Who is Rose Tyler? Billie Piper's character in Doctor Who universe
Fans of Doctor Who got a massive surprise in the series finale when Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor regenerated into Billie Piper. That's right: the beloved actress, best known to Whovians as Rose Tyler, stepped back into the TARDIS 'one more time'. But who exactly is Rose Tyler, and why does her return matter so much?
Rose Tyler, introduced in 2005 when the show relaunched after a long hiatus, was the first companion of the modern Doctor Who era.
Billie Piper starred alongside Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor and later David Tennant's Tenth, and quickly became a fan favourite. Her character was an ordinary shop girl from London who became special through her travels across time and space.
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Piper played Rose for two full series. Her final full appearance in 2006 broke hearts as Rose was trapped in a parallel universe. She returned for brief cameos and specials later, but fans never stopped asking: could Rose ever come back for real?
'Just how and why she [Billie Piper] is back remains to be seen…' the BBC teased.
'It's no secret how much I love this show,' Piper said in a statement, 'and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that TARDIS one more time was just something I couldn't refuse, but who, how, why and when, you'll just have to wait and see.'
Even the episode credits read, 'Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. And introducing Billie Piper.'
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Showrunner Russell T Davies added fuel, stating, 'Billie once changed the whole of television, back in 2005, and now she's done it again! It's an honour and a hoot to welcome her back to the TARDIS, but quite how and why and who is a story yet to be told. After 62 years, the Doctor's adventures are only just beginning!'
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