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Metro
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Is Billie Piper the 16th Doctor? Everything we know about her surprise return
Ncuti Gatwa regenerated into Billie Piper in Doctor Who season finale – so what could this mean? (Picture: BBC) Another season of Doctor Who is over with Ncuti Gatwa bowing out as the 15th Doctor and handing the Tardis over to… Billie Piper? The end of the season two finale, The Reality War, packed a shocking punch after an unannounced regeneration. The episode ended on Ncuti transforming into the former Rose Tyler star – who declared 'oh, hello' to the camera with a beaming grin. As Whovians across the country let out a united gasp, the episode rolled to credits with the ominous phrasing: 'Introducing Billie Piper.' Although many naturally jumped to the conclusion that she would be the next Doctor, she has not officially been labelled as such through any official channels. Get personalised updates on Doctor Who 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. Piper, 42, played assistant Rose full time from 2005 to 2006 opposite Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant, and then returned for season four before appearing as The Moment in the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special. Billie Piper is widely beloved for her portrayal as the reboot's first companion, Rose Tyler (Picture: BBC) On social media the actor teased that 'who, how, why and when, you'll just have to wait and see' when talking about her sudden reappearance in the Whoniverse. Meanwhile, the BBC added: 'Just how and why she [Billie Piper] is back remains to be seen…' as showrunner Russell T Davies echoed 'quite how and why and who is a story yet to be told'. So here are all the ways the show could use her character. The 16th Doctor We had to kick off the list with the most obvious answer (Picture: BBC) Perhaps the simplest answer is that she is the 16th Doctor. It's certainly not the first time the show has brought back a familiar face to play the titular Time Lord. The 12th Doctor was played by Peter Capaldi who guest starred as an innocent civillian rescued by the Doctor in season four episode, Fires of Pompeii – with the show intertexturally confirming that the use of the face was the remind the Doctor of who he was, someone who saves lives. And, of course, the 14th Doctor was played by David Tennant who ended up reuniting with Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) where he continues to live now after Ncuti's version bi-generated out of him (which could come to play in a later theory…) If she is the Doctor then how long she sticks around, and why she chose this face, remains to be seen. She could even be an out-of-traditional-order Doctor as we've seen before with Jo Martin who plays the Fugitive Doctor and John Hurt as the War Doctor. A cameo This would definitely be a cheekier move from Russell if it comes true but the episode ended with the Doctor still surrounded by regeneration energy. There is always the possbility that the Doctor is cycling through various faces – all of which are familiar – before settling on their final 16th Doctor visage. Hey, we could even see a reunion between the 14th Doctor and whoever this is with Rose's face! How long Billie would stick around if this is the case would wildly fluctuate but it would also open the avenue for other returning faces such as Carol Anne Ford (whose storyline remains up in the air after her season two cameo as granddaughter Susan) to have their moment in the limelight. Rose Tyler Of course, we can't discount that the original Rose Tyler has somehow returned. This is supported by Piper's Instagram post celebrating her return to Doctor Who which she captioned: 'A rose is a rose is a rose !!!'. As far as we are aware, Rose is trapped in a parallel universe with the Meta Crisis Doctor (the face and intelligence of the 10th Doctor with a human life-span) but could she have been pushed back into this universe? Not only is this not the first time she would have travelled between the two but also some keen eyed fans have noted that the reality salvaged out of Conrad's wishes had subtle differences including a change in Norway and Sweden's border which has moved seven miles. Coincidentally, Norway is the last place Rose was dropped off (at the iconic Bad Wolf Bay). What's more, the Doctor died pushing his energy through the Time Vortex to save Poppy. The last person to tamper with that was… you guessed it… Rose Tyler during the season one finale, The Parting of Ways. The Moment/Bad Wolf Billie Piper's character also has ties to The Moment and Bad Wolf which could be making a return with her as a vessel (Picture: PA) This leads us nicely onto the other