Jodie Whittaker’s final episode of Doctor Who – The Power of the Doctor – has debuted an action-packed new teaser.
The trailer – released today (Saturday, 8th October) – provides our most exciting look yet at the special, which will air later this month as part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations.
The bumper-length episode was previously teased with a shorter trailer aired after Doctor Who’s Easter special Legend of the Sea Devils, with fans waiting four months for another glimpse at Whittaker’s swansong.
The star and Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall announced back in July 2021 that they would be departing the series together the following year.
The Master (Sacha Dhawan) will return for the Thirteenth Doctor’s exit, while the Daleks and the Cybermen – including Ashad (Patrick O’Kane), also known as the Lone Cyberman – will also appear.
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Returning to help the Doctor, Yaz (Mandip Gill) and Dan (John Bishop) in this epic battle for survival will be two companions from classic Doctor Who – Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding) and Sophie Aldred (Ace).
Two more familiar faces will also appear in the special: Vinder (Jacob Anderson) and Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) will both be back, having last appeared in Doctor Who’s last full series in late 2021.
A new synopsis for the special reads: “In this feature-length Special to mark her last adventure, Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor must fight for her very existence, against her deadliest enemies: the Daleks, the Cybermen and her arch-nemesis, the Master.
“Who is attacking a speeding bullet train on the edges of a distant galaxy? Why are seismologists going missing from 21st century Earth? Who is defacing some of history’s most iconic paintings? Why is a Dalek trying to make contact with the Doctor? And just what hold does the mesmeric Rasputin have over Tsar Nicholas in 1916 Russia?
“The Doctor faces multiple threats…and a battle to the death.”
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The Power of the Doctor will be written by Chibnall and directed by Jamie Magnus Stone, with outgoing producer Matt Strevens having described the episode as a “massive, feature-length epic“.
Whittaker, meanwhile, has described her regeneration scene as “simple, epic and beautiful“.
Following her and Chibnall’s departure, Russell T Davies will return as Doctor Who showrunner – having previously served as head writer and executive producer from 2005 to 2010 – with former stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate also coming back to the show to mark its 60th anniversary in 2023.
Tennant’s return will see him pitted against a villain played by Neil Patrick Harris, with fans speculating that Harris might be playing a classic Doctor Who foe, the Celestial Toymaker.
Announced in May, Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa will then take up the mantle as the next Doctor, with filming on his first episodes expected to commence in November.
Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor will air on Sunday, 23rd October.
Read more about Doctor Who:
- BBC in talks with Disney Plus over streaming Doctor Who
- Doctor Who ‘gets behind-the-scenes spin-off series on BBC Three’
Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer with episodes of the classic series also available 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 to see what’s on tonight.
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