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Tonight’s Doctor Who regeneration episode marked the end of Jodie Whittaker’s tenure as the titular character. But this regeneration came with quite a twist. Those viewing the expected regeneration on Doctor Who were likely prepared to see actor Ncuti Gatwa make his first appearance as the Time Lord. Instead, Whittaker’s regeneration ended with her turning into none other than David Tennant, the beloved tenth incarnation of the Doctor who played the character from 2005 to 2010. While it was reported in May that Tennant would return to film scenes for the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who, the details have been under wraps. Now that we’ve seen Whittaker regenerate into Tennant, we are getting more information as to what Tennant’s return entails.
You can watch Jodie Whittaker’s regeneration from tonight’s Doctor Who in the clip below:
David Tennant Returns to ‘Doctor Who’ With an Old Friend
Deadline reports that Tennant will appear in three Doctor Who specials, all of which will air in November 2023. And he’s not coming back to the series alone. Catherine Tate will walk alongside him, reprising her role as Donna Noble, the Doctor’s companion from series four. Tonight’s special concluded with a teaser for what we will see next year, featuring shots of Tennant, Tate, and a mysterious villain played by Neil Patrick Harris. We also see a glimpse of Gatwa, whose first episode is confirmed to be airing in 2023. The teaser can be viewed below:
‘Doctor Who’ Says Farewell to Jodie Whittaker
While many Whovians are delighted to see David Tennant and Catherine Tate return, there is a sad goodbye to Jodie Whittaker, the first woman to play the Doctor. While not many people cared for her storylines, she received much acclaim for her portrayal of the famous Time Lord. Gatwa is taking over as the first black actor to play the Doctor regularly, and his first episode is confirmed to premiere in 2023.
Interestingly, David Tennants return to Doctor Who coincides with the return of showrunner Russell T. Davies, who brought the series back in 2005 and was showrunner during Tennant’s run.
Did you watch Jodie Wittaker’s regeneration on Doctor Who? Were you surprised to see David Tennant return? Share your thoughts in the comments.