Long time Doctor Who composer Murray Gold returns for more with the 60th Anniversary
Today, the BBC has announced that Murray Gold will return to Doctor Who in November for three special episodes celebrating the show’s 60th anniversary with David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor. Fans have been expecting this ever since it was announced that Russell T Davies was returning as showrunner for Doctor.
Gold originally joined Doctor Who in 2005 when the show was revived with Christopher Eccleston at the helm of the TARDIS. During his tenure, he revamped the theme tune and created iconic musical themes for the Doctors and his companions. He scored Doctor Who for over 12 years before leaving at the start of Chris Chibnall’s reign as showrunner.
Also returning is the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Murray will continue on once Ncuti Gatwa takes control of the TARDIS as the Fifteenth Doctor with his first episode airing over the festive period.
On returning to Doctor Who, Murray Gold says: “I’m so happy to be invited back for another joyful ride in the TARDIS. I didn’t think twice. Working with Russell and his team is just a pleasure.”
Gold’s return is the final piece in the puzzle getting almost the entire 2005 gang back together
Murray Gold’s return has long been the subject of speculation. After all, quite apart from having scored all of Davies’ previous episodes as showrunner, and then all of Steven Moffat’s, he’s provided to soundtracks for almost every Davies project as far back as 1999’s Queer as Folk.
This news is also the final puzzle piece in what’s effectively the resurrection of the entire 2005 team. As well as Davies and Gold, executive producer Julie Gardner and producer Phil Collinson are back too. Plus, obviously, David Tennant, Catherine Tate and other cast from their era are back for the 60th. But so are people like Neill Gorton’s Millennium FX, providing prosthetic designs, and many of the key crew who had worked in the VFX and CGI teams when the show first returned.
Officially there’s no word on whether Gold will continue on composer duties into Series 14 next year. But it does seem almost certain at this stage. Perhaps we’ll even see Doctor Who at the Proms this year.
UPDATED: On his Instagram account, Russell T Davies has now confirmed that Gold is staying on for Series 14. He’s also revealed that the new Doctor Who Magazine (out Thursday the 27th) will feature an interview with the composer about his return.
