It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Actor, William Russell.

William was best known by Doctor Who fans for playing the beloved role of Ian Chesterton - one of the first companions in the show, all the way back in 1963. Appearing together with Barbara and Susan, Ian accompanied the first Doctor, played by William Hartnell. His final appearance was in the 2022, 13th Doctor adventure; 'The Power Of The Doctor'.

His career highlights includes roles in Nicholas Nickleby, Hamlet, Harriet's Back In Town, Coronation Street & The Great Escape.

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to William's family and friends.

[Source: The Guardian]

It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Actor, Michael Jayston.

Michael was known best by Doctor Who fans for playing the role of The Valeyard in the 6th Doctor's final season; The Trial Of A Time Lord.

His career highlights includes roles in Nicholas And Alexandra, Zulu Dawn, Highlander III, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Darling Buds Of May and Only Fools And Horses (to name just a few of his performances).

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Michael's family and friends.

[Source: Colin Baker]

In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the much-loved BBC series, Doctor Who, a special after-dark water-based projection in Cardiff Bay will take audiences on the incredible journey through 60 years of the show.  

With a script arranged by former Doctor Who script editor Gary Russell and featuring the brand-new version of composer Murray Gold’s iconic theme, the audio-visual spectacle, which will launch on Doctor Who Day, will feature key highlights from throughout the many iterations of the series, including The Doctor, as well as companions and foes of the Time Lord, plus an exclusive shot featuring upcoming fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa. 

The water-based projection, commissioned by BBC Wales, begins on Thursday 23rd November – Doctor Who Day - and runs until Saturday 25th November at Roath Basin in Cardiff Bay, which has a long history with the series. The after-dark showings will run every half hour from 5.30pm until 9.30pm on those days, with each lasting approximately 5 minutes. The initial switch-on, scheduled for 5.30pm on Thursday 23rd November, will be hosted by Steffan Powell, presenter of Doctor Who: Unleashed.  

The longest running sci-fi TV show in the Universe, Doctor Who first appeared on BBC television on 23 November 1963, with William Hartnell as the first Doctor. Originally running for 26 years before coming to an end in 1989, the show would be relaunched triumphantly onto TV screens in 2005 after a 16-year hiatus - overseen by showrunners Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner and produced by BBC Wales. 

A newly published economic impact report details how the sci-fi series has contributed to the Welsh economy. Between 2004 and 2021, Doctor Who has generated approximately £134.6m in GVA, of which more than £113.1m was in the Welsh creative industries. The report also shows that for every £1 spent on the hit series, a subsequent £0.96 is generated in Wales, making its economic contribution £1.96. The analysis considers the impact of Doctor Who from the start of production on Series 1 in 2004 to the most recent series with Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor (Series 13), which was broadcast in 2021. 

Doctor Who’s return was a pivotal moment and became a catalyst for the immense growth of the Welsh creative industries over the last 15 to 20 years. The screen sector – comprising of production, post-production, digital and special effects for film and TV, and TV broadcasting – is now the largest of the five Creative Industry sub-sectors prioritised by the Welsh Government and accounted for more than £459m turnover in 2022. 

In addition to the water-based projection in Cardiff Bay, the 60th anniversary celebrations will also include the opportunity for visitors to Cardiff to see the TARDIS and one of the Doctor’s most notorious villains, a Dalek, at the Senedd building from Thursday 23rd November, until Saturday 2nd December.  

This builds towards the return of the series to TV screens on Saturday 25 November, with the first of three 60th Anniversary Specials to feature fourteenth Doctor David Tennant, who made a surprising return in last year’s The Power of the Doctor. Airing on BBC One and iPlayer, ‘The Star Beast’ finds The Doctor reunited with Donna Noble, played by Catherine Tate, for the first time in many years. The second of the specials, ‘Wild Blue Yonder’, airs on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 2 December, with ‘The Giggle’ completing the trio a week later.  

Produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios, the specials mark the return of Russell T Davies to the Doctor Who brand as showrunner and sees him teaming up once more with Bad Wolf co-founder Julie Gardner, who is executive producer alongside Bad Wolf co-founder Jane Tranter.  

The company providing the water projection is LCI Productions and permission was granted to use Roath Basin by Cardiff Council and Associated British Ports. Coleridge Cymru assisted in facilitating the project.  

[Source: BBC Cymru Wales]

Manufacturer: Big Finish Productions

Written By: Robert Valentine

RRP: £10.99 (CD) | £8.99 (Download)

Release Date: May 2023

Reviewed by: Robert Emlyn Slater for Doctor Who Online

---

“The Time War. The Doctor has been injured and brought to a Time Lord field hospital. His body glows with energy, but this is no regeneration into a future form – instead, the Doctor’s past faces begin to appear as he flits haphazardly between incarnations...

Staggering to his TARDIS, the Doctor sets out to solve the mystery of his ‘degeneration’. Who has done this to him? How? And why? From the Earth to the stars, across an array of familiar times and places, he follows clues to retrace his steps, encountering old friends and enemies along the way. Tumbling through his lives, the Doctor must stop his degeneration before he loses himself completely...

Settling as his Fourth incarnation, the Doctor goes in search of the Monk, with a vague memory that he had something to do with his ‘degeneration’.

On Earth, the Monk is meddling, bringing Sarah Jane Smith to the future UNIT HQ to steal a device for an alien race. The Doctor must help Kate Stewart and Osgood foil an invasion before he can confront the Monk about what he knows...”

WARNING: The following review contains spoilers. You have been warned!

Big Finish’s 60th anniversary party has officially begun! Past Lives is the first of an eight-part audio celebration of Doctor Who’s Diamond Anniversary - featuring most of the Doctors!

This month’s offering sees Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor reunite with Sarah Jane as he crosses paths with Kate Stewart, Osgood, and The Meddling Monk.

We’re thrown straight into the action as the Doctor begins degenerating on a Time War battlefield. He then runs back to his TARDIS, jumping between incarnations as he does so in a really fun sequence. There’s no messing about, we’re quite literally thrown straight into the action - something I always appreciate. 

With the Doctor temporarily stabilised in the form of his fourth incarnation, he’s immediately after the Meddling Monk. Their ensuing game of cat and mouse is a lot of fun - and Rufus Hound is brilliant. His version of the Monk is by far the most entertaining for me. 

Also in this adventure are Kate Stewart and Osgood, played by Jemma Redgrave and Ingrid Oliver. Hearing them interact with Tom Baker’s Doctor is just a delight. I wasn’t sure how UNIT, Kate, and Osgood were going to fit into this adventure, which already has a hell of a lot going on in it, but they get a lot of “screen time” and have their own time to shine. 

Unfortunately, Sarah Jane - played by Sadie Miller - does not. She feels a bit surplus to the plot here, which is a shame. The Sarah we meet in Past Lives has quite literally just been dropped off in Aberdeen by the Doctor. It might be just me, but having the Doctor and Sarah reunite so soon after her exit undercuts the emotional ending of The Hand of Fear (for Sarah at least). I didn’t really feel the emotional reunion between Sarah and the Doctor here, as a result. Sadie Miller is great in the role though, as always. It just feels like Big Finish came up with the idea of this adventure by drawing a bunch of random characters out of a hat and sticking them together (which can be a lot of fun, of course). With so much going on, one character had to pull the short straw, and it was Sarah this time.

Also, the armoured dragon warrior creatures seen on the front of the box - the Hyreth - just aren’t utilised enough to be that much of a threat here. Maybe if this drama had been longer they’d have had more time to shine, but they just feel a bit like the monster of the week unfortunately. 

Those are my only criticisms though. The rest of the adventure is a great ride and leaves me really wanting more. I enjoyed the performances of all the cast - in particular Rufus Hound’s - and really enjoyed the almost anachronistic feel of having Tom Baker’s Doctor interacting with Kate and Osgood in the 2010s. 

