two streaming services.

If all you're interested in is the modern era (i.e. 2005/Christopher Eccleston onwards) it's all on HBO's Max streaming service, with plans starting from $9.99 a month.

For everything before that – so the first eight Doctors from 1963 to 1989 – you'll need Britbox. Plans cost $8.99 a month or $89.99 a year. But you also get a free 7-day trial to watch as many episodes as possible in. No time travel required!

Just be aware that all new episodes of Doctor Who from November 2023 onwards are on Disney Plus in the US.

Don't forget that if you're overseas and find geo-restrictions getting in your way, you can use a VPN to virtually relocate back to your home country and watch as if you were back there.

How to watch Doctor Who in Australia

In Australia, you get a choice of streaming services to watch all episodes from 2005 onwards. You can go for Binge, Foxtel Now or Stan.

Each costs around the same and they all have a free trial to take advantage of, too. Binge costs from $10 a month and has a 14-day trial, while Stan also starts from $10 but has a more generous 30-day trial period. You can try Foxtel Now free for 10 days, but it's more expensive thereafter with plans from $25.

Note that all new episodes from November 2023 are exclusively on Disney Plus in Australia.

Unfortunately, the only current way to watch classic Doctor Who (i.e. pre-1990) is to buy or rent them episode-by-episode from places like Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV.

How to watch Doctor Who from anywhere with a VPN

You can watch Doctor Who on any of the streaming services above no matter where you are in the world, and all with one clever little tool. And it's not a sonic screwdriver!

Normally a streaming service will know where you are trying to tune in from and block you if you're not in the right country but a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an app that hides your location. That means you can access your usual sports and entertainment services even while you're traveling abroad.

Our favorite VPN is NordVPN, which is the no. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

  • Download the app at NordVPN
  • Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
  • Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!
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Doctor Who: all you need to know

When is the next full series of Doctor Who?

The next series of Doctor Who is planned for 2025. We know it will see Ncuti Gatwa return for his second season as the Doctor, few other details are known yet.

What are the Doctor Who missing episodes?

The so-called "missing episodes" of Doctor Who have taken on an almost mythical status among Whovians. Because the BBC didn't always keep archive programming in the 1960s and 1970s, some episodes were deleted entirely.

There are 97 missing episodes in total. There were originally 156, but a large number of them were 'recovered' from global TV stations and by fans who had recorded them at the time from the the TV.

Many missing episodes have also been reconstructed as animations.

For more information on Doctor Who's missing episodes, click the link for our full explainer.

What is the order of the Doctors?

ActorIncarnationNo. of seriesYears
William Hartnell1st41963-1966
Patrick Troughton2nd31966-1969
Jon Pertwee3rd51970-1974
Tom Baker4th71974-1981
Peter Davison5th31982-1984
Colin Baker6th31984-1986
Sylvester McCoy7th31987-1989
Paul McGann8th1 episode1996
Christopher Eccleston9th12005
David Tennant10th32005-2010
Matt Smith11th32010-2013
Peter Capaldi12th32014-2017
Jodie Whittaker13th32018-2022
David Tennant14th3 episodes2023
Ncuti Gatwa15thTBCTBC

Who is the current Doctor?

31-year-old Rwandan-Scottish actor Ncuti Gatwa entered the TARDIS for the first time as the 15th Doctor during the 60th anniversary episodes.

Gatwa is best known for his role as Eric Effiong in the Netflix series Sex Education. He also appeared as one of the Kens in 2023's Barbie movie.

Gatwa's companion in season 1 of his reign was Millie Gibson, playing Ruby Sunday. Gibson is best known for award-winning turn as Kelly Neelan in British soap Coronation Street.

Where can I watch old Doctor Who?

As explained above, the whole catalogue of classic Doctor Who episodes (except the very first four) were put on to the BBC iPlayer in the UK in from November 2023.

Around the world, old Doctor Who episodes are generally available for purchase or rental on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.

Does Netflix have Doctor Who?

Doctor Who seasons used to be available to Netflix subscribers, but they were removed from the streaming giant a few years ago.