forms that Rose has taken in the series that could be making a return – once more thanks to Rose's imprint on the Time Vortex. First, is the ongoing Bad Wolf motif – scattered throughout the universe to lead Rose back to the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) to save him and destroy all the Daleks. The Bad Wolf motif then made a return in season four when the barries between the universes were dissolving and Rose returned once more to help the Doctor defeat creator of the Daleks, Davros. Meanwhile, in the Doctor Who 50th anniversary, Piper returned as the physical manifestation of The Moment – a powerful and dangerous weapon that the Doctor planned to use to end the Last Time War and annihilate his race. Could we be seeing a physical manifestation of Bad Wolf or the Moment once more? The Tardis Some fans have even posed she could be the Tardis itself (Picture: BBC) Last, but not least, there is the possibility that The Tardis itself has been unleashed, as posed by one Reddit user, Valha28. The user argued that after being given a shot of the Tardis console fading; Rose being the last person to stare into the heart of the Tardis; and immediately saying hello in surprise it could very well be she's taken physical form as Rose. It wouldn't be the first time the Tardis has transformed into a human. Suranne Jones played her in The Doctor's Wife in season six so there is precedent. Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. Arrow MORE: 7 best shows to binge if you're already missing Doctor Who after finale Arrow MORE: Is Ncuti Gatwa leaving? Our Doctor Who experts know who should take over Arrow MORE: Doctor Who is wasted on Disney – ditch it or it risks dying
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
David Tennant's wife breaks silence on Billie Piper's bombshell Doctor Who news
Doctor Who fans were sent into a frenzy on Saturday when former star of the show, Billie Piper, was revealed as the new Doctor after the current Time Lord, played by Ncuti Gatwa, regenerated Doctor Who star David Tennant's wife, Georgia, couldn't contain her excitement when Billie Piper was revealed as the new Time Lord in last night's show. Whovians across the country were sent into a frenzy when current Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, regenerated and Billie, who played companion Rose Tyler in the series from 2005 to 2006, appeared in his place. Actress Georgia, 40, who played the Doctor's daughter, Jenny, in a previous episode of the sci-fi series is married to David, who is best known for portraying the 10th and 14th incarnations of the Doctor, who starred alongside Billie's character, Rose. Sharing a screenshot of the couple's TV when the show started last night, Georgia, who shares five kids with David, wrote "Here we go. Oh yes!" followed by a stunning snap of Billie holding a rose with the hashtag: "Hello mum." Whovians couldn't believe what they were seeing after Billie's dramatic reveal, which has remained a closely guarded secret. Taking to social media to express their delight, many praised showrunner, Russell T Davies for his 'epic casting decision'. One said: "OMFG just watched the final episode of Doctor Who. Spoiler alert. Billie Piper as the Doctor. WTF." A second added: "Billie Piper as the 16th Doctor wasn't what I expected but hey it is something!" Meanwhile, another declared: "Billie Piper in Doctor Who. In the year 2025. not on my bingo cards." Another Whovian who was quite clearly overcome with emotion after the episode was Radio 2 star, Rylan Clark. Rylan appeared in Doctor Who two weeks ago, portraying the host of the Interstellar Song Contest, which is akin to a galactic version of the Eurovision Song Contest, on the BBC's iconic show. Revealing that showrunner Russell had given him a special role on the programme, he said on Instagram: "So I have been keeping that secret for a year. I am so excited. I am a massive, massive Whovian. "I love Doctor Who. I've loved it for years. And when I got that call I was so overwhelmed and I'm not gonna lie, I did have a little tear. Maybe a few more tears. It was the best experience of my life." Reacting to Billie's reveal in Saturday's show, he told fans he was probably going to 'regret' his emotional post, but shared - with tears streaming down his face - "I'll probably look back at this with real embarrassment, but I've just watched Doctor Who and I don't know what's just happened. Omg, it's unbelievable. What a turn out." Sharing the heartfelt message, show creator, Russell, replied to the TV presenter, saying: "Love you Rylan" with a big red heart emoji. Meanwhile, commenting on her return to the show, Billie said: "It's no secret how much I love this show. "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."
