There’s been something of an onslaught of Doctor Who news in recent weeks – from the casting of Ncuti Gatwa as the next Doctor to the announcement that David Tennant and Catherine Tate will return to the series in 2023.
It all points to an extremely exciting start to Russell T Davies’ second stint as showrunner on the iconic sci-fi show and a spectacular 60th-anniversary celebration for the series.
But despite the influx of announcements, there’s still lots left to be revealed about the 60th-anniversary special – with plenty for fans to speculate about, from the nature of Tennant and Tate’s return to which other familiar faces might appear.
Read on for everything we know so far, including when it’s likely to air and what might happen in the special.
When will Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary special be released?
Well, this is still a little unclear – with the show not yet having officially announced its full plans for the anniversary.
The date of the official anniversary falls on the 23rd of November, which is a Thursday, so it’s likely the special will air on either the weekend before that date or the one following it.
Then again, it’s equally possible it could take the form of a doubleheader released on successive weekends. When we have more concrete information, we’ll update this page accordingly.
Doctor Who 60th anniversary special cast
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This is the big question. It seems pretty much certain that newly announced Doctor Ncuti Gatwa will take on a central role in the anniversary special – but it’s far less clear how exactly the returning pair of David Tennant and Catherine Tate will be involved, other than that they’re definitely making appearances.
Beyond that, we don’t yet know who Gatwa’s new companions will be, or whether any other popular faces from the show’s past will be involved – there’s certainly no shortage of former Doctors and companions to choose from.
We’ll be keeping track of all the latest rumours and speculation here – and will be sure to update you when we get more official details as well.
David Tennant and Catherine Tate’s Doctor Who return
Tennant and Tate were confirmed to be returning in May 2022, with an official release from Russell T Davies reading: “They’re back! And it looks impossible – first, we announce a new Doctor, and then an old Doctor, along with the wonderful Donna, what on earth is happening? Maybe this is a missing story. Or a parallel world. Or a dream, or a trick, or a flashback.
“The only thing I can confirm is that it’s going to be spectacular, as two of our greatest stars reunite for the battle of a lifetime.”
It’s all very cryptic, and a further release from the BBC doesn’t exactly shine too much more light on the situation.
“The Doctor and Donna parted ways when the Doctor had to wipe Donna’s memory, making her forget him, in order to save her life,” it reads.
“He left her family with a warning: if ever she remembers, she will die. But with the two coming face to face once more, the big question is, just what brings the Doctor and Donna back together?”
Doctor Who 60th anniversary special plot: What will happen?
Specific plot details will likely be kept tightly under wraps until the release date – but it seems very possible the anniversary will focus on Tennant and Tate’s return.
One theory that’s been doing the rounds concerns the Thirteenth Doctor’s regeneration, which is set to happen at the end of the upcoming centenary special.
The theory holds that the regeneration could go wrong, seeing her return to an old body rather than a new one, meaning that she would initially transform into Tennant rather than Ncuti Gatwa.
Then in the 60th anniversary, we could see him seeking out Donna, leading to all hell breaking loose…and eventually to a “proper” regeneration into Gatwa.
It’s all just rumours at this stage, of course, and when more information becomes available we’ll post it here – but expect all sorts of other theories to emerge and be dissected in the mean time!
Is there a trailer for Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary special?
Alas, we’re still a bit early for a trailer at this juncture – but when one does become available we’ll post it right here.
Given how exciting the anniversary looks like being, we’d imagine all sorts of teasers and trailers will premiere closer to the release, so keep checking back here for all the latest news.
- Read More: How will the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble return to Doctor Who?
- Read More: David Tennant and Catherine Tate’s return proves Doctor Who is still full of surprises
Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi page or our full TV Guide.
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