{"id":41718,"date":"2023-12-12T22:00:41","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T21:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1942990"},"modified":"2023-12-12T22:38:56","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T21:38:56","slug":"doctor-who-boss-says-there-are-no-plans-for-david-tennant-to-return","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/doctor-who-boss-says-there-are-no-plans-for-david-tennant-to-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctor Who boss says there are \u201cno plans\u201d for David Tennant to return"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Fourteenth Doctor was left “parked” but won’t be returning to screens anytime soon. <\/p>

By Morgan Jeffery\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 12 December 2023 at 21:00 PM<\/p>

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Doctor Who broke new ground with its latest regeneration \u2013 a \u201cbigeneration<\/a>\u201d that saw the Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant<\/a>) and the Fifteenth (Ncuti Gatwa<\/a>) split into two different bodies.<\/p>\n

Given that Tennant\u2019s Doctor remains in play \u2013 albeit \u201cparked\u201d in semi-retirement on Earth \u2013 fans might be expecting to see him again in either a spin-off or in the flagship show, but showrunner Russell T Davies has insisted that there are \u201cno plans\u201d for Fourteen to return.<\/p>\n

Speaking at a screening of 2023 Christmas special The Church on Ruby Road<\/a>, Davies joked: \u201cSorry, it\u2019s the age of Ncuti now \u2013 it\u2019s \u2018David who?’\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He added: \u201cNo plans, genuinely, yet, because it\u2019s a busy TARDIS \u2013 these two [Gatwa and Millie Gibson as companion Ruby Sunday] are gonna just sail across the universe and capture your heart, so it\u2019s time to look at these two.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"David\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
David Tennant and Ncuti Gatwa in Doctor Who.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC Studios\/Bad Wolf<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

In companion show Doctor Who Unleashed<\/a>, Davies expanded on the concept of bigeneration, insisting that both the old and new Doctor are the real deal.<\/p>\n

\u201cBigeneration, we discover, is an ancient myth of the Time Lords where, instead of a new body taking over from the old body, the new body separates from the old body and both are left alive.<\/p>\n

\u201cDavid [Tennant] is parked. For once, we\u2019ve got a happy Doctor who is no longer saving the universe, but is parked with Donna (Catherine Tate) for a happy life, while\u00a0the<\/em> Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) \u2013 which is always the next Doctor, and that\u2019s always true of Doctor Who, the Doctor is the next Doctor \u2013 is out amongst the stars.\u201d<\/p>

Having made his debut opposite Tennant in Saturday\u2019s episode The Giggle<\/a>, Gatwa will return as the Doctor in 2023 Christmas special, The Church on Ruby Road, airing at 5:55pm on Christmas Day on BBC One.<\/p>\n

The special will see the Fifteenth Doctor, played by Gatwa, take over the TARDIS and be joined by new companion Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson<\/a>, with the pair encountering \u201cmythical and mysterious goblins\u201d.<\/p>\n

Davies has also revealed that an upcoming episode in Gatwa\u2019s first season will feature the Beatles as characters<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n