Doctor Who legends to return for special episode to celebrate 20 years since show's revival - amid rumours Ncuti Gatwa will not be back for third series

Daily Mail​

6 days ago

Two beloved former Doctor Who stars are set to return for a special hour-long episode of Doctor Who: Unleashed to celebrate the 20 years anniversary of the show's revival in 2005.
Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill played companions and married couple Amy Pond and Rory Williams on the show from series five to seven, during Matt Smith 's era as The Doctor.
The duo will take part in the special alongside the star-studded line-up of previously announced Doctors, companions, and showrunners.
Ncuti Gatwa, David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker, Varada Sethu, Billie Piper, Pearl Mackie, Mandip Gill, Steven Moffat, Chris Chibnall, and Russell T Davies will look back on the two decades of the show, guided by host Steffan Powell.
Whovians can look forward to secrets from behind the scenes with former production designer Edward Thomas, costume designer Ray Holman, and unpacking how the show become one of the biggest and most recognisable brands on television since its 2005 regeneration.
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The episode will land on Saturday June 7, at 6am on BBC iPlayer, and will air on BBC One Wales and BBC Three later that day, the week after the epic season two finale of Doctor Who.
It comes after the BBC rubbished the rumours that the Ncuti has been 'axed' from playing the titular Doctor last week.
The broadcaster posted a statement on Friday following rumours that the renowned Scottish actor, 32, had been 'exterminated' from the series, branding the speculation 'pure fiction'.
'Whilst we never comment on the future of the Doctor, any suggestion that Ncuti Gatwa has been "axed" is pure fiction,' a spokesperson for the BBC said.
Though they refused to confirm whether Ncuti would return for a third series of the beloved science fiction show, saying the decision wouldn't be made until the season two finale has aired next Saturday.
The spokesperson added: 'The decision on season 3 will be made after season 2 airs and any other claims are just pure speculation.
'The deal with Disney+ was for 26 episodes – and we still have an entire spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, to air.'
The Sun had claimed on Thursday that Ncuti had been 'exterminated' from the series after ratings took a nosedive and further claim that insiders believe Disney+ will not renew its deal.
The episode will land on Saturday June 7, at 6am on BBC iPlayer, and will air on BBC One Wales and BBC Three later that day, the week after the epic season two finale of Doctor Who
Doctor Who was watched by around 2.5milion last Saturday - around 2million fewer people than the numbers watching when Jodie Whittaker, the previous Time Lord, was on the show until 2022.
But since the show's revival in 2005, it has never come close to its peak of around 13million viewers on a Saturday night in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, following the trend of TV series no longer attracting the sort of interest they once had with the rise of streaming services and content available.
It comes after Ncuti unexpectedly pulled out of delivering the UK jury votes at Eurovision for the grand final earlier this month, leaving Murder on the Dancefloor singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor to take his place.
The BBC offered no explanation for this last minute change and merely blamed 'unforeseen circumstances'.
A statement issued by the BBC last Thursday said: 'Due to unforeseen circumstances, unfortunately Ncuti Gatwa is no longer able to participate as spokesperson during the Grand Final this weekend.'
But speculation online suggested that the actor may have pulled out as the UK's spokesperson in protest of Israel being allowed to qualify for the final, despite Russia being banned from Eurovision in 2022 due to its invasion of Ukraine.
Ncuti has previously been vocal in his support for the Palestinian people, sharing photographs of Free Palestine graffiti in Italy on his Instagram and posting links to fundraisers for causes to help victims in Gaza.
Sources told the Mail on Sunday that executives were left 'cross' and 'exasperated' by the Sex Education star's last minute decision.
The broadcaster posted a statement on Friday following rumours that the renowned Scottish actor, 32, had been 'exterminated' from the series, branding the speculation 'pure fiction'
Ahead of the final, a source admitted that BBC producers had 'suspected that he would change his mind about the role' and that his stand-in, Sophie, had been 'in place for some time'.
At the time, a TV insider reportedly told The Sun: 'If the final nail wasn't already in the coffin, it was well and truly hammered in after that.
'Bosses were incredibly disappointed. Ncuti, as the Doctor, is one of the corporation's most high-profile faces.'
Despite their anger, however, executives have attempted to play down the link between his decision to stand down and Israel contestant Yuval Raphael qualifying for the final.
They pointed out that his decision was made prior to Raphael's qualification, with an announcement of his withdrawal actually being made on Radio 2 three minutes before Israel's place was confirmed, closely followed by a social media post just five minutes later.
The BBC source said: 'The announcement was first made on BBC Radio 2 by Richie Anderson and Sara Cox three minutes before Israel qualified for the final.
'The statement was then issued on social media five minutes later, which was coincidentally two minutes after Israel qualified.'
Ncuti joined the cast of Doctor Who in 2023 for the 14th season after Jodie Whittaker - the first female Doctor - bowed out.
He is both the first black actor and openly queer star to play the role of the Doctor in the show's 62-year history and since last month, the two lead parts have been portrayed by ethnic minority actors for the first time ever.
To honour his groundbreaking role, Mattel released a new Doctor Who doll this month.
Ncuti said he was 'emotional' seeing the Mattel creation, adding: 'Barbie is iconic, so to see a Barbie iteration of the Doctor was emotional, surreal, incredible, and I can't wipe the smile off my face.
'I hope kids out there are able to enjoy the doll and see themselves in it and think "I can do anything".'
The Fifteenth Doctor Barbie Doll features a face sculpted in the likeness of Ncuti and is dressed in a striped shirt, sleek trousers, a long brown jacket and white trainers.
Mattel has also created a model of Doctor Who's companion Ruby Sunday, who is played by Millie Gibson in the current series.
But a few fuming viewers have been left enraged by the show showing non-binary characters, incels and pregnant male aliens, despite it being a science fiction series following the Doctor as he travels through time and space.
Campaigners have accused bosses behind the BBC series of 'promoting the cult of gender ideology' in the latest episodes of the time-hopping romp, which is streamed globally thanks to a lucrative deal with Disney thought to be worth £100million.
Russell T Davies, the head writer for Doctor Who, hit back at 'toxic' people who have declared the show as 'woke' for having non-white actors
Russell T Davies, the head writer for Doctor Who, hit back at 'toxic' people who have declared the show as 'woke' for having non-white actors.
The Welsh screenwriter and television producer, 62, said he had no time for trolls complaining about the show's 'diversity', saying: 'I have no time for this. I don't have a second to bear [it]. Because what you might call diversity, I just call an open door.'
While he refuted the conspiracy he was consciously writing in diversity themes as a forced agenda, pointing out it was the natural reflection of life and that it was harder to write using 'a narrow window' of references.
Adding his own two-cents, Ncuti advised the 'woke-brigade' who were angry at the show to simple not watch it.
He said last year: 'Don't watch. Turn off the TV. I feel like anyone that has a problem with someone who's not a straight white man playing this character, you're not really, truly a fan of the show.'
While Varada Sethu, who became Ncuti's new companion, Belinda Chandra, this series, also addressed the show's perceived 'wokeness' to the Radio Times, saying she felt it meant they were on the right track and were in line with what the show was about.
She said: 'There's been a couple of 'Doctor Woke' [comments] or whatever. But I just think we're doing the right thing if we're getting comments like that.
'Woke just means inclusive, progressive, and that you care about people. And, as far as I know, the core of Doctor Who is kindness, love and doing the right thing.'