Metro
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Is Ncuti Gatwa leaving? Our Doctor Who experts know who should take over
As Doctor Who's Ncuti Gatwa second season comes to an end, sights are already being set on the 16th Doctor. After two stand-out seasons shepherding Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) and Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) around the universe, the 15th Doctor has seen it all (except the Daleks, much to Ncuti's devastation). He's faced down enemies from the distant past, pushed back against bigotry, discovered hell-dimension defying love and found himself in the middle of more than one musically-themed episode. Although we hope there are more adventures to come, with rumours swirling of an imminent departure (and Doctor's traditionally not sticking around for more than three seasons) it's best to be prepared. The future of Doctor Who could unfold in any direction. 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. So, here are the picks from Metro's Doctor Who experts – Deputy TV Editor Tom Percival, Senior TV Reporter Rebecca Cook and TV Reporter Asyia Iftikhar – for the next Doctor from unexpected frontrunners to dream fancasts. Now I know what you're thinking – did you just misread that name? No, you read correctly – that is Billie Piper, aka the actor behind Rose Tyler who's currently stranded in a parallel universe with a discount David Tennant. There's no one quite like Rose to keep your ego in check while effortlessly swooning you with her straight-forward charm and disarming loyalty – all packaged into someone whose edges were sharpened on a bustling London council estate with a mum who knows her own mind (and then some). Despite the fact that she still plays a very much existing character in the Whoniverse (if her return to Big Finish is any indication) everyone is ignoring that tiny detail as speculation rises that she could be upgrading to the top dog themselves – the 16th Doctor. Hey, if 12th Doctor Peter Capaldi is anything to go by (albeit on a much, much smaller scale) Doctor Who is in the business of not only recycling faces but actually acknowledging it in the plot! Anyone who checked in to the latest stay at The White Lotus will know the award of season scene-stealer was a toss-up between Parker Posey's amorphous accent and the delightful Aimee Lou Wood. After being a standout on Sex Education before that – much like Ncuti Gatwa – the only issue here might be that Aimee Lou Wood wouldn't want to be tied down to a long-running show – again, much like Ncuti Gatwa. But if we're purely fan-casting here, what would be a better way to follow up the immense eye-acting powers of Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor than with Wood's own mesmerically shiny windows to the soul? And who else, like Gatwa, could get away with calling every alien, demi-god and mortal being they come into contact with 'babes' and 'hon'? It just might be that these are shoes only Wood can fill. Senior TV Reporter Rebecca Cook It might be hard to imagine Danny Dyer travelling through time and space, battling Daleks, and fighting the good fight. After all, Danny's made a career playing rough and ready characters who are more likely to throw hands than throw around a bit of technobabble. Yet, to paraphrase Matt Smith's iconic final lines, times change, and so must Doctor Who. Danny could offer an entirely fresh take on the beloved Time Lord, one that's a bit grittier and edgier. I imagine him as a mash-up of the Ninth, Third, and Twelfth Doctors, a slightly grumpy, less refined figure who's as passionate and brave as ever but not afraid to bust out the Venusian aikido when a Cyberman needs slapping down. In case you think I'm being facetious, I think Danny's proven, most recently in the brilliant Rivals, that he brings a surprising level of pathos to his characters that belies his carefully cultivated wide boy persona, and with the right script, I can see him bringing tremendous depth to the Doctor. Plus, who wouldn't love to see Danny Dyer dressed like a Victorian dandy telling their assistant to get up the apples and pears before that Dalek can have a butchers at 'em. Deputy TV Editor Tom Percival It's difficult to find a more exciting emerging British talent than Ambika Mod, who in just a handful of roles has been able to make audiences curl up on their sofa and cry or laugh out loud at her impeccable comedic timing. Her comedy background, coupled with her ability to infuse immense emotional depth into her characters – whether slowly destroying us as Emma Morley in Netflix's One Day or tearing our hearts out as junior Doctor Shruti in This Is Going To Hurt – has made her an unstoppable force. By pure coincidence, it's also all the qualities we look for in the Doctor who needs to be able to bring a dark gravitas to one scene and levity the next – a tall order. I can truly see her having a high-stakes showdown with a Weeping Angel one minute and accidentally taking the companion's cat along for the ride the next. Not to mention, it would be