Russell T Davies says there are "no plans" for David Tennant to return to Doctor Who: "It's the age of Ncuti now"

Ncuti Gatwa in Doctor Who
(Image credit: BBC)

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies says there are no plans for David Tennant to return to the show, despite his recent re-appearance in three 60th anniversary special episodes.

"Sorry, it’s the age of Ncuti now. It's 'David Who?'" Davies joked at a Q&A attended by SFX magazine. "No plans, genuinely, because it's a busy time," he added. "These two are gonna just sail across the universe and capture your hearts, so it's time to look at these two."

By "these two", he means Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and Millie Gibson's companion, Ruby Sunday. Gatwa made his on-screen debut in the final Doctor Who 60th anniversary special, The Giggle, while Gibson will be introduced in the upcoming Christmas special.

"I think [Ruby's] dynamic with the Doctor is very much like two girls at school gossiping," Gibson recently told Total Film. "They’re very cliquey. I think the Doctor’s not had that sort of dynamic before. It’s really beautiful to see come alive when you do watch it."

Tennant, meanwhile, first played the Doctor between 2006 and 2008. During that time, he was joined in the TARDIS by three different companions, Rose (Billie Piper), Martha (Freema Agyeman), and Donna (Catherine Tate), the latter of whom also returned for the anniversary specials. 

The Doctor Who Christmas special, titled 'The Church on Ruby Road', airs on December 25 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney Plus everywhere else. In the meantime, check out our guide to the other best new TV shows on the way in 2024. 

Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.