What is the best Doctor Who episode

With over 800 episodes (and counting!) of Doctor Who to choose from and with everybody having their own favorite Doctor, picking the best is a virtually impossible task.

But these are the top 10 best Doctor Who episodes according to IMDB:

Episode nameDoctorYearIMDB rating
BlinkDavid Tennant20079.8
Heaven SentPeter Capaldi20159.6
Forest of the DeadDavid Tennant20089.4
Silence in the LibraryMatt Smith20139.3
Vincent and the DoctorMatt Smith20109.3
The Day of the DoctorDavid Tennant20089.3
The Girl in the FireplaceDavid Tennant20069.2
DoomsdayDavid Tennant20069.2
Genesis of the Daleks: Part SixTom Baker19759.1
The War Games: Episode TenPatrick Troughton19699.1
]]> <![CDATA[ How Russell T Davies reunited David Tennant and Catherine Tate for Doctor Who ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/how-russell-t-davies-reunited-david-tennant-and-catherine-tate-for-doctor-who B5YwqdMUU53ZjZNDyLSDQj Fri, 10 Nov 2023 00:01:55 +0000 Mon, 13 Nov 2023 13:14:58 +0000 false false false

So with much fanfare and high anticipation, the three Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials that play out from November 25 2023 will see David Tennant's newly regenerated Doctor reunite with his former companion Donna Noble played again by Catherine Tate. 

In his last Doctor Who adventure, "The End of Time", David Tennant's Tenth Doctor (arguably one of the very best Doctor Whos) was forced to part with Donna as she took on the memory of a Time Lord to save the Universe. To survive the huge side effects of her transformation into the "Doctor Donna", her memory of her time with the Doctor was forcibly erased and she was returned to Earth where she married Shaun Temple and has a daughter Rose (Yasmin Finney). If she ever remembers her time in the TARDIS, she'll die, so we've been told...

Yet the pair will have three adventures "The Star Beast", (November 25, 2023), "Wild Blue Yonder" (December 2), and "The Giggle" (December 9). At a recent event in London, Doctor Who's executive producer Russell T Davies explained how Catherine Tate and David Tennant decided it was time to get back together in the TARDIS during lockdown...

Russell says: "It’s quite a well-known story. It was Emily Cook who arranged during the pandemic some 'Tweetalongs' so we’d all say watch Catherine’s first episode, "The Runaway Bride". Fans would watch it worldwide, you tweet along with it and they became very successful. 

"At first Emily had to drag us along kicking and screaming and Catherine hadn’t watched an episode since she left. She loved her time on Doctor Who but it isn’t something she does, watch old Doctor Who episodes. I do, this morning I had the telly on and watched an old episode from 1973. 

Russell T Davies at BAFTA event.

Catherine Tate and David Tennant asked Russell T Davies to bring them back together in Doctor Who. (Image credit: Getty)

"At first Emily had to drag us along kicking and screaming and Catherine hadn’t watched an episode since she left. She loved her time on Doctor Who but it isn’t something she does, watch old Doctor Who episodes. I do, this morning I had the telly on and watched an old episode from 1973. 

"Then it was Catherine who said she loved it, that she loved watching it and she said I’ve always loved Donna Noble and wouldn’t it be marvelous to make some more. And I went ‘yeah, yeah, yeah’ like that and then she asked David. She said, ‘Would you make some more?’ and he went ‘Oh yeah in a heartbeat!’. So then she told me that and I genuinely felt honor bound to go to the BBC and say look these two stars have just said this and I know it’s the 60th anniversary coming up and I know they would love to come back,’ so I sent off that email, simple as that.

"It was Christmas Eve or the 23rd and I just sent them the best Christmas present they ever had. And all I got was a reply saying, ‘thank you, we’ll think about it’. But what I didn’t know was at the same time top BBC drama boss Piers Wenger and BBC Controller of Content Charlotte Moore and the BBC were planning the future of Doctor Who — the next step of Doctor Who which was to make it bigger and take it to an international streamer such as Disney Plus, and to syndicate it across all countries worldwide. That conversation was happening at the same time. So my email went boom and exploded and sat there. But it all ended up coming together and here we are at the start of this new era of Doctor Who."

