
Doctor Who boss promises finale will address 'controversial' Time Lord change
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has promised that the upcoming finale will address the 'controversial' Time Lord change.
Two years ago, fans of the sci-fi series were left perplexed after Ncuti Gatwa took over the iconic role from David Tennant in a way that broke away from a long-held Time Lord tradition.
The Sex Education star bi-generated into the Fifteenth Doctor in the 60th anniversary special, titled 'The Giggle', drawing heavy criticism from large portions of the Doctor Who fanbase.
Now, however, ahead of the season 15 finale 'The Reality War' on Saturday night, the show's writer Russell has reassured fans that the form of regeneration will be explained.
After posting a selfie from inside the Bone Palace, @varax89 asked him: 'There will be an explanation for bigeneration?'
Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you.
Russell then replied: '@varax89 actually, yes! 👍'
Responding to the exchange on Instagram, several Reddit users shared their concerns over the potential reveal.
Discussing Russell's writing, JOhn101010101 said: 'Oh no. His explanations don't have a tendency to actually explain too much.'
tickofaclock added: 'Whenever 15 leaves, I just really, really hope he regenerates in a normal way. I don't mind bigeneration as a couple of special one-offs, but I really don't want it to be the new normal.'
Doctor Who is an ever-evolving show with constant change literally woven into its very fabric so Whovians often roll with the wild twists, turns and wacky experiments played out by the showrunners to push the 60-year-old show to its limits – and often past it.
Nowhere is that clearer than with the bold concept of bi-generation which was introduced in the 60th anniversary special. As shown during 14th Doctor David Tennant's regeneration, instead of the usual complete transformation of one Doctor into the next, bi-generation spliced Ncuti Gatwa's 15th Doctor out of him so both could exist at one time.
Look, there are no boundaries when it comes to sci-fi, especially when it comes to the physiology and life cycle of a fictional alien race with two hearts. But some things feel like they should remain sacred and the poetic nature of the Doctor's regeneration – saying a final good bye to one (unless you are David Tennant) and welcoming in another is at the beating heart of the series and the emotional punch is heavily dampened by knowing they end up just pointlessly kicking about while the next Doctor goes on his adventures.
Now the concept has been doubled down on with The Rani's bi-generation, I can only hope the whole affair is put to a rest with the end of this season as a fun but short-lived experiment.
Tevcon01 also wrote: 'Having bigeneration for the 14th doctor is one thing but saying that everyone did is just nonsense. Why would 10 and 12 struggle so much if they just exist after the regeneration.'
Meanwhile, J-McFox proposed: 'It's just going to be the Rani saying she worked out the science behind the myth so it's possible now.'
Following the release of season 15's penultimate episode last week, Doctor Who fans are convinced they know what Rani is up to.
The seventh episode, Wish World, saw the bigenerated Rani (played by Anita Dobson and Archi Punjabi) reveal themselves to a disorientated Doctor.
The dastardly Rani plans to dig beneath the surface of this reality to find Omega, an all-powerful entity from olde worldy Time Lord history.
In trying to jog the Doctor's memory after his humdrum suburban fugue state, Reya explained: 'We are the last Time Lord and the last Time Lady from the planet Gallifrey.' More Trending
She also added: 'The tragedy is we were never enemies. Every villain you ever fought wanted death. I only wanted life. Remember?'
This wrinkle has left many fans wondering if the Rani might be out to resurrect Gallifrey and the Time Lords, instead of the classic laying waste MO we get from most villains.
Ardent Whovians immediately sprung on Reddit to theorise what it might all mean. @Grafikpapst wrote: 'She wants to bring the Time Lords back. He is the scientist that created the Time Lords. He is also the greatest mind Gallifrey ever had, so The Rani is probably a very big fan, seeing as she too is a scientist at heart.'
View More »
Doctor Who is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Got a story?
