Doctor Who: Watch David Tennant Regenerate Into Fourteenth Doctor (Again)
David Tennant is returning as the star of Doctor Who, taking the lead as the Fourteenth Doctor in the upcoming Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special. Before that, Tennant's Doctor appeared in the opening sketch of this year's Red Nose Day telethon for Comic Relief on March 17th. The sketch sees Red Nose Day host Lenny Henry in his dressing room preparing to go on stage when he's hit by some stomach problems. Next thing he knows he's regenerating and then replaced by Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor. Tennant then repeats a line from his other regeneration scene and runs off.
Of course, Henry was back to his old self in time for the show. You can watch the sketch below.
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.