This definitely does feel like a part one of something much bigger - a taste of what’s to come. Robert Valentine’s script zips along at a hell of a pace, never really letting up from minute one. The hour or so truly flies by. In fact, I was a little surprised - and disappointed - it had ended so seemingly early. 

Overall, It’s a nice, fun adventure to kick off the eight-part Once And Future story and left me really looking forward to whatever comes next (Fifth Doctor, Jenny, and Colin Baker as the Curator, to be exact). Also, there are plenty many callbacks and cameos, as is fitting of an anniversary adventure. You won’t be disappointed on that front. 

It’s certainly whet my appetite for the rest of Big Finish’s 60th anniversary celebrations! 

+  1. Once And Future: Past Lives is OUT NOW, priced £10.99 (CD) | £8.99 (D/L).

+  ORDER this title from Big Finish!

BBC Studios has teamed up with Reality+ to launch a collection of immersive experiences in the metaverse based on the BBC’s world-famous brands

BBC Studios has partnered with Web3 specialist Reality+ to create a metaverse experience in The Sandbox where fans will be able to interact with immersive content from their favourite brands, including Top Gear and Doctor Who, and enjoy a BBC events space.

The joint venture between BBC Studios and Reality+ marks the first time the BBC will have a home in the metaverse, following a handful of brand activation experiments with metaverse platforms. Part virtual real estate, part amusement park, The Sandbox fully embraces the idea of the metaverse as a continuous shared digital space, in which players and brands can build, own, and monetise their experiences on blockchain. 

BBC Studios joins over 400 other entertainment brands who have entered The Sandbox to date, including Warner Music Group, Ubisoft, Gucci Vault, The Walking Dead, and Adidas.

Nicki Sheard, President Brands & Licensing, BBC Studios, said:

“I’m delighted that BBC Studios is partnering with Reality+ and The Sandbox on this exciting venture. While the metaverse is still in its infancy, it may shape how we consume and experience entertainment in the future and I’m looking forward to seeing how fans interact with our brands in this space. This project forms part of BBC Studios broader ambitious plans to grow our brands into new categories, with innovative technology and platforms forming an integral part of this.” 

Tony Pearce, Co-Founder, Reality+ said:

“We're excited to have extended our partnership with BBC Studios, not only to help them push the boundaries of what’s possible in the metaverse, but for the opportunity to deliver exciting new experiences for the fans of these world-renowned TV shows. We've already achieved so much with digital trading card game Doctor Who: Worlds Apart, and now with a fantastic platform like The Sandbox, there’s much more to come.”

Sebastien Borget, COO and Co-Founder at The Sandbox, added:

“We’re proud that BBC Studios chose Reality+, a certified metaverse agency partner working on The Sandbox platform, to enter the metaverse with top global brands like Doctor Who and Top Gear. The BBC has a history of pioneering content that leverages the latest technology and putting it into mainstream households. We think this venture is an important step to bringing British culture and fans into virtual worlds.”

BBC Studios’ metaverse space in The Sandbox will launch later this year and further details will be released in due course. 

Reality+ helps worldwide brands transition to Web3 with bespoke product, community and development strategies, backed by an award-winning technology platform. It has previously partnered with BBC Studios to develop the Doctor Who: Worlds Apart digital trading card game.

[Source: BBC]

Award-winning composer Murray Gold returns to Doctor Who.

Murray Gold originally joined Doctor Who when Russell T Davies first revived the show in 2005, going on to compose the show for over 12 years, he has scored some of the most iconic moments in Doctor Who’s history. 

From revamping the theme tune, to creating the music for the Dalek and Cybermen to name just a few, Murray has been widely celebrated for his role in forging a new musical identity for the show.

And now he’s back! Murray Gold will once again work with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, with his musical scores appearing when Doctor Who returns in November for three special episodes celebrating the shows 60th anniversary with David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor, before Ncuti Gatwa takes control of the TARDIS as the Fifteenth Doctor with his first episode airing over the festive period. 