If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
MORE: Yet another celebrity discovers they're related to a king 9 years after Danny Dyer
MORE: 'Humanising trans people is so important right now – our BBC series does that'
MORE: Gary Lineker breaks 26-year streak with mistake on final Match of the Day
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Emmerdale confirms full-time exit as legend is gone for good
It was Eric Pollard's (Chris Chittell) birthday in Emmerdale tonight, but one of the gifts he received wasn't a happy one. Eric has slowly come to accept that he needs extra help around the house. The beloved character lives with Parkinson's, and has now reached a stage where he cannot do small tasks such as putting his shoes on, or drinking from a cup. Kerry Wyatt (Laura Norton) and Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant) decided to organise a carer for Eric, but his pride got in the way. He felt the lady was patronising, and also couldn't accept that his poor health had got him to this point. The only person who managed to get through to Eric was Kerry. She is never afraid to say what she thinks, and admitted on a number of occasions that she thinks Eric is stubborn, grumpy, and ungrateful. The two friends made a deal that Eric would pay Kerry to help look after him. She agreed, and one of the first things she did was take his bank card into town for some shopping. However, when Eric started getting loads of bank notifications, he assumed that Kerry was just splashing his cash for her own gain. When she got home, he apologised after learning that she had bought things specifically to make his life easier. More Trending Eric hoped at the start of tonight's episode that his birthday would be a pleasant one, free from drama. Sadly, he then opened some mail from Brenda (Lesley Dunlop), his ex. Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale? Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers! Eric later revealed to Kerry that she had sent him a 'Dear John Letter', also known as an announcement that their relationship had absolutely come to an end. In April, Brenda and Cathy Hope (Gabrielle Dowling) left the village to go on a cruise for three months. Before she departed, Brenda told Eric that she'd return if he needed her – but that isn't going to be the case anymore. View More » And suffice to say Eric was gutted. MORE: All 25 Emmerdale pictures for next week as a gruesome discovery is made MORE: 10 character interactions that need to happen in Coronation Street and Emmerdale crossover MORE: Emmerdale fans 'work out' what Kerry is hiding about the night Joe Tate was pushed


Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Farmer Wants A Wife triumphs in TV ratings war as the reality show trashes the competition leaving MasterChef in the dust
Seven's Farmer Wants a Wife has triumphed in Tuesday's overnight TV ratings war. The wholesome dating show scored an impressive total national audience of 853,000 viewers. Over on Nine the latest season of Lego Masters Australian managed a far less impressive rating with a total of 741,000 tuning in to the quirky contest. MasterChef Australia on the 10 Network managed 648,000 - a slight improvement from this time last week when it won 619,000 viewers. The ratings numbers for the national average combine the audience watching on broadcast and as well as viewer-on-demand in metro and regional areas. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Over on Nine the latest season of Lego Masters Australia (pictured) managed a far less impressive rating with a total of 741,000 tuning in to the quirky contest It comes after eagle-eyed Farmer Wants A Wife fans have noticed a striking resemblance between a woman appearing on this year's series and an iconic Hollywood star. Fans have taken to social media to point out that Farmer Jack's potential match Olivia looks remarkably like former Hollywood child star Mara Wilson. Wilson, 37, had an incredible career as a child star in the early '90s, appearing in Mrs Doubtfire with Robin Williams and Matilda with Danny DeVito. 'Olivia is the adult version of Matilda,' commented one fan. 'For sure! How uncanny,' wrote another before a third added: 'I see this every time she talks.' Meanwhile, one of the country boys faced a major life decision on Tuesday night. The question of whether or not Farmer Jack's love interest Olivia wants children became an important discussion for the pair and their budding romance. Olivia took the opportunity to clarify the conversation she'd previously had with Jack, 26, saying having a family was all about timing. 'I don't want kids right now, but I have seen the possibility of kids in the past with a previous partner, so I know that's possible for me if I'm with someone,' Olivia said. The 27-year-old added that she didn't want to be defined solely as a mother. Jack was pleased to hear Olivia speak about family still being on her radar and asked her outside. The pair shared a one-on-one chat which led to their first kiss. Knowing that Sarah and Olivia were now his top two contenders, Jack asked Hayley outside to break the sad news to her – she would be going home at the end of the night. While past seasons have ended with heartwarming updates and countryside lovebirds riding off into the sunset, this year's reunion promises fireworks, behind-the-scenes truths, and a few very awkward catch-ups. In a major spoiler for fans, Daily Mail Australia can reveal that Farmer Jack ends up choosing Sarah – and the couple are already making big plans for their future. An insider close to production spills: 'Jack and Sarah were inseparable by the end. She's planning to move down to Tasmania to live on his farm full time. They're the real deal.' While their romance flew under the radar for much of the season, sources say their chemistry became undeniable behind the scenes.


Metro
5 hours ago
- Metro
TV soap star Chris Robinson dies aged 86
Soap star Chris Robinson has died at the age of 86, it has been confirmed. The actor, whose career spanned more than six decades, passed away in Arizona on Monday. Musician MJ Allen, who directed his last screen role in the 2022 feature film Just for a Week, wrote on Facebook: 'Prolific Hollywood actor Chris Robinson has passed away at the age of 86. 'He peacefully passed in his sleep at his ranch near Sedona, Arizona at 12:30am on June 9, 2025. 'He had been in heart failure for some time, and is his official cause of death.' Robinson kickstarted his career in films alongside Burt Lancaster and Ted Cassidy, but it was for his roles on the small screen that is is best remembered. Between 1978 and 1986 he assumed the role of Dr Rick Webber from originator Michael Gregory on General Hospital. Storylines included a love triangle with his wife Lesley Webber and the married Monica Quartermaine, and later wedding the biological mother of his adopted son – who he would later leave the show with. More Trending He reprised the part in 2002 for a brief stint, appearing as a ghost during scenes that aired in 2013. Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale? Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers! Following his GH departure, Chris had a two year contract with NBC's Another World, before his alter ego Jason Frame was murdered. Chris is survived by wife of fourteen years, the artist Jacqui Shane-Robinson, who also acted alongside him in his three last projects, his seven sons, and five grandchildren. View More » According to MJ Allen, the couple enjoyed the tranquilities of their Oak Creek ranch, taking in the nature and maintaining an art gallery and studio on site. If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. MORE: Leeds General Infirmary 'goes into lockdown' after suspicious package is found MORE: Coronation Street legends who played iconic duo reunite in new snap MORE: Cast of series getting Netflix reboot admit one episode 'wouldn't happen today'