Doctor Who: David Tennant Reveals What It Was Like Returning: "It Might've Felt Awkward"
David Tennant will return as the Doctor for the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who, and he admits the possibility that his return to the series could have been a little off. Tennant appeared on The Morning as part of the launch of ITV's new ITVX streaming platform. He primarily talked about Litvinenko, the miniseries in which he plays Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian Federal Security Service agent who defected to the United Kingdom and died of poisoning in 2006. However, the hosts couldn't let the interview end without asking Tennant questions about his surprise return as the Doctor in Jodie Whittaker's farewell episode. They asked him how it felt to return to Doctor Who 15 years after his initial run as the Tenth Doctor.
"It was like being handed a very lovely present," Tennant said. "It was joyous, it was great fun. It was a very happy, joyous time 15 years ago, and returning to that could've been, well, who knows? It might've felt awkward, it might've felt difficult, I might not have been able to run as fast. But we had a lovely time. Russell T. Davies is back running the show, it felt like we had never been away."
When will Doctor Who return?
Doctor Who will return with three 60th anniversary specials in November 2023 with Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor. Catherine Tate will also return as former companion Donna Noble. Doctor Who Season 14, which began filming last week, will follow with Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson as companion Ruby Sunday.
These will be the first new episodes of Doctor Who to stream globally on Disney+ as part of a new deal between Disney Branded Television and the BBC. Just days after Whittaker's farewell episode, the BBC and Disney announced a plan to "transform Doctor Who into a global franchise for UK audiences and the rest of the world." Rumor has it that Disney has some creative control over the franchise and wants to give Doctor Who a "Hollywood makeover."
"I love this show, and this is the best of both worlds – with the vision and joy of the BBC and Disney+ together we can launch the TARDIS all around the planet, reaching a new generation of fans while keeping our traditional home firmly on the BBC in the UK," returning showrunner Russell T. Davies said in a press release. Davies previously expressed his belief that Doctor Who should be a franchise with multiple shows similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He achieved a measure of this during his original run as Doctor Who showrunner, reviving the core Doctor Who series and launching spinoffs Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.
Davies also confirmed that he's bringing back the Doctor Who Christmas Special. He also confirmed that Doctor Who Season 14 is shorter than previous seasons but promised there are big plans in motion.
Doctor Who returns in 2023 first its 60th-anniversary specials ahead of 2024's Season 14. The new season seems like a perfect jumping-on point for curious newcomers, but other episodes of Doctor Who are still streaming on HBO Max. You can get caught up with our streaming binge guide.