On returning to Doctor Who, Murray Gold said:

“I’m so happy to be invited back for another joyful ride in the TARDIS. I didn’t think twice. Working with Russell and his team is just a pleasure.”

[Source: BBC]

Doctor Who Legend Paul McGann stars in Interactive Movie, Mia and the Dragon Princess.

Fans of the beloved 8th Doctor can look forward to an exciting, interactive movie in which your choices, matter. Race against a villainous McGann in a quest for forgotten treasure in the upcoming Mia and the Dragon Princess.

Unravel the mystery with Mia, a plucky bartender whose life is thrown into chaos when a mysterious woman shows up at her workplace, on the run from a group of violent thugs.

Your choices will guide Mia through the adventure that has over 10 different outcomes and determine the fate of Mia and her friends. Will they escape the quietly terrifying Walsh (Paul McGann)? The power is in your hands!

Mia and the Dragon Princess will punch its way to PC, Epic, Mac, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android on May 4th 2023. The live-action, interactive movie is available for pre-order on Steam.

Features:

-  Starring Paul McGann (Doctor Who, Alien 3, Withnail & I), Brian McCardie (Time, Rob Roy) and MyAnna Buring (The Witcher, Ripper Street), Dita Tantang and Noa Bleeker.  

-  Featuring action designed by world-renowned fight coordinator, Marcus Shakesheff (WonderWoman, Hanna, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Pennyworth, Guardians of the Galaxy, Game of Thrones) 

-  Featuring fight stunts by Taekwondo instructor and content creator with over 700M views, Aaron Gassor aka 'Ginger Ninja Trickster' 

-  Real time Attribute Tracking that evolves based on your choices and influences the story 

-  Multi-optional storytelling with 10 different outcomes 

-  Guest appearance by Daz Black (DazGames)  

Mia and the Dragon Princess is published by Wales Interactive and developed by Wales Interactive, Good Gate Media and Dead Pixel Productions.

[Source: Wales Interactive]

Doctor Who Magazine have sent DWO the cover and details for Issue 587.

Exclusive interview with new executive producer Joel Collins 

Joel Collins, one of Doctor Who’s new executive producers, reveals how his association with the series began in the 1970s, through knowing acclaimed director Douglas Camfield and seeing the series being made…

“Douglas was, and still is, one of the biggest inspirations to me. There was something so brilliant about him. I can absolutely see now why I’m in this business. As a kid, you’re watching this show avidly on TV, and then suddenly you’re on set – touching everything, fiddling with everything, and going: ‘Oh my God, look at these miniatures and creatures and all this craziness…’ I was completely inspired by that.”

Other highlights of the new issue include:

•  Liberation of the Daleks Part Four – the adventures of the Fourteenth Doctor continue in the epic comic-strip adventure written by Alan Barnes and illustrated by Lee Sullivan.
•  Letter from the Showrunner – Russell T Davies on what you might have missed in the recent trailer for the 2023 Doctor Who Specials.
•  Production Diary – script editor Scott Handcock files his latest report on the forthcoming episodes, direct from Doctor Who’s HQ.
•  Gallifrey Guardian – all the latest official news, including exclusives from producer Phil Collinson, guest star Jemma Redgrave and casting director Andy Pryor.
•  Close to the Edit – an interview with Rasheed Bello, Doctor Who’s new assistant script editor.
•  Tesh and Blood – a tribute to the late Chris Boucher, including contributions from producer Philip Hinchcliffe and actress Louise Jameson, who played Leela.
•  Sympathy for the Sea Devil – behind the scenes of Defenders of Earth, the trailer for the new Season 9 Blu-ray box set, with cast and crew including star Katy Manning.
•  60 Objects, 60 Years – from the UNIT beret in 1968 to the Third Doctor’s sonic screwdriver in 1972, the latest instalment of this series tells the story of one object from every year of Doctor Who’s history.
•  The Fact of Fiction – inside one of the Fourth Doctor’s greatest adventures, Chris Boucher’s The Robots of Death.
•  The Watchers: Sea Base 4B ¬– fans recall studio visits to see Warriors of the Deep being recorded in 1983.
•  Coming Soon – an exclusive preview of the Season 9 Blu-ray box set, including a disc-by-disc breakdown of the contents.
•  Other Worlds – the essential guide to forthcoming stories in the expanded Doctor Who universe.
•  Previews, reviews, prize-winning competitions, Time and Space Visualiser and more.