Doctor Who returns to BBC One and the show's new US home of Disney Plus for the anniversary specials starting on November 25, 2023. If you'd like to revisit some of the Doctor's old adventures, we've put together a feature explaining how to watch Doctor Who online for free. 

]]> <![CDATA[ Who is The Meep in Doctor Who? Russell T Davies reveals all ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/features/who-is-the-meep-in-doctor-who-russell-t-davies-reveals-all EfLSTKjicmkLEYg8bF8Ly9 Fri, 10 Nov 2023 00:01:53 +0000 Mon, 13 Nov 2023 13:08:42 +0000 false false false

Who is The Meep in Doctor Who? Well, what we do know so far is this cute-looking furry alien with big wide eyes (see main picture) is voiced by Miriam Margolyes and the character will be part of the first special for Doctor Who's 60th anniversary called "The Star Beast" alongside David Tennant as the 14th Doctor and Catherine Tate as Donna Noble. 

At an exclusive Doctor Who launch event at Battersea Power Station in London on November 6, 2023, the famous new producer, showrunner, and lead writer Russell T Davies revealed much more! While The Meep's part in "The Star Beast" story remains under wraps so as not to give away spoilers. Russell revealed that the creature's history goes back to 1979 when The Meep was featured in an obscure comic story that appeared in Doctor Who magazine...

Russell says: "The Meep came from an old comic strip in 1979 that I always loved and I needed a story. You need two stories going on at once, you’ve Donna's and you need an alien invasion at the same time. It's such a classic story of a lonely alien. The astonishing thing is that the story is from 1979 which is two years before E.T. came along. I reckon Spielberg read that story and it’s time for the reckoning! 

"Similarly there's a very good comic strip in 2018 that kind of ripped off E.T. about an alien falling to Earth and finding friends and finding children as friends.

"The Meep's made absolute sense as the the story fitted the template of Doctor Who and allowed for Donna’s story to be revealed at at the same time. Dave Gibbons drew the spaceships in the 1979 comic strip and I think we’ve been very faithful to his designs"

Russell also thinks the BBC Marketing department may have missed a trick as we won't be able to buy toy Meeps for Christmas. "You know, I don’t think anyone picked up on that," he laughed. "I think all the toymakers are like, yeah, we’ll see how we do in a year’s time. I don’t think there is a Meep plushy at all. If someone knocks one up in a month they'll be rich!"

Russell T Davies at BAFTA event.

Doctor Who executive producer Russell T Davies. (Image credit: Getty)

Miriam Margolyes on voicing The Meep in Doctor Who

The Meep's voice Miriam Margolyes stars as Mother Mildred In Call The Midwife and last year presented Miriam’s Dickensian Christmas on Channel 4. She also played Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter movies.

On becoming the voice of The Meep in Doctor Who, Miriam Margolyes says: "I'm relieved I got to work on Doctor Who before I died. With sci-fi you never know. Thank you for making an old woman very happy."

Russell T Davies adds: "An extraordinary loop of circumstances led us to Miriam. Emily who brought Doctor Who back onto screen is Miriam Margolyes’ lodger. It’s weird isn’t it? I didn’t get to meet Miriam, I never have. Phil our producer went and did that and Emily was there and I didn’t get to meet her. I do love her though. She was just delighted to be in Doctor Who. It was one of those things she’d never done. Funnily enough Ralph Fiennes was on Radio Two this morning and he said I love Doctor Who. Who knows on him?"

Miriam Margolyes.

Miriam Margolyes voice The Meep in Doctor Who. (Image credit: BBC / Southern Pictures / Ela Furdas)

When can you see The Meep In Doctor Who

The Meep appears in the first Doctor Who 60th anniversary special The Star Beast on Saturday, November 25 2023 on BBC One in the UK and on Disney Plus in the US and the rest of the world.

* The remaining two Doctor Who specials are called Wild Blue Yonder and The Giggle before David Tennant's Doctor regenerates into Ncuti Gatwa and he takes over for the Doctor Who Christmas special 2023 called "The Church on Ruby Road".

