Doctor Who fans hail return of Billie Piper and Jodie Whittaker
In the finale, Ncuti Gatwa leaves Doctor Who and is seen regenerating into Piper, who first appeared in the series as the companion to the ninth Time Lord in 2005.
Ncuti Gatwa (BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/PA)
Retired teacher Steve Hatcher, 66, of Ashbourne in Derbyshire, who runs Whoovers – a Doctor Who fan club – told the PA news agency: 'The question in the mind was, is it going to be a regeneration to a new Doctor, which it was, or is it just going to be a regeneration to black and an uncertain future?
'So I'm very relieved that they've found a new Doctor and she's a brilliant actor and I'm sure that'll be terrific, so Doctor Who continues, I would say, on the basis of that, it was a terrific episode.
'I think it gave us everything that we wanted to see from it, there was nothing left unexplained at the end of it apart from those things that don't need explaining because there's an inherent mystery to it all, but it was terrific, I enjoyed it a lot.'
Mr Hatcher, who watched the episode with other fans at the Derby Quad cinema, said the regeneration was 'handled really nicely' and the overwhelming mood was positive.
He went on: 'What a lovely surprise to see Jodie Whittaker come back as well tonight.'
James Ashway, 27, from Bristol, who helps run the Doctor Who Appreciation Society's magazine, said: 'It was an episode which threw the kitchen sink in terms of returning characters, Jodie Whittaker and obviously now Billie Piper as well, as the new Doctor.
'I'm a bit speechless, to be honest, there's quite a lot of stuff to take in, but I think it was an interesting episode which pivoted in the middle to tell two different stories, one wrapping up the end of that season and obviously telling Ncuti Gatwa's regeneration as well, so very enjoyable.'
However, Brendan Noble, 57, of Middlesbrough, a former English teacher who runs the Sense Sphere YouTube channel, said: 'I think we've just had what I would have called EastEnders in space. I am absolutely shocked, irritated, frustrated, people are contacting me now in absolute shock and horror at what's just happened.
'It's lazy writing, hodgepodge of exposition, escapism, nonsense, (Russell T Davies) was throwing every toy from the Doctor Who box at the telly, hoping that some of it would make sense in the way of entertaining you.'
Mr Noble told PA it was a 'shame' that Gatwa 'never had any decent stories', calling it an 'absolute waste of a Doctor'.
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