+  Doctor Who Magazine Issue #587 is out Thursday 2nd February, priced £6.99.
+  SUBSCRIBE to Doctor Who Magazine, digitally from just £3.46 a month!
+  Check Out The DWO Guide to Doctor Who Magazine!

[Source: Doctor Who Magazine]

BBC Studios continues to offer Doctor Who fans the opportunity to build their own home archive on Blu-ray. Debuting on 20th March is a limited edition EIGHT DISC box set of the Ninth Season from 1972, starring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor.

Doctor Who – The Collection: Season 9

-  DAY OF THE DALEKS
-  THE CURSE OF PELADON
-  THE SEA DEVILS
-  THE MUTANTS
-  THE TIME MONSTER 

Across an action-packed twenty-six episodes, the Doctor and Jo (Katy Manning) face off against Daleks, Ogrons, Sea Devils, Ice Warriors, Mutants and their old enemy the Master (Roger Delgado). Joining them in their adventures are the UNIT team of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney), Captain Yates (Richard Franklin) and Sergeant Benton (John Levene). 

All episodes have been newly remastered from the best available sources – these classic adventures have never looked or sounded so good on home media.

The Collection: Season 9 Blu-ray box set also includes extensive special features including: 

MAKING THE TIME MONSTER
Looking back on the Season 9 finale with Katy Manning, John Levene and more.

MICHAEL E BRIANT AT THE HELM
A profile of director Michael E Briant.

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION
Katy Manning and friends revisit the filming locations of Season 9. 

THE FELL GUY
A profile of prolific stuntman Stuart Fell.

BEHIND THE SOFA
Five new episodes featuring Katy Manning (Jo), Peter Davison (The Doctor), Wendy Padbury (Zoe), Sarah Sutton (Nyssa), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Sophie Aldred (Ace) and director Michael E Briant.

BLU-RAY TRAILER
A brand new slice of classic Doctor Who.

MOVIE-LENGTH EDITIONS
Special repeat screenings of Day Of The Daleks and The Sea Devils, previously unavailable.

CONVENTION FOOTAGE
A chance to hear from UNIT’s Nicholas Courtney and Richard Franklin, recorded in 1986.

5.1 SURROUND & DOLBY ATMOS SOUND
On The Sea Devils (episodic and omnibus edition).

HD PHOTO GALLERIES
Including many previously unseen images.

AUDIO ARCHIVE
Featuring many unreleased gems.

INFO TEXT
Behind-the-scenes information and trivia on every episode.

PDF ARCHIVE
Including scripts, exclusive unseen BBC production files and other rarities.

AND LOTS MORE! 

This eight-disc box set also includes hours of special features previously released on DVD including Documentaries, Featurettes, Audio Commentaries, Day Of The Daleks Special Edition and more.

+ The Collection - Season 9 is released on 20th March 2023. 
+ PREORDER this title from Amazon.co.uk for just £49.99!

Watch the trailer for this set in the player below:

[Source: BBC Studios]

Join the 13th Doctor and 10th Doctor on an epic adventure in Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality, and solve a chilling mystery in Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins. 

The Doctor Who: Duo Bundle is out now for PS4 and Switch! 

+  Get it now at Smyths Toys!

[Source: Maximum Games]

The BBC have released the trailer for The Power Of The Doctor - Jodie Whittaker's final outing as the Thirteenth Doctor!

In the trailer we see The Master, Daleks, Cybermen, and appearances from previous companions Ace & Tegan.

The Power Of The Doctor airs on Sunday 23rd October at 7:30pm.

