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Edinburgh Live
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
David Tennant's wife reacts to Billie Piper's Doctor Who 'bombshell'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Whovian euphoria reached new peaks last night as former companion Billie Piper was revealed to be the latest incarnation of the Doctor on Doctor Who, setting social media ablaze. Georgia Tennant, wife of Doctor Who alum David Tennant and once on-screen daughter, Jenny, excitedly took to Instagram with a pre-show post stating "Here we go. Oh yes!" swiftly followed by another snippet commemorating Billie's surprise entrance, this time a striking image of Billie with a rose captioned "Hello mum." The series has long enjoyed keeping fans on their toes, but Billie's comeback sent shockwaves unlike any before, with viewers flocking online to share their awe over the surprising twist. Show boss Russell T Davies earned heaps of praise from the fandom for pulling off what many dubbed an 'epic casting decision'. READ MORE - Kate Middleton's brutal response when told she's lucky to have Prince William READ MORE - Prince William 'grieved' after losing brother Harry in 'secret summit' decision Responses ranged from sheer disbelief to unabashed excitement, with one viewer proclaiming: "OMFG just watched the final episode of Doctor Who. Spoiler alert. Billie Piper as the Doctor. WTF." Others chimed in, expressing their astonishment and reluctant excitement: "Billie Piper as the 16th Doctor wasn't what I expected but hey it is something!". Even views towards the future held a mix of surprise and intrigue, one commented: "Billie Piper in Doctor Who. In the year 2025. not on my bingo cards.", reports the Mirror. Radio 2 star Rylan Clark, who recently appeared in Doctor Who as the host of the Interstellar Song Contest, couldn't contain his emotions following the latest episode. On Instagram, he shared: "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." After Billie Piper's reveal on Saturday's show, an emotional Rylan admitted to fans he might 'regret' his reaction but confessed, with tears in his eyes: "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." Russell T Davies, the show's creator, responded to Rylan's touching post with a message of affection: "Love you Rylan" accompanied by a big red heart emoji. Billie Piper, commenting on her return to the iconic series, expressed her deep affection for the show: "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."
Daily Mirror
3 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."
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Rylan left sobbing by Doctor Who exit as he shares emotional reaction to finale
Doctor Who fans were left gobsmacked on Saturday when former star of the show, Billie Piper, was revealed as the new Doctor in news which had a profound effect on star Rylan Clark Rylan Clark was left sobbing on Saturday after Doctor Who's jaw-dropping twist. In news which left the show's legion of loyal fans stunned, former star of the sci-fi series, Billie Piper, was revealed as the new Doctor when current Time Lord, played by Ncuti Gatwa, regenerated. Taking to Instagram with tears streaming down his face after watching the episode in which Billie, who played the Doctor's companion, Rose Tyler, from 2005 - 2006 returned to the show in stunning style, Rylan said: "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 emotional post, show creator Russell T Davies replied to the TV presenter, saying: "Love you Rylan" with a big red heart emoji. Rylan popped up 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." Meanwhile, following her exit from Doctor Who, Billie, 42, went on to make cameo appearances in the series in 2008 and 2010. The actress previously returned for the 50th anniversary special as a separate character, but was still credited as Rose Tyler. The huge news regarding her latest epic casting comes just days after speculation that Ncuti was preparing to step down from the role. Speaking about her return, Billie said: "It's no secret how much I love this show, 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." Meanwhile, in a statement released by the BBC, Ncuti said: "You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it. "This journey has been one that I will never forget, and a role that will be part of me forever. There are no words to describe what it feels like to be cast as the Doctor, nor are there words to explain what it feels like to be accepted into this iconic role that has existed for over 60 years and is truly loved by so many across the globe. "The fans are truly the final character and beating heart of this show, and I can't thank the Whoniverse, and the Whovians, enough for welcoming me in and making this such a touching experience. "I've loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have. I'll truly miss it, and forever be grateful to it, and everyone that has played a part in my journey as the Doctor." Taking to social media, fans couldn't contain their joy when Billie was revealed as Ncuti's replacement. 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."