]]> <![CDATA[ Bridgerton star joins Doctor Who Christmas special — in 2024! ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/bridgerton-star-joins-doctor-who-christmas-special-in-2024 DjRZrrSF5GSAv8DpeH2Psh Fri, 10 Nov 2023 00:01:08 +0000 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:21:17 +0000 false false false

This year's Doctor Who Christmas special is a little over a month away, but showrunner and writer Russell T Davies has already revealed a major signing for the cast of the festive Doctor Who episode in 2024! 

At a recent event at Battersea Power Station in London to celebrate Doctor Who's 60th anniversary, Russell told us that he'd cast Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton and Clare Devlin in Channel 4 comedy Derry Girls, for his 2024 Doctor Who festive adventure in an as yet unnamed role.

"Oh, so the Doctor Who press team are really going to tell me off. But Nicola Coughlan is joining us for Christmas. Not this Christmas, next Christmas so in 2024. We’re shooting 2024 now."

Nicola will be starring with Ncuti Gatwa who regenerates into the Doctor in time for the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023 which we now know is titled "The Church on Ruby Road". We'll have already had plenty of time with the 15th Doctor by the time this 2024 special rolls around as  Doctor Who season 14 is on its way at some point next year. As for the 2024 special, nothing else is known about this episode; Nicola is the first guest star announced.

As well as Bridgerton, Derry Girls, and now Doctor Who, Galway-born Nicola Coughlan was recently seen in the Barbie movie and is due to appear in a number of new projects before she enters the TARDIS in 2024. This includes the Channel 4 comedy Big Mood which will be shown during the early part of 2024.

The three Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials are coming to BBC One and Disney Plus internationally and in the US. The first is called "The Star Beast" (Saturday, November 25, 2023) then it is "Wild Blue Yonder" (December 2, 2023), and finally The Giggle (December 2, 2023) before David Tennant's Doctor regenerates into Ncuti Gatwa.

Ncuti Gatwa and Russell T. Davies on the red carpet at the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards 2022 on May 8, 2022.

New Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa with Russell T. Davies. (Image credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
]]> <![CDATA[ Tales of the TARDIS: release date, premise and everything we know ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/tales-of-the-tardis-release-date-premise-and-everything-we-know vSnWP3ZBcZyGC3rLh7wH7b Tue, 31 Oct 2023 16:34:04 +0000 Wed, 01 Nov 2023 11:00:35 +0000 false false false

Tales of the TARDIS is a six-part series that sees former Doctor Who duos reuniting and is a great dose of nostalgia for fans of all ages.

The sci-fi series has been on our screens since 1963 and we're highly anticipating both the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials and the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023.

But until then, we've got this brand-new spin-off to enjoy which sees a number of classic Doctor Who stars reuniting.

Russell T Davies, Doctor Who's showrunner spoke very highly of the series and said: "The word Whoniverse was invented by fans, so it’s time to give it official status. And Tales of the TARDIS is one of the greatest delights of my career — to see old Doctors and companions reunited, still fighting the good fight, is a perfect way to celebrate the Doctor’s 60th birthday!"

Each episode runs for over 90 minutes so there's plenty to enjoy. 

Here's everything you need to know about Tales of the TARDIS...

Tales of the TARDIS release date

The spin-off series is a BBC iPlayer exclusive, with all six episodes now available having arrived on Wednesday November 1.

It launched at the same time as an "extensive back catalogue" of Doctor Who, which  features over 800 episodes.

Currently we do not know if Tales of the TARDIS will launch in the US, but we will keep you updated.

Tales of the TARDIS premise

A post shared by Russell T Davies (@russelltdavies63)

A photo posted by on

In the series, we see Doctor Who legends reprising their iconic roles to reflect on their past adventures, as well as discovering something new along the way. So not only is it nostalgic, but it will also offer further insight into their stories.

The BBC has also teased that there will be brand new scenes woven together with classic episodes, creating a feature-length omnibus.

Which duos are returning in Tales of the TARDIS? And what happens in each episode?