[Source: BBC]

Publisher: Dragon Moon Press

Written By: J.V. Hilliard

RRP: £12.82 / $19.95 (Paperback) | £3.77 / $4.63 (Kindle)

Reviewed by: Sebastian J. Brook

The Last Keeper (book 1 in J.V. Hilliard's 'Warminster' series), is a thrilling fantasy, rich in plot, detail and character, but more than this - it's the beginning of a promising series of gripping adventures.

I'm coming into this book as a fully-fledged, paid-up fan of the fantasy genre. The Lord Of The Rings was a staple growing up, and just a few pages into The Last Keeper and I instantly felt that warm, familiar comfort in Hilliard's storytelling.

It's a classic tale of good vs evil, but on a much more multi-layered canvas that is constantly throwing fresh twists and turns, and - perhaps what I loved most - unpredictability.

The story focuses on Daemus Alaric - a young, blind Keeper with the gift of foresight, who must use his abilities to counter the dark motives of Graytorris the Mad. Daemus is an incredibly likeable character who you never tire of during the story. He, like many other characters in the book, is multi-faceted, and oozing with depth and colour.

Nothing in the story feels accidental; everyone who steps into the pages of this book has purpose and meaning, and bring different, complimenting flavours to this rich world. And speaking of the world, I have no reservation in saying that I've read scores of fantasy books over the years, and the world-building that Hilliard shows here, is among the very finest...even Tolkien would be proud! From place names to the details of the magic system, we are constantly treated to layer upon layer of immersive storytelling.

What goes hand-in-hand with the world-building is the author's fantastic grasp of the English language, and his almost poetic style through description. I defy anyone to read the first two paragraphs and not get instantly swept up in this magical realm.

I love books that end on a cliffhanger, and without wishing to spoil anything, we get that here. The idea that you achieve the end of a truly thrilling story, only to find you have to wait to discover what happens next is a wonderful tool in an author's arsenal, but it has to be executed carefully. And execution is something that Hilliard wields masterfully, much like most of his approach to writing. I simply cannot wait to read the next instalment in the series, and strongly recommend The Last Keeper as THE summer read for all fans of fantasy!

---

+  The Last Keeper is Out Now!
+  Buy this book from Amazon.co.uk!
+  Buy this book from Amazon.com!
+  Follow @JVHilliardBooks on Twitter.
+  Follow @SebastianJBrook (Sebastian J. Brook) on Twitter.
+  Follow @DrWhoOnline (Doctor Who Online) on Twitter.  

Penguin Books has been in touch with details of four more titles for their expanding Doctor Who Target range. The books will be published on 14th July 2022, each with newly commissioned cover artwork by Anthony Dry, in the style of the late Chris Achilleos, whose artwork graced a number of the original releases.

Penned by the original scriptwriter the late David Fisher and adapted from his 2011 and 2014 audio novelisations, The Stones of Blood, and The Androids of Tara are now being released as two glorious Target books for fans to add to their collections. These will be accompanied by a Target edition of The Fires of Pompeii by James Moran, as well as The Eaters of Light by Rona Munro.

For Doctor Who fans, the range of novelisations published by Target Books in the 1970s and 1980s hold a special place. There was a novel published for almost every Doctor Who serial between 1963 and 1989, with a very few (five, actually) notable exceptions. Since 2012, BBC Books has been successfully reissuing these classic paperbacks and expanding the Target range to include all-new novelisations of modern-era Doctor Who episodes.

These latest additions to the collection, all by the original writers of the TV episodes, will help Target fans complete their classic and modern-era collections.

James Moran said:

"I’ve been watching Doctor Who and reading the Target books for as long as I can remember. The books were an essential part of my childhood, examining the amazing cover art, and “seeing” stories that aired before I was born. I loved learning new words from them, like “capacious”, and am beyond thrilled to become part of this publishing legend!"

Rona Munro said:

"It’s wonderful to have another chance to revisit the ideas of my last Doctor Who story, Eaters of Light, they are ideas that have been with me for a very long time and Doctor Who, as always, proved to be the largest and most exciting world in which to realise them."

