In another big win for “Doctor Who” fans, David Tennant and Catherine Tate will reunite in 2023 for the show’s 60th-anniversary celebration, the BBC announced Sunday.
Tennant, the 10th actor to portray the Doctor in the time travel series, held the role from 2005 to 2010. Tate played his companion Donna Noble, making her debut in the final episode of 2006’s season before reprising her role from 2008-2010. In Noble’s final appearance on the show, the Doctor wiped her memory in order to save her life.
“THEY’RE BACK!” showrunner Russell T. Davies posted on his Instagram account. “The Doctor and Donna! But… how?! He wiped her memory! If she remembers, she’ll die! But, but… is it a flashback? A dream sequence? A lie? A fantasy? A parallel universe?! Alt Doctor? The Land of Fiction?! You’ll find out in 2023 as Doctor Who hits its 60th – diamond! – anniversary!”
The news comes exactly a week after “Sex Education” star Ncuti Gatwa was announced as the new Doctor Who. Gatwa will replace Jodie Whittaker, the first female Doctor, to become the first Black actor to fill the storied role.
“It feels really amazing. It’s a true honour. This role is an institution and it’s so iconic,” Gatwa told BBC News at the BAFA TV Awards, where he was nominated for playing Eric in “Sex Education.” Playing Doctor Who “means a lot to so many people, including myself,” he said at the time. “I feel very grateful to have had the baton handed over and I’m going to try to do my best.”
The 14th Doctor will make his debut in 2023, with production beginning later this year. There’s no word yet on whether the anniversary special will see Tennant and Gatwa share the screen, but as Davies’ post suggests, anything is possible.
