Doctor Who casts "another" version of a fan-favorite character

Yasmin Finney in Heartstopper — (Image credit: Netflix)

Heartstopper actor Yasmin Finney has joined the cast of Doctor Who – and she's playing a character named Rose.

"How can there be another Rose?" said showrunner Russell T. Davies (via Deadline), referring to the Doctor's companion played by Billie Piper between 2005 and 2010. Davies was previously head writer and showrunner between 2005 and 2009, and is returning to helm the show for season 14.

"If anyone would have told eight-year-old Yasmin that one day she’d be part of this iconic show, I would have never in a million years believed them," Finney said in a statement. "This show has a place in so many people’s hearts, so to be seen as a trans actress by the legend himself Russell, has not only made my year, it’s made my life."

It was recently announced that Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa would replace current Doctor actor Jodie Whittaker in the next season of the long-running series. Whittaker will make her last appearance in the role later this year in a 90-minute special episode to celebrate 100 years of the BBC.

Plus, David Tennant and Catherine Tate are also returning to the show next year – Tennant played the Doctor between 2005 and 2010, while Tate played his companion Donna in season 4, which aired in 2008.

As for Finney, she plays Elle Argent in the Netflix series Heartstopper, which is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alice Oseman and premiered on the streamer last month.

Doctor Who season 14 will air sometime in 2023. While we wait, fill out your watch list with our picks of the best TV shows of all time.

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related. I help bring you all the latest news, features, and reviews, as well as helming our Big Screen Spotlight column. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.