+  PREORDER The Stones Of Blood on Amazon for £6.55 (RRP: £7.99)!
+  PREORDER The Androids Of Tara on Amazon for £6.55 (RRP: £7.99)
+  PREORDER The Fires Of Pompeii on Amazon for £6.55 (RRP: £7.99)
+  PREORDER The Eaters Of Light on Amazon for £6.55 (RRP: £7.99)

+  Follow @JamesMoran on Twitter!
+  Follow @DrWhoOnline on Twitter!

[Source: Penguin]

The BBC has today announced Ncuti Gatwa is the new Doctor set to take charge of the TARDIS.

Star of stage and screen, Ncuti is best known for his critically acclaimed performance in Sex Education as the iconic Eric Effiong, for which he was awarded Best Actor Award at the Scottish BAFTA’s in 2020 as well as numerous nominations including Best Male Performance in a comedy programme at this year’s BAFTA’s.

Speaking of his new role, Ncuti said:

“There aren’t quite the words to describe how I’m feeling. A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared. This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care.

I will endeavour my upmost to do the same.  Russell T Davies is almost as iconic as the Doctor himself and being able to work with him is a dream come true. His writing is dynamic, exciting, incredibly intelligent and fizzing with danger. An actor’s metaphorical playground. The entire team have been so welcoming and truly give their hearts to the show. And so as much as it’s daunting, I’m aware I’m joining a really supportive family. Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show.”

Russell T Davies, Showrunner adds:

“The future is here and it’s Ncuti! Sometimes talent walks through the door and it’s so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars. Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds. It’s an honour to work with him, and a hoot, I can’t wait to get started. I’m sure you’re dying to know more, but we’re rationing ourselves for now, with the wonderful Jodie’s epic finale yet to come. But I promise you, 2023 will be spectacular!”

Charlotte Moore, Chief Content Officer said:

“Ncuti has an incredible dynamism, he’s a striking and fearless young actor whose talent and energy will set the world alight and take Doctor Who on extraordinary adventures under Russell T Davies’ new era."

Further details will be announced in due course.

[Source: BBC]

A first look at Doctor Who’s feature-length Centenary special, and Jodie Whittaker’s final episode, has revealed the return of the Doctor’s biggest adversary – The Master (Sacha Dhawan), who last appeared in series 12’s final episode The Timeless Children. 

And for the first time since the show returned to BBC One in 2005, The Master, the Daleks and the Cybermen will all feature in one single story.

The trail, which aired after the Easter special Legend of the Sea Devils, also revealed the surprise return of two of the Doctor’s companions from earlier eras of the show. Janet Fielding as Tegan Jovanka -  companion to both the Fourth and Fifth Doctors - and Sophie Aldred as Ace - companion to the Seventh Doctor, will reprise their roles on screen for the first time since leaving the show.

Showrunner Chris Chibnall says:

“Jodie’s final feature-length story contains a plethora of treats and surprises for audiences and fans, not least the return of two of the most beloved companions in the show’s history. They’ll be helping the Doctor fight on three fronts, against her deadliest enemies: the Master, Daleks and Cybermen,  in one huge story!  

For the BBC’s Centenary, we’ll be celebrating the past, present and future of Doctor Who, in a fittingly thrilling, epic and emotional send-off for the Thirteenth Doctor."

Janet Fielding says:

“In some ways it was a very different experience to what it was like when I finished recording in 1983, but in many ways it was very similar. It was so lovely to be a working member of the Doctor Who family again.”

Sophie Aldred says:

“It’s been quite a challenge to have such a big secret to keep, even from my family, and I couldn’t be more thrilled and excited to have been asked back. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I adored being part of the TARDIS team again.”

Also confirmed to be taking to the screen for the Doctor’s epic battle for survival are Vinder (Jacob Anderson) and Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) .

Written by Chris Chibnall and directed by Jamie Magnus Stone, the feature-length special will air later this year as part of the BBC’s Centenary celebrations, with further details to be confirmed in due course.

+ WATCH the trailer for the centenary special in the player, below:

[Source: BBC Studios]