Some new and familiar faces are making a comeback for the final 60th anniversary episode.

By Lidia Molina-Whyte

Published: Tuesday, 05 December 2023 at 11:46 AM


Following Wild Blue Yonder‘s terrifying foray to the edge of the universe, it looks like the third and final Doctor Who 60th anniversary special will treat us to a puppet show.

Neil Patrick Harris’s much-teased Toymaker is set to make his grand entrance this weekend. Returning showrunner Russell T Davies hasn’t been as secretive about this one – we know who the villain is, for one – but details have been scarce nonetheless.

The BBC has released new images of the episode, however, hinting at what’s to come for David Tennant’s Time Lord and Catherine Tate’s Donna Noble.

The images also give us a glimpse at the episode’s cast, including a puppet who could give the Wild Blue Yonder’s doubles a run for their money.

Charlie De Melo as Charles Banerjee in The Giggle (pic by Alistair Heap) with the Toymaker staring in the background
Charlie De Melo as Charles Banerjee.
James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios

Coronation Street‘s Charlie De Melo will star as Charles Banerjee. Not much else is known about the character other than his name, but he doesn’t look too thrilled to be in the Toymaker’s presence above.

John Mackay (Judy) has also joined The Giggle’s cast as inventor John Logie Baird. Interestingly, it’s not the first time Mackay has played the real-life figure – he was also Baird in Davies’s ITVX drama Nolly, starring Helena Bonham Carter.

John Mackay as John Logie Baird in Doctor Who's 60th Anniversary special The Giggle holding a puppet
John Mackay as John Logie Baird.
James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios

The BBC has also released an image of Jemma Redgrave, who is back as Kate Lethbridge Stewart – and who might even be getting her own spin-off.

Kate is one of the founders of UNIT, the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, and a familiar face to Doctor Who fans.

Not only will she star in The Giggle, but the character is also expected to return during the Fifteenth Doctor’s first season.

Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge Stewart in The Giggle wearing a blue suit and holding a gun
Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge Stewart.
James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios

UNIT scientist Shirley (Ruth Madeley) will also be back, joined by Alexander Devrient as Colonel Ibrahim.

Alexander Devrient as Colonel Ibrahim (Alistair Heap) wearing black body armour, stood at a desk
Alexander Devrient as Colonel Ibrahim.
James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios

The teaser trailer released over the weekend did give us a glimpse of the Doctor’s encounter with Harris’s Toymaker (a character first played by Michael Gough in 1966).

“We meet again – the Time Lord and the Toymaker… one final game!” he says.

Read more:

It also teased Tennant’s regeneration, with Gatwa taking his place in the TARDIS control room.

Let’s hope he gets there in one piece.

Doctor Who’s third 60th anniversary special The Giggle airs at 6:30pm on Saturday 9th December on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Previous episodes are available on BBC iPlayer and on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.

Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.