There have been reports that the Thirteenth Doctor’s final episode will feature further nods to the past
The Mirror’s TV editor Nicola Methven has reported that Ace and Tegan will be far from the only former companions to appear in the next episode of Doctor Who. The exact list of who might be involved the special, airing as part of the BBC Centenary celebrations, is unknown. But one claim is that Bradley Walsh’s Graham is among them. In fact, the rumour is that the companions appear due to Graham arranging a special reunion gathering of all the Doctor’s old friends he can track down on present down Earth!
Any more characters appearing in the ninety minute special will be joining an already packed cast list. As well as the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker), Yaz (Mandip Gill) and Dan (John Bishop), we know that there are guest roles for Tegan (Janet Fielding), Ace (Sophie Aldred), Kate Stewart (Jenna Redgrave), and Vinder (Jacob Anderson). Ranged against them are a host of villians. These include the Master (Sacha Dhawan), the Lone Cyberman Ashad (Patrick O’Kane), and armies of Daleks and Cybermen.
There are also reports that the special, which airs as part of the BBC’s Centenary celebrations, will reference past Doctors. We’ll get to see the Thirteenth Doctor with bits and pieces of her past selves’ costumes, like the Fifth Doctor’s celery, the Fourth Doctor’s scarf, the Seventh Doctor’s question mark jumper and more. Perhaps the plot sees her visit the TARDIS wardrobe room and take a brief stroll down memory lane? We’ve even already seen something like that on the cover of one of Titan Comics’ Thirteenth Doctor series! As you can see by this article’s illustration.
We also have our best indication yet of exactly when the Centenary special with air
Meanwhile, thanks to the new Doctor Who Magazine and the BBC, we have our best idea yet of an airdate. Russell T Davies had already confirmed the as yet unnamed episode will be broadcast in October. But DWM have revealed that a preview of the special will be headlining their next issue, in shops on the 15th of September. Doctor Who Magazine 582 covers the four weeks from the 15th of September to the 12th of October. So it’s highly likely that final Thirteenth Doctor story will air in the first half of the month.
The BBC have also confirmed, as long suspected, that the whole season of BBC 100 celebrations will cluster in one very special week of programs. Exactly which week has yet to be revealed, though the BBC centenary date itself falls on the 18th. So it seems almost certain it will Week 42 of the broadcast calendar. BBC schedulers define the week as running from Saturday to Friday. Combined with DWM’s preview, Blogtor Who’s best guess is that the Doctor Who special will air on Sunday the 15th. That week’s Strictly Come Dancing will return to the Blackpool Tower Ballroom for the first time in two years too. And all the dancers who make it that far will be performing routines themed around iconic shows from the BBC’s history.
As well as Doctor Who and Strictly, other programs in the centenary schedule include:
- BBC: A Very British History – David Dimbleby discusses how the past century has been filtered through the lens of BBC coverage
- Here’s One I Made Earlier – Konnie Huq celebrates the BBC’s history of children’s programs
- Horrible Histories: BBC’s Big Birthday Bonanza – the Horrible Histories team whizz through the history of the BBC as only they can
- The Love Box in Your Living Room – Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse present a possibly not entirely accurate account of how the BBC came to be
- The Battle of Savoy Hill – a five part radio drama set during the BBC’s crucial formative years
- The Sonic Century – a radio documentary about the impact of the radio medium on British society over the past century
- Plus – special themed episodes of Top Gear, MasterChef, The Apprentice and Antiques Roadshow.
