The additional lines would have referenced the Doctor’s previous adventures near and beyond the edge of the universe.

By James Hibbs

Published: Monday, 04 December 2023 at 13:00 PM


As fans continue to dissect the latest episode of Doctor Who, Wild Blue Yonder, Russell T Davies has revealed some expository dialogue which was cut from the original script.

The dialogue in question would have taken place when The Doctor and Donna were looking out into empty space at the edge of the universe.

Davies explained the reason for the cut on Instagram, saying: “Okay, so I know the Doctor has been to the edge of the universe before, and further. The First Doctor went to Quinnis ‘in the fourth universe’. The Fourth Doctor went to the Planet of Evil! And the 13th was on board Tecteun’s ship in-between universes.

“So, this is the scene with the Doctor & Donna looking out at the nothingness, Draft 3, 17.04.22, where I acknowledged that. And then I cut it, because [snoring emoji]. But still, the Doctor was thinking it! True fact!”

The Doctor (David Tennant) and Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) in Doctor Who
The Doctor (David Tennant) and Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) in Doctor Who
James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios

The dialogue in question, which was posted on Instagram by Davies, saw the Doctor say: “We’re so far out. Past the Condensate Reefs. Over the Realm of the Boltzmann Brains. Beyond matter. And light. And Life.”

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Donna would then ask whether the Doctor had been out that far before, to which he would say: “Oh I’ve straddled multiverses. But only inside magnificent Timeships. To stand here like this… Physically. Unprotected. Right on the edge. No, never. No one ever has. Until us. And this ship.”

In the comments to Davies’s post, former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat joked that he had “notes”, before going on to jokingly request that all previous stories referenced are shown in flashbacks and that the story features more characters and a different setting.

Wild Blue Yonder mostly took place at the edge of the universe on a single spaceship, but also featured a surprise opening with Isaac Newton, played by Nathaniel Curtis, and a touching scene at the end including Bernard Cribbins’s last performance.