Tales of the TARDIS stars Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred running from Cybermen

Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred return for the series. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Below are the actors who reprise their roles for the spin-off series, and which characters they played.

  • Maureen O’Brien (Vicki Pallister) and Peter Purves (Steven Taylor) feature in "The Time Meddler". It sees them remembering their skirmish with Vikings and a time-travelling Monk!
  • Frazer Hines (Jamie McCrimmon) and Wendy Padbury (Zoe Heriot) feature in "The Mind Robber". They recall their encounter with robots, clockwork soldiers and Medusa.
  • Katy Manning (Jo Grant) and Daniel Anthony (Clyde Langer) feature in "The Three Doctors". They look back at her adventure with three Doctors against a deadly enemy.
  • Peter Davison (Fifth Doctor) and Janet Fielding (Tegan Jovanka) feature in "Earth Shock". They remember the time they fought the Cybermen.
  • Colin Baker (Sixth Doctor) and Nicola Bryant (Peri Brown) feature in "Vengeance on Varos". The Doctor and Peri recall their battle with Sil on the planet Varos.
  • Sylvester McCoy (Seventh Doctor) and Sophie Aldred (Ace) feature in The Curse of Fenric. The pair remember their fight against an ancient evil in 1943.

Is there a trailer?

Well kind of. The BBC has released a trailer for the Whoniverse...

]]> <![CDATA[ Doctor Who Christmas special 2023: release date, cast, plot, trailer and everything we know ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/doctor-who-christmas-special-2023-everything-we-know VyzYhTJqVgwv9ykSGTZzHL Thu, 21 Sep 2023 16:35:24 +0000 Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:20:16 +0000 false false false

The Doctor Who Christmas special 2023 will be the first full adventure for Doctor Who's 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, and is bound to be a Christmas TV highlight! 

With the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials over and done with, the stage is set for Ncuti's festive caper, and we've already got a good sense of what we're in. Judging by the trailer (and a Christmas single sung by a goblin!), Ncuti's first stint in the TARDIS will see him taking on a hoard of goblins who are intent on kidnapping and eating children!

Christmas TV highlights

Call the Midwife 2023 Christmas special
Ghosts 2023 Christmas special
Tabby McTat
Chicken Run 2
Nigella’s Amsterdam Christmas Special

Russell T. Davies has returned as the Doctor Who showrunner, and he's brought back the annual Christmas special which he established during his time on New Who back in the 2000s.

Here's what we know about the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023 so far...

Doctor Who Christmas special 2023 release date

The Doctor Who Christmas 2023 special will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 5.55 pm on Christmas Day. Please note in the US it will be on Disney Plus, and will be available at the same time

If you'd like to revisit Doctor Who's past festive adventures whilst you wait, be sure to check out our article explaining how to watch Doctor Who online for free.

If the release date news has you excited for the festive special, you'll be pleased to know that there are even more Christmas specials in the works. In December 2022, Russell T. Davies confirmed he was working on a new Christmas Special.

Speaking to Doctor Who Magazine, Davies said that he was working on the script for a 2024 Christmas Special. Even though he didn't specify whether the 2023 and 2024 festive specials would air around Christmas or New Year, we can at the very least look forward to what's in store in these new festive adventures!

Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023 cast

The 15th Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson)

Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson are stepping into the TARDIS. (Image credit: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

Ncuti Gatwa takes over from David Tennant. This will be Ncuti's first full episode as the new lead, so we'll get a proper sense of his Doctor's personality and how he will stack up alongside the best Doctor Whos. 

We also know that Coronation Street's Mille Gibson is making her debut as the Doctor's latest companion, Ruby Sunday. And there are a few guest stars set to appear, too!

Davina McCall will be playing herself as she joins the cast alongside Michelle Greenidge as Ruby’s mum Carla, Angela Wynter as Ruby’s grandmother Cherry, and ex EastEnders legend Anita Dobson as Mrs Flood.

Davina McCall poses for the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023

Davina McCall is playing herself in the festive special. (Image credit: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/James Pardon)

In a suitably timey-wimey twist, we already know one of the stars of our next Christmas special, too. At a Doctor Who event held in London, What To Watch learned that Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan had joined the cast of the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas Special.

Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023 plot

The BBC has at last teased some plot details, including the Doctor coming face-to-face with some mythical and mysterious goblins after crossing paths with his soon-to-be companion, Ruby.

"Little is known about Ruby Sunday as she was abandoned on Christmas Eve as a baby. Now living with her mum, Carla and grandmother, Cherry her world is about to be turned upside when she encounters the Doctor and the two set off on their first adventure together...," reveals the BBC.

Janis Goblin and her band of goblins standing on stage in the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023

The Doctor faces some very musical goblins (Image credit: James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios 2023)

Is there a Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023 trailer?

A fresh look at Ncuti Gatwa's newest adventure came in the form of the music video for "The Goblin Song", which is Doctor Who's first-ever official Christmas single (raising money for Children in Need).

The video sees the Doctor and Ruby Sunday crawling their way through a pirate ship, watching as a crowd of goblins cheer on Janis Goblin (yes, really) who is up on stage singing about how much the goblins love eating babies, all while a baby slides towards the Goblin King on a conveyor belt. Check it out below: 

Yes! The trailer begins with Ruby spotting the Doctor dancing the night away. After their brief encounter, the pair are reunited clambering up a rope ladder that leads to a flying ship that's home to a huge number of goblins, who are none too pleased by their stowaways' arrival. Check it out below: 

What else is there to know about the Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023?

Just days before the special arrived, the BBC confirmed we'd be getting an extra Whovian treat this Christmas, in the form of a sneak peek at Doctor Who season 14!

The new trailer will air on BBC One right after the special has concluded, meaning we'll get a sense of what's to come when the show returns for its first full season since 2021.

]]> <![CDATA[ Huge Barbie star tipped for Doctor Who guest role ]]> https://www.whattowatch.com/news/huge-barbie-star-tipped-for-doctor-who-guest-role HEdqsUhtdKGMSpJXuiLSzE Mon, 11 Sep 2023 09:14:31 +0000 Mon, 13 Nov 2023 12:28:10 +0000 false false false

The Doctor Who cast might be set to gain a lot more Kenergy, as it's been reported that Barbie star Ryan Gosling has been approached to star in the hit series.

Ryan Gosling has made no secret of the fact that he's a massive fan of the show. While sharing how he 'geared up for hate' when he was confirmed as the 15th Doctor, new lead Ncuti Gatwa also shared a story about Gosling's support. 

"I remember Ryan Gosling bounding up to my trailer like, 'Doctor Who is the coolest show in the world man! I'm the biggest fan!', Gatwa recalled. And now it seems Gosling's enthusiasm for the series could well have landed him a guest role in the long-running sci-fi series. 

A host of Kens in Greta Gerwig's Barbie

Ryan Gosling can't get Kenough of Doctor Who. (Image credit: Warner Bros)

According to The Sun, Ryan Gosling is due to feature in the new show under returning showrunner Russell T. Davies. It's not known whether the guest role he's been 'offered' is a good guy or not.

Their source said: "This would be a huge coup for the show, but also a real honour for Ryan who is something of a Whovian. It's not clear yet what role he'd have, but the writers would tailor a character for him to play if he could find the time in his packed schedule.

If Gosling does end up landing a part in the Whoniverse, it won't be for a while yet. Filming on Doctor Who season 14 (when Ncuti Gatwa takes full control of the TARDIS) wrapped back in July 2023. 

In other Doctor Who recent news, the BBC has potentially leaked the release date for season 14. 

Eagle-eyed Whovians spotted an article on the BBC Culture section that claimed the new series would arrive in Spring 2024 at the end of August. Shortly thereafter, the report was edited, with all mention of the Spring release window removed from the site... coincidence much?

Doctor Who is next on our screens in November for the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials, with David Tennant (one of the best Doctor Whos) at the helm once again as the 14th Doctor. The three-part series will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and on Doctor Who's new US home, Disney Plus.

If you're looking to revisit some of the Doctor's past adventures up to this point, check out our guide explaining how to watch Doctor Who online for free.

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