delightful to see her take on a more fast-paced, action-style role, which I have no doubt she would thrive in. Adolescence star Erin Doherty has proven her metamorphic ability in spades. The 32-year-old actor inhabits a grounded presence on screen that she infuses with grit and, when appropriate, panache that completely draws you in – and leaves you wanting more. Even knowing that she plays Princess Anne in The Crown I still struggle to fully accept it's her, so great is her talent to be completely consumed by the role that she's playing. Doctor Who is nothing without the total surrender of the actors who embody this time-travelling Time Lord and I can think of no one more up to the task. More Trending Whether creating some of the most devastating television you'll see this year in one shot or packing a punch in a period drama all about boxing – Erin Doherty has mastered it all. Now she just needs a sonic screwdriver and a panchant for crashing the Tardis in the most dangerous imaginable place to fit the bill. Justttt to cover our bases. Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Doctor Who is wasted on Disney – ditch it or it risks dying MORE: Ashley Walters calls out BBC's Who Do You Think You Are for rejecting him after 'year of research' MORE: The Chase star points out major issue 'ruining' rival ITV gameshow
Daily Record
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Doctor Who fans divided over star tipped to replace Ncuti Gatwa
Doctor Who fans have been busy speculating about who might be replacing Ncuti Gatwa - but fans are divided after rumours surfaced that a beloved former star could return as the 16th Doctor TV fans might be getting a new Doctor Who sooner than expected, with speculation mounting that Ncuti Gatwa will be stepping down from the iconic BBC series after this season. As questions arise over who might step into the Tardis next, rumours are also circulating about the show's future. Fans believe that if Disney decides to end its co-production deal, the show could be axed. Despite the uncertainty, showrunner Russell T Davies remains confident that Doctor Who will continue. The show is set to take a hiatus until at least 2027 to allow for filming and the next series may be shown on BBC, Gloucestershire Live reports. Showrunner Russell spoke to Doctor Who Magazine, revealing: "I am confident. Doctor Who is forever, and the future is bright!" As the show pauses next year, fans will be treated to a spin-off show, The War Between the Land and the Sea, starring Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. But Doctor Who die-hards are already speculating who might take on the iconic role when the programme returns for its 16th revived series. Doctor Who first aired back in the 1960s and ran for 20 years before it was axed. It was then brought back in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston playing the ninth doctor and Billie Piper playing his loveable companion, Rose - who also appeared in the following seasons alongside David Tennant. Now, fans think Billie could be next in line for the leading role. Following the rumours, which have yet to be confirmed, fans were quick to share their thoughts online. On X, previously known as Twitter, one viewer said: "Billie Piper as the 16th doctor with Ncuti Gatwa as her companion @bbecdoctorwho put me in the writers room now." Meanwhile, a Reddit user sparked discussion by asking: "If the rumours are true, and Billie Piper is the 16th Doctor, how would you feel?" They continued: "Has anyone else seen the wild rumours floating around that Billie Piper might be cast as the 16th Doctor? As much as I'm struggling to believe it, if it does turn out to be true, how would everyone feel? Personally, I wouldn't be on board with the idea at all, in fact I would hate it." "Casting Billie Piper would feel like yet another gimmick, much like bringing back David Tennant did. The role of the Doctor should be treated with more care than just trying to generate the biggest online buzz." They concluded by saying: "Personally, I'd love to see Varada Sethu or Suranne Jones take on the role." One individual replied, stating: "If she did come back, I'd still just see her as Rose. Rose was such a key part of why the revival was successful I think it'd diminish the character bringing back Billie as 16." Another noted: "Billie can act though. I think her Doctor would be different from Rose plus she's 20 years older now." A third replied, giving their opinion: "I wouldn't like it, but I wouldn't be surprised at this point." While one fan disagreed, saying they would like to see Billie in the role, writing: "I'd probably watch it just because it's Billie. She was why I started watching in the first place. Love that lady," as another agreed adding: "I would feel very good about it. Billie is a fantastic actress." Another Reddit user stated: "A couple of years ago, I'd definitely have loved it. I'd actually already thought about it myself, but since we only just had DT [David Tennant] return, I'm in two minds. I'd have to see how it all played out."