Geek Vibes Nation
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'Doctor Who' Season 2 Episode 6 Review - Eurovision Meets Die Hard In The Explosive And Campy "The Interstellar Song Contest"
Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) and The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) | Photo Credit: Lara Cornell/BBC Studios/Disney/Bad Wolf The Doctor and Belinda's journey back to May 24, 2025, takes them from 2019 Lagos to the depths of space, in the far future, on a space station hosting the 803rd Annual Interstellar Song Contest. Written by Juno Dawson and directed by Ben A. Williams, 'The Interstellar Song Contest' pays homage to one of Europe's most beloved traditions, the Eurovision Song Contest, in the most Doctor Who way possible. One part love letter to Eurovision and one part Die Hard -style thriller, 'The Interstellar Space Contest' is a delight from start to finish—even if the episode feels a good twenty minutes too short to really delve into everything it wants to explore. Still, it's a love letter to a European tradition wrapped in a very Doctor Who blanket and packed with huge ramifications for the upcoming two-part season finale. Welcome to Eurovision…in Space! When the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Belinda (Varada Sethu) land on the Harmony Arena space station in 2925, they find themselves in the audience of the 803rd Interstellar Song Contest. But as the festivities begin, a sinister force breaks into the control room and takes over the broadcast, expelling the audience into the cold depths of space and separating the Doctor and Belinda. Can the TARDIS stop the malevolent Kid (Freddie Fox) from committing mass murder? Or is the 803rd Interstellar Song Contest destined to go down in history for all the wrong reasons? Juno Dawson returns to Doctor Who (after penning the 'Doctor Who Redacted' podcast and the Thirteenth Doctor novel The Good Doctor ) with a story that combines Doctor Who 's penchant for camp mixed with horror and a genuine affection for the Eurovision Song Contest (what with its cameos from BBC Eurovision stalwarts Rylan Clark and Graham Norton). Dawson's script strikes a good balance between Eurovision excess and Doctor Who drama, paying a lot of love to Eurovision's long cultural history with its campy Europop ballads and over-the-top performances while still sticking to what makes a good Doctor Who story. In this case, a base-under-siege tale mixed with some biting social commentary. It's all a bit Die Hard meets Doctor Who, with an over-the-top terrorist trying to cause as much destruction as humanly possible. But Dawson and director Ben A. Williams mostly pull it off, held together by some solid tension and a shockingly dark performance from Gatwa; his most Capaldi-influenced yet. It's the weakest episode of the season, hampered by some uneven pacing, but it's never anything less than delightful. Rylan Clark and Sabine (Julie Dray) | Photo Credit: James Pardon/BBC Studios/Disney/Bad Wolf Frenetic Pacing Leads to a Slightly Uneven Message Where 'The Interstellar Song Contest' falters is in its pacing, suffering similar problems to 2018's 'Kerblam!'. 'Kerblam!' overlooks the atrocities of its Space Amazon analogue while focusing on its antagonist's misguided terrorist actions, and 'The Interstellar Song Contest' makes a similar mistake as it overlooks the atrocities committed by the Poppy Honey Corporation against the citizens of Hellia. Dawson's script (in its struggle to cram a story better suited for two parts into 45 minutes) and Fox's performance paint Kid so thinly that it makes him a cartoon caricature of a villain. Yes, Kid's plan to kill the three trillion people watching the completion as an act of revenge against one of its sponsoring companies is obviously horrendous. But there's a nuance to Kid's motivations that's hinted at in the script, mostly absent in Fox's over-the-top performance, and woefully underexplored as a whole that robs the situation of that nuance. 'You' Season 5 Review - A Satisfying, Gluttonous Send-Off And like 'Kerblam!', 'The Interstellar Song Contest' offers no retribution for the evil company. No follow-up on the exposure of its misdeeds, hardly even a mention after the Doctor's defeat of Kid—except for Cora (Miriam-Teak Lee) singing a traditional Hellion song onstage. Perhaps that in itself could be a criticism of Eurovision's very milquetoast take on geopolitics, with its 'music brings everyone together' state of mind while some of its very contestants commit unspeakable atrocities. But the episode doesn't frame it this way; rather, it comes across as an unearned 'come together' moment in a way that leaves a sour taste in your mouth. Kid's actions are horrific, but so were those of the corporation he was seeking to punish, and a longer, slower-paced episode may have had ample room to explore that. Kid (Freddie Fox) and Wynn (Iona Anderson) | Photo Credit: James Pardon/BBC Studios/Disney/Bad Wolf Susan, Mrs. Flood, and the Destruction of Earth A large part of the episode's franticness is its need to lay the groundwork for the two-part season finale—often in the most obvious of ways. Mrs. Flood (Anita Dobson) keeps popping up in the crowd, rejoicing as the Doctor's Vindicator finally finishes its final scan, opening the door for the Doctor and Belinda (and Mrs. Flood herself?) to return home. There's that hologram of Graham Norton that gives a pretty big exposition dump in the final few minutes