It all points to an extremely exciting start to Russell T Davies\u2019 second stint as showrunner on the iconic sci-fi show and a spectacular 60th-anniversary celebration for the series.<\/p>\n
But despite the influx of announcements, there\u2019s still lots left to be revealed about the 60th-anniversary special \u2013 with plenty for fans to speculate about, from the nature of Tennant and Tate\u2019s return to which other familiar faces might appear.<\/p>\n
Read on for everything we know so far, including when it\u2019s likely to air and what might happen in the special.<\/p>
When will Doctor Who\u2019s 60th anniversary special be released?<\/h2>\n
Well, this is still a little unclear \u2013 with the show not yet having officially announced its full plans for the anniversary.<\/p>\n
The date of the official anniversary falls on the 23rd of November, which is a Thursday, so it\u2019s likely the special will air on either the weekend before that date or the one following it.<\/p>\n
Then again, it\u2019s equally possible it could take the form of a doubleheader released on successive weekends. When we have more concrete information, we\u2019ll update this page accordingly.<\/p>\n
Doctor Who 60th anniversary special cast<\/h2>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Tristan Fewings\/Getty Images<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nThis 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 \u2013\u00a0 but it\u2019s far less clear how exactly the returning pair of David Tennant and Catherine Tate will be involved, other than that they\u2019re definitely making appearances.<\/p>\n
Beyond that, we don\u2019t yet know who Gatwa\u2019s new companions will be, or whether any other popular faces from the show\u2019s past will be involved \u2013 there\u2019s certainly no shortage of former Doctors and companions to choose from.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll be keeping track of all the latest rumours and speculation here \u2013 and will be sure to update you when we get more official details as well.<\/p>\n
David Tennant and Catherine Tate\u2019s Doctor Who return<\/h2>\n
Tennant and Tate were confirmed to be returning in May 2022, with an official release from Russell T Davies reading: \u201cThey\u2019re back! And it looks impossible \u2013 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only thing I can confirm is that it\u2019s going to be spectacular, as two of our greatest stars reunite for the battle of a lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s all very cryptic, and a further release from the BBC doesn\u2019t exactly shine too much more light on the situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Doctor and Donna parted ways when the Doctor had to wipe Donna\u2019s memory, making her forget him, in order to save her life,\u201d it reads.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe 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?\u201d<\/p>\n
Details on how exactly they\u2019re going to play a part, then, are rather thin on the ground \u2013 but that won\u2019t stop Whovians from speculating, and a number of theories have already been put forward, from parallel universes to the possibility that Tennant could be playing a different iteration of the Doctor.<\/div>\nDoctor Who 60th anniversary special plot: What will happen?<\/h2>\n
Specific plot details will likely be kept tightly under wraps until the release date \u2013 but it seems very possible the anniversary will focus on Tennant and Tate\u2019s return.<\/p>\n
One theory that\u2019s been doing the rounds concerns the Thirteenth Doctor\u2019s regeneration, which is set to happen at the end of the upcoming centenary special.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Then in the 60th anniversary, we could see him seeking out Donna, leading to all hell breaking loose\u2026and eventually to a \u201cproper\u201d regeneration into Gatwa.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s all just rumours at this stage, of course, and when more information becomes available we\u2019ll post it here \u2013 but expect all sorts of other theories to emerge and be dissected in the mean time!<\/p>\n
Is there a trailer for Doctor Who\u2019s 60th anniversary special?<\/h2>\n
Alas, we\u2019re still a bit early for a trailer at this juncture \u2013 but when one does become available we\u2019ll post it right here.<\/p>\n
Given how exciting the anniversary looks like being, we\u2019d imagine all sorts of teasers and trailers will premiere closer to the release, so keep checking back here for all the latest news.<\/p>\n
\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2022\/05\/ncuti-gatwa-doctor-who-2fa6337.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> 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 \u2013\u00a0 but it\u2019s far less clear how exactly the returning pair of David Tennant and Catherine Tate will be involved, other than that they\u2019re definitely making appearances.<\/p>\n
Beyond that, we don\u2019t yet know who Gatwa\u2019s new companions will be, or whether any other popular faces from the show\u2019s past will be involved \u2013 there\u2019s certainly no shortage of former Doctors and companions to choose from.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll be keeping track of all the latest rumours and speculation here \u2013 and will be sure to update you when we get more official details as well.<\/p>\n
David Tennant and Catherine Tate\u2019s Doctor Who return<\/h2>\n
Tennant and Tate were confirmed to be returning in May 2022, with an official release from Russell T Davies reading: \u201cThey\u2019re back! And it looks impossible \u2013 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only thing I can confirm is that it\u2019s going to be spectacular, as two of our greatest stars reunite for the battle of a lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s all very cryptic, and a further release from the BBC doesn\u2019t exactly shine too much more light on the situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Doctor and Donna parted ways when the Doctor had to wipe Donna\u2019s memory, making her forget him, in order to save her life,\u201d it reads.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe 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?\u201d<\/p>\n
Doctor Who 60th anniversary special plot: What will happen?<\/h2>\n
Specific plot details will likely be kept tightly under wraps until the release date \u2013 but it seems very possible the anniversary will focus on Tennant and Tate\u2019s return.<\/p>\n
One theory that\u2019s been doing the rounds concerns the Thirteenth Doctor\u2019s regeneration, which is set to happen at the end of the upcoming centenary special.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Then in the 60th anniversary, we could see him seeking out Donna, leading to all hell breaking loose\u2026and eventually to a \u201cproper\u201d regeneration into Gatwa.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s all just rumours at this stage, of course, and when more information becomes available we\u2019ll post it here \u2013 but expect all sorts of other theories to emerge and be dissected in the mean time!<\/p>\n
Is there a trailer for Doctor Who\u2019s 60th anniversary special?<\/h2>\n
Alas, we\u2019re still a bit early for a trailer at this juncture \u2013 but when one does become available we\u2019ll post it right here.<\/p>\n
Given how exciting the anniversary looks like being, we\u2019d imagine all sorts of teasers and trailers will premiere closer to the release, so keep checking back here for all the latest news.<\/p>\n