of the episode, telling the Doctor and Belinda all about the Earth's destruction on May 24, 2025. And then, most mysterious of all, are those flashes of the Doctor's granddaughter, Susan (Carole Ann Ford, reprising her role after 42 years' absence), on the TARDIS and telling the Doctor to find her. Speaking of mysteries, this episode finally solves the mystery of Mrs. Flood. Last seen in the eighties, during the Seventh Doctor's era, the renegade Time Lady scientist known as The Rani returns as the episode reveals when Mrs. Flood bigenerates at the end, with Archie Panjabi taking over as the freshly bigenerated Rani. Just how she's back, what her plans are, and how they intersect with the rest of these storylines remains to be seen, but their inclusion here lays the groundwork for what's sure to be an explosive finale. Final Thoughts Despite its frenetic pacing and underbaked commentary, 'The Interstellar Song Contest' still delivers an enjoyable Doctor Who take on a European cultural landmark. Sure, you can feel the episode struggle to cram all of its ideas into its meager 45-minute runtime, and the necessities of setting up the season's final two episodes occasionally steal the episode's focus. But Dawson's loving homage to Eurovision, combined with Gatwa's shockingly fierce performance, makes for appointment television nonetheless. Though it's the weakest episode in a season of absolute bangers, and the episode whose runtime feels most constrained, it's nevertheless a deeply fun Doctor Who experience that's sure to draw you back time and time again. All eyes, however, turn to next week's 'Wish World', the first half of a two-part finale, and the culmination of Mrs. Flood's machinations. Until then, let's just enjoy the ride so far. New episodes of Doctor Who premiere Saturdays at 3 am on Disney+.
Metro
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Russell T Davies addresses fans correctly guessing huge Doctor Who mystery
Doctor Who's singing, dancing, Eurovision episode finally revealed the longstanding mystery of who exactly the gilet-clad Mrs Flood is, bringing back a vintage Whovian villain. The Interstellar Song Contest unmasked Mrs Flood as the Rani, in an episode the BBC One ratings have cemented as the highest watched of this season so far with 2.57 million viewers. The show was granted a welcome bump from a jam-packed schedule that squeezed the episode in between the FA Cup final and the live Eurovision Song Contest. After a season spent popping up in every episode, Anita Dobson's Mrs Flood followed in the footsteps of David Tennant's Doctor and bigenerated – split in two – into Archie Panjabi. The Rani pair are now poised to face off against the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Belinda (Varada Sethu) in the upcoming two-part finale of the show. 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. The episode saw the universe's frothy Europop night, hosted by the inimitable Rylan and hologram Graham Norton, devolve into a fight for survival that ended with a longtime nemesis of the Doctor rearing its head. While some Whovians had suspected Mrs Flood would be revealed to be the Doctor's wife, River Song, others correctly theorised she was the Rani and should be awarded a collective pat on the back. Although some shows might want their Big Bad reveal to remain unknowable, Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has said it's no bad thing that some fans were on the money. Speaking on the official Doctor Who companion show Unleashed, he said: 'Finally, we found out who Mrs Flood is. I think ever since Mrs Flood appeared, people have been saying she's the Rani, and sometimes you just want to deliver what people expect. The Rani has yet to make an appearance during rebooted Who, so newer fans might have been scratching their heads during Saturday's big reveal. The Doctor's foe first appeared in Colin Baker's run as the Sixth Time Lord, when she was played by Kate O'Mara. She's a renegade Time Lord turned mad scientist, who has caused chaos on planets with her madcap experiments. Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor summed up the Rani in the Time and the Rani episode, saying: 'Don't underestimate her. She's a brilliant but sterile mind. There's not one spark of decency in her.' 'Yes, she's a Time Lady. Yes, she is the Rani. And yes, she's bi-generated and now she's Mrs Flood and Archie Panjabi as the Rani, which is so exciting. More Trending 'It was kind of the plan almost from the beginning. I always thought she was the Rani. Which actually is a very old Doctor Who villain who's never been brought back since the show came back in 2005. She's kind of been waiting in the wings, and the time has come.' Davies has since said that Ncuti Gatwa has always wanted to face the Rani, telling the BBC: 'It's an honour to work with Archie – I've been a fan for years, and what a joy, to see her twinned with Anita Dobson. It's the greatest threat the Doctor has ever faced and there are even more villains to come!' View More » Doctor Who continues with Wish World on Saturday, May 24 on BBC iPlayer and Disney Plus outside of the UK. 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. MORE: Doctor Who and Coronation Street star Michael McStay dies aged 92 as family pay tribute MORE: 'Godmother' of Israeli settler movement from Louis Theroux documentary now sanctioned by UK MORE: Aisling Bea struggles discovering family's 'shameful' past on Who Do You Think You Are
